Last week the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission met in Washington, D.C. to discuss a number of Medicare payment issues.

The issues on MedPAC’s January agenda were:

  • The Medicare prescription drug program (Part D):  status report and options for restructuring
  • Redesigning the Medicare Advantage quality program:  initial modeling of a value incentive program
  • Hospital inpatient and outpatient payments
  • Physician payments
  • Outpatient dialysis payments
  • Skilled nursing facility, home health, inpatient rehabilitation facility, and long-term-care hospital payments
  • Hospice and ambulatory surgery center payments
  • The 340B program
  • ACO beneficiary assignment

MedPAC is an independent congressional agency that advises Congress on issues involving the Medicare program.  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.

Go here for links to the policy briefs and presentations that supported MedPAC’s discussion of these issues.