Researches Caught Off-Guard As CMS Stops Release Of Highly Anticipated Medicare Data
The Ceners for Medicare & Medicaid Services said there were enough questions about the data’s accuracy that it should not be released for research use.
ProPublica:
Medicare Halts Release Of Much-Anticipated Data
In the past few years, many seniors and disabled people have eschewed traditional Medicare coverage to enroll in privately run health plans paid for by Medicare, which often come with lower out-of-pocket costs and some enhanced benefits. These so-called Medicare Advantage plans now enroll more than a third of the 58 million beneficiaries in the Medicare program, a share that grows by the month. But little is known about the care delivered to these people, from how many services they get to which doctors treat them to whether taxpayer money is being well-spent or misused. (Ornstein, 6/29)