The final 2024 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule includes a provision that allows health systems to bill Medicare for telehealth services provided by doctors from their homes. This extension of a crucial Medicare reimbursement for health systems using telehealth services lasts until the end of 2024, and it also grants physicians working from home added privacy […]
In 2019, the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) found that one in every eight prior authorization requests was denied by Medicaid managed care organizations. Dive Brief: A recent report by the HHS’ Office of the Inspector General suggests that due to high rates of […]
Inflation and pressing household expenses are forcing some people to postpone health needs, an emerging trend that has health experts worried that conditions may only worsen. Megan Swanson has warily watched the erosion of her family’s savings as inflation chips away at a reserve for emergencies. She often postpones any regular doctor’s appointments, including her […]
A new study found that people with diabetes who switched to a high deductible health plan (HDHP) were more likely to experience serious complications. Understand your insurance plan and what it covers. A January 2023 study led by Dr. Rozalina McCoy, endocrinologist and health services researcher at Mayo Clinic, found that people with diabetes who […]
Dual eligible Medicare Advantage beneficiaries had 42.1% less emergency room visits than their fee-for-service counterparts. The cost of care and rate of hospitalizations for dual eligible Medicare Advantage (MA) beneficiaries was considerably lower than dual eligibles under fee-for-service (FFS), according to an Avalere Health study released Tuesday evening. Dual eligible Medicare Advantage (MA) populations averaged healthcare […]
In the midst of a medical recovery, the last thing you want to deal with is an unexpectedly high medical bill. As Americans continue to pay an estimated $3.4 trillion yearly in health care costs, it’s likely that at some point we’ll all encounter a big bill from a trip to the doctor’s office or an […]
The high cost of medical care is giving some Americans sticker shock. Annual health care spending in the U.S. is estimated to be $3.5 trillion. Hospital costs make up almost a third of that total. And a portion of those costs come as a big surprise. Whether intentional or due to careless mistakes, “surprise” medical charges are […]