Medicare News and Research

RSS

Some states roll back ‘retroactive Medicaid,’ a buffer for the poor — and for hospitals

If you're poor, uninsured and fall seriously ill, in most states if you qualify for Medicaid — but weren't enrolled at the time — the program will pay your medical bills going back three months. It protects hospitals, too, from having to absorb the costs of caring for these patients.

14 Nov 2017

Hospital Readmission Reduction Program linked to increase in death rates, study finds

Federal policymakers five years ago introduced the Hospital Readmission Reduction Program to spur hospitals to reduce Medicare readmission rates by penalizing them if they didn't.

13 Nov 2017

Laws to equalize cancer patients’ out-of-pocket costs provide uneven protection

Laws passed by many states that require health plans to charge the same cost-sharing amounts for cancer patients receiving chemotherapy — regardless of whether they get the medication intravenously or take a pill or liquid by mouth — are providing uneven pocketbook protection, according to a new study.

10 Nov 2017

Pressure builds to cut Medicare patients in on prescription deals

Medicare enrollees, who have watched their out-of-pocket spending on prescription drugs climb in recent years, might be in for a break.

10 Nov 2017

FDA grants clearance to new blood cell count test that allows faster availability of results

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today cleared a complete blood cell count (CBC) test that, based on its categorization, can be run in more health care settings, including physicians' offices, clinics or other types of health care facilities, by a wider range of personnel (e.g. support staff). This broadened test access will allow for faster availability of results.

6 Nov 2017

Military veterans with VA insurance have greater barriers to kidney transplantation

Military veterans with VA insurance experience low rates of transplantation and high rates of death while on the transplant waiting list, according to a study that will be presented at ASN Kidney Week 2017 October 31–November 5 at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans, LA.

6 Nov 2017

$Drug holiday from bisphosphonates for more than two years linked to higher hip fracture risk in women$

Drug holiday from bisphosphonates for more than two years linked to higher hip fracture risk in women

Women who took a drug holiday (temporary or permanent discontinuation of a medicine) from using bisphosphonates for more than two years have a significantly higher risk of a hip fracture compared to others who continued their treatment, according to new research findings presented this week at the 2017 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting in San Diego.

6 Nov 2017

DaVita Kidney Care announces strong support for Dialysis PATIENTS Demonstration Act

DaVita Kidney Care, a division of DaVita Inc.,, a leading independent provider of integrated health and kidney care services in the United States, today announced its strong support for the Dialysis PATIENTS Demonstration Act.

3 Nov 2017

Rush Hospitals continue to earn top scores for patient safety from Leapfrog Group

For the second time this year, all three Rush hospitals - Rush University Medical Center, Rush Oak Park Hospital and Rush-Copley Medical Center - have received an 'A' grade, the highest possible, from the Leapfrog Group, a nonprofit patient safety watchdog organization.

3 Nov 2017

CMS report on radiation oncology alternative payment model provides viable path to better cancer care

The American Society for Radiation Oncology today called on the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to move forward urgently with the development of a radiation oncology alternative payment model following a new report to Congress from the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation.

3 Nov 2017

ACP encouraged by new CMS initiatives designed to ease unnecessary burden on physicians

The American College of Physicians, expressed support for some of the provisions included in the final rules for the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule and the Quality Payment Program for 2018, and noted some areas of concern in the rules that were released by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services on Nov. 2.

3 Nov 2017

UC study explores racial and gender disparities in elderly dialysis patients

University of Cincinnati researchers are examining racial and gender disparities in dialysis patients as well as the impact of poor functional status and pre-dialysis hospitalizations on elderly dialysis patients.

3 Nov 2017

Trial shows cost-effectiveness of TAVR compared to SAVR in intermediate risk patients with aortic stenosis

Analysis of the PARTNER 2A trial and the SAPIEN-3 Intermediate Risk registry found transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) to be highly cost-effective compared with surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) in intermediate surgical risk patients with aortic stenosis.

1 Nov 2017

Rising health insurance costs frighten some early retirees

Don and Debra Clark of Springfield, Mo., are glad they have health insurance. Don is 56 and Debra is 58. The Clarks say they know the risk of an unexpected illness or medical event is rising as they age and they must have coverage.

1 Nov 2017

Humana’s new tool assists people with drug and premium costs during annual Medicare enrollment

People with Medicare looking to ensure the medication they take is covered by their Medicare Advantage or Part D plan now have an easy-to-use tool thanks to Humana's Rx Calculator.

31 Oct 2017

Integrated care enhances clinical outcomes for dialysis patients

DaVita Kidney Care, a division of DaVita Inc., a leading provider of kidney care services in the United States, today announced results of the first performance year in the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Comprehensive ESRD Care Model as an ESRD Seamless Care Organization.

31 Oct 2017

Researchers implement virtual reality to training surgical simulator

In a world filled with video games, smartphones, and tablets, one research group is finding a way to use technology to solve real-world problems.

31 Oct 2017

Study: Less than half of patients receive insurer's approval for prescription of cholesterol drugs

Less than half of patients received their insurer's approval for prescriptions of PCSK9 inhibitors, according to new research in the American Heart Association's journal Circulation.

30 Oct 2017

Study shows Healthy Days as valid method to evaluate overall population health

Humana Inc. today announced results from a study that found a relationship between patient-reported, health-related quality of life and multiple objective measures of health in elderly Medicare Advantage patients with chronic conditions.

28 Oct 2017

Lack of caregiver for older men linked to greater risk of nursing home placement after stroke

A Journal of the American Geriatrics Society study found that in men aged 65 and older who survived an ischemic stroke, the lack of an available caregiver was associated with triple the risk of nursing home placement within five years. A similar risk was not seen in women.

27 Oct 2017

Medicare News and Research

Some states roll back ‘retroactive Medicaid,’ a buffer for the poor — and for hospitals

Hospital Readmission Reduction Program linked to increase in death rates, study finds

Laws to equalize cancer patients’ out-of-pocket costs provide uneven protection

Pressure builds to cut Medicare patients in on prescription deals

FDA grants clearance to new blood cell count test that allows faster availability of results

Military veterans with VA insurance have greater barriers to kidney transplantation

Drug holiday from bisphosphonates for more than two years linked to higher hip fracture risk in women

DaVita Kidney Care announces strong support for Dialysis PATIENTS Demonstration Act

Rush Hospitals continue to earn top scores for patient safety from Leapfrog Group

CMS report on radiation oncology alternative payment model provides viable path to better cancer care

ACP encouraged by new CMS initiatives designed to ease unnecessary burden on physicians

UC study explores racial and gender disparities in elderly dialysis patients

Trial shows cost-effectiveness of TAVR compared to SAVR in intermediate risk patients with aortic stenosis

Rising health insurance costs frighten some early retirees

Humana’s new tool assists people with drug and premium costs during annual Medicare enrollment

Integrated care enhances clinical outcomes for dialysis patients

Researchers implement virtual reality to training surgical simulator

Study: Less than half of patients receive insurer's approval for prescription of cholesterol drugs

Study shows Healthy Days as valid method to evaluate overall population health

Lack of caregiver for older men linked to greater risk of nursing home placement after stroke

Advancing Neuroscience Research Through Collaboration and Patient-Centered Innovation

The impact of vibration on microscopy

How Omics Technologies Are Transforming Biological Research and Drug Discovery

Latest News