Medicare - Medicare Will Not Cover Virtual Colonoscopies, CMS Says CMS on Tuesday announced a final decision to end Medicare coverage for virtual colonoscopies, also known as CT colonographies, the Wall Street Journal reports (Yoest, Wall Street Journal, 5/13). Virtual colonoscopies use X-ray images and computer software to create images of the colon. Advocates of the proce www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_index.cfm?hint=3&DR_ID=58436

2009-05-13

Administration News - President Obama's Budget Request Includes $828B for HHS President Obama on Thursday presented Congress with a detailed budget plan for the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1, which intends to reduce expenditures through changes to the Medicare program and improve federal food safety efforts, CQ Today reports. The plan would allocate $828 billion for HHS in FY 2010, inc www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_index.cfm?hint=3&DR_ID=58379

2009-05-08

Capitol Hill Watch - Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report Highlights Health Reform News Several newspapers recently highlighted news about people involved in health care reform. Summaries appear below.Reps. Rob Andrews (D-N.J.), Frank Pallone (D-N.J.): Andrews and Pallone -- chairs of the House Education and Labor Health, Employment, Labor and Pensions Subcommittee, and House Energy and Commerc www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_index.cfm?hint=3&DR_ID=57994

2009-04-14

Coverage & Access - New Report Examines Public Plan Option A public insurance option for middle-income families would help decrease the number of uninsured U.S. residents, but it also could put private insurance plans out of business, according to a Lewin Group study released Monday, the AP/Seattle Post-Intelligencer reports. Depending on how the plan was configured www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_index.cfm?hint=3&DR_ID=57901

2009-04-07

Capitol Hill Watch - Congressional Progressive Caucus Issues Letter Stating Majority of Members Will Only Support Health Reform That Includes Public Plan Option A majority of members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus will not support any health reform legislation that does not include a public plan option, according to a letter sent on Thursday by CPC co-chairs Reps. Lynn Woosley (D-Calif.) and Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.) to Democratic leaders in the House and Se www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_index.cfm?hint=3&DR_ID=57857

2009-04-03

Administration News - HHS Names Panel of 15 Experts To Advise Government on Spending for Comparative Effectiveness Research HHS on Thursday named 15 members to a panel that will advise the government on how to spend the $1.1 billion in federal stimulus funding dedicated to comparing the effectiveness of medical treatments, Reuters/Boston Globe reports. The stimulus package, signed into law by President Obama last month, includes www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_index.cfm?hint=3&DR_ID=57590

2009-03-20

Capitol Hill Watch - More Than 40 Lawmakers Sign Letter Asking CMS To Reverse Decision on Medicare Coverage for Virtual Colonoscopies More than 40 members of Congress have signed a letter asking CMS to reverse its tentative decision to end Medicare coverage for virtual colonoscopies, or CT colonographies, CQ HealthBeat reports. CMS announced the decision on Feb. 11 based on a lack of evidence that virtual colonoscopies result in improved h www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_index.cfm?hint=3&DR_ID=57515

2009-03-17

Medicare - MedPAC Pledges Support for CMS Risk Score Adjustment for MA Reimbursements The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission in a letter dated March 5 stated that it supports a CMS proposal to adjust the scale used to determine the reimbursement rate for Medicare Advantage plans based on how sick a beneficiary is, CQ HealthBeat reports. The process, known as risk adjustment, allocates a ris www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_index.cfm?hint=3&DR_ID=57381

2009-03-09

Administration News - At Summit, President Obama Says He's Open to Compromise on His Health Care Proposal, New York Times Reports President Obama on Thursday during a White House health care summit 'indicated for the first time that he was open to compromise on details of the proposal he put forth in the 2008 campaign,' the New York Times reports (Pear/Stolberg, New York Times, 3/6). Obama at the summit reiterated his goal 'to enact co www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_index.cfm?hint=3&DR_ID=57350

2009-03-06

Medicaid - Rhode Island Governor Drops Medicaid Consultant Plans Rhode Island Gov. Don Carcieri (R) has canceled plans to hire a private consulting firm to lead the state's massive Medicaid overhaul under the so-called 'global Medicaid waiver,' and instead will use a team of state employees to provide oversight, the Providence Journal reports (Peoples, Providence Journal, www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_index.cfm?hint=3&DR_ID=57302

2009-03-04