Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
AP Finds Potential Conflict Of Interest Issues Around CMS Nominee Seema Verma's Work In Indiana
The Associated Press: Pick For Medicare Post Faces Questions On Indiana Contracts
President Donald Trump's pick to oversee Medicare and Medicaid advised Vice President Mike Pence on health care issues while he was Indiana's governor, a post she maintained amid a web of business arrangements — including one that ethics experts say conflicted with her public duties. A review by The Associated Press found Seema Verma and her small Indianapolis-based firm made millions through consulting agreements with at least nine states while also working under contract for Hewlett Packard. (Slodysko and Johnson, 2/15)
Kaiser Health News: Docs Bill Medicare For End-Of-Life Advice As ‘Death Panel’ Fears Reemerge
End-of-life counseling sessions, once decried by some conservative Republicans as “death panels,” gained steam among Medicare patients in 2016, the first year doctors could charge the federal program for the service. Nearly 14,000 providers billed almost $35 million — including nearly $16 million paid by Medicare — for advance care planning conversations for about 223,000 patients from January through June, according to data released this week by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Full year figures won’t be available until July, but use appears to be higher than anticipated. (Aleccia, 2/15)
