Ending extra payment for "never events"—stronger incentives for patients' safety.

Never events represent a list of adverse events that are serious, unambiguous, and usually preventable. The National Quality Forum defined 28 never events in a 2007 consensus report that led to state mandates for reporting and financial implications for payment of services. This commentary discusses the context of these policy implications and how they are a small step toward motivating hospitals and clinicians to improve quality and safety.