Medicare Compliance & Reimbursement
BILL WATCH
The following bills were introduced in the Senate: S. 1081. A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for a minimum update for physicians' services for 2006 and 2007. Introduced May 19 by Sen. Jon Kyl (R-AZ) and referred to the Committee on Finance. S. 1108. A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to make improvements to payments to ambulance providers in rural areas, and for other purposes. Introduced May 24 by Sen. Kent Conrad (D-ND) and referred to the Committee on Finance. S. 1109. A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide payments to Medicare ambulance suppliers of the full cost of furnishing such services, to provide payments to rural ambulance providers and suppliers to account for the cost of serving areas with low population densities, and for other purposes. Introduced May 24 by Sen. Trent Lott (R-MS) and introduced to the Committee on Finance. S. 1113. A bill to provide that no federal funds may be expended for the payment or reimbursement of a drug that is prescribed for the treatment of sexual or erectile dysfunction. Introduced May 24 by Sen. Charles Grassley (R-IA) and referred to the Committee on Finance. S. 1128. A bill to amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to provide for increased rebates under the Medicaid program for prescription drugs that are directly advertised to consumers, to require other federal programs purchasing or reimbursing for such drugs to establish payment and reimbursement mechanisms that reduce the costs of those drugs, and for other purposes. Introduced May 26 by Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) and referred to the Committee on Finance. S. 1148. A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to permit direct payment under the Medicare program for clinical social worker services provided to residents of skilled nursing facilities. Introduced May 26 by Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) and referred to the Committee on Finance. S. 1149. A bill to amend the Federal Employees' Compensation Act to cover services provided to injured federal workers by physician assistants and nurse practitioners, and for other purposes. Introduced May 26 by Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-GA) and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
Medicare Compliance & Reimbursement
- MEDICAID:
Advisory Commission Causing Controversy
Skeptics scoffing at claims of bipartisanship.
The new Medicaid advisory commission has a mammoth task: Figuring [...] - PHYSICIANS:
Consider The Source On Document Changes
Employees should be handled differently than outside entities.
If an entity outside of a physician's practice [...] - PHYSICIANS:
Bariatric Surgery Benefits From New BMI Codes
... but most doctors don't list body mass index on patient's charts.
Physicians' offices having trouble [...] - PHYSICIANS:
Medicare Issues New Smoking Cessation Codes
... but acupuncture cannot stick a permanent code.
Physicians who are gearing up to provide smoking-cessation [...] - HOSPITALS:
'Ghosting' Trend May Be Grafting Medicare
Outsourcing to other countries raises HIPAA questions, economic concerns.
Now the growing outsourcing problem extends beyond [...] - MEDICARE ADVANTAGE:
MA Plans Wise To Target MediGap Purchasers
MediGap's rural route can lead to a gold mine of customers.
Medicare Advantage plans looking to [...] - ASC:
CMS Officially OKs Ciliary Destructions In ASCs
Procedure has long been covered, CMS reports.
There's good news for ambulatory surgery centers that perform [...] - HOME HEALTH:
Hospital Transfer Policy Could Choke Off Referrals
CMS proposes reducing DRG payments for patients who go to home care.
Home health agencies trying [...] - ACUTE CARE HOSPITALS:
Care-Transfer Payouts May Need Re-Transferring
Why the OIG wants CMS to collect millions in potential overpayments.
Warning: Inaccurate discharge status codes [...] - ENFORCEMENT WATCH:
The Big Payback: OIG Says OK Owes For Overages
An audit of Medicaid billings proves costly for state.
When the feds order hefty paybacks from [...] - LONG-TERM CARE:
MedPAC Wants To Subtract Add-On Payments
Proposal would also nix inflation adjustment.
Medicare revenues for long-term care providers won't crash come October. [...] - BILL WATCH
The following bills were introduced in the Senate: S. 1081. A bill to amend title [...]
