Medicare & Medicaid
Secretary Sylvia Burwell Wednesday acknowledged that the Affordable Care Act's fourth enrollment season, which begins Nov. 1, is a pivotal time.
Study found ER use among Medicaid patients in Oregon stayed high two years after people gained coverage, more patients visited doctors offices.
Medicare drug plan enrollees face 9 percent premium increase unless they switch plans during open enrollment.
481 participating practices served more than 376,000 Medicare beneficiaries, 2.7 million patients overall, CMS says.
Numerous Kaiser plans score high marks, while Tenet and Health Care Services plans among low scorers.
Program cements two payment tracks and "pick your pace" approach while setting aside money to support small practices.
Federal officials send letters to beneficiaries explaining that they can keep exchange plans but lose subsidies since they are eligible for Medicare.
Pilot program will relieve physicians in specified alternative payment models from select tasks, CMS says.
Humana saw enrollment in plans rated four stars or higher fall to 37 percent compared to 71 percent in the prior year's ratings, pushing the company's stock down close to 5 percent in morning trading.
The Affordable Care Act provides bonuses to higher quality plans that rate four or five stars on a five-star scale.