Bulletin Board
Bulletin Board
Readmissions Higher for Medicare Advantage Patients
Medicare Advantage patients are more likely to be readmitted to the hospital for existing medical problems than participants in traditional Medicare, a new study has found. According to a report published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, Medicare Advantage patients suffering from acute myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure, and pneumonia were readmitted to hospitals because of those medical problems at slightly higher rates than patients served by traditional Medicare. Learn more from the Annals of Internal Medicine study “Hospital Readmission Rates in Medicare Advantage and Traditional Medicare: A Retrospective Population-Based [...]
MedPAC Weighs in on Proposed Medicare Payment Changes
The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission has submitted formal comments to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services in response to the latter’s publication of a proposed regulation that would govern how Medicare will pay for acute-care hospital inpatient services and long-term hospital care in the coming 2020 fiscal year. The 14-page MedPAC report addresses four aspects of the proposed Medicare payment regulation: inpatient- and outpatient drug- and device related payment proposals proposed changes in the hospital area wage index the reporting of hospitals’ uncompensated care on the Medicare cost report’s [...]
MedPAC Issues Annual Report to Congress
The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission has sent its mandatory annual report to Congress. Included in the report are sections on: Beneficiary enrollment in Medicare: eligibility notification, enrollment process, and Part B late enrollment penalties. Restructuring Medicare Part D for the era of specialty drugs. Medicare payment strategies to improve price competition and value for Part B drugs. MedPAC’s mandated report to Congress on clinician payments. Issues in Medicare beneficiaries’ access to primary care. Assessment of the Medicare Shared Savings Program’s effect on Medicare spending. Ensuring the accuracy and completeness of [...]
Surprise! Teaching Hospitals Cost Less Than Non-Teaching Hospitals
30-day and episode-of-care costs are lower for care provided by major teaching hospitals than they are for other teaching hospitals and non-teaching hospitals. Or so concludes a new study published by JAMA Open Network. According to the study: Major teaching hospitals’ initial hospitalization costs are higher. Major teaching hospital costs are less than other hospitals after 30 days of care and over entire episodes of care. Major teaching hospitals’ costs are similar to those of other teaching hospitals and non-teaching hospitals over a 90-day episode of care. Major teaching hospitals’ [...]
CMS Seeks Help With Reducing Administrative and Regulatory Burdens
Reducing administrative and regulatory burdens is the subject of a new request for information issued last week by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. In the RFI, CMS explains that it is especially interested in “…innovative ideas that broaden perspectives on potential solutions to relieve burden and ways to improve” reporting and documentation requirements coding and documentation requirements for Medicare or Medicaid payment prior authorization procedures policies and requirements for rural providers, clinicians, and beneficiaries policies and requirements for dually enrolled (Medicare and Medicaid) beneficiaries beneficiary enrollment and eligibility [...]