Medicare

The Biden administration is considering whether Medicaid, which pays the bills for 62% of nursing home residents, should require that most of that funding be used to provide care, rather than for maintenance, capital improvements, or profits.

CMS chief Chiquita Brooks-LaSure says the agency reserves its power to quickly institute new regulations for “absolute emergencies.” On staffing, nursing home residents might need to wait years to see any real change.

Employers are increasingly using the Advantage program as an alternative to existing retiree plan and traditional Medicare. As a result, the federal government is paying the “overwhelming majority” of medical costs, according to an industry analyst.

Among the 764 hospitals hit with a 1% reduction in payments for having high numbers of infections and avoidable complications are more than three dozen Medicare ranks among the nation's best.

The Legislature voted to add a string of opt out provisions to any COVID-19 mandates that have created confusion and uncertainty for facilities that must abide by federal rules.

TV ads and mailings targeting seniors tout Medicare Advantage plans this time of year, but millions choosing traditional Medicare make a costly and difficult decision about Medigap coverage, which gets much less attention.

The ads for supplemental Medicare Advantage plans describe vision and dental benefits, even grocery discounts and food deliveries. But look at the fine print.

The federal penalty program finishes its first decade by lowering payments to nearly half the nation’s hospitals for readmitting too many Medicare patients within a month.

Census officials said there was no statistically significant difference in the number of uninsured when comparing 2018 and 2020 data.

Federal regulators have yet to issue rules to implement a 2017 law designed to lower the cost of hearing devices. However, changes in the industry are offering consumers relief.

While Medicare coverage might expand during congressional budget reconciliation in the fall, a move is underway to give Florida voters the say on whether the state should expand Medicaid.

A Trump administration rule mandating that hospitals disclose true prices on their websites took effect this year. But compliance is spotty and even when figures are public, they are hard to find and understand.