Reimbursement
Patient care is expected to improve, and as more people join the MA plans, costs are expected to go down.
CMS is finalizing the elimination the 25 percent threshold that reduces reimbursement for long-term hospitals.
Hospices that fail to meet quality reporting requirements receive a 2 percent reduction to their payments.
Consumers who rely on short-term plans for an extended period could face high medical bills when their care isn't covered, AHIP says.
Only a small number of consumers use price transparency tools, and physicians have narrow referral networks, which essentially steers patients toward high-priced testing facilities.
New skilled nursing payment model is slated to save providers an estimated $2 billion over the next ten years, CMS says.
Announcement comes less than two months after a scathing report from the Office of the Inspector General showing skyrocketing Medicare Part D drug spending.
Former COO/CEO Edward R. Hills as well as MetroHealth dentists were convicted for running bribery and kickback schemes that even involved dental residents, DOJ says.
Under the Wisconsin Health Care Stability Plan, the state pays for 50 percent of the cost of claims between $50,000 and $250,000.
America's Health Insurance Plans has warned that AHPs could lead to fewer insured Americans and higher premiums for those who remain in the ACA market.