Reimbursement
The re-named Advisory Panel on Hospital Outpatient Payments, or HOP, will hold its first semi-annual meeting for 2012 Feb. 27-29, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced last week.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced the 32 health systems that will participate in the Pioneer Accountable Care Organization program, which government officials say could save Medicare as much as $1.1 billion.
The National Governors Association (NGA) announced Tuesday that Colorado, Minnesota, Oregon and Pennsylvania have been selected to participate in the NGA's new learning collaborative on integrating chronic disease prevention services.
More than half of health system and insurance executives recently surveyed by KPMG, law firm Epstein Becker Green and The JHD Group indicated they are still undecided about whether their organizations will participate in the Medicare ACO program.
Insurance carriers may charge an average 22.6 percent more for monthly premiums for individuals with a high body mass index when they purchase individual coverage. Smoking may also boost monthly premiums by an average 14 percent.
Most hospitals seek to improve revenue, but are challenged by static or declining patient volumes, reimbursement rate reductions and patient case reclassifications to comply with CMS regulatory requirements.
Majorities of senior executives at hospitals, health systems and insurers are on the fence about their organizations' participation in the Medicare ACO program, according to a poll conducted by KPMG, alongside law firm Epstein Becker Green and The JHD Group.
In 2010, the Veterans Administration launched the Blue Button, a standards format that allows simple exchange of a patient's personal health data. Initially designed for use by veterans, the idea has taken off in the private sector and has been supported by at least one major care provider overseas.
Letters of intent are due today from those interested in participating in the CMS Innovation Center's Health Care Innovation Challenge, which promises up to $1 billion for new ideas that improve care, shift incentives and help train a newly-focused healthcare workforce.
The Bipartisan Options for the Future white paper by Ron Wyden (Senate Democrat from Oregon) and Paul Ryan (Republican Congressman from Wisconsin) is billed as a bold move to reform Medicare. It is admirable that two prominent legislators from across the aisle have come together on the pivotal fiscal question of our era, but the plan itself is disappointing and even counterproductive.