Bulletin Board
Bulletin Board
Bundled Payments Produce Savings Among Privately Insured
Bundled payments for a limited number of surgical procedures produced a savings of 10.7 percent among privately insured patients according to a study by the RAND Corporation. For the study, participants working for self-insured employers who received three types of surgery – total knee and hip replacement, spinal fusion, and bariatric weight-loss procedures – were offered the opportunity to have those procedures without cost-sharing in exchange for undergoing surgery by specific providers that agreed to accept a bundled payment for the procedure and 30 days of post-surgical care. The result [...]
Coronavirus Update for Tuesday, March 2
The following is the latest COVID-19 information from the federal government as of 2:45 p.m. on Tuesday, March 2. White House The White House has posted a transcript of the March 1 press briefing provided by its COVID-19 response team and public health officials. Department of Health and Human Services HHS has announced a new round of appointments to positions in the department. The new appointees are: Office of the Secretary Rachel Pryor, Counselor for Health Policy Office of the Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Florence Elizabeth “Beth” Lynk, [...]
Coronavirus Update for Friday, February 26
The following is the latest COVID-19 information from the federal government as of 2:30 on Friday, February 26. Congress The House Budget Committee has passed a COVID-19 relief bill. The following is a summary of the bill’s major spending, how it differs from the previous proposals submitted to the Budget Committee by other House committees, and what the bill does not do. Major Spending Categories The bill, which calls for $1.9 trillion in federal spending and tax credits, proposes: $350 billion for emergency aid to states, local, and tribal [...]
Medicare Pays Far More Than Medicaid for Brand-Name Drugs
Medicare pays three times as much for brand-name drugs at retail pharmacies as Medicaid and two-and-a-half times more for specialty drugs, according to a new analysis by the Congressional Budget Office. The vast difference occurs because of how drug prices are established for the two programs. Under Medicare Part D, individual payers and manufacturers negotiate prices based on commercial market conditions while for Medicaid, federal law requires manufacturers to provide rebates. Learn more about the differences between Medicare and Medicaid prescription drug prices, how and why those differences occur, and [...]
Coronavirus Update for Thursday, February 25
The following is the latest COVID-19 information from the federal government as of 2:45 p.m. on Thursday, February 25. The White House President Biden has extended the declaration of a national health emergency because of COVID-19. The White House announced a new effort to make masks more available in communities hard hit by the pandemic. The administration will deliver more than 25 million masks to more than 1300 community health centers and 60,000 food pantries and soup kitchens. The White House COVID-19 response team and public health officials held a [...]