Here are 10 issues dealing with Medicare or Medicaid that occurred in the past week, starting with the most recent.
1. A top economic adviser within the White House said President Barack Obama will not make any federal Medicaid cuts in his upcoming budget proposal, but that means Medicare may be more vulnerable to upcoming reductions.
2. CMS announced that more than 500 healthcare organizations will start participating in its Bundled Payments for Care Improvement initiative.
3. CMS also announced it will pilot its competitive bidding program for durable medical equipment in 91 additional major metropolitan areas after its initial one-year pilot in nine cities saved the program approximately $202.1 million with no negative health impacts on hospitalizations and other metrics.
4. With just one year remaining before the largest parts of the federal health reform law take effect, 2013 will be a busy year for hospitals as they prepare for the biggest changes in healthcare since Medicare was introduced in 1965.
5. Aggregated membership from the seven largest health insurers grew 2.6 percent year-over-year, but Medicare and Medicaid enrollment grew much more quickly, jumping 17.2 percent and 6.2 percent, respectively, between September 2011 and September 2012.
6. California Gov. Jerry Brown's efforts to cut Medicaid provider pay 10 percent were halted again by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals via a petition for review.
7. The healthcare law's Independent Payment Advisory Board, which will make decisions regarding Medicare spending, has been under fire from many on all sides of the political spectrum since it was proposed, and a report found that filling its 15 seats with qualified healthcare experts may be its greatest challenge yet.
8. American Hospital Association President and CEO Rich Umbdenstock criticized members of Congress who proposed reducing Medicare payments for hospital outpatient services.
9. A report from the Missouri Hospital Association found if Missouri does not expand its Medicaid program under the healthcare reform law, state hospitals may be forced to cut more than 9,000 jobs and cost shift more than $1 billion to commercially insured patients.
10. In the first six months of implementing seven best practices, Washington state emergency departments reduced Medicaid patients' "unnecessary" ED visits by 23 percent and saved costs that are estimated to reach $31 million for the fiscal year.
1. A top economic adviser within the White House said President Barack Obama will not make any federal Medicaid cuts in his upcoming budget proposal, but that means Medicare may be more vulnerable to upcoming reductions.
2. CMS announced that more than 500 healthcare organizations will start participating in its Bundled Payments for Care Improvement initiative.
3. CMS also announced it will pilot its competitive bidding program for durable medical equipment in 91 additional major metropolitan areas after its initial one-year pilot in nine cities saved the program approximately $202.1 million with no negative health impacts on hospitalizations and other metrics.
4. With just one year remaining before the largest parts of the federal health reform law take effect, 2013 will be a busy year for hospitals as they prepare for the biggest changes in healthcare since Medicare was introduced in 1965.
5. Aggregated membership from the seven largest health insurers grew 2.6 percent year-over-year, but Medicare and Medicaid enrollment grew much more quickly, jumping 17.2 percent and 6.2 percent, respectively, between September 2011 and September 2012.
6. California Gov. Jerry Brown's efforts to cut Medicaid provider pay 10 percent were halted again by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals via a petition for review.
7. The healthcare law's Independent Payment Advisory Board, which will make decisions regarding Medicare spending, has been under fire from many on all sides of the political spectrum since it was proposed, and a report found that filling its 15 seats with qualified healthcare experts may be its greatest challenge yet.
8. American Hospital Association President and CEO Rich Umbdenstock criticized members of Congress who proposed reducing Medicare payments for hospital outpatient services.
9. A report from the Missouri Hospital Association found if Missouri does not expand its Medicaid program under the healthcare reform law, state hospitals may be forced to cut more than 9,000 jobs and cost shift more than $1 billion to commercially insured patients.
10. In the first six months of implementing seven best practices, Washington state emergency departments reduced Medicaid patients' "unnecessary" ED visits by 23 percent and saved costs that are estimated to reach $31 million for the fiscal year.
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