Medicare News and Research

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Medicare expands competitive bidding program

The new prices will kick in July 1 and are expected to save on average 45 percent for products such as walkers, wheelchairs, oxygen equipment and other medical products.

2 Feb 2013

Research roundup: Concerns about ambulance diversions; The health law's impact on nursing homes; Mental health parity

Hospitals across the United States routinely turn away ambulances to relieve overcrowding, but the practice remains controversial. Researchers in this study aimed to identify the impact of Massachusetts' 2009 ambulance diversion ban.

2 Feb 2013

Viewpoints: Health law's 'implausible' foundations; 4 needed health reforms; Sunlight on drugmaker payments to doctors

As the federal government moves forward to implement President Obama's Affordable Care Act, the Department of Health and Human Services is slated to spend millions of dollars promoting the unpopular legislation. In the face of this publicity blitz, it is worth remembering that the law was originally sold largely on four grounds - all of which have become increasingly implausible.

2 Feb 2013

State roundup: Texas lawmakers ready health budget

Texas budget writers got a briefing on the state's health care programs Wednesday, and many of the biggest questions focused on how the state can reduce fraud and what to do about ever-increasing health care costs.

1 Feb 2013

Medicaid news: Minn. effort to expand program praised

Officials in Texas, Oregon, Minnesota and California consider a myriad of changes to their Medicaid programs -- including fitting maintenance or expansion of coverage for the poor into tightening budgets.

1 Feb 2013

First Edition: February 1, 2013

Kaiser Health News staff writer Jenny Gold, working in collaboration with NPR, reports: "As of mid-January, most of NYU is up and running again, including the labor and delivery unit. But the question still looms whether NYU will lose some of the patients and even doctors who sought refuge at NYU's biggest competitors after the storm. If that happens, the storm could end up having a long term impact on NYU's valuable share of the fiercely competitive health care market in New York City."

1 Feb 2013

Advances in health information technology may lead to more efficient use of critical care resources

A national shortage of critical care physicians and beds means difficult decisions for healthcare professionals: how to determine which of the sickest patients are most in need of access to the intensive care unit.

1 Feb 2013

Viewpoints: Congress must put entitlements on 'more sustainable path;' Reading, writing and mental health screenings

What's needed now is a clear, achievable plan to bring the debt and deficit under control for the long term. A crucial part of any such plan is promoting a more vigorous economy, possibly by simplifying the federal tax code. Another important piece is putting entitlements on a more sustainable path, reducing the drain on the Treasury. That means expanding on the 2010 healthcare law's efforts to increase efficiency, quality and innovation in healthcare.

1 Feb 2013

Habitat for Humanity, Meridian Health Plan announce collaboration

Meridian Health Plan is teaming up with Habitat for Humanity to change lives through improving health and strengthening communities in Chicago's southern suburbs.

31 Jan 2013

First Edition: January 31, 2013

Today's headlines include reports on a new health law final rule issued by the Internal Revenue Service eligibility and affordability standards for insurance subsidies.

31 Jan 2013

Teva terminates collaboration with CureTech

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. announced today the termination of its collaboration with CureTech Ltd.

31 Jan 2013

State roundup: Ga. hospital fee bill nears passage

After a series of friendly questions and statements of support, the fast-tracked legislation on a state hospital provider fee swept through a House committee Tuesday. The House Government Affairs Committee, by a 15-1 vote, approved Senate Bill 24, which would facilitate the renewal of the assessment. The state Senate passed the bill earlier this month. The legislation could reach the House floor Thursday or Friday. If it passes, it then would go to Gov. Nathan Deal for his signature -- an unusually rapid journey into law.

31 Jan 2013

GOP leaders increasingly signal that deep spending cuts are likely

The across-the-board spending reductions -- also known as sequestration -- scheduled for March 1 could play into the partisan politics of the broader budget debate that includes Medicare, Medicaid and other entitlement programs.

31 Jan 2013

House Republicans keep target on health law's insurance subsidies

Meanwhile, a new GOP lawmaker from Texas renews his pledge to undo "ObamaCare" while a senator focuses on workforce issues.

31 Jan 2013

Nursing-home operators face credit crunch

The Wall Street Journal reports that instability in the health care environment is making banks hesitant to give mortgages to nursing homes.

From Elekta 31 Jan 2013

Viewpoints: Gov. Jindal calls Medicaid an 'outdated model;' GOP's opposition to 'Big Government' hurts effort to revamp entitlements

As the implementation of Obamacare unfortunately nears, every governor must decide whether to expand Medicaid. This is not a simple question. Expanding Medicaid will significantly burden state budgets across the country.

29 Jan 2013

Democrats defend safety net, propose modest adjustments

That partisan gibe was telling. He defended two programs, Medicare and Medicaid, begun nearly a half-century ago, and a third, Social Security, that dates from the Great Depression. The federal welfare commitments that Mr. Obama praised in observing that "a great nation must care for the vulnerable" also date back to President Franklin D. Roosevelt's time.

29 Jan 2013

Harkin's retirement leaves hole in Senate health care leadership -- and parties are scrambling

The retirement of Sen. Tom Harkin -- a key health care figure in the Senate -- has both parties scrambling to field someone to fill the seat.

29 Jan 2013

Viewpoints: Debating P4P; ‘Tactical retreat' by GOP; The virtues of across-the-board spending cuts

Instead of granting automatic pay increases, N.Y. City's public hospital system will pay them based on how well they reduce costs, increase patient satisfaction and improve the quality of care. The Health and Hospitals Corporation, which runs the city's 11 public hospitals, deserves praise for an ambitious proposal that will need to be refined as it is put into practice.

28 Jan 2013

Poll: 6 in 10 oppose cutting Medicare to lower deficit

A new poll from the Kaiser Family Foundation has found that most of the public wants deficit reduction, but they want it without cutting major social programs like Medicare and Medicaid. On health care, the public favors requiring drug makers to give the government 'a better deal' on medications for low-income seniors and making higher-income seniors pay more for coverage to reduce the deficit. Kaiser Health News is an editorially independent program of the Foundation.

28 Jan 2013

Medicare News and Research

Medicare expands competitive bidding program

Research roundup: Concerns about ambulance diversions; The health law's impact on nursing homes; Mental health parity

Viewpoints: Health law's 'implausible' foundations; 4 needed health reforms; Sunlight on drugmaker payments to doctors

State roundup: Texas lawmakers ready health budget

Medicaid news: Minn. effort to expand program praised

First Edition: February 1, 2013

Advances in health information technology may lead to more efficient use of critical care resources

Viewpoints: Congress must put entitlements on 'more sustainable path;' Reading, writing and mental health screenings

Habitat for Humanity, Meridian Health Plan announce collaboration

First Edition: January 31, 2013

Teva terminates collaboration with CureTech

State roundup: Ga. hospital fee bill nears passage

GOP leaders increasingly signal that deep spending cuts are likely

House Republicans keep target on health law's insurance subsidies

Nursing-home operators face credit crunch

Viewpoints: Gov. Jindal calls Medicaid an 'outdated model;' GOP's opposition to 'Big Government' hurts effort to revamp entitlements

Democrats defend safety net, propose modest adjustments

Harkin's retirement leaves hole in Senate health care leadership -- and parties are scrambling

Viewpoints: Debating P4P; ‘Tactical retreat' by GOP; The virtues of across-the-board spending cuts

Poll: 6 in 10 oppose cutting Medicare to lower deficit

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