Medicare
Study: Racial gaps in home dialysis persist despite Medicare intervention
Racial gaps in home dialysis treatment still exist among patients with kidney disease, even after Medicare introduced a new payment structure to alleviate critical barriers to care, according to results of a recently published study.
Radiation oncologists report key staff shortages, push Congress for relief from stressors
Staffing shortages at radiation oncology clinics are causing treatment delays and increased patient anxiety, according to results of a national survey from American Society for Radiation Oncology.
Kidney Care Partners names new executive director
Colin Roskey, JD, a health care lawyer and former federal health official, has been appointed executive director of Kidney Care Partners, according to a press release.
Surgeons received greater reimbursement for arthroscopy procedures in healthier patients
NEW ORLEANS — Results presented at the Arthroscopy Association of North America Annual Meeting showed that surgeon reimbursement for basic arthroscopy procedures was greater with healthier patients.
Q&A: Non-drug interventions for AD, dementia lower nursing home admissions, save money
Non-drug interventions for people with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias effectively lowered the risk for nursing home admission while being cost-effective, according to findings published in Alzheimer’s & Dementia.
55% of top-selling Medicare drugs have low added benefit ratings
Twenty-seven brand-name drugs that accounted for nearly $2 billion in Medicare net spending in 2020 received a low added therapeutic benefit rating by health technology assessment agencies in Canada, France and Germany, a recent study found.
ACR endorses bipartisan bill to link Medicare physician fee schedule payments to inflation
The American College of Rheumatology has endorsed a newly introduced bill in Congress that would automatically adjust the Medicare physician fee schedule based on inflation.
Kentucky expands Medigap access to younger patients
The American Kidney Fund has commended Kentucky for enacting H.B. 345, a law that expands Medigap access to some patients who are younger than 65 years, according to the press release.
Immunotherapy costs drive Medicare spending increase for end-of-life cancer care
Oncology drug costs overall, and immunotherapy costs specifically, drove Medicare spending increases for outpatient end-of-life cancer care, according to research in International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology, Physics.
Congressional advisory group advises no additional increase in dialysis payments for 2024
Despite complaints by some dialysis providers that Medicare payments for treatments are “woefully inadequate,” a Congressional advisory panel concluded that no additional increase beyond current recommendations is needed for 2024.