Cook County Health seeks transitions to value-based care contracts
Cook County Health said this week it will accelerate its adoption of alternative payment models as part of an effort to diversify revenue ahead of anticipated Medicaid cuts.
Medicare Debuts Another Primary Care-Focused Accountable Care Model
Medicare is trying again with another accountable care organization (ACO) payment model aimed at primary care doctors, but reactions to the new model are mixed so far. The voluntary model, known as ACO Primary Care Flex, would pay organizations that participate in Medicare’s Shared Savings Program a monthly fee that would be distributed to the […]
Medicare a Big Contributor to the Broken Health Payment System, Senators Told
Who is to blame for America’s broken healthcare payment system? Witnesses and lawmakers mostly pointed fingers at Medicare during Wednesday’s Senate Budget Committee hearing on how primary care improves healthcare efficiency. “Medicare’s fee schedule has created this unbalanced delivery system and primary care crisis,” said Christopher Koller, president of the Milbank Memorial Fund, in New […]
MACRA Gets Mixed Reviews at House Hearing
WASHINGTON — The physician payment system instituted under the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA) has brought some positive results but still needs to be improved, witnesses said Thursday at a House of Representatives hearing. “Despite the good intentions of policymakers, MACRA has not solved the issues with how Medicare pays doctors,” Joe Albanese, […]
Medicare Part D Plan Prices May Change Unexpectedly
What if you leased a car, then realized the monthly payment would increase as soon as you drove off the lot, costing you hundreds more? What if the warranty covers much less than what the dealer advertised? Welcome to Medicare Part D. It’s a huge problem for patients, many physicians say. Some who fail to […]
Doc Groups Ask Congress to Extend Payment Bonus for Alternative Payment Models
WASHINGTON — Congress must extend Medicare’s payment bonus to doctors participating in alternative payment models (APMs) to incentivize them to continue, doctors and health policy experts said Thursday at a Capitol Hill briefing. “It’s not like you can go from fee-for-service today and then jump into an APM tomorrow,” said Kisha Davis, MD, MPH, vice […]
MedPAC Commissioners Mull Proposals to Change Part B Drug Payment
WASHINGTON — Members of the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) spoke up Friday in favor of considering new approaches to the way Medicare pays for Part B drugs. “I think we’re going in the right direction,” said commissioner Gary Poulsen, MBA, of Intermountain Healthcare in Salt Lake City, Utah. “I think this is an improvement.” […]
Maternal Health, Equity Key Factors in Proposed CMS Rule for Hospitals
In a new proposed payment rule for inpatient and long-term hospitals, CMS suggested the establishment of a “birthing-friendly” hospital designation in an effort to promote better health outcomes among mothers. In addition to addressing the nation’s maternal health crisis, the proposed rule includes three equity-focused measures as a way to improve care among underserved and […]
Should Medicare Pay the Same Amount Regardless of Where a Service Is Provided?
WASHINGTON — Medicare should do a better job of equalizing payment for outpatient care across all settings — physician offices, hospital outpatient departments, and ambulatory surgical centers — but there still should be some allowances for different costs between sites, according to members of the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC). “I think we do need […]