In a survey conducted by The Commonwealth Fund, a majority of respondents said individuals and government should share the responsibility of paying for long-term care, and 80 percent favor adding a long-term care benefit to Medicare. (via PNN Online) The Commonwealth Fund also found that patient surveys provide reliable information about physician quality, citing a Massachusetts research study in which patients were asked about their doctors. Researchers found "highly reliable and stable … [Read more...] about 61 Percent Say Individuals and Government Should Finance Long-Term Health Care
Long Term Care At Home
As baby boomers age, costs for long term care will continue to grow, and states like Vermont are doing something about it. Vermont has instituted a program called Choice for Care, which allows all eligible recipients to choose long term care at home instead of a nursing home. Many elderly people probably prefer to remain at home and independent, and the program will allow them more flexibility to do so. The program sends 12 nurses across the state to assess the needs of Vermont's Medicaid … [Read more...] about Long Term Care At Home
2006 Budget Negotiations Continue
Budget negotiations are getting a lot of press, and for good reason. At issue this week is a 1 percent increase in Medicare reimbursement for doctors, and lawmakers are still trying to reach an agreement on Medicare cuts. Meanwhile, doctors and beneficiaries have expressed confusion over Medicare's new prescription drug program, and patients' rights groups have threatened to sue the federal government. President George Bush, however, says the program is a "good deal." From USA … [Read more...] about 2006 Budget Negotiations Continue
MedPAC Opts For No Inflation Adjustment
Just as Medicare funds are being cut in the 2006 budget, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) has recommended that Medicare receive no inflation adjustment in 2007. The American Health Care Association and the Alliance for Quality Nursing Home Care have both criticized MedPAC's recommendation: "As many public policymakers recognize, the most prudent way to maintain sustained improvements in nursing home care quality is to ensure long term care funding stability," said … [Read more...] about MedPAC Opts For No Inflation Adjustment
