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What’s Behind the Medicare Slowdown?

Digital Health Wire

Since Medicare coverage first took effect almost six decades ago, the program’s runaway spending has played a leading role in the story of the federal budget. An excellent piece in The New York Times highlighted how Medicare’s unsustainable climb reached a turning point in 2011, and for reasons that aren’t exactly clear.

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Study: Patients treated by fraudulent providers often most vulnerable

FierceHealthIT

Between 2012 and 2015, 1.2 million Medicare beneficiaries were treated by providers who committed fraud or abuse—and many of these patients were from vulnerable populations, according to a new study.

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Decrease 30-day readmissions by proactively managing newly discharged patients with virtual care.

eVisit

In 2014, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) determined the total cost of all readmissions exceeded $26B and approximately 65% was attributed to preventable readmissions. The CMS Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program (HRRP) has penalized hospitals $2B since its inception in 2012.

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CMS Reports Record Performance for MSSP

Digital Health Wire

CMS just released the Medicare Shared Savings Program results for 2022, and the report managed to drum up some serious debate on the effectiveness of MSSP despite last year’s record performance. MSSP saved Medicare $1.8B 140 per high-revenue ACO), underscoring the importance of primary care to the overall program.

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HEART Act Targets Medicare Limits on Telehealth

American Well

the Helping Expand Access to Rural Telehealth (HEART) Act targets the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) strict limitations on RPM reimbursements in rural areas. Of the 107,000 telemedicine visits for Medicare beneficiaries recorded in 2013, approximately 40,000 of them served rural areas. Sean Duffy (R-Wis.)

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HEART Act Targets Medicare Limits on Telehealth

American Well

the Helping Expand Access to Rural Telehealth (HEART) Act targets the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) strict limitations on RPM reimbursements in rural areas. Of the 107,000 telemedicine visits for Medicare beneficiaries recorded in 2013, approximately 40,000 of them served rural areas. Sean Duffy (R-Wis.)

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EpiPens, blood-pressure medication rank among highest drug price increases, CMS database shows

FierceHealthIT

each year on average in Medicare Part D between 2012 and 2016. The newly updated drug pricing dashboards are shining light on who's responsible for the steadily increasing price of drugs. The cost of epinephrine, the main ingredient in EpiPens, increased 189.6%