Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
New Devices Doctors Can Test Out In Offices Responsible For Spike In Medicare Spending
The Wall Street Journal: Big Driver Of Medicare Spending: Doctors Doing More Tests In Their Offices
A Wall Street Journal analysis of recently released Medicare billing data showed that four of the top 10 fastest-growing Medicare services from 2012 to 2014 involved new devices. Medicare’s tab for those four services rose by $123.5 million from 2012 to 2014, to $135 million, the data show. In each case, a small cadre of doctors adopted the services much faster than their peers. Less than 10% of doctors accounted for more than half the rise in spending for each service, the Journal found. The Journal studied only services performed throughout that period with at least $5 million in 2014 payments. (Weaver and Jones, 8/9)
In other Medicare news —
The Wall Street Journal: Medicare Requires Some Heart Patients To See A Second Doctor
Medicare has started to require some heart patients to consult a second doctor before receiving a recently approved medical device in an effort to ensure patients get the treatment they believe is most suited to them. The new device, called the Watchman, is for patients with atrial fibrillation, an irregular heartbeat that increases the risk of stroke and affects more than 2.7 million people in the U.S. Medicare’s new rule isn’t about a second opinion, but rather about ensuring that patients’ own opinions and values are taken fully into account when weighing risks and benefits to reach a treatment decision. (Winslow, 8/8)
