healthinsurance.org news digest » Medicare

10 Medicare bills you can expect to pay

admin — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 19:10:51 +0000

Some are fairly obvious, but others are hidden amid bureaucratic small print. For instance, who knew that you pay extra when a doctor doesn’t “accept assignment” from Medicare? It’s up to the savvy consumer to be aware of all the ways medical costs can mount up even with a Medicare card in your pocket.

How much of long-term care will Medicare cover?

admin — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 05:44:57 +0000

The good news is that while Medicare’s role in long-term care is complicated, you can head off much of the headache that comes with the financial burden of long-term care by understanding some basic concepts.

How Medicare made Grandpa a drug mule

admin — Thu, 26 May 2011 06:17:13 +0000

How our investigative Medicare reporter/Guinea pig got caught up in the gritty world of prescription drug trafficking and why more than a million Americans look north to Canada for cheap drugs each year.

Is Paul Ryan’s Medicare plan finished?

admin — Tue, 17 May 2011 11:46:51 +0000

No major Republic presidential candidates are endorsing it and Newt Gingrich slammed it on Sunday. Is Paul Ryan's Medicare voucher plan dead on arrival?

Pelosi’s says she’ll put Medicare on the table, but won’t euthanize it

admin — Mon, 16 May 2011 22:03:25 +0000

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi says she'll put Medicare and other entitlement programs on the table in talks about reducing the deficit, but that "abolishing Medicare is not on the table."

dirty little secret: Medicare is already privatized

admin — Mon, 09 May 2011 20:21:51 +0000

It’s a dirty little secret that’s right out in the open: The GOP has already privatized Medicare for more than one out of four recipients. They did it back in 2003 through the Medicare Modernization Act.

Cantor comes clean on Medicare, health reform

admin — Thu, 05 May 2011 19:29:49 +0000

Cantor takes as a given that rationing of health care is our future, and he may be right. But he puts his reliance in the private sector to do that rationing rather than the government. We don’t agree. America’s private health delivery system has worked like crap for the under 65 crowd, and will be even worse in dealing with older people, who tend to need more of it.

Ryan acknowledges there’s no way Senate will pass his proposed budget

Editor — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 16:28:45 +0000

Swampland (TIME) – House Republican Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan talks about his “Path to Prosperity” budget plan, which would transform Medicare and Medicare programs and scrap the new health reform law.

National TV and radio campaign will educate seniors about Medicare fraud

Editor — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 15:54:23 +0000

HHS.gov – The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced Tuesday a nationwide TV and radio campaign that will to educate seniors about how to protect themselves from Medicare fraud.

Boehner says he’s ready to take on Social Security, Medicare

Editor — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 16:55:36 +0000

The Atlantic Wire – House Speaker John Boehner says he’s ready to “lock arms” with President Barack Obama to trim entitlements, including Social Security and Medicare.

Half of Americans think health reform law has been repealed or aren’t sure

Editor — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 15:11:23 +0000

Swampland (TIME) – Democratic messages about repeal of the health reform law may be falling on deaf ears, since half of Americans either think the law has been repealed … or they aren’t sure.

Sebelius on Medicare: nothing more important than making sure we have doctors

Editor — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 20:42:32 +0000

Medpage Today – Health and Human Service Secretary Kathleen Sebelius sits down for a brief discussion of health reform, electronic medical records and what she’s hearing from about doctors concerned about changes in Medicare.

Obama budget cuts HHS spending, but spares doctors from Medicare fee cut

Editor — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 16:20:32 +0000

The New York Times – President Barack Obama’s budget proposal would cut spending by the Department of Health and Human services by 2 percent, but would spare doctors from a deep cut in Medicare fees.

Stroke survivors who can’t afford medicines include Medicare Part D beneficiaries

Editor — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 14:18:54 +0000

Medical News Today – Medicare Part D beneficiaries are among a group of stroke survivors who can’t afford medications that would reduce the risk for future strokes, according to new research.

Despite projects, Medicare Advantage enrollment is UP 6 percent

Editor — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 14:14:43 +0000

McKnight’s – Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Donal Berwick surprised Congress Thursday when he testified to a panel that Medicare Advantage numbers are UP six percent, despite predictions.

Feds hunting for 170 Medicare scam artists

Editor — Fri, 04 Feb 2011 19:50:29 +0000

Medicare Resource Center – The Department of Health and Human Services has issued a “Most Wanted” list of crooks scamming the Medicare system.

Publisher of Wall Street Journal wants to know how much doctors get from Medicare

Editor — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 15:15:48 +0000

Law Blog (The Wall Street Journal) – Dow Jones & Co, the publisher of The Wall Street Journal, is trying to overturn a long-standing court order barring access to a Medicare database that it says could help identify fraud and waste in the system.

Lawsuit challenges Medicare policy on rehabilitative care

Editor — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 17:30:37 +0000

Healthwatch (The Hill) – A Medicare rights group has filed suit to challenge a Medicare provision that denies rehabilitative coverage to individuals with chronic conditions and long-term illnesses on the grounds that their condition is not likely to improve.

Medicare advisory committee suggests new fee to discourage overuse of home health visits

Editor — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 21:32:11 +0000

The Christian Science Monitor – The Medicare Advisory Commission has recommended that Congress impose a fee on home health visits covered by Medicare to discourage overuse of the service, which costs taxpayers $20 billion a year.

Proposed Medicare rule would reward hospitals for quality of care

Editor — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 20:21:16 +0000

The Hill – The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced Friday a proposal that would boost payments to hospitals if they demonstrate that they’ve provided high-quality care for patients.

Debate over health reform repeal is great opportunity to see exactly what’s at stake

Editor — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 13:00:47 +0000

healthinsurance.org – The upcoming House Republican effort to repeal the health reform law will be more than political theatre. It’s also great chance for Americans to understand exactly what they could lose if the law is repealed.

How repeal of the Affordable Care Act would cost families, seniors, small businesses

Editor — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 22:42:28 +0000

The White House Blog – The White House explains how repeal of the health reform law would cost Americans control of their health care and put insurance companies back in the driver’s seat.

The Boomers have arrived, and they’d like their Medicare

Editor — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 15:08:00 +0000

MSN – The Medicare system is bracing for the onslaught of Baby Boomers – millions of them – who will consume health services as much or more than previous generations of Medicare beneficiaries. What will it take for Medicare to become ready?

Expectations for Medicare aren’t meeting contributions

Editor — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 01:07:16 +0000

The Washington Post – An updated financial analysis shows that your payments into Medicare throughout your career doesn’t mean the money will be waiting for your when you retire.

Medicare prevention benefits, shrinking donut hole signal brighter 2011 for seniors

Editor — Fri, 31 Dec 2010 20:42:47 +0000

healthinsurance.org – In 2011, Americans can expect 21 health reform provisions to take effect, from a medical loss ratio provision requiring that carriers spend more of premium dollars on medical care to to the “beginning of the end” for the prescription drug “donut hole.”

21 provisions of health reform law take effect in 2011

Editor — Tue, 28 Dec 2010 14:03:33 +0000

Health Blog (The Wall Street Journal) – Twenty-one provisions of the Affordable Care Act take effect in 2011. Among them: Medicare Part D prescription drug discounts, medical loss ratios and free preventive services.

Medicare policy will pay doctors for end-of-life consultations

Editor — Sat, 25 Dec 2010 21:58:26 +0000

The New York Times – Democrats dropped end-of-life consultations from the health reform legislation that was signed into law in 2010, but a new policy, outlined in a Medicare regulation, will pay doctors who counsel their patients regarding end-of-life care options.

Health reform delivers for Medicare beneficiaries; provides free annual physical

Editor — Sat, 18 Dec 2010 07:53:52 +0000

The Columbus Dispatch – Medicare beneficiaries who resolve to start the year healthier will get a boost from the recently passed health reform legislation. Starting January 1, older and disabled people can get annual “well visits” and health screenings with no out-of-pocket costs.

Grants to SHIPs will promote health reform’s Medicare prevention, wellness benefits

Editor — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 15:45:36 +0000

Modern Healthcare – The CMS has announced new requirements for state health insurance assistance program (SHIP) grants intended to raise awareness among Medicare beneficiaries about new provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, including prevention and wellness benefits and anti-fraud initiatives.

Senate reaches tentative one-year deal on Medicare ‘doc fix’

admin — Tue, 07 Dec 2010 13:05:02 +0000

Politico – Senate leaders have reached a deal that will prevent a 23 percent cut to Medicare reimbursement to physicians by changing the conditions of the tax subsidy that some consumers will use to buy health insurance through state health insurance exchanges when they take effect in 2014.