CMS To End Medicare Experiment Meant To Fix Kidney Dialysis Shortage
The trial, which will end Dec. 31, studied whether giving financial incentives to providers would move more patients with end-stage kidney disease onto home dialysis and through the transplant process, Stat reports. That approach was not proven to work.
Stat:
Medicare’s Experiment To Fix Kidney Failure To End Early
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services will cut short a big experiment to try and change the way dialysis is done in the U.S. The agency, led by Mehmet Oz, will end its End-Stage Renal Disease Treatment Choices (ETC) model on Dec. 31, according to a final rule published in the Federal Register last week. (Cueto, 12/1)
In other news from CMS —
Modern Healthcare:
Medicare Home Health Pay To Be Cut 1.3% In 2026 Under CMS Rule
Medicare reimbursements to home health providers will dip 1.3% next year under a final rule the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services published Friday. The pay cut is substantially smaller than the 6.4% reduction the agency proposed in June. Under the Patient-Driven Groupings Model for home health, Medicare reimburses based on patient characteristics, rather than volume of visits. CMS asserts this policy, which it began implementing in 2020, is necessary to curb “upcoding” by providers. (Early, 12/1)
Fierce Healthcare:
CMMI Debuts ACCESS Model To Spur Use Of Tech For Chronic Disease
The CMS Innovation Center has debuted a new model to encourage the use of technology to treat chronic diseases that could be a boon for health tech companies that have struggled with reimbursement. The Advancing Chronic Care with Effective, Scalable Solutions (ACCESS) Model is a 10-year payment program that would offer stable, recurrent payment for technology used to treat diabetes, hypertension, chronic kidney disease, obesity, depression and anxiety. (Beavins, 12/1)
More health industry developments —
The Boston Globe:
Genesis HealthCare Sparks Outrage In Selling Company To Itself
Genesis HealthCare, a large, troubled nursing home chain with 49 facilities across New England and a history of serious health violations, succeeded in an unusual legal action — selling the chain to itself in bankruptcy court, according to documents made public Monday. The complex and controversial move, if approved on Dec. 10 by a judge in the Texas bankruptcy proceedings, would wipe out much of the liability claims against the company, which has roughly 175 facilities nationwide. Many of those claims are from families who accused Genesis facilities of negligent care that harmed patients or resulted in their death. (Lazar, 12/1)
AP:
$50M Gift Covers Some University Of Washington Tuition For Medical System's 'Unsung Heroes'
An anonymous donation expected to exceed $50 million is helping cover tuition costs for medical laboratory science students at the University of Washington for the next half-century. The dean of the university’s School of Medicine, Dr. Tim Dellit, made the surprise announcement Monday to about 30 grateful undergrads, who will each see two quarters’ worth of tuition covered for their senior-year clinical rotations, The Seattle Times reported. “I’m really shocked,” said Jasmine Wertz, eyes filling with tears. “Overwhelmed. Extremely grateful.” (12/2)
Minnesota Public Radio:
COVID-19 Pandemic Narrowed Health Care Industry Pay Gap, New Study Finds
A new study finds that the COVID-19 pandemic narrowed the wage gap between high and low paid workers in the health care industry, as the lowest earners saw the biggest boost in pay in the years since the pandemic began. The findings show a sharp disruption of a decades-long trend in which the wage gap had consistently widened, with high income earners enjoying the biggest pay gains. (Work, 12/1)
Chicago Tribune:
Former Hospital Counselor Charged With Sexual Assault
A former mental health counselor at a Chicago behavioral health hospital has been charged with sexually assaulting five boys during his time there, according to the Cook County state’s attorney’s office. (Schencker, 12/1)
Stat:
Contributors To Top Psychiatry Journals Fail To Disclose Industry Payments
Amid ongoing concern over conflicts of interest that may affect medical practice, a new study found that 14% of the $4.5 million paid to authors in two leading psychiatry journals was undisclosed and nearly all of the payments were made to researchers conducting randomized controlled trials for pharmaceuticals. (Silverman, 12/1)
KFF Health News:
They Need A Ventilator To Stay Alive. Getting One Can Be A Nightmare
On vacation in Mexico last year, Michael DiPlacido passed out twice while scuba diving and again in his hotel. Back in St. Louis, doctors diagnosed him with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, an incurable disease that often requires mechanical ventilation. When his son Adam DiPlacido tried to find a permanent place to care for his father, who now needed a ventilator to breathe through a tracheostomy tube, he discovered none of Missouri’s nearly 500 nursing homes could take him. (Rau, 12/2)
Also —
CNN:
Opening Of Luigi Mangione’s Multi-Day Hearing Reveals New Details About The 911 Call That Led To His Arrest
Alleged gunman Luigi Mangione will be back in court Tuesday for a second day of testimony as the judge overseeing his state murder case weighs whether to throw out key evidence. (Scannell and Brown, 12/2)
