Posts Tagged ‘Medicare’
No ‘quick fix’ to reduce hospital readmissions
PENN STATE (US) — Medical providers need to create networks of collaboration in order to lower patients’ risk of being readmitted to the hospital, researchers say. Continue…
Wednesday, April 17, 2013 3:52 - 0 Comments
Health & Medicine - Apr 4, 2013 13:23 - 0 Comments
Do ERs measure up for Medicare bonuses?
NORTHWESTERN (US) — For-profit hospitals outperform others in emergency department care—and will be more likely to get reimbursements under Medicare’s new payment rules, researchers say. (more…)
Health & Medicine - Feb 20, 2013 15:00 - 3 Comments
Medicare drug gap risky for mental health patients
U. PITTSBURGH (US) — A coverage gap in Medicare Part D increases costs and health risks for people suffering from schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, a new study shows. (more…)
Health & Medicine - Jan 8, 2013 13:35 - 1 Comment
Is Medicare spending too much on mammograms?
YALE (US) — Medicare spends more than $1 billion a year on breast cancer screenings, but a new study raises questions about the benefits. (more…)
Health & Medicine - Oct 31, 2012 13:26 - 4 Comments
Medicare policy may mean treatment, not hospice
BROWN (US) — A Medicare policy prevents simultaneous reimbursement for skilled nursing facility (SNF) and hospice care—which means many families can’t choose hospice for loved ones who reside in nursing homes. (more…)
Health & Medicine - Sep 26, 2012 10:31 - 3 Comments
500,000 Americans get new knee each year
U. ROCHESTER (US) — The volume of total knee replacements in the US has soared by 142 percent since 1991 among those receiving Medicare benefits. (more…)
Health & Medicine - Sep 11, 2012 15:27 - 1 Comment
Dialysis costs challenge Medicare budget
BROWN (US) — Medicare’s latest attempt to manage the cost and quality of end-stage renal disease care could become a broader model for the program if it succeeds, researchers say. (more…)
Health & Medicine - Jun 5, 2012 11:14 - 10 Comments
Outpatient status spikes seniors’ hospital costs
BROWN (US) — Instead of being admitted to the hospital, more elderly patients in the emergency room are being “held for observation,” resulting in reduced costs to Medicare, but increased out-of-pocket costs for patients. (more…)
Health & Medicine - Mar 20, 2012 10:20 - 0 Comments
‘Optional’ radiation still used to treat breast cancer
YALE (US) — Older women covered by Medicare continue to undergo radiation for breast cancer treatment, despite a large clinical study that shows it has limited benefits. (more…)
Health & Medicine - Feb 10, 2012 11:36 - 0 Comments
Brand name drugs cost Medicare the most
U. PITTSBURGH (US) — Brand-name prescription drugs may be the source of regional variation in per capita drug costs, not the quantity of drugs prescribed. (more…)
Health & Medicine - Jan 17, 2012 12:40 - 1 Comment
Gym benefits draw healthy seniors to Medicare
BROWN (US) — Medicare plans aren’t allowed to exclude unhealthy—and costly—seniors, but some plans get around the restriction by offering gym memberships to draw in healthier—and more profitable—members. (more…)
Health & Medicine - Oct 14, 2011 11:05 - 5 Comments
Weight loss programs may save Medicare $15B
EMORY (US) — Investing in weight loss programs to prevent diabetes or heart disease could save the U.S. government as much as $15 billion in Medicare spending. (more…)
Health & Medicine - Oct 7, 2011 6:01 - 1 Comment
Living wills: End-of-life care on your terms
U. MICHIGAN (US) — People who have living wills that specify end-of-life care preferences are more likely to die in hospice than in a hospital, particularly in those regions of the country with high Medicare spending. (more…)
Society & Culture - Jan 26, 2011 15:50 - 0 Comments
Marginal nursing home options for poor
BROWN (US) — Nursing homes in the poorest ZIP codes in the country are twice as likely to close as the richest ones, giving residents, particularly minorities, fewer choices for long term care. (more…)
Health & Medicine - Nov 5, 2010 11:00 - 0 Comments
Pricier meds don’t mean better care
U. PITTSBURGH (US) — Medicare patients in regions that spend the most on prescription medications are not necessarily getting better quality care. (more…)
Health & Medicine - Aug 10, 2010 12:26 - 1 Comment
Will improved coverage lead to drug overuse?
U. PITTSBURGH (US)—Improved drug coverage under Medicare Part D has led to an increase in the use of antibiotics by seniors, particularly of brand-name and more expensive drugs, according to a new study. (more…)
Health & Medicine - Jul 2, 2010 11:27 - 4 Comments
Is health care reform Robin Hood in reverse?
NYU (US)—Patients in less-advantaged regions of the country could be the losers under the nationwide implementation of institutional bonuses mandated under federal health care reform. (more…)
Health & Medicine - Jun 25, 2010 10:33 - 2 Comments
Did politics outweigh mammography science?
UC DAVIS (US)—Use of a largely unproven mammography screening device has increased dramatically since Medicare began covering the cost a decade ago, according to a new study. (more…)
