Part B News | Editors' Blog

CMS: MA plans see lower premiums, higher enrollment

by: Grant Huang Feb 14, 2011

Medicare Advantage (MA) plans have actually seen increased enrollment and lower premiums, according to the latest data from CMS. Agency chief Donald Berwick MD touted the news during his Feb. 10 testimony to the House Ways and Means Committee. The data shows that, on average, premiums have fallen 6% while enrollment numbers have increased by 6%, to a total of more than 12 million MA beneficiaries.

Help get rid of burdensome federal regulations

by: Charles Fiegl Feb 10, 2011

Politicians from President Barack Obama to House Republicans want to get rid of burdensome federal regulations. Eliminating regs (including rules about salmon or r ed meat) is a hot topic in Washington.

Lawmakers have solicited input from various stakeholders and groups. The AMA has responded by creating a new survey to funnel physician input on how federal rules impact their practices.

CMS chief gets warm reception at AMA conference

by: Grant Huang Feb 10, 2011

I listened to CMS Administrator Donald Berwick, MD, give a speech on the Medicare physician pay fix and the future of the payment model earlier this week at the AMA's annual advocacy conference in downtown Washington. Before a crowd of physicians, Dr. Berwick -- a former pediatrician -- said he was "committed" to a permanent sustainable growth rate (SGR) fix. While this earned the expected applause, Dr. Berwick spent much more time discussing a dramatic overhaul of the Medicare fee-for-service system, a major change that he painted as being inevitable.

Debt may sink your quality incentive program bonus check

by: Charles Fiegl Jan 28, 2011

Have you found that your quality reporting bonus checks are lower than you expected?

CMS says your incentive payments from the Physician Quality Reporting System and Electronic Prescribing Incentive Program are subject to offsets. The agency explains that it may reduce quality program bonus payments for any outstanding debt linked to your Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN).

CMS unveils prettier, revamped MCD website

by: Grant Huang Jan 27, 2011

CMS just launched a redesigned, upgraded version of its Medicare Coverage Database (MCD). The MCD site houses all national coverage determinations (NCDs) and local coverage determinations (LCDs), as well as a search engine to find the ones you're looking for. The new site "has been restyled from the ground up" although the functionality is unchanged, CMS says.

First off, the old URL address -- www.cms.gov/MCD/ -- will still work even though the new website has a new URL, www.cms.gov/medicare-coverage-database/. Going to the old URL will automatically redirect your browser to the new one.

You can see at a glance why CMS describes the new site as being "restyled." There is an animated menu bar that presents the navigation choices clearly and cleanly. The big tabs at the top make it easier to access various functions, whereas the old site required clicking on less obvious text links.

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