Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Senate Committee Passes Bipartisan Bill To Revamp Medicare Coverage Of Chronic Care
Morning Consult: Senate Panel Approves Bill Revamping Medicare For Chronically Ill Patients
The Senate Finance Committee on Thursday unanimously advanced legislation aimed at improving care for people with chronic illnesses, part of a bipartisan effort that has advanced even as Republicans and Democrats fight over the future of the Affordable Care Act. The bill, which is backed by the American Heart Association and dozens of other industry groups, would revamp how Medicare works for patients who have chronic medical conditions. Specifically, the bill is aimed at reducing costs associated with chronic illness by giving people greater access to telehealth services, promoting care coordination between providers and expanding value-based payment models. (Reid, 5/18)
Modern Healthcare: House Lawmakers Push Back At MedPAC's Proposed Medicare Reforms
House lawmakers pushed back Thursday on the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission's calls to cut Medicare reimbursements to some kinds of providers, saying organizations in their districts tell them they could not survive with the proposed cuts. MedPAC executive director Mark Miller's prepared testimony for a House Ways and Means subcommittee Thursday said the federal government could have saved $11 billion by now if it had heeded the commissions repeated proposals to cut or freeze payments to skilled nursing facilities, inpatient rehabilitation centers, long-term care hospitals and home health agencies. In many sectors, MedPAC says profits off of Medicare patients are excessive. (Lee, 5/18)
