Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Most Medicare Advantage Plans Will Not Increase Premiums In 2016, HHS Announces
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: No Increases For Medicare Advantage Plans
Most people on Medicare Advantage plans will see no increases in their health care premiums next year, and some enrollees could even see a slight drop, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services said Monday. The millions of beneficiaries of such plans will have to wait until Oct. 1 to learn the nuances of those health insurance plans, many of which will offer richer benefits than before, Medicare officials said. (Smeltz, 9/21)
CQ Healthbeat: Insurer-Run Medicare Premiums Remain Stable, Enrollment Swells
Premiums for insurer-run Medicare Advantage plans will be stable next year, and thus may attract more customers to an approach to managing health services for the elderly and disabled that can cost taxpayers than the traditional Medicare program. The average monthly premium for Medicare Advantage plans will drop by 31 cents to $32.60 next year from $32.91 for this year, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services said Monday. More than half -- about 59 percent -- of participants in the plans will not see any increase in their premiums. The flat premiums show that people on Medicare are “benefiting from a transparent and competitive marketplace,” said Sean Cavanaugh, CMS deputy administrator, in a statement. (Young, 9/21)
The Chicago Tribune: Humana To Increase Some Medicare Advantage Premiums
Humana plans to raise premiums next year for some of the private Medicare plans the insurer sells in Cook County, according to data released Monday by the Obama administration. The increases for Humana's Medicare Advantage plans that offer prescription drug benefits are small, ranging from 2.5 percent to 3.4 percent. But they buck the national trend. On average, Medicare Advantage plans, which cover about 30 percent of all elderly Americans, will cost an average of $32.60 per month next year, 31 cents lower than this year, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. A majority of Medicare Advantage enrollees, about 59 percent, won't see their premiums increase, the agency said. (Sachdev, 9/21)
Tampa Bay Times: Medicare Premiums For Most Won't Increase In 2016, But Higher-Income Seniors Could See A Big Hike
Medicare Advantage premiums will remain stable for the sixth straight year, as will premiums for the Medicare prescription drug program known as Part D, federal health officials announced Monday. But some high-income seniors can expect increases of more than 50 percent in their Part B premiums, according to an analysis by Boston College's Center for Retirement Research. That includes individuals whose household income tops $85,000 and couples whose household income tops $170,000. (McGrory, 9/21)
Earlier KHN coverage: Good News, Bad News In Medicare Trustees Report (Galewitz, 7/23)
And accountable care organizations are doing fewer procedures that have little benefit for patients, a new study finds --
Modern Healthcare: Pioneer ACOs Perform Fewer Low-Benefit Services
The CMS' Pioneer accountable care organizations are reducing the number of services they provide to patients that have minimal clinical benefit, a study in JAMA Internal Medicine found. The results suggest that the ACO program is having its intended effect. By changing the incentives for how healthcare services are reimbursed, the CMS is pushing providers to change the way they practice medicine. (Kutscher, 9/21)
