Rural Medicare resources related to rural health and human services, with information provided by the Rural Assistance Center Copyright 2009 Rural Assistance Center http://www.raconline.org/info_guides/medicare/ Washington DC December 9, 2009 -- Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services http://medicareupdate.typepad.com/medicare_update/2009/11/ambulanceopendoorforum.html Fri, 20 Nov 2009 10:14:59 CST http://medicareupdate.typepad.com/medicare_update/2009/11/ambulanceopendoorforum.html Kaiser Health News reports that the House voted largely along party lines Thursday to permanently end annual cuts in doctors' Medicare payments, which the Congress has temporarily averted from year to year, http://www.kaiserhealthnews.org/Daily-Reports/2009/November/20/medicare-Doc-fix-vote.aspx Fri, 20 Nov 2009 09:46:33 CST http://www.kaiserhealthnews.org/Daily-Reports/2009/November/20/medicare-Doc-fix-vote.aspx This final rule with comment period from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services revises the Medicare hospital outpatient prospective payment system to implement applicable statutory requirements and changes arising from their continuing experience with this system. In addition, it updates the revised Medicare ambulatory surgical center payment system to implement applicable statutory requirements and changes arising from their continuing experience with this system. http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/E9-26499.htm Fri, 20 Nov 2009 09:08:00 CST http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/E9-26499.htm Washington DC December 8, 2009 -- Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services http://www.cms.hhs.gov/OpenDoorForums/Downloads/SNFLTC120809.pdf Thu, 19 Nov 2009 11:10:38 CST http://www.cms.hhs.gov/OpenDoorForums/Downloads/SNFLTC120809.pdf Washington DC December 16, 2009 -- Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services http://www.cms.hhs.gov/OpenDoorForums/Downloads/Physicians121609r.pdf Thu, 19 Nov 2009 11:02:24 CST http://www.cms.hhs.gov/OpenDoorForums/Downloads/Physicians121609r.pdf Working to protect taxpayers and Medicare beneficiaries, SenatorChuck 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. http://www.raconline.org/news/news_details.php?news_id=12581 Thu, 19 Nov 2009 10:23:49 CST http://www.raconline.org/news/news_details.php?news_id=12581 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. http://www.raconline.org/news/news_details.php?news_id=12575 Wed, 18 Nov 2009 15:23:49 CST http://www.raconline.org/news/news_details.php?news_id=12575 Kaiser Health News tells how devices that measure blood pressure and other health information may help the elderly and people with chronic conditions stay in touch with doctors while remaining at home, cutting health spending by catching problems before they escalate into crises. http://www.kaiserhealthnews.org/Stories/2009/November/17/New-technology.aspx Tue, 17 Nov 2009 09:29:47 CST http://www.kaiserhealthnews.org/Stories/2009/November/17/New-technology.aspx More than 85,000 physicians and other eligible professionals who successfully reported quality-related data to Medicare under the 2008 Physician Quality Reporting Initiative (PQRI) received incentive payments totaling more than $92 million, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced today, well above the $36 million paid in 2007. http://www.raconline.org/news/news_details.php?news_id=12546 Mon, 16 Nov 2009 09:54:06 CST http://www.raconline.org/news/news_details.php?news_id=12546 Describes this type of rural hospital in terms of bed size and the percentage of its patients that are beneficiaries of Medicare Part A. -- Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MLNProducts/downloads/MedDependHospfctsht508.pdf Fri, 13 Nov 2009 15:25:23 CST http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MLNProducts/downloads/MedDependHospfctsht508.pdf Describes Medicaire benefits in terms of care via telehealth services received by patients in rural health professional shortage areas. -- Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MLNProducts/downloads/TelehealthSrvcsfctsht.pdf Fri, 13 Nov 2009 15:21:44 CST http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MLNProducts/downloads/TelehealthSrvcsfctsht.pdf The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announces that the next general open enrollment starts on November 15, 2009, where during this time, people with Medicare can add, drop or change their prescription drug coverage, and can also select a health plan for their 2010 coverage. http://www.raconline.org/news/news_details.php?news_id=12534 Fri, 13 Nov 2009 09:28:32 CST http://www.raconline.org/news/news_details.php?news_id=12534 Washington DC December 16, 2009 -- Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services http://www.cms.hhs.gov/OpenDoorForums/Downloads/Pharma121609.pdf Thu, 12 Nov 2009 15:12:39 CST http://www.cms.hhs.gov/OpenDoorForums/Downloads/Pharma121609.pdf Washington DC December 3, 2009 -- Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services http://www.cms.hhs.gov/OpenDoorForums/Downloads/SNFLTC120309.pdf Tue, 10 Nov 2009 10:48:44 CST http://www.cms.hhs.gov/OpenDoorForums/Downloads/SNFLTC120309.pdf 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). http://medicareupdate.typepad.com/medicare_update/2009/11/healthcarefraudenforcementact.html Tue, 10 Nov 2009 09:03:29 CST http://medicareupdate.typepad.com/medicare_update/2009/11/healthcarefraudenforcementact.html This final rule sets forth an update to the Home Health Prospective Payment System (HH PPS) rates; the national standardized 60-day episode rates, the national per-visit rates, the non-routine medical supply (NRS) conversion factors, and the low utilization payment amount (LUPA) add-on payment amounts, under the Medicare prospective payment system for home health agencies effective January 1, 2010. http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/E9-26503.htm Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:36:02 CST http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/E9-26503.htm Washington DC December 2, 2009 -- Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services http://www.cms.hhs.gov/OpenDoorForums/Downloads/H3DME120209.pdf Fri, 06 Nov 2009 08:12:09 CST http://www.cms.hhs.gov/OpenDoorForums/Downloads/H3DME120209.pdf Washington DC December 15, 2009 -- Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services http://www.cms.hhs.gov/OpenDoorForums/Downloads/Rural121509.pdf Fri, 06 Nov 2009 08:09:37 CST http://www.cms.hhs.gov/OpenDoorForums/Downloads/Rural121509.pdf Washington DC December 10, 2009 -- Medicare Payment Advisory Commission http://www.medpac.gov/meeting_search.cfm?SelectedDate=2009-12-10%2000:00:00.0 Fri, 06 Nov 2009 07:44:46 CST http://www.medpac.gov/meeting_search.cfm?SelectedDate=2009-12-10%2000:00:00.0 Medicare Update reports that the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) recently released a cost estimate for the Medicare Physician Payment Reform Act of 2009 (H.R.3961), which would repeal the now 21.2 percent Medicare payment rate reduction for physician services in 2010 and restructure the sustainable growth rate (SGR). http://medicareupdate.typepad.com/medicare_update/2009/11/medicarephysicianpaymentreformact.html Fri, 06 Nov 2009 07:41:24 CST http://medicareupdate.typepad.com/medicare_update/2009/11/medicarephysicianpaymentreformact.html National Rural Health Association article reports that two amendments that were a positive step in ensuring rural America's seat at the table when developing our nation's Medicare and health care payment decisions were stripped by House leadership in the final version of health reform legislation. http://www.raconline.org/news/news_details.php?news_id=12499 Thu, 05 Nov 2009 09:11:40 CST http://www.raconline.org/news/news_details.php?news_id=12499 This data brief contains summarized results from a survey of leaders in health care and health care policy on the topics of Medicare and legislative reform measures. -- Commonwealth Fund http://www.commonwealthfund.org/~/media/Files/Publications/Data%20Brief/2009/Nov/1335_Stremikis_HCOL_Medicare_Reform_112.pdf Tue, 03 Nov 2009 15:48:37 CST http://www.commonwealthfund.org/~/media/Files/Publications/Data%20Brief/2009/Nov/1335_Stremikis_HCOL_Medicare_Reform_112.pdf Commonwealth Fund article reports that in the latest Commonwealth Fund/Modern Healthcare Health Care Opinion Leaders survey, the experts surveyed favor sweeping changes to Medicare—reforms that would help control program costs and support broader health system reform. http://www.commonwealthfund.org/Content/News/News-Releases/2009/Nov/Experts-Favor-Broad-Medicare-Reforms-to-Control-Costs-and-Foster-Health-Care-Innovations.aspx Tue, 03 Nov 2009 07:12:33 CST http://www.commonwealthfund.org/Content/News/News-Releases/2009/Nov/Experts-Favor-Broad-Medicare-Reforms-to-Control-Costs-and-Foster-Health-Care-Innovations.aspx The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on Friday announced final changes to policies and payment rates for services to be furnished during calendar year (CY 2010) by over 1 million physicians and nonphysician practitioners who are paid under the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS). http://www.raconline.org/news/news_details.php?news_id=12467 Mon, 02 Nov 2009 09:12:08 CST http://www.raconline.org/news/news_details.php?news_id=12467 The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on Friday announced that most hospitals will receive an inflation update of 2.1 percent in their payment rates for services furnished to Medicare beneficiaries in outpatient departments. http://www.raconline.org/news/news_details.php?news_id=12466 Mon, 02 Nov 2009 09:07:39 CST http://www.raconline.org/news/news_details.php?news_id=12466 The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on Friday announced a 2.0 percent market basket update to Medicares calendar year (CY) 2010 home health prospective payment system (HH PPS) rates and modifications to the home health outlier policy. http://www.raconline.org/news/news_details.php?news_id=12465 Mon, 02 Nov 2009 09:02:09 CST http://www.raconline.org/news/news_details.php?news_id=12465 House Committee on Ways and Means reports that yesterday, in conjunction with comprehensive health reform legislation, House leaders introduced a bill that would permanently reform the Medicare physician payment system. http://waysandmeans.house.gov/News.asp?FormMode=release&ID=960 Fri, 30 Oct 2009 09:32:35 CST http://waysandmeans.house.gov/News.asp?FormMode=release&ID=960 The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently announced on its website that it would be impractical to pursue Office of Management and Budget clearance for the Medicare Medical Home Demonstration due to pending legislation. http://medicareupdate.typepad.com/medicare_update/2009/10/medicaremedicalhomedemo.html Wed, 28 Oct 2009 10:27:46 CST http://medicareupdate.typepad.com/medicare_update/2009/10/medicaremedicalhomedemo.html Offers general information about certain aspects of the Medicare program including enrollment, reimbursement, payment policies, evaluation and management services, protecting the Medicare Trust Fund, and inquiries, overpayments and fee-for-service appeals. -- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MLNProducts/downloads/physicianguide.pdf Mon, 26 Oct 2009 14:40:24 CST http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MLNProducts/downloads/physicianguide.pdf PRWeb article reports that the clock is ticking for tens of thousands of heart patients in rural America as a looming federal government decision that is only days away could take away their access to quality cardiac care. http://www.prweb.com/releases/cardiology/medicare/prweb3109854.htm Mon, 26 Oct 2009 10:49:38 CST http://www.prweb.com/releases/cardiology/medicare/prweb3109854.htm