Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
CMS Shuts Down Medicare Tool Following Discovery Of Bug That May Have Exposed Consumers' Data
Modern Healthcare: Blue Button 2.0 Bug May Have Exposed Medicare Beneficiary Data
The CMS has temporarily shut down access to its Blue Button 2.0 data-sharing tool after discovering a bug that may have exposed some beneficiary information. The CMS suspended access to the Blue Button 2.0 API, or application programming interface, after a third-party app developer reported a "data anomaly" on Dec. 4. It's unclear when the service, which allows Medicare beneficiaries to share their claims data with third-party apps, will be restored, the agency shared in a blog post this week. (Cohen, 12/18)
In other Medicare news —
Kansas City Star: CMS Threatens Medicare Payments To Kansas State Hospital
Federal inspectors have warned a Kansas state mental health hospital that its Medicare payments will be cut off early next year without major improvements to patient care in one of its units. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services found that the problems at Adair Acute Care – located inside Osawatomie State Hospital — “substantially limit the hospital’s capacity to render adequate care and services,” according to documents obtained by The Kansas City Star and The Wichita Eagle. (Shorman, 12/19)
Miami Herald: Lack Of Dental Benefit In Medicare Puts Floridians Under Pressure
When it comes to oral health, Medicare, the federal health insurance program for people who are 65 and older, covers only a small number of medically-necessary, non-routine procedures. Though some can access dental benefits through supplemental options like Advantage plans, all routine preventive or restorative procedures are excluded from original Medicare, save for some limited circumstances during hospitalization. (Grinspan, 12/20)
