Here are 12 issues dealing with Medicare or Medicaid that occurred in the past two weeks, starting with the most recent.
1. Associated Press fact checkers found inaccuracies in Rep. Paul Ryan's GOP vice presidential nominee acceptance speech, specifically his claims about Medicare. Mr. Ryan specifically said "Obamacare" is the greatest threat to Medicare.
2. The Iowa Hospital Association and Ohio Hospital Association recently voiced their support for the expansion of Medicaid coverage under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
3. Maine's hospitals are due roughly $460 million in Medicaid payments, and Gov. Paul LePage may call lawmakers back to the capital this fall to find a way to pay off the debt.
4. Although Texas Gov. Rick Perry has publicly opposed the Medicaid expansion within the healthcare reform law, six of Texas' most populous counties are considering an alternative in which they would expand the program on their own.
5. CMS announced that Massachusetts will be the first state to partner with it to test new models for providing care to dual eligibles, or individuals enrolled in both the Medicare and Medicaid programs.
6. Hospitals are increasingly seeing more Medicare Recovery Auditor (RAC) activity, as medical record requests, number of RAC denials and dollar value of denials increased more than 20 percent in the second quarter of 2012 compared with the first quarter.
7. Lower spending projections to Medicare and Medicaid over the next decade will help lessen the federal deficit, according to an updated report from the Congressional Budget Office.
8. CMS accepted Kansas' section 1115 Medicaid waiver application, meaning the state has moved one step closer to starting its Medicaid overhaul.
9. States face a big decision on whether they want to participate in the healthcare reform law's Medicaid expansion, but opting in or out is not likely to affect states' credit ratings.
10. The American Hospital Association sent a letter to HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius seeking extra clarification to the Medicaid expansion embedded within the PPACA.
11. In fiscal year 2010, states reported $32 billion in Medicaid supplemental payments, most of which went to hospitals, and that was a $9 billion jump from the $23 billion in supplemental payments recorded in FY 2006.
12. The financial difficulties associated with state Medicaid programs are well-versed, and five states in particular have been dealing with Medicaid overhaul plans, new managed care strategies and other Medicaid issues.
1. Associated Press fact checkers found inaccuracies in Rep. Paul Ryan's GOP vice presidential nominee acceptance speech, specifically his claims about Medicare. Mr. Ryan specifically said "Obamacare" is the greatest threat to Medicare.
2. The Iowa Hospital Association and Ohio Hospital Association recently voiced their support for the expansion of Medicaid coverage under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
3. Maine's hospitals are due roughly $460 million in Medicaid payments, and Gov. Paul LePage may call lawmakers back to the capital this fall to find a way to pay off the debt.
4. Although Texas Gov. Rick Perry has publicly opposed the Medicaid expansion within the healthcare reform law, six of Texas' most populous counties are considering an alternative in which they would expand the program on their own.
5. CMS announced that Massachusetts will be the first state to partner with it to test new models for providing care to dual eligibles, or individuals enrolled in both the Medicare and Medicaid programs.
6. Hospitals are increasingly seeing more Medicare Recovery Auditor (RAC) activity, as medical record requests, number of RAC denials and dollar value of denials increased more than 20 percent in the second quarter of 2012 compared with the first quarter.
7. Lower spending projections to Medicare and Medicaid over the next decade will help lessen the federal deficit, according to an updated report from the Congressional Budget Office.
8. CMS accepted Kansas' section 1115 Medicaid waiver application, meaning the state has moved one step closer to starting its Medicaid overhaul.
9. States face a big decision on whether they want to participate in the healthcare reform law's Medicaid expansion, but opting in or out is not likely to affect states' credit ratings.
10. The American Hospital Association sent a letter to HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius seeking extra clarification to the Medicaid expansion embedded within the PPACA.
11. In fiscal year 2010, states reported $32 billion in Medicaid supplemental payments, most of which went to hospitals, and that was a $9 billion jump from the $23 billion in supplemental payments recorded in FY 2006.
12. The financial difficulties associated with state Medicaid programs are well-versed, and five states in particular have been dealing with Medicaid overhaul plans, new managed care strategies and other Medicaid issues.
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