Medicare To Penalize 2,217 Hospitals For Excess Readmissions
Too many patients are returning to the hospital soon after being discharged, a costly problem the government is tackling.
The independent source for health policy research, polling, and news.
1,181 - 1,200 of 1,586 Results
Too many patients are returning to the hospital soon after being discharged, a costly problem the government is tackling.
The Republican-controlled House, along party lines, twice approved Ryan's proposals to overhaul the popular program by giving beneficiaries a set amount of money every year to buy coverage from competing health plans. That is a fundamental shift from today's program, where the federal government must help pay for every doctor visit and medical service that an individual uses.
The government is testing new hospital payment rules to see if fewer beneficiaries will be classified as observation patients, which can be a costly designation for seniors.
Medicare data show little improvement in curbing the number of beneficiaries who are readmitted despite threats of financial penalties to hospitals.
If the Supreme Court strikes down the health law, 49 million Medicare beneficiaries could lose a variety of benefits that have already kicked in.
If the Supreme Court strikes down the health law, New York would be in a somewhat unique position, according to David Abernethy, a senior vice president of EmblemHealth.
Even if the Supreme Court overturns the law, Chris DeMars, a senior program officer at Oregon's Northwest Health Foundation, expects the state to move forward with insurance exchanges and an effort to coordinate care.
David Nexon, a top health care adviser to the late Sen. Ted Kennedy, says that no matter what, tremendous pressure to reduce spending will continue to push lawmakers to find ways to control health care costs.
The pharmaceutical industry agreed in the health debate to reduce brand-name drug costs by 50 percent for Medicare beneficiaries who reach the coverage gap known as the doughnut hole.
Murray Ross, a vice president in the part of the company that sells health plans, says the law's individual mandate is needed to attract healthier participants, which balances risks and costs.
Andy Allison, Arkansas Medicaid director and president of the National Association of Medicaid Directors, is adamant that cash-strapped states won't be able to do much to expand coverage to the uninsured if the Supreme Court strikes down the law.
Michigan Medicaid Director Steve Fitton believes it will be a "struggle" for his state to be ready to implement the health law on schedule if the Supreme Court upholds the measure. But he's confident that Michigan can handle the expected new enrollees in Medicaid.
Former CMS administrator Thomas Scully urges both parties to take a second look at the premium support model for overhauling Medicare.
In an interview with KHN's Marilyn Werber Serafini, former CMS administrator Thomas Scully urges both parties to take a second look at the premium support model for overhauling Medicare.
Supporters say the bonus system is improving care for millions of seniors, but critics say it can be a clumsy measure of value and rewards mediocrity.
The Senate Finance Committee convened a group of former Medicare administrators Thursday -- Gail Wilensky, Bruce Vladeck, Thomas Scully and Mark McClellan -- to discuss how they viewed the current crisis on physician fees and the Sustainable Growth Rate formula, the "doc fix" problem.
The new data, which include beneficiaries' bills in the hospital and for 30 days afterward, are a first step toward using bonuses and penalties to encourage more efficient care.
Accountable care organizations will confront questions, including whether this new model for delivering medical treatment has the muscle to overcome the system's entrenched incentives.
People who are not admitted to the hospital
KHN's Mary Agnes Carey and Marilyn Werber Serafini join Jackie Judd to preview this week's House hearings on Medicare and to dig into the details of the Medicare trustees' report.
漏 2026 KFF