Decoding The High-Stakes Debate Over Medicare Advantage Cuts
In high-visibility ad campaigns, insurers maintain that reduced payment rates, which are expected to be announced Monday, will do real harm. What should beneficiaries expect?
Los Angeles County Audit Finds Backlog Of Nursing Home Complaints
The Los Angeles County Auditor/Controller determined that there were more than 3,000 open investigations, including 945 that have been open for more than two years.
Top Boston Hospital Begins To Tackle Readmissions Problem
One Boston hospital uses a Medicare fine, soul searching, and a plan for follow-up to reduce its alarming readmissions rate.
Permanent ‘Doc Fix’ May Be On Hold As House Passes Short-Term Patch
In a voice vote Thursday, the House passed yet another short-term patch to the Medicare physician payment formula. Mary Agnes Carey and CQ Roll Call’s Emily Ethridge discuss what that means for the effort to make long-term changes to how providers are paid.
Draft Rules Would Help Protect Seniors When Medicare Advantage Plans Drop Doctors
The proposals by federal officials come in response to UnitedHealthcare’s efforts to cancel contracts with thousands of doctors in 10 states just weeks before seniors had to enroll in plans.
Cholesterol Guidelines Could Mean Statins For Half Of Adults Over 40
This story was produced in collaboration with When sweeping new advice on preventing heart attacks and strokes came out last November, it wasn’t clear how many more Americans should be taking daily statin pills to lower their risk. A new analysis provides an answer: a whole lot. Nearly 13 million more, to be precise. If the […]
A Reader Asks: Would An IRA Withdrawal Count As Income For Exchange Subsidies?
KHN’s consumer columnist responds to a reader who is living off savings and wants to find a way to qualify for subsidies on the health insurance marketplace.
Lawmakers Weigh Changes To Medicare
The House this week held a hearing on payment shifts in Medicare Advantage plans and has scheduled a vote Friday on a proposal to revamp the system for paying doctors. KHN’s Mary Agnes Carey and Politico Pro’s Jennifer Haberkorn discuss the issues.
Rep. Ryan Quizzes Sebelius On Increased Savings Estimate From IPAB
The panel hasn’t had a meeting and no one’s even been nominated for it yet, but the Obama administration’s fiscal 2015 budget request says the health law’s Independent Payment Advisory Board, also known as IPAB, could save the government triple what officials estimated last year. On Wednesday, Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., asked Department of Health and […]
UCLA Memory Program Offers ‘Gym For Your Brain’
Games, stories, tai chi and dancing help patients — and caregivers — cope with memory loss
Medicare Officials Back Away From Changes To Prescription Drug Plan
Facing heavy bipartisan opposition on Capitol Hill as well as from patient groups, businesses, insurers and others, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services said Monday it did not plan to move ahead “at this time” with several proposed changes to the Medicare prescription drug program. The draft regulation, which had been released in January, would have wide-ranging […]
How Proposed Part D Changes Are Playing On Capitol Hill
Officials at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services are proposing to remove some drugs from Medicare’s prescription drug plans and limit how many plans insurers can offer. KHN’s Mary Agnes Carey and CQ Roll Call’s Emily Ethridge discuss.
IG Report Findings Could Strengthen Nursing Home Inspections
Nursing home oversight may be moving toward more effective ways to detect poor care.
L.A. County Health Officials Grilled Over Nursing Home Inspections
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors unanimously ordered an audit Tuesday of how the public health department oversees nursing homes.
L.A. County Officials Told Inspectors To Cut Short Nursing Home Probes
They say they were trying to help clear a California backlog of 9,000 cases. Elder care advocate calls the move “unconscionable.”
Three Key Changes Proposed For Medicare Part D
Among the elements of the proposal that consumers might notice are changes in what drugs will be “protected” so that they are more readily available to seniors, how many plans are offered and what pharmacies will be offering the best deals.
Administration Faces Opposition To Changes In Medicare Prescription Drug Program
Officials say proposed alterations would help seniors and save money but some patient groups and the drug industry are raising concerns.
Lend Us Your Ears: Note Takers Help The Elderly At The Doctor
Several groups dedicated to helping seniors stay in their homes provide the service for members who may need a record of the doctor’s office visits.
Rep. John Dingell, Long-Time Champion Of Health Legislation, Will Not Seek Re-Election
Another health care legend is retiring on Capitol Hill. Rep. John D. Dingell, a Michigan Democrat who was a key player in many health care battles in Congress, including enactment of the 2010 health care law and his push for a “Patient’s Bill of Rights” in the late 1990s and early 2000s, said Monday he […]
Obama Administration Proposes 1.9% Cut In Medicare Advantage Payments
Insurers claim the cuts are deeper and are campaigning to stop them, saying they will hurt seniors.
