FAQ: Medicare Beneficiaries May See Increased Access To Physical Therapy Or Some Other Services
For years, seniors were told that they had to show improvement to keep getting skilled care but a lawsuit has changed that standard.
Panel Tells Congress Medicare Is Unfairly Penalizing Hospitals Serving The Poor
An important feature of the health law designed to bring down the rate of patient readmissions is backfiring on safety-net hospitals, says a report by a congressional advisory agency.
Letters to the Editor is a periodic KHN feature. We welcome all comments and will publish a selection. We will edit for space, and we require full names.
Minnesota Ranked Best State For Seniors
Mississippi, Oklahoma are least healthy states for people over 65, according to a United Health Foundation analysis of 34 measures of health.
Eye Lift Surgery Increasingly Billed To Medicare
Despite rules against Medicare coverage for cosmetic surgery, eyelid lifts billed to Medicare have more than tripled over a decade.
Oklahoma Law Reflects Divide Over End-Of-Life Issues
A new law passed this year says Oklahoma patients who are disabled, elderly or terminally ill cannot be denied life-preserving treatments if they or their health proxies want it.
Medicare Seeks To Limit Number Of Seniors Placed In Hospital Observation Care
The proposal, part of the annual payment update, would help ease confusion over when beneficiaries are admitted to the hospital
Advocates Head To Court To Overturn Medicare Rules For Observation Care
Some hospital stays are not considered in-patient care, but seniors often don’t know that until they find they don’t qualify for full Medicare coverage.
Letters to the Editor is a periodic KHN feature. We welcome all comments and will publish a selection. We will edit for space, and we require full names.
Seniors Get Hung Up In Health Care Scams
Law enforcement agencies report an increase in phone scams by fraudsters who prey on the public’s confusion over the massive changes taking place in the nation’s health care system — and the thieves often target senior citizens.
Questions About Colon Screening Coverage Still Vex Consumers
Although the federal government has tried to clarify the preventive care provisions that mandate no out-of-pocket expenses for patients on screening exams, there is still a good bit of confusion.
Medicare Revises Readmissions Penalties
More than 1,200 hospitals are receiving good news
Access To Primary Care Is A Challenge For Some Texas Medicare Patients
The annual congressional battles over the “doc fix” and the threat of lower reimbursements have left some Texas doctors insecure and unwilling to take on more Medicare patients.
In New York, Palliative Care Adds A Layer Of Support For The Seriously Ill
A New York law passed last year ensures that everyone with “advanced life limiting conditions or illnesses who might benefit from palliative care” not only be informed of these services but also that the provider facilitate access to that care if they desire it.
Hospital Executive Bracing For Budget Cuts Says ‘We Need To Deal With Medicare’
David Blom, the president of OhioHealth, talks about the effects of sequestration and the need to find a long-term fiscal remedy.
Higher Hospital Readmissions Aren’t Linked To Fewer Deaths, Study Finds
The research bolsters Medicare’s efforts to prompt hospitals to reduce the number of patients who return quickly even though some experts assert that might be a sign of good care.
Medicaid Transformation Watched Closely In Florida
The federal government gave the green light to Florida to put its long-term-care Medicaid patients into managed care. The big question now is: Will it work?
Letters to the Editor is a periodic KHN feature. We welcome all comments and will publish a selection. We will edit for space, and we require full names.
San Diego Hospice Files For Bankruptcy
After a federal investigation and the prospect of having to return Medicare reimbursements, the hospice
Research Finds Link Between Poor Health And Seniors Switching Out Of Private Medicare Plans
Some advocates are concerned that the Medicare Advantage plans have incentives to skim off the lowest-maintenance customers and leave the expensive patients to the traditional program.
