Senators Release Bipartisan Plan To Revamp Medicare Coverage For Chronic Diseases
Treating chronic diseases accounts for 86 percent of the nation's health care spending so the senators' efforts to make Medicare policy more efficient could help both the patient and the budget. Also, federal officials are temporarily blocking more insurers from automatically switching customers to Medicare.
The Hill:
Senators Unveil Bipartisan Medicare Reforms
A bipartisan group of senators on Thursday released a draft of legislation aimed at making Medicare more efficient and saving money in the long run. The proposal is the product of months of work by Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) and the panel’s top Democrat, Sen. Ron Wyden (Ore.), as well as Sens. Mark Warner (D-Va.) and Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.). The bill, referred to as the Chronic Care Act, would expand or create a range of Medicare programs to make treatment of chronic conditions such as heart disease and diabetes more coordinated and cost-efficient. (Sullivan, 10/27)
Morning Consult:
Senate’s Chronic Care Working Group Circulates Draft Bill
The discussion draft released Thursday focuses on increasing access to high-quality home care for patients with chronic conditions, advancing team-based care, expanding the use of technology in caring for these patients, improving identification of such patients, and empowering patients and caregivers to better coordinate care. (McIntire, 10/27)
Kaiser Health News:
Medicare Bars New ‘Seamless Conversion’ Efforts For Some Seniors
The federal government is temporarily blocking more health insurance companies from automatically moving customers who become eligible for Medicare into Medicare Advantage plans while officials review the controversial practice. They also will issue rules soon for plans that already have permission to make these switches, known as “seamless conversion,” according to a memo from Michael Crochunis, acting director of the Medicare Enrollment and Appeals Group at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (Jaffe, 10/28)
