94% of Nursing Homes Violate Federal Care Standards

The 15,000 nursing homes in the United States are occupied by at least 1.5 million elderly and invalid Americans, about two-thirds of whom are covered in Medicaid or Medicare programs.  In addition to covering the cost of care to many, at a cost of more than $75 billion each year, the federal government requires an annual inspection of each and every nursing home.  The most recent round of inspections uncovered shocking statistics, according to Daniel R. Levinson, inspector general for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the government agency charged with licensing and regulating these homes. Read more

Good News, Bad News From Medicare

Thursday brought two announcements from Medicare officials, one bringing good news, the other not-so-good news. The US Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (Medicare) has announced the names of 10 medical facilities or doctors demonstrating the highest mark of improvement in the care of patients undergoing treatment for diabetes, congestive heart failure, and coronary artery disease. Medicare’s Physician Group Practice Demonstration project will award the 10 honorees with incentives totaling $16.7 million. Read more

Medicare Will Offer Incentives For ePrescribing

Have your ever been frustrated by your doctor’s handwriting? Illegibly written prescriptions may soon be a thing of the past and medication errors will be drastically reduced if Medicare’s new incentives for ePrescribing are embraced by physicians. The incentives include a bonus program that would give doctors an additional 2% bonus on top of their fee if they choose the ePrescribing option. Read more

Playing Politics Stalls Bill to Save Medicare Doctors’ Pay

As American senators angrily bickered across party lines last week, the bill that met with overwhelming approval in the US House of Representatives that would eliminate a 10% pay cut for doctors treating Medicare patients has been shelved so senate members can enjoy a week-long Independence Day holiday. Read more

House of Representatives Says No to Pay Cuts for Medicare Doctors

Every doctor in the United States who works with Medicare patients is facing a 10% pay cut starting on July 1.  On Tuesday, however, an overwhelming number of the members of the US House of Representatives voted on a bill that would prevent this substantial pay cut to the nation’s doctors although President George W. Bush vows to veto it if the bill also passes approval in the Senate. Read more

Rise in Healthcare Costs Doubles That of Inflation

The findings of an expansive study on healthcare costs conducted by PriceWaterhouseCoopers were released today, revealing the annual increase in the cost of health care is almost twice as high as the rise in the nation’s overall rate of inflation. Read more

Biz Exec Swindles Military Health Care, Gets Prison Time

Thomas Lutz was once a high-level executive at Health Visions Corp., a healthcare company based in the Philippines and doing business with the Pentagon.  Now he is facing five years in prison for swindling $100 million from the US military’s health insurance program. Read more

AMA Turns Tables, Issues Report Card to Health Insurers

If you spent 14% of your income, or $14 of every $100 you earn, trying to get your hands on that very same income, wouldn’t you want to find a way to reduce the cost of gaining possession of your paycheck?  That’s one goal America’s doctors are trying to achieve by issuing a report card to Medicare and seven other commercial health insurance providers.  The insurers routinely grade the performance of healthcare providers and the American Medical Association (AMA) announced earlier today that they have done the same, with the insurance companies’ performance up for evaluation. Read more

Bernanke: “Eclectic Approach” Needed for Health Care, Economic Stability

Earlier today, Ben Bernanke, chairman of the Federal Reserve, expressed concerns about the staggering amount of money the US government is spending on health care and how current projections for growth in healthcare spending threaten the nation’s economic stability. Read more

Dental Clinics Ease Burden in ER

Getting medical or dental care without coverage by an insurance provider can be pretty tricky these days.  Long waits in overcrowded, uncomfortable waiting rooms are expected.  Sometimes the wait can last days.  Those are days spent off the job, not earning any money, for many patients in waiting. Read more

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