The past week was a busy one for Medicare news, with news coverage on final reimbursement rules, spending growth and CMS' recovery audit contractor program.
Here are eight notable stories involving Medicare that were posted this week, starting with the most recent.
1. CMS to Increase Quality Measures for MSSP ACOs: 4 Things to Know
Under a proposed rule change issued by CMS, as a part of the anticipated 2015 Physician Fee Schedule, the number of quality measures used to assess accountable care organizations in the Medicare Shared Savings Program would increase from 33 to 37.
2. Senate Issues Report on Medicare Audits: 3 Key Findings
The Senate Special Committee on Aging released a report on Medicare audit programs — a topic the committee held a hearing on earlier this week. Here are three findings from the report.
3. CMS' Medicare Recovery Audit Contractor Program: 8 Things to Know
CMS' recovery audit contractor program — which started in 2009 and involves independent contractors — aims to ensure all Medicare and Medicaid payments are proper. Here are eight things to know about the Medicare RAC program.
4. The Medicare Spending Growth Slowdown: 5 Things to Know
In a recent perspective piece, Kaiser Family Foundation researchers examined a recent Medicare spending slowdown by comparing Congressional Budget Office baseline projections from 2010 and 2014. Here are five things to know about Medicare spending growth and the potential reasons behind the deceleration.
5. OIG: Medicare Allowed $1.7B in Payments to Labs for Questionable Bills
A recent report from HHS' Office of the Inspector General found more than 1,000 laboratories showed unusually high billing for five or more measures of questionable billing for Medicare lab services in 2010, and Medicare allowed $1.7 billion in 2010 payments to clinical labs for questionable claims.
6. Study: Hospitals Are Not Systematically Upcoding to Increase Reimbursement
A new study found hospitals are not using electronic health records to increase the bills they are submitting to Medicare.
7. CMS Releases Proposed 2015 Hospital Outpatient Payment Rates: 7 Things to Know
CMS released proposed changes to Medicare's Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System for calendar year 2015. Here are seven things to know about the Hospital OPPS and the proposed rule.
8. CMS Proposes Changes to Physician Fee Schedule in 2015: 11 Things to Know
CMS has released a proposed rule that would update the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule for calendar year 2015. Here are eleven things to know about the PFS and the proposed rule.
More Articles on Medicare:
CMS to Increase End-Stage Renal Disease Facility Payments 0.3% in 2015
CMS Proposes Home Health Medicare Payment Changes: 4 Things to Know
Additional Restrictions Imposed on Medicare Advantage Plans Under Proposed Legislation