Hospital-Acquired Conditions (HAC) and Never Events

Last Updated: March 5, 2024

Never Events are defined as adverse events or errors in medical care that are clearly identifiable, preventable and serious in their consequences for patients. Examples of Never Events include:
- Performance of wrong procedure (operation) on correct patient
- Performance of procedure (operation) on patient not scheduled for surgery
- Performance of correct procedure (operation) on wrong side of body parts
- Leaving sponge, gauze or surgical instrument in body after surgery
The terms “HAC” and “Never Events” are not used interchangeably.
- HAC is defined by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
POA stands for present on admission.
Acute care inpatient facilities include all acute general hospitals, children’s hospitals, critical access hospitals, long-term acute care hospitals and acute rehabs.
Skilled Nursing Facilities (SNF) and Veteran’s Administration Medical Centers (VAMC) are exempt from this policy.
All participating acute care facilities are not permitted to receive or retain reimbursement for inpatient services related to Never Events.
All participating acute care facilities are required to hold members harmless for any inpatient services related to Never Events.
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska (BCBSNE) follows CMS’ definition of Never Events/POA/HAC: CMS.gov.
Post-payment audits are generally conducted by BCBSNE for selected medical records. Please refer to the Provider Audit and Special Investigations Unit policy.