Medicare Compliance & Reimbursement
BILL WATCH:
The following House bills were introduced:
H.R. 1182. A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to exclude brachytherapy devices from the prospective payment system for outpatient hospital services under the Medicare program. Introduced March 11 by Rep. Nathan Deal (R-GA), referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce and the Committee on Ways and Means.
H.R. 1195. A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to carry out a demonstration program under the Medicare program to examine the clinical and cost effectiveness of providing medical adult day care center services to Medicare beneficiaries. Introduced March 11 by Rep. Ron Lewis (R-KY), referred to the Committee on Ways and Means and the Committee on Energy and Commerce.
H.R. 1199. A bill to amend titles XVIII and XIX of the Social Security Act to provide for a voluntary Medicare prescription medicine benefit, to provide greater access to affordable pharmaceuticals. Introduced March 11 by Rep. Charles Rangel (D-NY), referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce and the Committee on Ways and Means.
H.R. 1225. A bill to amend title VIII of the Social Security Act to expand coverage of medical nutrition therapy services under the Medicare program for beneficiaries with cardiovascular disease. Introduced March 12 by Rep. Fred Upton (R-MI), referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce and the Committee on Ways and Means.
H.R. 1228. A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to reduce the work hours and increase the supervision of resident-physicians to ensure the safety of patients and resident-physicians themselves. Introduced March 12 by Rep. John Conyers (D-MI), referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce and the Committee on Ways and Means.
H.R. 1243. A bill to assure equitable treatment in health care coverage of prescription drugs under group health plans, health insurance coverage, Medicare and Medicaid management care arrangements, Medigap insurance coverage, and health plans under the federal employees’ health benefits program. Introduced March 12 by Rep. Nita Lowey (D-NY), referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce and the Committee on Ways and Means.
H.R. 1268. A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for coverage under the Medicare program of oral anticancer drugs. Introduced March 13 by Rep. Deborah Pryce (ROH), referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce and the Committee on Ways and Means.
The following Senate bills were introduced:
S. 590. A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for equitable reimbursement rates under the Medicare program to Medicare+Choice organizations. Introduced March 11 by Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY), referred to the Committee on Finance.
S. 598. A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for a clarification of the definition of homebound for purposes of determining eligibility for home health services under the Medicare program. Introduced March 11 by Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME), referred to the Committee on Finance.
Medicare Compliance & Reimbursement
- Reimbursement:
MEDICARE, MEDICAID FUNDING SLASHED IN HOUSE BUDGET DEAL
Members of Congress, including many Democrats, are lending a sympathetic ear to governors who seek [...] - Reimbursement:
CONGRESS SEEKS TO PROTECT LOCAL PROVIDERS
Particularly on the Republican side, members of Congress often call for tighter controls on entitlement [...] - Medicaid:
CONGRESS FACES GRIM CHOICES OVER MEDICAID CUTS
To cut over $90 billion from federal Medicaid spending growth over ten years, Congress has [...] - Patient Safety:
HOUSE BILL SEEKS QUALITY IMPROVEMENT
The House March 12 overwhelmingly passed patient safety legislation virtually identical to a bill it [...] - Health-Care Spending:
SENATE BUDGET PANEL WOULD LET STATES KEEP SCHIP FUNDS
Senate leaders want to put their stamp on Medicare and Medicaid spending.
- Pharmaceuticals:
NO RELIEF ON AWP SCRUTINY
Pharmaceutical companies across the country are coming increasingly under the gun as state attorneys general [...] - False Claims Act:
BELL TOLLS, WHISTLE BLOWS FOR CITY- AND COUNTY-RUN FACILITIES
The harsh penalties of the powerful False Claims Act can be levied against a wider [...] - Hospitals:
WATCH OUT FOR DISCHARGE STATUS CODING
Hospital compliance officers should make sure their staff knows the ropes when it comes to [...] - Fraud & Abuse:
THIS IS HEALTH CARE FRAUD ON DRUGS
Think the federal government isn’t still taking health care fraud and abuse seriously? Think again. [...] - Quality of Care:
PHYSICIANS POISED FOR MORE CMS SCRUTINY
Physicians might already feel that they’re being monitored more than enough, but the feds see [...] - PROGRAM MEMO ROUNDUP
Independent therapists and durable medical equipment suppliers will face stepped-up scrutiny next month of claims [...] - BILL WATCH:
The following House bills were introduced: H.R. 1182. A bill to amend title XVIII of [...] - REGISTER WATCH
In a comparatively slow week for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the agency [...]
