Medicare

Physical therapy may not help a person with a progressive chronic disease become well, but it can help slow a decline.

Legal Dispute Continues Over Medicare Coverage Of Physical Therapy

1:09pm January 30, 2017

by Susan Jaffe

Under a settlement in 2013, Medicare was supposed to make clear to physical therapists that their services are covered even if beneficiaries aren't improving. But that hasn't been widely accepted.

Rep. Tom Price, R-Ga., has said that the Affordable Care Act interferes with physicians' medical decisions.

5 Things To Listen For At The Hearing With Trump's HHS Nominee

2:10pm January 18, 2017

by Alison Kodjak

Rep. Tom Price goes before a Senate panel for the first time since being picked to head Health and Human Services. Expect sharp questions about Medicare reform, drug prices and his stock portfolio.

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A Medicare Advantage plan run by Independence Blue Cross, headquartered in Philadelphia, was among those audited for overcharging by the federal government.

Medicare Failed To Recover Up To $125 Million In Overpayments From Private Insurers

2:39pm January 06, 2017

by Fred Schulte

Audits show Medicare potentially overpaid five insurance plans by $128 million, yet the government recovered only $3 million. The finding adds to questions about oversight of Medicare Advantage plans.

Sen. Bernie Sanders talks to reporters about preserving the Affordable Care Act with fellow Democrats from both the House and Senate after a meeting with President Obama at the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday in Washington, D.C.

Bernie Sanders Says Trump Won Because Democrats Are Out Of Touch

9:03am January 06, 2017

by Meg Anderson

In an interview with NPR's David Greene, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders criticized the Democratic Party for not listening to the needs of everyday Americans.

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Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles has been penalized in all three years since the creation of a Medicare program to reduce patient-safety issues in hospitals.

Medicare Penalizes Hospitals In Crackdown On Antibiotic-Resistant Infections

12:24pm December 22, 2016

by Jordan Rau

For the first time, Medicare penalties against hospitals with too many avoidable patient safety complications include fines tied to the prevalence of two types of bacteria resistant to drugs.

Cyclosporine is one of the drugs that organ transplant patients take so the body won't reject the organ.

Medicare Pays For A Kidney Transplant, But Not The Drugs To Keep It Viable

11:13am December 22, 2016

by Richard Harris

The federal government pays for kidney transplants. But the program only pays for essential anti-rejection drugs for three years. Many people can't afford them and can end up losing the kidney.

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If you need to buy health insurance, don't procrastinate.

Sign Up For Health Coverage If You Need It, Despite GOP Repeal Plans

5:15pm December 13, 2016

by Michelle Andrews

Republicans' plans to overhaul the federal health law aren't expected to take effect immediately, so consumers can still sign up for 2017 coverage — and should, if they need insurance.

Don't Skip Medicare Coverage For Doctor Visits, Even If You Have Other Insurance

11:33am December 10, 2016

by Susan Jaffe

As more seniors keep working and maintain health coverage on the job, there is greater potential for costly confusion about when and how to sign up for Medicare.

Will a change in administration curtail experiments in how the government pays for health care?

Obamacare's Test Kitchen For Payment Experiments Faces An Uncertain Future

4:48pm November 30, 2016

by Julie Appleby

The Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation has explored payment changes that could cut health care costs and improve quality. But will the center survive in a new administration?

Seema Verma, now in line to head the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, arrives at Trump Tower in New York City on Nov. 22.

Trump Picks Seema Verma To Run Medicare And Medicaid

5:30pm November 29, 2016

by Jake Harper

Seema Verma, a consultant who has been Vice President-elect Mike Pence's health policy adviser in Indiana, played a key role in the state's expansion of Medicaid.