Post-Acute Providers and Narrow Networks: Join, Form or Wait

As alternative payment models expand and the options clarify, the post-acute segment of the health care spectrum faces a series of strategic questions, primarily; Join a network that exists or is forming be it part of an ACO, a SNP, a preferred provider organization in a Managed Medicaid state, or part of a bundled payment initiative … Read more

CMS Releases Proposed New SNF Rule

Concurrent with the White House Conference on Aging, CMS released its “proposed” rules of reform for the SNF Conditions of Participation.  The proposed rule is set for publication tomorrow in the Federal Register but readers with interest can access the document/PDF on this site on the “Reports and Other Documents” page.  The Federal Conditions of Participation … Read more

Post-Acute Compliance 2015: OIG Targets

As is customary in late fall, the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) of the Department of Health and Human Services released its Fiscal Year work plan.  As a reminder or preface, the work plan is the summary of investigations and focal areas the OIG plans to undertake in the upcoming fiscal year and beyond … Read more

CMS Announces Final Rule for Hospice Payments for 2015

Yesterday, CMS confirmed the details of an earlier published proposed rule (May) set for publication on August 22, 2014 (final rule) regarding FY 2015 hospice payments.  Anyone wishing a copy of the Federal Register text, please contact me as provided on this site (either via comment or contact info. in Author page).  As is always the case … Read more

Hospice and the Medicare Care Choices Model: A Progressive Approach?

About a month ago (mid-March), CMS introduced a pilot program called the Medicare Care Choices Model.  Basically, this pilot program will allow Medicare beneficiaries to access, via certain participating hospice organizations, dual benefits; hospice and curative treatments, concurrently.  Under the current Medicare Hospice Benefit, a patient with a terminal illness or condition, certified likely to … Read more

Doc Patch in the Works

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 Ten days or so ago I wrote a post regarding a House bill that repealed the SGR but contained … Read more

House Passes Doc-Fix Bill Destined for Nowhere

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

The ACA/Obamacare: Predictability and Practicality

With all the news and among the conjecture, punditry and analysis that fits any twenty-four hour news cycle, I wondered with a few colleagues the other day, how predictable the events current with Obamacare were.  Americans being who we are, our collective political memories and policy memories are short.  I too, often find even the recent … Read more

Obamacare/ACA: Implications for Consumers

Having jumped around just a bit in the last few weeks “topically”, this post may seem a bit disjointed.  It is meant as a continuation of a series I’ve compiled on the various implications providers, consumers, etc. can/will experience under the Affordable Care Act (a/k/a Obamacare).  Given the news cycle of late and the recent roll-out of … Read more

Debt Ceilings, Government Shutdowns and Health Policy

Most of my readers know by now that I am an economist by training and formal education.  My clients know this as well.  The net result is that I’ve been queried, almost to death as of late, as to what this current round of Washington folly is really all about.  Is it about the ACA?  … Read more