Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
231 Hospitals With Subpar Quality Awarded Bonuses From Medicare
Kaiser Health News: Medicare Pays Bonuses To 231 Hospitals With Lower Quality Because Of Cheaper Costs
The federal government paid bonuses to 231 hospitals with subpar quality because their patients tend to be less expensive for Medicare, new research shows. The bonuses are small, generally a fraction of a percent of their Medicare payments. Nonetheless, rewarding hospitals of mediocre quality was hardly the stated goal when the Affordable Care Act created financial incentives to encourage better medical care from hospitals, doctors and other health care providers. (Rau, 5/2)
Related KHN Story: Hospital Discharge: It’s One Of The Most Dangerous Periods For Patients (Rau, 5/2)
The Associated Press: Federal Jury Convicts Woman In Health Fraud Scheme
A federal court jury has convicted the owner of a health care company for her role in a $3.2 million Medicare fraud scheme operating in and around New Orleans. U.S. Attorney Kenneth Polite said in a news release Monday 46-year-old Tracy Richardson Brown, of New Orleans, was convicted Saturday on 18 counts after a five-day trial before U.S. District Judge Stanwood Duval Jr. (5/2)
