Medicare, Medicaid fight could take center stage after debt ceiling extension
By
McKnight's Staff
Jan 23, 2013
Medicare and Medicaid funds could face steep cuts in the House of Representatives’ 2014 budget. GOP congressional leaders have promised dramatic spending reductions to rally conservative support...
Medicare payment rate for hospices should not rise in 2014, MedPAC says
By
McKnight's Staff
Jan 15, 2013
The Medicare payment rate for hospices should not increase in 2014, according to recommendations to Congress announced Monday by the Medicare Payment Advisory Commision (MedPAC).
CMS angling to ease providers’ burdens from Medicare Administrative Contractors
By
McKnight's Staff
Jan 10, 2013
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is asking providers to help figure out a way to make demands from Medicare Administrative Contractors less burdensome.
Medicare payment board would slash government payments to SNF providers, paper says
By
McKnight's Staff
Oct 24, 2012
The Affordable Care Act’s controversial Medicare payment board would be an “agent for reimbursement cuts to Medicare,” according to a policy paper released Wednesday.
New bill would limit power of Medicare recovery audit contractors
By
McKnight's Staff
Oct 17, 2012
Legislation introduced Tuesday aims to reduce some of the authority Medicare’s recovery audit contractors (RACs) wield over investigations into provider claims.
Analysis: Medicare sequester cuts would reduce SNF payments by $9 billion over 10 years
By
McKnight's Staff
Sep 17, 2012
Skilled nursing facilities in the most populous states will be the hardest hit if Congress enacts the 2% across-the-board cut in Medicare payments to providers, two new analyses predict.
Medicare service providers cannot object to a Medicare Recovery Audit Contractor’s (RAC) decision to re-open a payment decision, a federal appeals court ruled Tuesday.
Analysis: Sequestration cut may mean loss of 766,000 healthcare jobs over 10 years
By
McKnight's Staff
Sep 12, 2012
A scheduled 2% sequestration cut in federal Medicare payments to providers could result in the loss of thousands of U.S. healthcare jobs, a new report warns.
Medicare auditors becoming more active, denying more claims, survey shows
By
McKnight's Staff
Aug 29, 2012
Requests for medical records by Medicare’s fraud-detecting recovery audit contractors (RACs) jumped sharply from the first- to the second-quarter of fiscal year 2012, a new survey reveals.
OIG should streamline Medicare’s self-disclosed overpayment protocol, provider group says
By
McKnight's Staff
Aug 23, 2012
Federal officials need to provide clearer guidance and offer a more streamlined protocol for providers willing to self-disclose Medicare overpayments, a leading long-term care group says.