Healthcare, Senior Living, Economics
Information and discussion on general federal health policy and politics – including Medicare, Health Reform and all other subjects Fed.
When the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) became law, a provision within adds a new dimension to the rules on self-referral and refund requirements of overpayment (Medicare) contained within the Stark Law. Specifically, the PPACA requires the Secretary of HHS to develop a new self-disclosure protocol whereby health care providers can disclose known (or found) … Read more
As a follow-up to a post from last week regarding pending cuts in Part B therapy rates, last evening the House passed a bill that the Senate had passed earlier in the day, included within is a provision to delay the pending cuts to the physician fee schedule until June 1. The provision is tucked … Read more
With Congress on recess, the temporary extension of the Part B therapy rate cuts ended on March 31. As of today, with Congress still on “holiday”, the Part B therapy rate cuts remain in effect. Best knowledge has it that Congress is working on another temporary extension that would retro to April 1 and last through April 30. … Read more
In a bit of an indirect manner, Assisted Living got a boost from health care reform, albeit in a typical governmental fashion. With the Feds willing to use Medicaid as the vehicle for expanded coverage programs for underinsured (those within 150% of the poverty limit with high-deductible plans) and the uninsured, coupled with additional funding for Home … Read more
I’m a tad behind where I hoped to be in terms of getting these posts out. Its been a bit busy over the last ten days or so but headed into the Holiday weekend, a break in the schedule affords me the opportunity to “maybe” get caught up. Of all of the industry sectors touched by … Read more
The following is a summary of the major provisions in the recently passed health care reform bill. Please note: I have not attempted to cover every nuance in detail but to provide a highlight for a point of reference. If any reader has additional questions or wants additional insight on any particular provision, please let … Read more
Over the next few days I’ll be pushing out a series of posts as my schedule permits, on the implications of health care reform for various industry segments. These are not meant as in-depth analyses, more of a “summary” of the key points. Reconciliation Act: This Bill has yet to pass the Senate and as a … Read more
I am writing various updates and analysis on the health care reform legislation as it moves toward a potential weekend vote in Congress on the Apex Healthcare E-News site. Readers can follow this link to read my analysis http://wp.me/PD9Ac-3A. Check back often throughout the next few days as comments/updates will be added as important news … Read more
Earlier this week, Medpac (Medicare Payment and Advisory Commission) released its report to Congress. Primary among Medpac’s duties is its provision of recommendations regarding payment updates under Medicare. Below, I have broken out and summarized the recommendations. Hospice (the points below the first bullet are continued recommendations from 2009) 2011 rate is the market-basket less a … Read more
Last week I wrote about hospitals using “observation stays” as a means of dealing with the potential risk of reimbursement penalties imposed by CMS for certain re-admissions. The focus of my post was on how the trend of hospitals using observation stays to avoid CMS scrutiny (and penalties) was impacting Medicare admissions at SNFs. I … Read more