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Obamacare rates going up in Nebraska next year
Premiums for Obamacare health insurance plans sold in Nebraska will go up nearly 11 percent next year — one of the biggest hikes in the nation — according to preliminary rates released by the state Insurance Department. That’s after Nebraska experienced some…
Medicare covers less when a hospital stay is an observation, not an admission
An increasing number of seniors who spend time in the hospital are surprised to learn that they were not “admitted” patients — even though they may have stayed overnight in a hospital bed and received treatment, diagnostic tests and drugs.…
Streamlined doc-licensing process offered to states
In a move seen as facilitating the growth of telemedicine and speeding increased healthcare access to residents in rural areas, the Federation of State Medical Boards has released model legislation (PDF) that could be used to create a multistate agreement, or “compact” system, under…
Senate clears Social Security board nominees
The Senate voted Monday to clear three nominations to the Social Security Advisory Board. Henry Aaron’s nomination was confirmed on a 54-43 vote. Shortly after, the Senate approved the nominations of Alan Cohen and Lanhee Chen by voice-votes. Senate Finance…
Medicare Spending Is Slowing: $9 Billion Windfall for Taxpayers
The movement away from fee-for-service medicine toward accountable care in Medicare may get a boost from fresh numbers from the Congressional Budget Office showing spending on the health insurance program for the elderly slowing dramatically. The Congressional Budget Office last week issued a…
Cost growth projected to climb; can ACA initiatives slow it down?
The U.S. economy’s lackluster recovery from the Great Recession eroded wages and left millions chronically unemployed. But it also gave the nation a break from rapidly rising healthcare spending. Now, though, medical spending is likely to resume its growth, fueled by the…
Virginia Mason to offer warranties on hip, knee replacements
Patients who undergo routine hip or knee replacements at Seattle’s Virginia Mason Medical Center, and their employers, now can worry less about paying twice if surgical complications occur. That’s because the hospital has decided to offer a warranty to privately insured patients on…
Phased retirement to be worth more to some than others
The value of phased retirement will vary according to a federal employee’s retirement system, with those in the older of the two main programs benefitting more, all other things being equal.The difference was illustrated in recent Office of Personnel Management…
It’s annual coverage check-up time for Medicare users
The end of summer is filled with changes. Kids go back to school and thoughts turn to the pleasant days of fall and, for Medicare users, the end of summer signals that Medicare’s Annual Coordinated Election (open enrollment) will soon…
Why VA claims exploded and ways to slow the trend
America’s population of living veterans fell by almost five million, or 17 percent, from 2000 to 2013. So why did the number of veterans drawing disability compensation climb by 55 percent over that period? And why has yearly VA disability…