Urologic oncology
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To examine the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, which since 2008 has identified and not reimbursed 10 common postoperative complications deemed "never events" or hospital-acquired conditions (HACs). Prostate cancer, the most frequent cancer among U.S. men, is most often treated with radical prostatectomy (RP). Therefore, its complications in total may represent significant costs to hospitals and providers if not reimbursed. We evaluated the potential effect of these unreimbursed HACs following RP on clinical outcomes and costs. ⋯ In a robust sample of patients who underwent RP in the United States, HACs were very uncommon and contributed approximately $1 million in additional expenditures. As the U.S. government continues to expand quality improvement programs and develop incentives to avoid complications, efforts to monitor unnecessary complications should continue as well.