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The Trump administration threatened hospitals on Tuesday with revoking their Medicare and Medicaid funding if they did not report coronavirus patient data and test results to the Department of Health and Human Services. The threat was included in new emergency rules, announced by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, that make mandatory what has until now been a voluntary reporting program. Seema Verma, the centers’ administrator, said the changes “represent a dramatic acceleration of our efforts to track and control the spread of Covid-19.” (Gay Stolberg, 8/25)

The agency also posted new requirements for lab reporting and revised a policy for physician and pharmacist orders for COVID-19 tests.“While many hospitals are voluntarily reporting this information now, not all are,” CMS said in a release. “The new rules make reporting a requirement of participation in the Medicare & Medicaid programs.” (King, 8/25)

Medicare Advantage insurers seldom include identification numbers for clinicians who order certain medical services in the patient records they submit to CMS, the HHS Office of Inspector General found. According to a report issued Wednesday, 60% of 2018 Medicare Advantage encounter records for durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics and supplies, clinical laboratory, imaging, and home health services were missing a national provider identifier for an ordering clinician. (Livingston, 8/26)

Assuming you don’t need the money, replacing the RMD can help you cut down your tax bill for this year, as the withdrawal is subject to income tax. But there’s a benefit for individuals on Medicare: Replacing the funds can reduce your modified adjusted gross income, which can lower the cost of your premiums for Medicare Part B (medical insurance) and Part D (prescription drug coverage) in 2022. (Mercado, 8/24)