Although President George Bush reversed a proposed cut to physicians’ Medicare reimbursements late last year, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) will lobby Congress to increase reimbursements by about 1.7 percent in 2008. (Source) Reimbursement will be decreased by 10 percent under the present payment system, according to MedPAC, and it will urge Congress to act now. MedPAC will also recommend that Congress freeze 2008 reimbursement increases for long term care facilities … [Read more...] about MedPAC Seeks Medicare Reimbursement Increase
House Approves Medicare Drug Negotiation Bill
Last week, the U.S. House of Representatives approved a bill that would allow the government to negotiate Medicare prescription drug prices. (Source) If passed by the Senate and signed into law by the president, the Medicare Prescription Drug Price Negotiation Act of 2007 would nullify the part of Medicare Part D law that prohibits the government from negotiating drug prices. As expected, it was a party line vote, with mostly Democrats voting in favor of the bill. According to the Washington … [Read more...] about House Approves Medicare Drug Negotiation Bill
Medicare Preventive Services
As part of a plan to lower costs and make sure people stay healthy, Medicare provides preventative services for beneficiaries. (Medical News Today) Services offered include a one-shot “Welcome to Medicare†exam, cardiovascular screenings to detect problems early enough for prevention and treatment, mammograms, pap tests and pelvic exams, colorectal cancer screenings, diabetes screenings, and more. For more information, visit CMS’s prevention page. … [Read more...] about Medicare Preventive Services
Bush Reverses Medicare Reimbursement Cut
President George W. Bush saved the day for physicians who receive Medicare reimbursements. Last week, he signed legislation that will reverse a 5.1 percent reduction in Medicare reimbursements. Current reimbursements rates will be maintained, and physicians who report quality-of-care data will see a reimbursement increase of 1.5 percent. (Medical News Today) Last month I told you that Congress passed the bill. President Bush signed it into law and reportedly said, “This is a good piece of … [Read more...] about Bush Reverses Medicare Reimbursement Cut
Texas Register Updates: Community Relations Repeals, Nursing Facility Amendments, Etc.
Updates from the December 22 edition of the Texas Register include the repeal of 40 TAC §§7.301 through 7.311 and §§7.313 through 7.316, concerning community relations, amendments to nursing facilities licensure and Medicaid certification requirement provisions, health and human services agencies licensing remedies, amendments to sections dealing with licensing standards for assisted living facilities, and more. For more information, visit the relevant section of the Texas … [Read more...] about Texas Register Updates: Community Relations Repeals, Nursing Facility Amendments, Etc.
National Provider Identifier
A National Provider Identifier (NPI) is a 10-digit number used to identify providers under the 1996 Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). According to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, there are only 151 days left to comply with the NPI requirement. From the site: If you are a health care provider who bills for services, you probably need an NPI. If you bill Medicare for services, you definitely need an NPI! Getting an NPI is easy. Getting an NPI is … [Read more...] about National Provider Identifier
Provider Letter: Payment Disallowed for Date of Death During a Medicare Co-insurance Stay
The Department of Health and Human Services has notified nursing facilities that in some cases, Medicaid is improperly billed and therefore pays for the date of death that occurs during a Medicare Part A skilled nursing facility stay in error. This determination was made after a review of the Texas Medicaid Long Term Care payments for individuals with Medicare and Medicaid coverage. In some cases, however, Medicaid does pay for date of death if the patient falls under a certain … [Read more...] about Provider Letter: Payment Disallowed for Date of Death During a Medicare Co-insurance Stay
Physicians Medicare Reimbursement Reduction Reversed
Physicians receiving Medicare reimbursements will get a reprieve. Before adjourning last week, Congress passed a bill that will reverse a 5.1 percent reduction in reimbursement. (Kaiser Network) Reimbursement rates will remain at their current levels, and physicians who report quality-of-care data will get a 1.5 percent increase. Back in September, one lawmaker, House Ways and Means Committee Chair Bill Thomas, offered to block the reduction if the American Medical Association (AMA) and other … [Read more...] about Physicians Medicare Reimbursement Reduction Reversed
Survey Says Most U.S. Residents Favor Government Price Negotiations
A survey conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation showed that 85 percent of U.S. residents favor government price negotiations for Medicare prescription drugs. The federal government currently is prohibited from negotiating drug prices or establishing a list of preferred drugs. (Kaiser Network) According to the survey, 92 percent of Democrats, 85 percent of Independents and 74 percent of Republicans favor government negotiation of Medicare drug prices. If that’s the case, “party-line … [Read more...] about Survey Says Most U.S. Residents Favor Government Price Negotiations
Provider Letter: Medicare Certification Alert for HCSSAs
In a provider letter dated December 1, the Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services (DADS) notified home health agencies seeking Medicare certification that DADS will no longer schedule initial Medicare certification surveys, per a directive by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. From the letter: Background Over the last five years, Texas has experienced unprecedented growth in the number of HHAs seeking certification. The five-state CMS Region 6 (Texas, New … [Read more...] about Provider Letter: Medicare Certification Alert for HCSSAs
