Reimbursement

The Marshfield Clinic is among 10 large physician groups participating in a Medicare demonstration project that reportedly indicates they can provide quality patient care while saving Medicare millions of dollars.

Voters would rather see Medicaid spending reduced by better managing pharmacy benefits than cutting benefits for patients or payments to providers, according to a new poll commissioned by the Pharmaceutical Care Management Association.

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.

Underwriting discipline and an improved cost structure have led to an increased credit rating for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Nebraska.

MedeAnalytics, a provider of healthcare performance management solutions such as on-demand analytics, announced Wednesday the launch of its accountable care organization (ACO) resource center for healthcare provider and payer organizations.

In order to remain in compliance with Medicare rules, and avoid denials by recovery audit contractors (RACs) and others, hospitals must reduce outpatient procedures performed during inpatient stays.

Social media tools may prove an effective way to boost participation in online health programs, according to researchers at the University of Michigan Medical School.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has posted the 2011 Medicare clinical laboratory fee schedule files on its website.