Medicare News and Research

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Viewpoints: Nothing in health care is free; Obamacare opponents lack facts; 'Nurse Jackie' and the ER

The Department of Health and Human Services released a report Friday declaring that 76 million Americans with private insurance became eligible for more preventive services with no out-of-pocket fees as a result of the 2010 healthcare law, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (a.k.a. Obamacare). Because Democrats are counting on female voters to help them at the polls in November, the report highlighted how women had been helped by that aspect of Obamacare.

1 Jul 2014

First Edition: Tuesday, July 1, 2014

Today's early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including numerous reports about the Supreme Court's decision on the health law's contraception mandate and its effect for coverage and on national politics.

1 Jul 2014

Medical boards draft plan to allow greater use of telemedicine

Amid predictions of a growing doctor shortage, state medical boards have drafted a model law that would make it easier for physicians licensed in one state to treat patients in others, whether in person, by videoconference or online. Meanwhile, former Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius acknowledges she made mistakes in the health law's rollout by spending "too little time clearly on the technology side."

1 Jul 2014

NCCN Policy Summit to address impact of health care reform on academic oncology practice

On July 10, 2014, the National Comprehensive Cancer Network® (NCCN®) will host the NCCN Policy Summit: The Impact of Health Care Reform on Academic Oncology Practice, at The Westin Arlington Gateway in Arlington, Virginia, as part of the NCCN Oncology Policy Program.

1 Jul 2014

Special enrollment periods could help Medicare Advantage members with dropped doctors

For more than 40 years, Mary Anne Catalano and her family have gone to Dermatological Care Inc., a practice in St. Louis County. ... Now, at 68 and in the middle of her contract term, UnitedHealthcare is kicking the entire Dermatological Care staff out of her Medicare Advantage network. ... At the beginning of June, UnitedHealthcare notified almost 10 percent of Missouri physicians in its Advantage network that they will be terminated -- almost 1,000 doctors.

1 Jul 2014

Modified classification system finds over one-third of knee replacements as inappropriate

New research reports that more than one third of total knee replacements in the U.S. were classified as "inappropriate" using a patient classification system developed and validated in Spain. The study, published in Arthritis & Rheumatology, a journal of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR), highlights the need for consensus on patient selection criteria among U.S. medical professionals treating those with the potential need of knee replacement surgery.

30 Jun 2014

New Brightree Document Management simplifies storing and access to reimbursement documents

Brightree, the leading provider of cloud-based clinical, billing and business management software solutions for the post-acute care industry, announced today the release of new Brightree Document Management capabilities that strengthen a home medical equipment (HME) provider's ability to protect reimbursements and respond more efficiently to additional documentation requests (ADRs).

28 Jun 2014

Advocacy group publicizes child deaths from accidental shootings

Almost two children a week were killed in unintentional shootings during the 12 months that followed the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School, according to a report by the gun control group Everytown for Gun Safety.

28 Jun 2014

Weak hospice oversight makes safety problems hard to identify

The typical hospice undergoes a full government inspection about once every six years, according to The Washington Post, making it one of the least scrutinized areas of U.S. health care.

28 Jun 2014

Bill would bar Medicare advantage plans from dropping doctors mid-year

The proposal, introduced by Democrats in the House and Senate, would require insurers to finalize their doctor networks 60 days before autumn enrollment begins.

28 Jun 2014

Alaska to be hit hard with hospital infection penalties

Elsewhere, medical marijuana's usefulness in treating pain is questioned after New York lawmakers legalized it.

27 Jun 2014

HHS says marketplace customers can automatically renew their plans

The announcement says people getting subsidies will be allowed to renew for 2015 without filing an application or going back on healthcare.gov. But consumer advocates caution that may not be the best option for those customers.

27 Jun 2014

High-risk surgery patients who visit primary care physician have lower risk of hospital readmissions

Patients who have post-operative complications following high-risk surgery have a significantly lower risk of being readmitted to the hospital within 30 days if they go see their primary care physician soon following discharge, a new study in JAMA Surgery shows.

27 Jun 2014

Research roundup: Role of primary care in reducing readmissions; air transport for wounded soldiers; hospital prices

Follow-up with a primary care provider (PCP) in addition to the surgical team is routinely recommended to patients discharged after major surgery despite no clear evidence that it improves outcomes.

27 Jun 2014

First Edition: June 27, 2014

Today's early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including reports on an HHS announcement detailing some of the marketplace enrollment plans for next fall.

27 Jun 2014

USA Today: Mental health system is 'in shambles'

The failure to provide treatment has led to crowded emergency rooms and jails and thousands of untreated people living on the streets, the newspaper reports.

27 Jun 2014

State roundup: Troubles in Kentucky; MD. hospital under review

The team at The Upshot, a Times news and data-analysis venture, compiled six basic metrics to give a picture of the quality and longevity of life in each county of the nation: educational attainment, household income, jobless rate, disability rate, life expectancy and obesity rate.

27 Jun 2014

HOC pleads guilty for selling misbranded, unapproved chemotherapy drugs

Hematology and Oncology Center (HOC) PLLC of Somerset, Kentucky has pleaded guilty to federal charges that the firm purchased and sold unapproved and improperly labeled chemotherapy drugs.

27 Jun 2014

Medicare boosts anti-fraud efforts, but problems are still rife

Medicare officials recovered about $19.2 billion in fraudulent payments over the past five years, including $210 million through a new system that uses analytics to probe billing patterns, CQ Healthbeat reports. But the recovered sum is dwarfed by the size of the problem, projected to be up to $50 billion a year.

27 Jun 2014

Study proposes moving open enrollment season

Researchers suggest consumers are not willing to spend money on insurance in the busy fall season as they plan for the holidays so sign-ups in the spring after tax returns are received might be better. Also, a look at consumers' reluctance to shop for insurance

27 Jun 2014

Medicare News and Research

Viewpoints: Nothing in health care is free; Obamacare opponents lack facts; 'Nurse Jackie' and the ER

First Edition: Tuesday, July 1, 2014

Medical boards draft plan to allow greater use of telemedicine

NCCN Policy Summit to address impact of health care reform on academic oncology practice

Special enrollment periods could help Medicare Advantage members with dropped doctors

Modified classification system finds over one-third of knee replacements as inappropriate

New Brightree Document Management simplifies storing and access to reimbursement documents

Advocacy group publicizes child deaths from accidental shootings

Weak hospice oversight makes safety problems hard to identify

Bill would bar Medicare advantage plans from dropping doctors mid-year

Alaska to be hit hard with hospital infection penalties

HHS says marketplace customers can automatically renew their plans

High-risk surgery patients who visit primary care physician have lower risk of hospital readmissions

Research roundup: Role of primary care in reducing readmissions; air transport for wounded soldiers; hospital prices

First Edition: June 27, 2014

USA Today: Mental health system is 'in shambles'

State roundup: Troubles in Kentucky; MD. hospital under review

HOC pleads guilty for selling misbranded, unapproved chemotherapy drugs

Medicare boosts anti-fraud efforts, but problems are still rife

Study proposes moving open enrollment season

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