Medicare

Patients who had regular primary care visits with the same physician had greater savings in Medicare expenditures and a reduced risk for ED visits and hospitalizations — especially as their care became more complex — a recent study found.

The first 10 drugs eligible for price negotiation through Medicare includes etanercept and ustekinumab, biologic therapies commonly used to treat patients with rheumatic diseases, the Biden administration announced.

HHS announced the first 10 drugs that will be subject to Medicare price negotiations.

Combining weight-based dosing and single-use vial sharing within individual Veterans Affairs hospitals could reduce immune checkpoint inhibitor spending by millions annually, according to study results published in Health Affairs.

Researchers estimated that the introduction of generic medications for chronic hepatitis B virus infection could save Medicare Part D nearly $300 million annually from the cost of medication alone, according to data in Gastroenterology.

The AGA applauded the reintroduction of the Treat and Reduce Obesity Act into the 118th Congress as this bill would expand Medicare coverage for screening and treatment of obesity by health care providers specializing in obesity care.

Results published in the Journal of Arthroplasty showed surgeons may be disproportionately referring Medicaid patients to non-local care centers for revision total hip and revision total knee arthroplasties.

There was a stronger association between myopia and incidence of primary open-angle glaucoma among Asian, Black and Hispanic Medicare beneficiaries in California vs. non-Hispanic white beneficiaries, according to a study.

Payments to nephrologists will likely go down by 1% or stay the same under the proposed Medicare Physician Fee Schedule for 2024, according to an analysis by the Renal Physicians Association.

CMS issued the 2024 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule proposed rule on July 13.