mother and daughter

The Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey:  Celebrating Our 25th Anniversary and a Bright Future Ahead

September 29, 2016 By Niall Brennan, Chief Data Officer, CMS This year marks the 25th anniversary and the one millionth beneficiary interview for the Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey (MCBS), a survey that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) first fielded in 1991. This in-person survey of 15,000 Medicare beneficiaries collects valuable information about aspects of the Medicare program …

“Plans for the Quality Payment Program in 2017: Pick Your Pace”

As the baby boom generation ages, 10,000 people enter the Medicare program each day. Facing that demand, it is essential that Medicare continues to support physicians in delivering high-quality patient care. This includes increasing its focus on patient outcomes and reducing the obstacles that make it harder for physicians to practice good care. The bipartisan Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization …

Competitive bidding program continues to maintain access and quality while helping to save Medicare millions

CMS News FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 8, 2016 Contact: CMS Media Relations (202) 690-6145 | CMS Media Inquiries Overview The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) today announced the new single payment amounts and began sending contract offers to successful bidders for Medicare’s Round 1 2017 Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics, and Supplies (DMEPOS) Competitive Bidding Program. These new …

Physicians and health care providers continue to improve quality of care, lower costs

CMS News FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 25, 2016 Contact: CMS Media Relations (202) 690-6145 | CMS Media Inquiries Affordable Care Act Accountable Care Organization initiatives put patients at the center of their care while generating more than $1.29 billion in total Medicare savings since 2012 The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) today announced the 2015 performance year results …

CMS examines inappropriate steering of people eligible for Medicare or Medicaid into Marketplace plans

Concerns raised about impact of 3rd party premium provider & affiliated organization payments The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) today issued a request for information seeking public comment on concerns that some health care providers and provider-affiliated organizations may be steering people eligible for, or receiving, Medicare and/or Medicaid benefits into Affordable Care Act-compliant individual market plans, including …

DIAGNOSIS: UNPREPARED Elderly Hospital Patients Arrive Sick, Often Leave Disabled

By Anna Gorman Photos by Heidi de Marco August 9, 2016 SAN FRANCISCO — Janet Prochazka was active and outspoken, living by herself and working as a special education tutor. Then, in March, a bad fall landed her in the hospital. Doctors cared for her wounds and treated her pneumonia. But Prochazka, 75, didn’t sleep or eat well at Zuckerberg …

Diagnosis: Unprepared

Hospitals can be hazardous places for elderly patients, who are at increased risk of falling, drug-induced injury and confusion. But as the nation’s senior population grows, many facilities are ill-equipped to address their unique needs. Kaiser Health News visited hospitals around the country, reviewed data and interviewed dozens of patients, family members and health providers to document the extent of …

man with nurse

Round One Health Care Innovation Awards Show Some Promising Results

The Health Care Innovation Awards is a Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Innovation Center initiative that tests new payment and service delivery models and aims to find better ways to deliver care and bring down costs for Medicare, Medicaid, and/or Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) enrollees. Today we are sharing the second annual independent evaluation reports of round …