Medicare News and Research

RSS

Preventive benefits, exchanges and coverage options: A catch-all of health law implementation news

Media outlets report on a range of health law issues, including the latest estimates from the Department of Health and Human Services regarding the number of Medicare beneficiaries getting free preventive care, what difficulties may be ahead for health exchanges and the adminstration's new "Enroll America" campaign.

9 Sep 2011

Obama would pay jobs plan tab with Medicare, Medicaid cuts and tax hikes

The jobs packaged unveiled Thursday by President Barack Obama includes a "pay for" plan that relies in part on trims to Medicare and Medicaid - a provision that Republicans may use to undermine his political messages during the upcoming campaign season.

9 Sep 2011

In deficit reduction debate, some stakeholders point to Medicare

The American Hospital Association is lobbying to raise the program's eligibility age from 65 to 67 as a means of heading off additional cuts to Medicare hospital payments. Meanwhile, some conservatives view the program's fiscal challenges as the problem that stands above all others.

9 Sep 2011

Deficit reduction, entitlement programs become key buzz words as debt panel sets to work

The 'super committee' held its first meeting this week, kicking off its mission with a note of bipartisanship. Many observers worry, though, that this might be the end of this spirit of cooperation. Meanwhile, a groups of Senators from both parties also met this week - privately - to revive the hope for a "grand debt-cutting bargain."

9 Sep 2011

'Super committee' faces big challenges, lots of input from stakeholders

In order to lay out some specific options from which the panel might extract savings, House Ways and Means Democrats have provided a list of Medicare trims.

9 Sep 2011

Docs' group pushes for changes to Medicare payment setting panel

Meanwhile, other news outlets report on the challenges private practice physicians face in serving their patients and their own bottom lines, and ProPublica explores drug company payments to doctors.

9 Sep 2011

First Edition: September 9, 2011

Appeals courts have ruled on five challenges to the health law, and two more currently await appeals courts rulings. On Sept. 8, the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled on two challenges to the health law, brought by the Commonwealth of Virginia and Liberty University, and in both cases they vacated the district court ruling and instructed the lower court to dismiss the challenges.

9 Sep 2011

Health law subject to attack during GOP presidential debate

As candidates threw accusations at Democratic policies and each other, they didn't always get the specifics right. Texas Gov. Rick Perry and former Mass. Gov. Mitt Romney especially clashed on health policy issues. Meanwhile, Romney expressed his support for Medicaid block grants and Perry blamed the federal government for Texas' high number of people without health insurance.

9 Sep 2011

Seniors, Medicare drug coverage and the doughnut hole

A Kaiser Family Foundation study finds that fewer Medicare drug plan enrollees are hitting the coverage gap. Those who are in it, however, bought fewer drugs.

9 Sep 2011

Longer looks: Unknowns in sports medicine; shackling pregnant prisoners

Medical experts say that multiple futile treatments is all too familiar and points to growing problems in sports medicine, a medical subspecialty that has been experiencing explosive growth. now researchers are questioning many of the procedures, including new ones that often have no rigorous studies to back them up. "Patients come in and say, 'I want the same thing that Tiger Woods had,' " said Dr. McDevitt, the sports medicine orthopedist in Maryland.

9 Sep 2011

UC research: Physicians report similar degrees of work intensity

Although society's perception might be that surgeons endure greater mental challenges and stress in their work duties than a primary care doctor, new research from experts at the University of Cincinnati (UC) shows that this isn't necessarily the case.

9 Sep 2011

Medicare fraud dragnet snares 91 nationwide

In its continued health care fraud crackdown, the Obama administration announced Wednesday that charges were filed against 91 people in eight cities. These people are accused of bilking Medicare out of an estimated $300 million.

9 Sep 2011

Viewpoints: Lessons from Massachusetts?; FTC and ACOs; Arizona partner benefits

The Massachusetts experience provides lessons for national health care reform. First, reform may accelerate the trend toward health care's being the dominant employment sector in the economy. ... our analysis supports physicians' concerns about the administrative burden of health care reforms ... Finally, rather than requiring greater numbers of physicians and nurses, reform may require larger numbers of people supporting the work of such health care professionals.

9 Sep 2011

Medicare fraud investigation nets 91 offenders

A nationwide sweep on lawbreakers has charged 91 people - including doctors and other medical professionals - with participating in Medicare fraud schemes involving $295 million in false billing.

8 Sep 2011

First Edition: September 8, 2011

In today's headlines, reports from last night's GOP presidential debate, as well as explorations of what the future might hold for the 'Super Committee' and news developments related to physician payment issues.

8 Sep 2011

Studies examine overuse of scans in determining status of prostate cancer

During Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, researchers will publish the findings of two studies examining the use, or overuse, of scans in determining the status or level of a patient's prostate cancer after diagnosis. "Typically, patients with an elevated PSA level undergo a prostate biopsy to confirm the presence of cancer.

8 Sep 2011

Attention focuses on 'super committee' and Medicare

Health care industries and professionals have contributed millions of dollars over the years to the lawmakers now on the special deficit panel, The Associated Press reports. Meanwhile, some liberal groups are pressuring to protect safety-net programs, while a member of the committee comments on the possibility of compromise.

8 Sep 2011

Republican lawmakers discuss Medicare, autism spending

GOP Rep. Joe Walsh talks to a high school class and Sen. Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., is backing efforts to provide federal funds for autism research.

8 Sep 2011

Capsules: Deficit hawk or dove? Enzi's autism stance

On Kaiser Health News' news blog, Phil Galewitz examines Sen. Mike Enzi's efforts to provide federal funds for autism research, even as the Wyoming Republican calls for major budget cuts.

8 Sep 2011

In releasing economic plans, Romney vows to roll back health law on Inauguration Day

Facing new trouble in his quest for the Republican presidential nomination, Mitt Romney released a detailed plan Tuesday to revive the nation's stumbling economy, proposing tax cuts and rollbacks in environmental, health and banking rules. He proposed a 10 percent cut in the federal workforce and a $200-billion-per-year reduction in the Medicaid health care program for the poor. Romney would convert Medicaid into a block grant for states.

8 Sep 2011