Reimbursement

Over 700,000 more consumers have signed up for coverage this year than last year.

Other contributing factors include the emergence of new technologies, vaccine mandates and more federal scrutiny of mergers.

Average payments are $58,000 for small providers, $289,000 for medium providers, and $1.7 million for larger providers.

The rule, which goes into effect in January, gives insurers incentive to exclude higher-cost specialized services from their networks, lawsuit says. 

This week's top stories include the formation of Telehealth Access for America, which aims to protect and expand access to telehealth, and a last-minute deal that averted massive cuts to reimbursement to hospitals and physicians.

Those employed by health systems had about 49% lower Medicare billing, worked more hours per week and were in practice for fewer years.

Lower-rated hospitals that have full intensive care units are less able than higher-rated hospitals to absorb a decline in reimbursement.

The damages follow last week’s verdict in which the jury ruled that UnitedHealth  failed to adequately pay ER doctors.

The AMA and others had urged Congress to act to avoid cuts of 9.7% from taking effect Jan. 1.

Medicare spending on physician services totaled $82.9 billion in 2020, down from $95 billion the year prior, data shows.