Medicare News and Research

RSS

Despite cuts, GOP continues block of Bill to extend Medicaid assistance, 'fix' Medicare payments

A Republican filibuster may kill a bill that would extend jobless benefits and extra Medicaid assistance to states while also leaving in limbo efforts to delay cuts in Medicare payments to doctors.

25 Jun 2010

Few insurers control chunk of Medicare Advantage market, report finds

A small number of insurers controls a big chunk of the market for Medicare Advantage health plans, according to a new Kaiser Family Foundation report. [KHN is a project of the Kaiser Family Foundation.] The nonprofit foundation said three or fewer companies dominate the market in every state except New York for the plans, which are privately run versions of the government's Medicare program.

25 Jun 2010

Congressional hearing explores Medicare payment issues, including permanent 'doc fix'

A House Energy and Commerce Committee hearing Wednesday ostensibly about a recent Medicare Payment Advisory Commission report veered to discussion of the so-called "doc fix." The panel's chairman, Rep. Frank Pallone, D-N.J., called the ongoing efforts to delay the 21 percent cut in Medicare physician payments "the elephant in the room" and added that the "Democrats and Republicans in the House and Senate, as well as the physician community, need to work together to develop a permanent fix to this problem that has vexed all of us for far too long.

25 Jun 2010

Medicare to use new fraud identification tool

Gov Info Security: "The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is the first agency to use a new fraud mapping tool that ultimately will be used throughout the federal government.

25 Jun 2010

Devastating 21% SGR cuts to Medicare disproportionately impact cancer care

Today a group of cancer patients, oncologists, oncology nurses and practice administrators will meet with Members of Congress to speak out about the enormous burden placed by the massive Medicare cuts to U.S. cancer care, and to offer solutions.

24 Jun 2010

Six-month Medicare patch slows Medicare meltdown for now

“The six-month Medicare patch Congress passed today is a very temporary reprieve for seniors and baby boomers who rely on the promise of Medicare. Delaying the problem is not a solution. It doesn’t solve the Medicare mess Congress has created with a long series of short-term Medicare patches over the last decade – including four to avert the 2010 cut alone.

24 Jun 2010

New scam targets diabetic Medicare beneficiaries across Indiana

A new scam is targeting diabetic Medicare beneficiaries across Indiana, reports the Indiana Association of Area Agencies on Aging (IAAAA).

24 Jun 2010

e-Health identifiers for Australians to be allocated next week

The new Australian electronic healthcare database service has been on the cards for a while now. The legislation that flags off this scheme passed in the federal parliament and may be implemented next week on 1st July. This will ensure that every Australian is given a unique healthcare identification number. Doctors, hospitals, healthcare organisations and allied health providers will receive similar identifiers.

24 Jun 2010

BCBST achieves certification for implementation of CAQH CORE Phase II rules

CAQH announced today that BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee has achieved certification for its implementation of the CAQH Committee on Operating Rules for Information Exchange Phase II rules. The certification will benefit more than 3 million insured members of the Tennessee health plan.

24 Jun 2010

Premier healthcare alliance recognizes winners of Pinnacle and Performance Awards

The Premier healthcare alliance has recognized the winners of its fifth annual awards for suppliers exceeding operational and quality expectations.

24 Jun 2010

Medica, HealthInsight partner to deliver value-based benefit program to commercial customers

Today, Medica, a leading health care insurance provider headquartered in Minneapolis, and HealthInsight, provider of the leading value-based healthcare incentive platform, announced that they have partnered to deliver a next generation value-based benefit program to Medica's commercial customers.

24 Jun 2010

First Edition: June 24, 2010

Today's headlines reflect the latest news about action in the Senate regarding the Medicare "doc fix" and Medicaid assistance for states as well as developments across the health care marketkplace.

24 Jun 2010

Study examines relationship between SCIP measures and postoperative infection

A study by investigators at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine published in this week's issue of JAMA found that public hospital comparison data reported by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services does not accurately correlate with a patient's risk for surgical postoperative infection.

24 Jun 2010

Warren Mosler signs pledge to never vote for any reductions in Medicare benefits

Warren Mosler, a leading voice in the fight against the bipartisan move to slash Social Security and Medicare, has signed a University of Missouri Kansas City economics department pledge to never vote for any reductions in Social Security or Medicare benefits, or any delays in eligibility.

24 Jun 2010

Medicare beneficiaries in Idaho are paying the price for Congress' inaction against 21% pay cut: AARP

Older Idahoans on Medicare already have trouble finding doctors, with one in five refusing to accept patients under the program – that problem is about to get much worse. Thanks to Congress' inaction, a 21% Medicare pay cut to doctors is hitting home – meaning even fewer doctors in Idaho will continue to provide care to Medicare beneficiaries, leaving the state's elderly with few options for their health care.

24 Jun 2010

Washington personalities: Lobbyist Tauzin shakes it up; More on OMB director's impending departure

Roll Call: Billy Tauzin, the former Louisiana lawmaker, will leave his job as the president of the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America next Wednesday, and part ways -- for the first time in 18 years -- with his trusty communications director, Ken Johnson. As Roll Call puts it, "The sun is setting on a K Street bromance." Tauzin is likely to start a lobbying firm with his son Tom or practice law in Texas, while Johnson will pursue other work. The two were said to be "attached at the hip" (Murray, 6/23).

24 Jun 2010

CMS proposes new rules for hospitals to protect patients' visitation rights

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services today proposed new rules for hospitals that would protect patients' rights to choose their own visitors during a hospital stay, including visitors who are same-sex domestic partners.

24 Jun 2010

New poll illustrates difficult situations cancer patients face in affording needed health care

A new poll illustrates the difficulty that cancer patients, survivors and their families face in affording needed health care and paying for other basic necessities such as food and heat, underscoring the need to strongly implement the Affordable Care Act so that it works for people with cancer.

24 Jun 2010

States face less federal Medicaid money, more demand

The Wall Street Journal reports that state legislatures are grappling "with deficits totalling $127 billion over the next two fiscal years, according to the National Association of State Budget Officers. ... Of immediate concern to states is the hit they will take if Congress doesn't approve an additional $24 billion to help defray the cost of Medicaid, the federal-state insurance program for the poor. Cost concerns prompted the House to jettison the Medicaid funding this month, and the Senate also is considering stripping out the provision."

24 Jun 2010

Today's OpEds: Extending jobless benefits; Medicare payment cuts; NY Times on premium increases

With critics still scare-mongering about the supposed cost of reform, insurers in several states have been seeking double-digit premium increases that look hard to justify as necessary to keep up with medical inflation.

24 Jun 2010

Medicare News and Research

Despite cuts, GOP continues block of Bill to extend Medicaid assistance, 'fix' Medicare payments

Few insurers control chunk of Medicare Advantage market, report finds

Congressional hearing explores Medicare payment issues, including permanent 'doc fix'

Medicare to use new fraud identification tool

Devastating 21% SGR cuts to Medicare disproportionately impact cancer care

Six-month Medicare patch slows Medicare meltdown for now

New scam targets diabetic Medicare beneficiaries across Indiana

e-Health identifiers for Australians to be allocated next week

BCBST achieves certification for implementation of CAQH CORE Phase II rules

Premier healthcare alliance recognizes winners of Pinnacle and Performance Awards

Medica, HealthInsight partner to deliver value-based benefit program to commercial customers

First Edition: June 24, 2010

Study examines relationship between SCIP measures and postoperative infection

Warren Mosler signs pledge to never vote for any reductions in Medicare benefits

Medicare beneficiaries in Idaho are paying the price for Congress' inaction against 21% pay cut: AARP

Washington personalities: Lobbyist Tauzin shakes it up; More on OMB director's impending departure

CMS proposes new rules for hospitals to protect patients' visitation rights

New poll illustrates difficult situations cancer patients face in affording needed health care

States face less federal Medicaid money, more demand

Today's OpEds: Extending jobless benefits; Medicare payment cuts; NY Times on premium increases

Event guide: 4th Extra-Hepatic Lipid-Based Nanoparticles Delivery Summit eBook

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