Healthcare, Senior Living, Economics
Here’s an oldie but a goodie for today. The House Ways and Means Committee is reportedly considering a markup of legislation this month that would revamp Medicare’s physician payment system. This move could increase the likelihood of incorporating a “doc fix” into a lame duck legislative package. Historic readers and followers of Reg’s Blog will … Read more
Yesterday, the Speaker of the House (John Boehner) announced that a compromise is forthcoming to alleviate, for one year, the pending 24% payment reduction to the Physician Fee Schedule arising out of the current SGR formula. Ten days or so ago I wrote a post regarding a House bill that repealed the SGR but contained … Read more
Earlier today, the House passed a bill that repeals the SGR formula used to derive physician reimbursement under Medicare. For more specifics on the SGR, see a previous post I wrote at http://wp.me/ptUlY-ae . The legislation is title SGR Repeal and Medicare Payment Modernization Act. Unfortunately, the fate of the legislation is predestined as the bill … Read more
Full of turkey and the trimmings and avoiding any retail outlets, Black Friday seems perfect for a quick synopsis of what is happening with health policy. Fortunately, I’ve maintained a good inventory of “stuff” (not stuffing, though I have an inventory of that too) to cull for content. OIG on SNF Payments: This falls into my … Read more
The failure of the Super Committee to achieve any measure of “go forward” spending reform left unresolved, a whole host of Medicare program spending messes, many of which will rear their ugly heads come January 1. While many lament the Committee’s failure to resolve equitably, what is set to become automatic cuts, the truth of the matter … Read more
MedPac (Medicare Payment Advisory Commission) just released its March report to the Congress on Medicare program and rate recommendations for the FY 2012 (beginning October 1, 2011). The full report is available in PDF form on the Reports and Other Documents page on this site. Below I’ve provided a summary of the key recommendations contained … Read more
Last night via a 243 to 183 vote, the House approved a bill that would stave off the projected 21% cut in physician (fees) reimbursement under Medicare, set for January 1, 2010. The “Doc Fix” has been a hot-button issue within the health care reform debates as both the House and the Senate have not been … Read more