News by Topic: Legislation and regulations

News from the past 14 days. Please visit the News Archive for earlier stories.

Grassley Introduces Bill to Fight Medicare Payment Fraud
Nov 19, 2009 -- Working to protect taxpayers and Medicare beneficiaries, Senator Chuck Grassley has introduced legislation to get at a major factor in Medicare fraud by giving the federal government more time to pay Medicare providers when waste, fraud and abuse is suspected.

Reid Releases Senate Health Reform Bill, Includes Tax on Wealthy Americans     Top Story 
Nov 19, 2009 -- Kaiser Health News article reports that Democratic leaders in the Senate unveiled their proposal on Wednesday for overhauling the health care system, outlining landmark legislation that they said would cover most of the uninsured while reducing the federal budget deficit.

Analysis Finds Stimulus Confusion     Top Story 
Nov 18, 2009 -- USA TODAY reviewed several stimulus reports to determine the number of jobs created or saved per stimulus dollar. The review found 14 recipients that reported saving or creating more than 100 jobs for less than $1,500 per job suggesting they overreported the number of jobs.

HHS Employs New Tougher Standards in Calculation of Improper Medicare Payment Rates for 2009     Top Story 
Nov 18, 2009 -- CMS announces that as part of the Obama Administration's goal of reducing waste, fraud and abuse in Medicare, the Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) significantly revised and improved its calculations of Medicare fee-for-service (FFS) error rates in 2009, reflecting a more complete accounting of Medicare's improper payments than in past years.

Senator Kaufman Introduces Health Care Fraud Enforcement Act     Top Story 
Nov 10, 2009 -- Medicare Update article reports that in an effort aimed to strengthen the U.S. government's capacity to investigate and prosecute waste, fraud and abuse in government health care programs and private health insurance, Senator Ted Kaufman has introduced the Health Care Fraud Enforcement Act of 2009 (S.1959).

Democrat Defectors from Rural Districts     Top Story 
Nov 9, 2009 -- Daily Yonder article reports that Congressional legislation to reshape the U.S. health insurance system, H.R. 3962, passed by a tiny five-vote margin late Saturday night, as 39 Democrats – most of them representing rural districts -- broke with the president and opposed the sweeping bill.