MedPAC’s commissioners held their latest public meetings on Thursday, January 13 and Friday, January 14. The subjects on the meetings’ agenda were:
- assessing payment adequacy and updating payments: physician and other health professional services
- assessing payment adequacy and updating payments: hospital inpatient and outpatient services
- assessing payment adequacy and updating payments: skilled nursing facility services; home health agency services; inpatient rehabilitation facility services; outpatient dialysis services; and hospice services
- eliminating Medicare’s coverage limits on stays in freestanding inpatient psychiatric facilities
- Medicare prescription drug program (Part D): status report
- ambulatory surgical center services: status report
- the Medicare Advantage program: status report
- reducing beneficiary cost-sharing for outpatient services at critical access hospitals
Go here for summaries of the issues and key points and links to the presentations delivered by MedPAC staff and find a transcript of the two-day session here.
The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission is an independent congressional agency that advises Congress on issues involving Medicare. While its recommendations are not binding on either Congress or the administration, MedPAC is highly influential in governing circles and its recommendations often find their way into legislation, regulations, and new public policy. Find its web page here.