GAO: More Oversight Needed Over Medicare Advantage Provider Networks
Congressional watchdog says the government checks few health plans to ensure accurate provider listings and adequate access for seniors on Medicare Advantage.
Medicare
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Poll Finds Overwhelming Support For Medicare Paying For End-Of-Life Talks
The plan to include funding in the health law for these discussions between doctors and patients was vehemently opposed by some Republicans, but 8 of 10 Americans support the practice.
By Jordan Rau -
Medicare Yet To Save Money Through Heralded Medical Payment Model
The government expected accountable care organizations to save Medicare millions by now, but the program is falling short of targets, records show. KHN also has performance data for all 353 ACOs in 2014.
By Jordan Rau and Jenny Gold -
Urgent Care
This model of care is one of the ways created by the Affordable Care Act to reduce health care costs while improving quality of care. You can also watch the accompanying video that explains ACOs.
By Jenny Gold -
Readers Ask About Concierge Medicine And Medicare; Insulin Costs And The Doughnut Hole
KHN consumer columnist Michelle Andrews answers questions about Medicare beneficiaries’ costs associated with doctors who have concierge medicine practices, insulin pumps and respite care.
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Medicare Says Doctors Should Get Paid To Discuss End-Of-Life Issues
The topic is complex and sometimes requires multiple visits, but right now doctors are paid for it only if they discuss end-of-life planning in their initial visit with a new Medicare patient.
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Study Casts Doubt On Assumptions About Hospital ‘Frequent Fliers’
New research finds that patients who repeatedly use costly hospital and emergency room services, known often as super-utilizers or frequent fliers, generally don’t seek such intense care for a lifetime but instead for a short period of time.
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Telephone Therapy Helps Older People In Underserved Rural Areas, Study Finds
Counseling by mental health professionals over the phone was effective in reducing anxiety and depressive symptoms, according to researchers.
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Half Of Nation’s Hospitals Fail Again To Escape Medicare’s Readmission Penalties
The fines, in their fourth year, are assessed on hospitals that have patients frequently return and will cost nearly 2,600 hospitals $420 million in total.
By Jordan Rau -
Meet The California Family That Has Made Health Policy Its Business
On Medicare's 50th birthday, two brothers who helped get it off the ground tell their stories. A younger member of the Lee family is at the helm of Covered California, the state insurance exchange.
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Congress Overwhelmingly Approves Bill Bolstering Medicare Patients’ Hospital Rights
Medicare patients must be told when they're in "observation" status but not admitted in a hospital, under legislation expected to be signed into law by the president.
By Susan Jaffe -
Medicare Turns 50 But Big Challenges Await
Medicare provides coverage to one in six Americans, and federal officials hope to trim the increasing cost and improve how the program operates.
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Health Law Experiment Failed To Show Savings
An ambitious demonstration to transform clinics into “medical homes” treating patients in the community instead of the hospital didn’t save money. Some blame the test, not the idea.
By Jay Hancock -
Good News, Bad News In Medicare Trustees Report
Trust fund solvent until 2030, but some seniors may see a big spike in Part B premiums.
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Home Health Agencies Get Medicare’s Star Treatment
For the first time, the government is assigning one to five stars to the agencies that care for seniors in their homes. Nearly half of 9,000 agencies rated captured average scores.
By Jordan Rau -
New Regulations Would Require Modernizing Nursing Home Care
The proposed rules, released in advance of the White House Conference on Aging, cover wide-ranging topics, from meals to roommate selection to staff training.
By Susan Jaffe -
Want A Good Laugh? Head To The Hospital
Across the country, hospitals are offering seniors social activities and other benefits to help them stay healthy and out of the hospital, while also encouraging them to come back to visit.
By Susan Jaffe -
When Turning 65, Consumers With Marketplace Plans Need To Be Vigilant In Choosing Health Coverage
Seniors can opt to stay in their marketplace plans when they become eligible for Medicare, but most lose their access to subsidies and failing to move into Medicare promptly results in premium penalties.
By Susan Jaffe -
Medicare Slow To Adopt Telemedicine Due To Cost Concerns
Less than 1 percent of beneficiaries use the technology because Congress has put tight restrictions on it.
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Medicare Drug Plans Favor Generic Opioids Over Those Designed To Avoid Abuse, Study Finds
The Part D plans have cut back coverage of a newer version of OxyContin that has been formulated to make it tougher for people to snort or inject it. That new version is 20 times more expensive than the generic.