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AMA lobbies Congress to block planned Medicare physician payment cut before recess

Most U.S. residents are not aware of a Bush administration proposal to cut Medicare reimbursements for physician services by 5.1% for 2007, but when informed, a majority say they are concerned that the cuts could restrict access, according to a survey released on Thursday by the American Medical Association, the Raleigh News & Observer reports.

11 Sep 2006

'Plenty of time' to pass final health care IT Bill, Rep. Deal says

House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health Chair Nathan Deal (R-Ga.) on Thursday said Congress has "plenty of time" prior to midterm elections to pass legislation that would promote the implementation of health care information technology, CQ HealthBeat reports (Reichard, CQ HealthBeat, 9/7).

11 Sep 2006

Medicare should increase oversight to ensure privacy, security

Nearly half of insurers who sponsor Medicare Advantage plans experienced security breaches involving Medicare beneficiaries' private health records in the last two years, according to a Government Accountability Office report released Tuesday, the AP/Houston Chronicle reports.

7 Sep 2006

Some drug companies experiencing higher prescription volume, revenue with Medicare drug benefit

The Philadelphia Inquirer on Monday examined how the Medicare prescription drug benefit "is boosting prescription volume and revenue for drug companies."

5 Sep 2006

Bush Administration, Republicans 'refuse' to acknowledge success of VA Health System

The Department of Veterans Affairs health care system "is a stunning success -- but the [Bush] administration and the Republicans in Congress refuse to build on that success because it doesn't reflect their conservative agenda," columnist Paul Krugman writes in a New York Times opinion piece.

5 Sep 2006

Pennsylvania starts the Pace Plus Medicare program

Pennsylvania on Friday began the Pace Plus Medicare program, under which the Medicare prescription drug benefit will provide primary coverage for low-income residents and the state PACE and PACENET programs will fill any gaps in coverage, the AP/Philadelphia Inquirer reports.

4 Sep 2006

Md. Senatorial Candidate Mfume touts single-payer health care system

Former Rep. Kweisi Mfume (D-Md.), a candidate for Maryland's Democratic Senate nomination, on Wednesday touted universal health insurance during an event at the University of Maryland Medical Center, at which he gained endorsements from Reps. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.) and Albert Wynn (D-Md.), the Baltimore Sun reports.

1 Sep 2006

Report questions CMS Cancer Care Research Program

HHS inspector general Daniel Levinson in a report released on Wednesday questioned the legitimacy of a one-year research program conducted by CMS in which the federal government and Medicare beneficiaries paid oncologists a total of about $275 million to report information on chemotherapy side effects that might lead to improved care for cancer patients, the AP/South Florida Sun Sentinel reports.

30 Aug 2006

Primary care physicians should receive pay by the hour

"We must make primary care a more manageable business by changing the way we pay for it," with primary care physicians paid by the hour, Robin Cook, a physician and author of the novel "Crisis," writes in a New York Times opinion piece.

30 Aug 2006

End of moratorium on new specialty hospitals likely to prompt 'building boomlet'

The decision earlier this month by CMS not to extend a moratorium on approval of new specialty hospitals likely will prompt a "building boomlet" of the facilities, the Wall Street Journal reports.

30 Aug 2006

Officials say PhRMA funded U.S. Chamber of Commerce ads touting Medicare prescription drug benefit

"[P]olitical officials" allege that the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America gave money to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce to support an advertising campaign that praises senators and House members who voted for the 2003 Medicare law, the AP/San Jose Mercury News reports.

30 Aug 2006

Wall Street Journal examines increased popularity of Medicare Advantage Plans

The Wall Street Journal on Tuesday examined how hundreds of thousands of Medicare beneficiaries have begun to enroll in Medicare Advantage plans, which offer "traditional benefits without the usual restrictions on access to doctors and hospitals" and some additional benefits.

30 Aug 2006

New England Journal of Medicine examines West Virginia's new Medicaid program

Two perspective pieces from the New England Journal of Medicine examine West Virginia's new Medicaid program, which will allow 160,000 Medicaid beneficiaries -- many of whom are parents of children enrolled in the program -- to sign a "personal responsibility contract."

28 Aug 2006

Medicare policy offering coverage for certain treatments to clinical trial participants examined

"Medicare's Requirement for Research Participation as a Condition of Coverage: Is it Ethical?" Journal of the American Medical Association.

24 Aug 2006

Studies examine effects of hospital closures, affordability of coverage

The authors recommend that low-cost, nonhospital-based preventive care be promoted to reduce patient deaths after hospital closures.

24 Aug 2006

Medicare to reduce payments to pharmacies making their own medications

Beginning in January 2007, CMS will make "significantly lower" Medicare payments to pharmacies that make compounded inhalation drugs for patients with respiratory needs, according to a letter sent on Tuesday from CMS Administrator Mark McClellan to Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), USA Today reports.

24 Aug 2006

Variances in patterns of care for patients with prostate cancer failing primary therapy

Variables that impact management of failed primary therapy for prostate cancer (CaP) are not well defined.

21 Aug 2006

Federal report calls for changes in procedures for evacuating nursing home residents during disasters

The emergency evacuation plans of nursing homes located in the Gulf States during four hurricanes within the past year met federal and state regulations but had a number of problems, according to a report issued on Friday by HHS Inspector General Daniel Levinson, the New York Times reports.

20 Aug 2006

Fewer physicians accepting Medicaid beneficiaries as new patients

Fewer physicians are accepting Medicaid beneficiaries as new patients, in part because they say that reimbursements are too low and because of "administrative hassles," according to a study from the Center for Studying Health System Change, the AP/Long Island Newsday reports.

17 Aug 2006

Average Medicare drug benefit premium to remain unchanged at $24 in 2007

Medicare beneficiaries enrolled in the program's prescription drug benefit in 2007 will pay an average monthly premium of about $24, the same as the average monthly premium for this year, CMS Administrator Mark McClellan said Tuesday, the New York Times reports.

16 Aug 2006

Medicare News and Research

AMA lobbies Congress to block planned Medicare physician payment cut before recess

'Plenty of time' to pass final health care IT Bill, Rep. Deal says

Medicare should increase oversight to ensure privacy, security

Some drug companies experiencing higher prescription volume, revenue with Medicare drug benefit

Bush Administration, Republicans 'refuse' to acknowledge success of VA Health System

Pennsylvania starts the Pace Plus Medicare program

Md. Senatorial Candidate Mfume touts single-payer health care system

Report questions CMS Cancer Care Research Program

Primary care physicians should receive pay by the hour

End of moratorium on new specialty hospitals likely to prompt 'building boomlet'

Officials say PhRMA funded U.S. Chamber of Commerce ads touting Medicare prescription drug benefit

Wall Street Journal examines increased popularity of Medicare Advantage Plans

New England Journal of Medicine examines West Virginia's new Medicaid program

Medicare policy offering coverage for certain treatments to clinical trial participants examined

Studies examine effects of hospital closures, affordability of coverage

Medicare to reduce payments to pharmacies making their own medications

Variances in patterns of care for patients with prostate cancer failing primary therapy

Federal report calls for changes in procedures for evacuating nursing home residents during disasters

Fewer physicians accepting Medicaid beneficiaries as new patients

Average Medicare drug benefit premium to remain unchanged at $24 in 2007

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