CMS Archives - Page 8 of 21 - ��ýҕ�l Health News

KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: Congress Races the Clock

Sen. Raphael Warnock’s re-election in Georgia will give Democrats a clear-cut Senate majority for the first time in nearly a decade. Meanwhile, the current Congress has only days left to tackle major unfinished business on the health agenda, including fending off scheduled pay cuts for doctors and other health providers in the Medicare program. Joanne Kenen of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Politico, Anna Edney of Bloomberg News, and Sandhya Raman of CQ Roll Call join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss these topics and more. Plus, for extra credit, the panelists recommend their favorite health policy stories of the week they think you should read, too.

Dec. 8, 2022

A photo illustration shows four images separated by bars. The first image is of money and a Medicare card, the second is an older man sitting in a chair, the third is a closeup of money, the fourth is of a spreadsheet of overpayments totalling over $8 million.

Audits — Hidden Until Now — Reveal Millions in Medicare Advantage Overcharges

Taxpayers had to foot the bills for care that should have cost far less, according to records released after KHN filed a lawsuit under the Freedom of Information Act. The government may seek to recover up to $650 million as a result.

By Fred Schulte and Holly K. Hacker

Nov. 21, 2022

A photo shows Gov. Brian Kemp speaking at a rally.

Path Cleared for Georgia to Launch Work Requirements for Medicaid

Federal officials have apparently stopped fighting Georgia’s plan for a limited Medicaid expansion that includes work requirements. The plan, a key policy of Republican Gov. Brian Kemp’s, would cover a much smaller portion of the population: those who can work or volunteer 80 hours a month.

By Andy Miller and Sam Whitehead

Nov. 18, 2022

How Optimism Can Close the Medicaid Coverage Gap

Low-income residents in states that haven’t expanded Medicaid are in a tough spot: They don’t qualify for the subsidies that people with slightly higher incomes get to buy marketplace plans because of a glitch in the federal health law. But a court decision last year makes it easier for them to make good-faith estimates of a pay increase, and there is no financial penalty if they don’t hit that figure.

By Phil Galewitz and Daniel Chang

Nov. 16, 2022

An older woman holds an insulin pen across a counter from a doctor.

Medicare Plan Finder Likely Won’t Note New $35 Cap on Out-of-Pocket Insulin Costs

In August, Congress approved a $35 cap on what seniors will pay for insulin, but that change came too late to add to the online tool that helps Medicare beneficiaries compare dozens of drug and medical plans. Federal officials say beneficiaries who use insulin will have the opportunity to switch plans after open enrollment ends Dec. 7.

By Susan Jaffe

Nov. 15, 2022

dentist working on a patients mouth with dentistry tools laid out in the foreground

After Congress Fails to Add Dental Coverage, Medicare Weighs Limited Benefit Expansion

Medicare can pay for some dental care if it is medically necessary to safely treat another covered medical condition, and federal officials have asked for suggestions on whether that list of conditions should be expanded.

By Susan Jaffe

Oct. 17, 2022

Lawsuit by KHN Prompts Government to Release Medicare Advantage Audits

The lawsuit was filed three years ago to learn about vast overcharges by the popular health plans that are detailed in audits the government refused to release to the public.

By Fred Schulte

Oct. 14, 2022

A photo shows an elderly man inside of a nursing home, talking to a medical professional, holding a clipboard with paperwork.

Nursing Home Surprise: Advantage Plans May Shorten Stays to Less Time Than Medicare Covers

Private Medicare Advantage health plans are increasingly ending coverage for skilled nursing or rehab services before medical providers think patients are healthy enough to go home, doctors and patient advocates say.

By Susan Jaffe

Oct. 4, 2022

A photo shows a close-up of a survey with check boxes. A hand is filling out the form with a blue pen.

Patient Satisfaction Surveys Earn a Zero on Tracking Whether Hospitals Deliver Culturally Competent Care

In an industry obsessed with consumer satisfaction national patient surveys still don’t get at an important question: Are hospitals delivering culturally competent care?

By Rae Ellen Bichell

Sept. 8, 2022

KHN & PolitiFact HealthCheck

Rapper Fat Joe Says No One Is Making Sure Hospitals Post Their Prices

A TV and social media ad offers a reason to check on the enforcement of a sweeping rule that requires hospitals to post information about what they charge insurers and cash-paying patients.

By Julie Appleby

Aug. 10, 2022

A photo shows a hand typing on a laptop, colored with blue and red light.

Asking Never Hurts

Even Well-Intended Laws Can’t Protect Us From Inaccurate Provider Directories

State and federal laws require health plans to offer accurate lists of participating doctors and facilities, but consumers still struggle to get timely appointments with providers.

By Bernard J. Wolfson

July 26, 2022

A photo shows the exterior of Crosbyton Clinic Hospital. An American flag is seen on a pole to the left of the entrance.

Rural Hospital Rescue Program Is Met With Skepticism From Administrators

A new federal rescue program that pays rural hospitals to shutter underused inpatient units and focus solely on emergency rooms and outpatient care hasn’t generated much interest yet.

By Sarah Jane Tribble and Tony Leys

July 14, 2022

A nurse pushes a gurney down a hallway inside of a hospital.

Feds Want a Policy That Advocates Say Would Let Hospitals Off the Hook for Covid-Era Lapses

The pandemic disrupted all sense of normalcy for U.S. hospitals, so federal officials are proposing to pause financial penalties against the facilities and to block public access to key hospital safety data — such as the frequency of falls and sepsis — because of concerns that the data isn’t accurate enough. But consumer advocates are furious about the proposal.

By Lauren Weber

July 7, 2022

Government Watchdogs Attack Medicare Advantage for Denying Care and Overcharging

The Government Accountability Office and the Health and Human Services inspector general’s office say seniors enrolled in the program are suffering and taxpayers are getting bilked for billions of dollars a year.

By Fred Schulte

June 29, 2022

A wide shot shows Audrain Community Hospital.

Patients for Profit

Buy and Bust: When Private Equity Comes for Rural Hospitals

Noble Health swept into two small Missouri towns promising to save their hospitals. Instead, workers and vendors say it stopped paying bills and government inspectors found it put patients at risk. Within two years — after taking millions in federal covid relief and big administrative fees — it locked the doors.

By Sarah Jane Tribble

June 15, 2022

A photo shows a nurse walking an elderly woman down a hallway in a nursing home. The two are seen from behind.

Medicaid Weighs Attaching Strings to Nursing Home Payments to Improve Patient Care

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.

By Susan Jaffe

June 10, 2022

A close-up photo shows hands typing on a laptop keyboard in the dark.

They Thought They Were Buying Obamacare Plans. What They Got Wasn’t Insurance.

Some consumers who think they are signing up for Obamacare insurance find out later they actually purchased a membership to a health care sharing ministry. But regulators and online advertising sites don’t do much about it.

By Bram Sable-Smith

June 7, 2022

A closeup photo of a man's hand holding a smartphone. He's sitting at a table, typing on a keyboard with his other hand.

Who Doesn’t Text in 2022? Most State Medicaid Programs

As states prepare for the end of the covid public health emergency, they are making plans to reevaluate each Medicaid enrollee’s eligibility. They will rely primarily on mail and email because not many states can text enrollees.

By Phil Galewitz

April 13, 2022

Podcast

KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: Funding for the Next Pandemic

In his proposed budget, President Joe Biden called for a boost in health spending that includes billions of dollars to prepare for a future pandemic. But that doesn’t include money he says is needed immediately for testing and treating covid-19. Also this week, federal regulators authorized a second booster shot for people 50 and older yet gave little guidance to consumers about who needs the shot and when. Amy Goldstein of The Washington Post, Jennifer Haberkorn of the Los Angeles Times, and Rachana Pradhan of KHN join KHN’s Mary Agnes Carey to discuss these issues and more. Plus, Julie Rovner interviews KHN’s Julie Appleby, who reported and wrote the latest KHN-NPR “Bill of the Month” episode about a very expensive air ambulance ride.

March 31, 2022

Paris Hilton leads a line of protesters dressed in all black. She holds a sign that reads, "Shut down Provo." Others hold signs that read, "Torture is not treatment," and "The kids you abuse today will be the ones that will take you down tomorrow."

Montana Is Sending Troubled Kids to Out-of-State Programs That Have Been Accused of Abuse

State health officials are using Medicaid funds to send children in their care to treatment programs in states with less stringent regulations, including programs accused of abuse and mistreatment.

By Cameron Evans

March 25, 2022

��ýҕ�l

Trump 2.0

Public Health

Audio Reports

Special Reports

More Topics

CMS