Policy and Legislation
On Thursday the House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved a bill (H.R. 4994) that averts a 25 percent Medicare physician fee schedule cut scheduled to take effect January 1, 2011 under the statutory “sustainable growth rate” formula.
As expected, the Senate has unanimously approved a 12-month postponement of Medicare payment cuts to physicians that were set to kick in January 1, a move widely applauded by physicians' groups and senior advocates that have desperately lobbied Capitol Hill in recent weeks.
The Senate has reached a tentative deal to delay scheduled 25 percent Medicare pay cuts to physicians for one year, a deal that is expected to cost more than $19 billion. A vote on the measure could happen as early as today.
Abbott Laboratories, B. Braun Medical and Boehringer Ingelheim Roxane have agreed to pay $421 million to settle False Claims Act allegations, the Justice Department announced Tuesday.
A study by the Lewin Group, conducted for the Pharmaceutical Care Management Association, indicates Medicaid could save $30 billion over 10 years in pharmacy expenses by transitioning away from its current predominant fee-for-service payment model.
Americans remain "deeply divided" over the nation's healthcare reform package, with 40 percent of adults wanting to repeal all or most of the legislation and 31 percent in favor of keeping all or most of the reforms, according to a new Harris Interactive/HealthDay poll.
During the recent health care debate I heard many people on both sides of the debate worry out loud about passing a heath care bill that did not enjoy broad support. I guess this question is no longer a theoretical one.
As debate swirls over the impact of an impending Medicare physician pay cut, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission has released new findings that show seniors aren't having trouble finding Medicare physicians.
Nearly 13 percent of family physicians say they face the prospect of closing their practices entirely if Medicare slashes their payment next year by the proposed 25 percent, according to a recent survey.
To best meet the goals of optimized, coordinated patient care and also help curb costs, physicians should be at the center of accountable care organizations, the American Medical Association told the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services in a Dec. 2 letter.