Medicare

Swell Of Goodwill For First Medicare Chief Confirmed Since 2004

Julie Rovner — Thu, 16 May 2013 19:07:00 +0000

When the Senate voted Tuesday to make Marilyn Tavenner the official administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, it was the first time the world's greatest deliberative body had approved someone to head the huge health agency since 2004.

That's right, you have to go way back to the Bush administration to find Dr.

Dramatically Different Medicare Bills Set Hospitals Thinking

Annie Feidt — Sat, 11 May 2013 18:47:00 +0000

For the first time, the federal government has publicly shared what hospitals bill Medicare for the 100 most common diagnoses and treatments.

The information shows hospitals across the country — and across Alaska — bill dramatically different prices for the same things.

Hospital veteran Rick Davis, the CEO of Central Peninsula General Hospital in Soldotna, was eager to review the made those figures from more than 3,000 hospitals public Wednesday.

A quick spin through the data shows that what hospital

Why Obama's Budget Could Make Health Waves

Julie Rovner — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 14:06:00 +0000

OK, the conventional wisdom about the budget President Obama sent to Congress yesterday is that's irrelevant.

It's two months late, after all, and the House and Senate have already approved their own spending blueprints for fiscal 2014.

But here's why it matters when it comes to health.

First of all, the Congressional budget process isn't exactly done.

The 'Hard-To-Change' Legacy Of Medicare Payments

Julie Rovner — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 06:58:00 +0000

The budget President Obama will send to Congress Wednesday is expected to include some $400 billion in reductions to Medicare and other health programs.

And if the word around Washington is correct, it may also include a proposal aimed at winning some bipartisan backing — by changing the way Medicare patients pay for their care.

But there have been previ