A new study of hospice care in the United States shows that Hospice services are able to save money for Medicare and bring superior care to patients with chronic illnesses and their families, according to a release from Kaua‘i Hospice. The study done by the Duke University had appeared in the October 2007 issue of the professional journal Social Science & Medicine and had included the following observations:
For one, Hospice has helped reduce Medicare costs by an average of $2,309 per hospice patient. And the use of hospice has decreased Medicare expenditures for people who suffer from cancer until the 233rd day of care and for non-cancer patients until the 153rd day of care. Medicare costs have been reduced for 7 out of 10 hospice recipients if hospice has been used for a longer duration. And by increasing the length of hospice by just three days, the savings due to hospice increases by nearly 10%, from around $2,300 to $2,500 per hospice user. Read more…
People who are very obese who need a kidney transplant have lower chances of getting a kidney than those who are not. And if their name does pop up on a waiting list, it is after an average of 12-18 months, according to a new study.
The reason behind this trend is both medical and economical. People who are very obese have far greater chances for complications, and the additional cost to bear these problems fall onto the transplant centers. The study shows that patients who average around 100 pounds over their ideal weight were 44% less likely to get a transplant while those who are just slightly obese were 28% less likely to get a transplant. Read more…
The Southwest Kansas Area Agency on Aging had combined itself with the Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services for a Medicare Part D Fall Annual Enrollment event on The 12th of December 2007 at Dodge City. The event was held at The Learning Center, 308 West Frontview Street, on US 50 Bypass next to True Value.
People were advised to bring their Medicare cards, their list of medications, dosage and how they were administered. Social Security and SRS was available to check whether beneficiaries could qualify for Extra Help or Medicare Savings Programs. The federal and state programs assisted people with Medicare who were not capable of affording their prescription drug costs. Read more…
The legislation that could thwart middle-class U.S. citizens from paying the alternative minimum tax was moved to the House floor recently and did not contain any of the Medicare provisions that would hold up the scheduled 10% fee cut for physicians. Senate Finance Committee Chair Max Baucus had said that, “Medicare probably has to go with AMT” as the measure is “very bipartisan”. However, the House made the conclusion to move along with the AMT measure derailing one of the best options for a Medicare package and increases the possibility that the Medicare physician fee cut will take effect Jan. 1, 2008. Read more…
On December 18, 2007, the U.S. Senate unanimously passed the Medicare, Medicaid and SCHIP (State Children’s Health Insurance Program) Extension Act of 2007 (S.2499). Besides other points, the Act thwarts the 10.1 percent cut to Medicare physician payments beginning on January 1, 2008 and as an alternative, gives a 6-month 0.5 percent increase for physicians through June 30, 2008. With the Act, the physician payment changes would be offset by an adjustment to the Medicare Advantage stabilization fund. The Act has been sent to the U.S. House of Representatives. Read more…
If one subscribes to the Medicare Advantage plans then you are opting out of the traditional Medicare plan and choosing a fee for a service insurance plan which is managed by a private company and not by the federal government. The private companies gain as they now get all the money that social security deducts from Plan A and B and from the government for taking care of our health care.
For information on this Plan C you need to talk to your local senior center and even the companies who sell these plans. What cannot be ignored is the fact that if you need medial attention and you have the Medicare Advantage Plan then first you must check to see if the physician or medical center you wish to go to will accept this plan or not. If it does not then you have to find one which does which is not easy. Read more…
The federal health insurance program in place for people over 65 and the disabled – Medicare covers care of the outpatient and visits to the doctor. Last January there were surcharges added to Part B of this program.
The reason for this increase in surcharge has been defined as a way of increasing the percentage of cost care which is paid by the richer Medicare receivers. As per tradition the government would pay 75% and the individual 25%. But for high income people it now ranges from 35%, 50%, 65% or even 80% of the cost of the program. The extra funds help Medicare augment doctor reimbursements, other providers and fund growing bills. Read more…
Colon cancer is the second major cause of cancer deaths. According to the latest reports from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, less than 50% of Americans who are over the age of 50 have had a screening of the colon done.
Now when this is broken up, the picture that emerges is even clearer. Among the whites, there was no screening done for over 47%, while for the blacks it was over 55%. Among the Hispanics though, the figure goes to a little under 70% and this rises even further when it comes to older people who are not insured. Read more…
That change is necessary in a failing healthcare system is evident. When it is endorsed by 124,000 physicians which is what the American College of Physicians comprises of, it is perhaps imperative.
Thanks to an increase in administrative costs, healthcare costs continue spiraling upwards. Access to healthcare is getting worse and there are fewer and fewer primary-care physicians. This is why the ACP is backing this whole idea of a single-payer health care system. Congressman Dennis Kucinich who co-authored HR 676 or Medicare for All was very pleased with the support extended to this new healthcare reform by this large body of medical personnel. The bill, which was introduced in the beginning of 2007 has 86 cosponsors. Read more…
As it stands today, Medicare for seniors means treatment of ailments by doctors attached to the Medicare schemes. There does not seem to be any incentive for doctors to do more. Maybe it is a question of reimbursement. However, what most patients can expect right now is diagnosis of current ills and medication for them.
However, it might be a lot more fruitful in the long run if prevention of ailments were to be given importance. If seniors were given more information about fitness, prevention of heart problems and good nutrition, it would be better for them and better for all of us as a nation because of the considerable amount we could save on healthcare costs. Read more…
Well, that could be rather too drastic to contemplate. So many Medicare beneficiaries are in this terrible situation where they can’t seem to find doctors who will be reimbursed. When this affects the doctors they have been seeing, it really puts the fear into them.
Bad enough that old age finds a certain security in routine and familiar faces, but to have to go looking around for doctors who are disappearing off the Medicare list can be a daunting and tiring process. Read more…
Many seniors move to sunnier climes when they retire and this process seems to more a matter of how brightly the sun shines than whether or not their healthcare plans will change or not. Do these plans really change when someone moves from one place in the US to another?
The thing is that costs do vary from place to place and it might be a good idea if seniors were to look at this aspect as well when they decide to move after retiring. There should be a checklist that includes a lot more than just the weather though it is an important reason for the move. Read more…
Come mid-December and CMS or the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services will decide whether OSA or obstructive sleep apnea that is treated at home can be covered. This will mean a huge step forward for F & P Healthcare with its headquarters in New Zealand.
Fisher & Paykel Healthcare are among the leaders in treating OSA and they manufacture heated humidification devices which are used in respiratory care and portable monitoring machines. Under the Medicare conditions currently prevalent, anyone with this condition has to go to a registered laboratory to get it diagnosed and treated. Read more…
The first and most important thing to remember when it comes to Medicare fraud is not to give out any personal information. You might have people coming to your door trying to sell you Medicare products but you must remember that they can give you information about what they are selling – they have no right to ask you for any personal information and they do not have the authority to enroll you in any plan.
Just in case you are not sure about any plan, do call 1-800-MEDICARE and make sure. Whoever comes to the door selling plans has to do just that – he can give you or mail you information but he cannot sell you a plan at the door. So the onus is on you to keep yourself safe from anyone who is trying to steal your personal information. Keep tabs on your coverage plans and read the Medicare Summary Notice carefully, paying attention to all the items listed. Read more…
Being covered under Medicare can indeed be very convenient. With it, most of your medical expenses will be paid off and all your healthcare needs will be taken care of. However, you need to remember that Medicare has some gaps in its policies. There are certain areas that Medicare cannot cover. For this, you will need to get the Medicare Supplemental Insurance or Medigap.
Basically, Medigap is sold by private insurance companies to provide people the option to have an insurance policy that can cover the gaps that your original Medicare policy cannot cover. What this means is that Medigap will be able to help pay for the healthcare expenses incurred by you that your original Medicare plan does not cover. Read more…