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A 10 percent bump in pay, a health law provision that sunsets at the end of the year, was designed to help balance the reimbursement levels between primary care providers and specialists.
The number of Medicare plans that cover medications with a subsidy provided for low-income beneficiaries is declining in 2016 by 20 percent.
Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania found that Medicaid turned down requests for new expensive drugs to treat hepatitis C 46 percent of the time, while private insurers barred them 10 percent and Medicare 5 percent.
About 47 percent opt out of California’s “dual eligibles” program serving Medicare and Medicaid patients, in part because they fear losing their doctors, a survey finds. But once enrolled in the pilot program, most stay.
For beneficiaries, staying in their current plans could prove costly so advocates urge them to check out the alternatives.
The research shows 77 percent of those with dementia receive routine help with household tasks or personal care such as bathing and dressing. Only 20 percent of the 33 million people without dementia received similar help.
Enrollment for private Medicare Advantage and Part D drug plans begins Oct. 15 and consumer advocates urge seniors to check out prices to find the best deals.
The Government Accountability Office found bonuses and penalties have been small, and hospital performance has been steady.
Insurers' study points to the need for limits on out-of-network billing by doctors and hospitals. The American Medical Association calls the report "grossly misleading."
Congressional watchdog says the government checks few health plans to ensure accurate provider listings and adequate access for seniors on Medicare Advantage.
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.
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.
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.
KHN consumer columnist Michelle Andrews answers questions about Medicare beneficiaries’ costs associated with doctors who have concierge medicine practices, insulin pumps and respite care.
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.
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.
Counseling by mental health professionals over the phone was effective in reducing anxiety and depressive symptoms, according to researchers.
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.
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.
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.
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