MedPAC, a group that advises Congress on Medicare, recommends an overhaul in the way skilled nursing homes are reimbursed. “Congress also should direct HHS to cut payments to skilled nursing facilities with relatively high risk-adjusted rehospitalization rates for their Medicare-covered skilled nursing facility stays.” – McKnight’s
Raising the age of Medicare eligibility. “Medicare provides health insurance to almost everyone who is 65 or older. If the eligibility age was raised above 65, fewer people would be eligible for Medicare, and outlays for the program would decline relative to those projected under current law. CBO expects that most people affected by the change would obtain health insurance from other sources, primarily employers or other government programs, although some would have no health insurance.” – Congressional Budget Office
Providers brace for Medicare pre-payment audits. “CMS last month published national plans to increase the number of reviews to 2.7 million claims a year, up from 1.2 million claims, according to American Medical News. Some providers voiced concerns about the audits, including the American Medical Association…” – FierceHealthCare
Update about the Texas Medicaid waiver. “The waiver allows Texas to keep drawing down billions of federal dollars even as the state expands Medicaid managed care programs designed to curb costs and make care more efficient for Texas’ neediest patients.” – Texas Tribune
Texas Democrats filed brief in support of health care reform law. “Opponents of the federal law, like Republican Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott, have argued that the key tenet of the reform — forcing people to carry health insurance — is an unconstitutional overreach.” – Texas Tribune
