GAO calls for end to Medicare Advantage bonus program

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has said that an "ineffective" Medicare Advantage bonus program should end because it wasted more than $8 billion, FierceHealthcare reported. The Medicare Advantage Quality Bonus Payment Demonstration has thus far yielded mediocre care and is unlikely to produce results, the GAO said in a report reviewing the experimental project. The Medicare Advantage demonstration project pays bonuses to private insurers that receive 3 to 3.5 stars out of 5 on Medicare's rating scale. The GAO called for the cancellation of the project, as it's the costliest demonstration in Medicare history. --Read the full article on FierceHealthcare