Archive for the ‘Medicare’ Category
Friday, February 22nd, 2008
California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) on Saturday approved nearly $2.2 billion in state budget cuts over the next two years to address a projected $14.5 billion state budget deficit, the Sacramento Bee reports (Lin, Sacramento Bee, 2/17). The cuts aim to reduce state spending by $1 billion this fiscal year ...
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Thursday, February 21st, 2008
Improvements in how Medicare pays kidney dialysis centers could more efficiently deliver services to Medicare beneficiaries with end stage renal disease (ESRD), according to a report to Congress by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
"The analysis lays a solid foundation to implement a more accurate payment system, which ...
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Thursday, February 21st, 2008
The Bush administration on Friday issued a legislative proposal that would increase Medicare prescription drug benefit premiums for higher-income beneficiaries, cap noneconomic damages in medical malpractice lawsuits and require health care providers to implement electronic health records, The Hill reports.
The administration issued the proposal as required by the "trigger" provision ...
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Thursday, February 21st, 2008
Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley (D) on Friday announced a partnership with CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield to subsidize prescription drug costs for lower-income beneficiaries who fall into the so-called "doughnut hole" coverage gap of the Medicare drug benefit, the Baltimore Sun reports. The gap begins when drug costs for an individual reach ...
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Thursday, February 21st, 2008
The AP/Washington Times on Tuesday examined the effects of a new rule under which Medicare no longer will reimburse hospitals for the treatment of certain preventable conditions (Neergaard, AP/Washington Times, 2/19).
Under the rule, which will take effect on Oct. 1, Medicare no longer will reimburse hospitals for the treatment of ...
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Tuesday, February 19th, 2008
A surge in Florida's per capita income following several hurricanes in recent years has resulted in a decrease in federal Medicaid funds, the Miami Herald reports. Federal Medicaid distributions are calculated on a three-year average of state per capita personal income compared with national per capita income. In fiscal year ...
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Monday, February 18th, 2008
The Senate Finance Committee has banned the American Medical Association from discussions about an upcoming Medicare package that would stop a 10% cut to physician fees, according to a Democratic aide, CongressDaily reports. The cuts will go into effect on July 1 unless Congress intervenes (Johnson, CongressDaily, 2/15).
According to CongressDaily, ...
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Monday, February 18th, 2008
A health care plan that combines the best elements of the current employer-based system and the Medicare model would create big savings, offer more choices and guarantee affordable coverage to all U.S. residents, according to a new cost and coverage analysis of the plan by the Lewin Group, a nationally ...
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Monday, February 18th, 2008
The 45 percent threshold that triggered the legislation proposed by President George W. Bush is not a true measure of the financial health of Medicare. Rather it measures how much care people receive in the outpatient setting - such as doctor visits and prescription drugs.
Health care provided in outpatient settings ...
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