Study: Supplemental Plans Raise Medicare Costs 22 Percent
A new study takes the closest look yet at the relationship between Medigap coverage and Medicare spending.
Detailed Report Delivers Good News On Health Costs, But Will It Last?
Definitive 2012 numbers show continued, historically low increases in medical prices and the use of medical services. Health spending rose 3.7 percent, up slightly from 2011 but far below the 8 percent increases of the early 2000s, according to figures released Monday by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Health spending has grown faster than incomes and […]
How Much Does A New Hip Cost? Even The Surgeon Doesn’t Know
What will a gallon of milk set you back? How about a new car? You probably have a rough idea. But what about a medical device — the kind that gets implanted during a knee or hip replacement? Chances are you have no clue. And you are not alone: The surgeons who implant those devices probably […]
364 Hospitals Have High Rates Of Overall Readmissions, New Medicare Data Show
Medicare’s new comprehensive measure of hospital readmissions shows that at least 20 percent of the hospitals in Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York and Rhode Island have higher rates of patients returning than the national average. Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, North Carolina, Oregon, South Carolina, Utah and Washington led the states with the highest proportion […]
How Palliative Care Helps: One Iowa Family’s Journey
‘This is their life. They’re the boss,’ says Dr. Tim Ihrig of the palliative care department at UnityPoint hospital in Fort Dodge, Iowa. ‘It’s an honor to be on this journey.’
A Reader Asks: Can I Opt Out Of My Retiree Plan To Get Subsidized Insurance?
The health law treats retirees differently than workers getting insurance through their jobs.
When Palliative Care Is The Best Care
A growing subspecialty that manages pain and stress for the seriously ill saves money, increases patient satisfaction and lengthens lives.
UnitedHealthcare Dropping Hundreds Of Doctors From Medicare Advantage Plans
The insurer has been notifying members about the network changes as the Dec. 7 deadline for choosing coverage for next year quickly approaches.
Medicare Seeks To Curb Spending On Post-Hospital Care
One out of every six dollars Medicare spent in the traditional fee-for-service program went to nursing and therapy for patients in rehabilitation facilities, nursing homes, long-term care hospitals and in their own homes.
Table: Medicare Spending By State And Category
One out of every five dollars Medicare spends goes to nursing homes, home health services or other post-acute facilities and services. The spending varies greatly between states: Louisiana spends 31 percent on post-acute services while Hawaii spends 12 percent.
Key Senate, House Committee Chairmen Offer Plan To Fix Medicare Doctor Payments
The proposal would keep physician pay at current levels but offer them incentives for quality improvements.
Options For Consumers When COBRA Coverage Runs Out
A reader asks: Can COBRA health insurance coverage be extended beyond 36 months?
Seniors Cautioned To Pay Close Attention To Details As Enrollment Begins In Medicare Plans
Costs, coverage details of different Medicare Advantage or prescription drug plans can vary significantly, so beneficiaries should weigh their options and consider switching plans for a better deal.
Costliest 1 Percent Of Patients Account For 21 Percent Of U.S. Health Spending
Most of these patients have multiple chronic illnesses and all too often they wind up in emergency rooms because they have enormous difficulty navigating the increasingly fragmented, complicated and inflexible health-care system.
A Former ‘Young Invincible’ Looks Forward to Health Insurance
Brad Stevens, 54, learned the hard way that being uninsured was risky as accidents and illness took a toll. Soon, he’ll qualify for California’s expanded Medicaid program.
FAQ: Seniors On Medicare Don’t Need To Apply To The Health Law Marketplaces
The online exchanges that open Oct. 1 are not aimed at Medicare beneficiaries, but the 2010 health law does affect seniors in other ways.
Many Cancer Patients Overtreated In Final Days
Care is particularly aggressive in the Philadelphia area, according to a Dartmouth Atlas study.
Labor Dept. Mandates Minimum Wage, Overtime Pay For Home Health Workers
The Obama administration had been trying for almost two years to extend overtime and minimum wage protections to the workers. The rule doesn’t take effect until 2015.
States Balk At Terminating Medicaid Contracts Even When There’s Fraud Or Poor Patient Care
Officials won’t use “nuclear option” for fear of disrupting services to patients.
Long-Term Care Panel Releases Recommendations But Fails To Offer Plan To Help Pay For Services
The group tackles wide-ranging list of concerns, but the lack of a financing plan raises strong objections from some members.
