Policy Updates

MedPAC: Small Pay Raise for Hospital Inpatient, Outpatient Services

The independent agency that advises Congress on Medicare payment matters has recommended modest increases in Medicare payments for hospital inpatient and outpatient services in FY 2018. The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission voted in support of a market basket increase of approximately 1.85 percent for Medicare outpatient and inpatient services in FY 2018. MedPAC also voted to recommend a 0.5 percent increase in payments to physicians but no increase for ambulatory surgery centers. MedPAC will formally submit its recommendations to Congress in March. Learn more about these and other MedPAC recommendations for changes in Medicare provider reimbursement in this article on [...]

iqtsupport2017-01-20T06:00:18-05:00January 20, 2017|Medicare, MedPAC|

Implications of ACA Repeal for Medicaid

How might repeal of the Affordable Care Act affect Medicaid? Medicaid beneficiaries? States and providers? These issues and more are considered in the new Commonwealth Fund report “Medicaid’s Future: What Might ACA Repeal Mean?” Find it here.

iqtsupport2017-01-19T13:00:26-05:00January 19, 2017|Affordable Care Act, Medicaid|

MedPAC Meets

Last week the independent agency that advises Congress on Medicare payment issues met for two days in Washington, D.C. Among the issues on the agenda of the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission were: payments for hospital inpatient and outpatient services, ambulatory surgery centers, dialysis facilities, and hospice care payments for post-acute-care providers a unified payment system for post-acute-care services Medicare Advantage Medicare Part B and Part D payments Medicare-covered primary care services implementation of the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 Go here for links to the issue briefs and presentations used at the MedPAC meeting and for a [...]

iqtsupport2017-01-19T06:00:38-05:00January 19, 2017|hospitals, Medicare, Medicare regulations, MedPAC|

ACOs Serving Low-Income and Minority Patients Underperform

Accountable care organizations that serve large numbers of minority patients score lower on Medicare quality measures than other ACOs, a new study has found. According to the study, ACOs serving larger numbers of minority patients perform worse than other ACOs on 25 of 44 Medicare performance measures – and that performance does not improve over time. The study also pointed out that the minority patients served by ACOs are generally poorer and sicker than other ACO participants. Learn more about these and other findings in the report “ACOs Serving High Proportions of Racial and Ethnic Minorities Lag in Quality Performance,” [...]

iqtsupport2017-01-18T06:00:56-05:00January 18, 2017|Accountable Care Organization, ACO, Medicare|

Urban Hospitals in ACOS Better at Reducing Some Readmissions Rates

A new study has found that hospitals located in metropolitan areas that participate in accountable care organizations are doing a better job than other hospitals of reducing 30-day readmissions rates for Medicare patients who originally were discharged into skilled nursing facilities. It appears this improved performance can be attributed to two things: better discharge planning and better coordination with the skilled nursing facilities. To learn more go here to see the study “ACO-Affiliated Hospitals Reduced Rehospitalizations from Skilled Nursing Facilities Faster Than Other Hospitals.”

iqtsupport2017-01-17T06:00:47-05:00January 17, 2017|Accountable Care Organization, ACO, hospitals, Medicare|

Public Schools Using Telehealth

Spurred by 18 states that authorize Medicaid payments for telehealth services and another 28 that require private insurers to make such payments, more public school districts are integrating telehealth services into their school health programs. The schools are using telehealth to diagnose minor ailments, monitor chronic conditions, and authorize emergency administration of medicine in the absence of written parental permission. The use of telehealth in some school districts has reduced student trips to hospital emergency rooms and increased the rate at which children with medical problems return to the classroom. Learn more about how schools are using telehealth services to [...]

iqtsupport2017-01-13T06:00:06-05:00January 13, 2017|Medicaid|

Bundled Payments Reduce Hip, Knee Replacement Costs

Medicare’s bundled payment program for knee and hip replacements is reducing the cost of such treatments, a study has found. According to a new study in JAMA Internal Medicine, the Medicare bundled payment program, known as the Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement program, has driven down the cost of the those joint replacements more than 20 percent or $5500 a case. Most of the savings have been derived through a significant decrease in the use of post-acute care, according to the study. This decrease occurred, moreover, at a time when Medicare spending on joint replacement rose five percent. Learn more [...]

iqtsupport2017-01-12T16:35:59-05:00January 12, 2017|Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Medicare, Medicare regulations|

CMS Beefs Up Home Health Regs

New home health regulations will “…improve the quality of health care services for Medicare and Medicaid patients and strengthen patients’ rights,” according to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, which published the new regulations. The new regulations call for a comprehensive statement of patient rights, better communication between patients and providers, data-driven assessment of the quality of care providers deliver, a stronger focus on infection control, better coordination of services with other providers, and new qualifications for home care personnel. Learn more about the new regulation in this CMS news release and in the regulation itself.

iqtsupport2017-01-11T13:00:42-05:00January 11, 2017|Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services|

CMS Considers Expanding PACE

The federal government is considering expanding its Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly to younger participants with disabilities. It also is considering expanded access to the program to as-yet unspecified “other populations.” The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is seeking public input on these possibilities. To learn more, see this CMS news release, which outlines the agency’s interests and offers a link to its formal Request for Information seeking input on prospective PACE expansion. Comments are due February 10.

iqtsupport2017-01-11T06:00:18-05:00January 11, 2017|Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services|

New Regs Seek to Improve Nursing Home Experience for Residents

New Medicare regulations should improve the quality of life of nursing home residents. The regulations, to be introduced in three phases, give residents more meal options, their choice of roommates, and improved procedures for addressing grievances. They also give residents the right to challenge discharges, expanded protection from abuse, and the promise of better, more qualified staff members to serve them. Learn more about the new regulations and how they seek to improve the quality of life for nursing home residents in this Kaiser Health News report.

iqtsupport2017-01-10T09:12:38-05:00January 10, 2017|Uncategorized|