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Medicare 'doc fix' on Congress' to-do list

News outlets report on Congress' pivotal week ahead, which could include an extension of the payroll tax break and a patch to prevent a scheduled cut in Medicare physician payments.

5 Dec 2011

First Edition: December 5, 2011

In today's headlines, news reports examine the pivotal week ahead for Congress and the hurdle that challenges to the health law now will face.

5 Dec 2011

Just a few days left for Medicare open enrollment

Seniors and persons with disabilities have only days left to enroll in or make changes to their Medicare coverage. Open enrollment, known as the Annual Election Period (AEP) began a month earlier this year, on October 15, and will end three weeks earlier than usual, on December 7. The open enrollment period is when recipients may change their Medicare health plan and/or make changes to Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage.

5 Dec 2011

Berwick's exit interview with NY Times: 'I came with an agenda' for improvement

The official in charge of Medicare and Medicaid for the last 17 months says that 20 percent to 30 percent of health spending is "waste" that yields no benefit to patients, and that some of the needless spending is a result of onerous, archaic regulations enforced by his agency. The official, Dr. Donald M. Berwick, listed five reasons for what he described as the "extremely high level of waste." They are overtreatment of patients, the failure to coordinate care, the administrative complexity of the health care system, burdensome rules and fraud.

5 Dec 2011

Senate Republicans reject payroll tax extension measures

Proposals to extend payroll tax relief, as well as take steps to prevent a scheduled 30 percent reduction in Medicare physician reimbursements from taking effect in January, are high on the congressional to-do list. A House vote on a doc-fix patch could take place as soon as next week.

3 Dec 2011

Viewpoints: Is Berwick a scapegoat?; Rep. Smith on Kagan; Daschle on health IT

Don Berwick, the prominent pediatrician and Harvard School of Public Health professor who headed the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, has officially stepped down, another victim of Washington's hyper-partisan politics.

3 Dec 2011

Research roundup: Recession's big impact on men's insurance coverage

Researchers examined three sets of surveillance data and found that of the estimated 1.2 million persons in the United States living with the human immunodeficiency virus, 942,000 persons were aware of their infection. More than three-quarters of those were "linked to care" and among HIV-infected adults in care, "45 percent received prevention counseling, and 89 percent were prescribed antiretroviral therapy."

3 Dec 2011

IOM essential benefits recommendations draw criticism

A letter sent to Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius from more than 2,400 health care providers and advocates offered objections to the Institute of Medicine's recommendations regarding what benefits must be covered in state health insurance marketplaces. Additionally, Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, offered a warning regarding an Internal Revenue Service proposal on premium assistance in the health law's insurance exchanges.

3 Dec 2011

GAO report: Medicare Advantage enrollment still rising

Democrats applauded the report's findings that enrollment in Medicare's private plans continues to grow at a brisk pace.

3 Dec 2011

As Gingrich gains support in polls, his policies draw attention, too

News outlets analyze GOP presidential hopeful Newt Gingrich's policy positions, including those regarding Medicare and other health issues.

3 Dec 2011

Berwick's CMS exit

Today is Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Donald Berwick's last day. News outlets offer views on the agency's work during his tenure at its helm.

3 Dec 2011

First Edition: December 2, 2011

In today's headlines, reports on congressional efforts to extend a payroll tax break and other work Congress must do before the end of the year -- including the Medicare doc fix.

2 Dec 2011

Longer looks: Life of a Medicare demo project; Broken hearts; AIDS funding

Today's Medicare demonstration project might determine how physicians interact with the program tomorrow, so naturally such projects generate a lot of buzz in the health care community. Lately, some of that buzz has been about how demos might provide part of the solution for Medicare's payment problems.

2 Dec 2011

Viewpoints: Bush, Bono and others reflect on World AIDS Day; Coburn and Burr on Medicare savings

On this Dec. 1, World AIDS Day, the promise of progress against the disease has never been more vivid - or more fragile. ... In lean budget times, the U.S. and the developing world must prioritize. But there can be no higher priority than saving lives. And there is no better way to save lives than to support and expand effective, proven programs such as Pepfar.

2 Dec 2011

Medicare to cover obesity screening, 'intensive behavioral therapy'

This coverage decision ensures that an estimated 30 percent of the 42 million people who participate in Medicare will be able to undertake physician-supervised weight-loss programs.

2 Dec 2011

Health disparity tends to increase among young U.S. adults

Levels of health disparity have increased substantially for people born in the United States after 1980, according to new research.

2 Dec 2011

Republicans advance plan to charge wealthy beneficiaries more for Medicare to offset cost of payroll tax extension

The proposal would require people who earn more than $1 million to pay the full cost of Medicare. Meanwhile, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-Va., is floating a "trigger bargain" that would delay for one year the automatic spending cuts scheduled to begin in 2013 and also could include a payroll tax extension and a fix for physician's Medicare payment rate.

1 Dec 2011

Government inspectors to lawmakers: More must be done to stop prescription of powerful psych drugs to nursing home patients

Government inspectors told lawmakers Wednesday that Medicare officials need to do more to stop doctors from prescribing powerful psychiatric drugs to nursing home patients with dementia, an unapproved practice that has flourished despite repeated government warnings.

1 Dec 2011

First Edition: December 1, 2011

In today's headlines, Republicans in Congress advance plan to charge wealthy beneficiaries more for Medicare in order to cover the costs of the proposaed payroll tax extension.

1 Dec 2011

Doc fix, health program extenders still on Congressional agenda

News outlets report on the health issues and programs that remain on the Capitol Hill to-do list, as well as how some GOP lawmakers might look to the health law's insurance subsidies as a way to pay for a planned payroll tax cut extension.

1 Dec 2011