Thursday, September 14, 2006

Medicare Monthly Bill To Go Up 5.6% And 83% In Some Cases. The Medicare monthly bill for beneficiaries will go up by 5.6% in 2007. For those earning $200,000 or more it could mean a premium hike of 83% to $162.10. 96% of users of Medicare will have the lowest rate premium of $93.50 per month.The increase of 5.6% is lower than most people had expected. It is the first time in 41 years that wealthier beneficiaries will pay more for the insurance that covers doctors' visits and outpatient care.in 2000 premiums stood at $45. [click link for full article] [Seniors / Aging News From Medical News Today] 6:00:35 AM    comment [] NYT Editorial Criticizes Proposed Medicaid Reimbursement Rules. Rules proposed by the Bush administration that would reduce Medicaid reimbursements to public hospitals and nursing homes could "have a huge potential impact on an extremely frail population" in states that have enacted laws to "take full advantage" of current rules, a New York Times editorial states (New York Times, 9/10). [click link for full article] [Health News from Medical News Today] 6:00:08 AM    comment [] GAO Report Examines Enrollees' Experiences With HSAs. "Consumer-Directed Health Plans: Early Enrollee Experiences with Health Savings Accounts and Eligible Health Plans," Government Accountability Office: For the study, GAO compared the financial features of health savings account-eligible plans and traditional health plans; compared characteristics o [click link for full article] [Health News from Medical News Today] 5:59:22 AM    comment [] [Web Exclusives] The Third Wave Of Massachusetts Health Care Access Reform. In April 2006, Massachusetts passed its third major health care access reform law since 1988. This law establishes new structures and requirements that have never been attempted by any state. Key features include a shift of federal Medicaid dollars from institutional support to individual insurance subsidies, establishment of an insurance "Connector," individual and employer responsibility, a small-firm and individual insurance market merger, and provisions to address racial and ethnic health disparities. Massachusetts will engage in a multiyear implementation process. Only after this process is complete will the law's significance be clear. [Health Affairs 25 (2006): w420-w431; 10.1377/ hlthaff.25.w420] [Health Affairs recent issues] 5:58:26 AM    comment [] Average Medicare Drug Benefit Premium To Remain Same Or Decline In 2007, CMS Administrator McClellan Says. The average monthly premium for the Medicare prescription drug benefit in 2007 will be the same as or less than the 2006 average premium because of competition among Medicare drug plans and negotiations with pharmaceutical companies, outgoing CMS Administrator Mark McClellan said Monday in a speech [click link for full article] [Health News from Medical News Today] 5:57:46 AM    comment []

© Copyright 2006 Norman G. DeLisle, Jr.. Last update: 10/26/2006; 8:47:10 AM.