Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Trump Administration's Focus On Quality Of Primary Care Gets Bipartisan Backing From Lawmakers
Modern Healthcare: Medicare's Primary Care First Model Gets Bipartisan Support
Senators across the aisle voiced support on Wednesday for the Trump administration's recently announced plan to offer primary-care contracts with physician practices through Medicare fee for service. During a Senate Finance Committee hearing, Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) said he sees the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation's Primary Care First policy as an opportunity for more chronically ill patients to be cared for in their home. (Luthi, 5/8)
In other news on Medicare —
Modern Healthcare: Medicare Spending Lower Among Seniors Who Switch To Medicare Advantage
The health insurance industry often attributes lower spending among Medicare Advantage seniors compared with those in traditional Medicare to care-management strategies. But a study published Monday turns that claim on its head. Researchers at the Kaiser Family Foundation found that traditional Medicare beneficiaries who opt to enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan offered by a private health insurer have lower average spending and use fewer services—before they ever switch to Medicare Advantage—than their counterparts who stay in traditional Medicare. (Livingston, 5/7)
The Hill: Grassley, Wyden Working On Plan To Cap Seniors' Drug Costs In Medicare
Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) is working on a bipartisan plan to cap seniors’ expenses for prescription drugs in Medicare as part of a broader effort to lower drug prices. Grassley told The Hill on Wednesday that one idea he is working on with Sen. Ron Wyden (Ore.), the top Democrat on the panel, is “some sort of maximum amount that one person would have to pay” for drugs. (Sullivan, 5/8)
