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 October agenda were:

  • the skilled nursing facility value-based payment system
  • future research directions in hospice payments
  • Medicare Advantage benchmark policy
  • indirect medical education:  current Medicare policy, concerns, and principles for revising
  • the evolution of Medicare’s advanced alternative payment models
  • vertical integration and Medicare payment policy

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 and here for a transcript of the proceedings.