Medicare to expand 'no-pay' list

Medicare has officially announced plans to expand the list of conditions it won't cover if acquired at a hospital. In new rules proposed Monday, it said that it plans to add nine conditions to its 'no pay' list, including deep vein thrombosis, ventilator-associated pneumonia and staph aureus bacteria. CMS estimates that the proposed rule will save CMS an extra $50 million each year during the next three years. The new rule would bring the total number of conditions Medicare won't pay for to seventeen. If the proposed rule is finalized, it's likely private insurers will expand their lists of no-pay events as well.

To learn more about the new rules:
- read this Associated Press piece

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