Medicare

Beginning in early spring, beneficiaries of original Medicare and Medicare Advantage plans will be eligible to receive free over-the-counter COVID-19 tests, according to CMS.

The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission, or MedPAC, recommended no change to the physician fee schedule for 2023, a decision that the ACP and AMA described as a freezing of physician payments.

WAIKOLOA, Hawaii — Medicare payment changes, ASC payment rates and new FDA approved drugs were a few of the topics discussed in a presentation on 2022 updates for ophthalmic practices at Hawaiian Eye 2022.

CMS has proposed a National Coverage Determination decision memorandum specifying “coverage with evidence development” for FDA-approved monoclonal antibodies targeting amyloid for treating Alzheimer’s disease.

As many as 9% of Medicare beneficiaries with knee osteoarthritis use opioids chronically, while 21% are occasional users, according to data published in Arthritis Care & Research.

The past year has been difficult for primary care physicians and our patients.

Increasing asset limits placed on low-income Medicare beneficiaries seeking Medicaid supplemental coverage, which in many states have remained unchanged for 30 years, could increase eligibility by as much as 7.5%, according to researchers.

A recent study suggests that cannabis use may cause symptoms similar to diabetic ketoacidosis in patients with type 1 diabetes. A review of the data was the top story in endocrinology last week.

Use of hyaluronic acid injections significantly increased among Medicare beneficiaries for all providers from 2012 to 2018, with advanced practice providers largely contributing to the increase, according to published results.

CMS will expand Medicare coverage for all types of continuous glucose monitors, including adjunctive and non-adjunctive CGMs.