Medicare is a federal health insurance program that primarily provides health insurance for Americans aged 65 and older. Establish in 1965, the program expanded in 1972 to cover younger Americans who have a long term disability. Medicare consists of four different parts: Part A covers inpatient hospital stays, Part B covers physician visits, outpatient services and preventative care, Part C covers the Medicare Advantage program, and Part 4 covers outpatient prescription drugs through contracted plans. Medicare reimbursement rates often play a role in the reimbursement rates that private healthcare plans offer.
The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation consistently works with policymakers, providers and other key stakeholders to construct and test alternative payment and delivery models. Medicare has tested a variety of new models, most of which focus on shifting the emphasis to quality care and provide incentives for hospitals and providers to lower spending and decrease cost to patients, while providing higher quality care.
Title | Source | Date |
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SGR Fix to Simplify Quality Reporting, Value-Based Payments | Health IT Analytics | March 24, 2015 |
In rare deal, Boehner, Pelosi tout wins for seniors, doctors | Washington Post | March 24, 2015 |
Bipartisan Deal on Health Care Issues Hits a Snag Among Senate Democrats | New York Times | March 24, 2015 |
MedPAC Asks Congress to Boost Primary Care Payments | AAFP News | March 23, 2015 |
What's in the new SGR bill? Alternative payment model bonus; fixed increases | Healthcare Finance News | March 20, 2015 |
Fully repeal the SGR | The Hill | March 19, 2015 |
Proposed SGR deal would advance GOP goal of privatizing Medicare | Modern Healthcare | March 18, 2015 |
The Primary Care Cliff:The ACP's Bob Doherty warns of looming funding cuts to vital healthcare programs and services. | MedPage Today | March 16, 2015 |
Hurdles surface, but optimism remains for permanent 'doc fix' | Modern Healthcare | March 16, 2015 |
Senate Dems threaten to oppose deal on Medicare doc fees | Modern Healthcare | March 15, 2015 |