Medicare

Wellness and behavioral health visits are among a few telehealth coverage expansions the CMS wants to add to the list of Medicare-reimbursable telehealth activities under a proposal released Thursday.Providers also would be paid for telehealth services in rural areas nearer big cities under a geographical expansion in the proposed rule. Rule writers are also attempting to further harmonize … Read more

The CMS intends to increase Medicare payments to hospices and also make several tweaks to policy definitions and procedures to ensure more accurate reimbursement. The proposed payment rule would increase hospice payments by 1.3% for an estimated $230 million more than they received in fiscal 2014. The rule also seeks to clarify the meaning of “terminally ill” in the hospice benefit. To … Read more

The Obama administration’s top Medicare official is stepping down from his post. CMS Principal Deputy Administrator Jonathan Blum has been with the agency for more than five years.CMS Administrator Marilyn Tavenner announced Blum’s resignation, effective May 16, in an e-mail to staff. “Under Jon’s leadership, the Medicare program has served as one of our primary drivers to shift our … Read more

Medicare should pay hospitals less for low-risk outpatient surgeries, the program’s fiscal watchdog suggests in a report published this morning. Bringing prices in line with those charged at cheaper ambulatory surgical centers could save the government as much as $15 billion over six years and save Medicare patients $4 billion in copayments, the report projects. HHS’ Office … Read more

The controversial “two-midnight” rule just got a little more controversial; the American Hospital Association Monday filed two lawsuits against the rule and was joined in its suit by several state hospital associations and individual hospitals. “The two-midnight rule undermines medical judgment and disregards the level of care needed to safely treat patients,” said Richard Umbdenstock, president and … Read more