medicare patients

A long-running concern of Congress, analysts and physician groups is that decreased Medicare reimbursements will prevent physicians from accepting Medicare beneficiaries. The concern came to the forefront in 2002 when fees were reduced by 5.4 percent and have continued as healthcare costs outpace reimbursement rates.

Now a GAO report finds that reimbursement has little impact on beneficiaries' access to doctors. The report asked beneficiaries whether or not they had difficulty …

Despite the negative publicity surrounding the program, some Medicare Part D participants have saved substantial sums by enrolling, The New York Times reports. The newspaper looks at a group of seniors who have seen their drug expenses fall sharply since the benefit went into effect. One community pharmacist is quoted as saying Part D was "significantly beneficial to one-third of Medicare patients, marginally beneficial to half the patients and no benefit at all to the …

Despite a slight drop in Medicare reimbursement rates five years ago, physicians are seeing an increasing number of Medicare patients, defying predictions that changes would cause them to stop accepting patients from the government program. That's according to a new study that looks at physician participation in the program over the last five years. The Center for the Study of Health System changes argues that the numbers are evidence that physicians would ultimately accept proposed …

The heart transplant program at Sutter Memorial Hospital in Sacramento has been decertified by the state Medi-Cal program, the latest sign of turbulence in California transplant programs. Health officials say the program did not perform enough operations to meet state requirements. For the time being, Medicare patients will still be eligible for operations. Earlier in the month, regulators stopped liver transplants at the University of California Irvine after allegations of wrongdoing. …

The Bush administration is expected to publish a final rule that would reduce doctors Medicare reimbursement rates by 4.4 percent today. The cuts are strongly opposed by doctors' groups, led by the AMA. Critics argue the change unfairly penalizes doctors and warn that it could lead some to stop accepting new Medicare patients. In the past, Congress has passed legislation repealing similar cuts. Observers say the proposed rule sets the stage for a political fight in Washington, likely to …

Three years after a raid by FBI agents at Tenet's Redding Medical Center focused national attention on the company, two heart surgeons are accused of conducting unnecessary heart surgeries on hundreds of Medicare patients. Heart Surgeon Fidel Realyvasquez and cardiologist Chae Moon have agreed to civil settlements. Both doctors will pay fines of $1.4 million. The inquiry into billing practices at the hospital is generally seen as a turning point that began a run of epic bad luck for …

In previous years the American Medical Association has been able to stave off cuts in physician reimbursement rates by lobbying Congress. This year, however, things appear to be playing out a little differently. Fiscal pressures in Washington are making a compromise a lot less likely, according to observers. For its part the AMA is warning that the scheduled 4.4 percent cut in Medicare Part B reimbursement to physicians could lead to a strong reaction. The physician's lobby released a …

According to a new poll by the California Medical Association, 60 percent of physicians in California say they will stop accepting new Medicare patients if reimbursement changes planned by the government go through. CMS has scheduled a 4.3 percent cut in Medicare payments effective next year. The poll appears to back the argument of the American Medical Association and other physician groups, which have contended that many doctors are likely to walk away from their Medicare practices …

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) said it will cut physician reimbursement rates by 4.3 percent on Monday. CMS said the cuts are necessary because of recent increases in overall Medicare spending. Under US law, payments to physicians and other healthcare providers must be adjusted downward to help control spending as the program's overall costs increase. The announcement had been anticipated by doctors groups, which have warned that many doctors may reduce the number of …

> The FDA said it is investigating infusion pumps made by Baxter after a number of patient deaths linked to the line. Story (Wall Street Journal sub. req.)

> Supporters of drug reimportation are working to pressure Sen. Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) to bring a bill before the senate for debate. …