Medicare News Blog - Care About Medicare http://www.medicarenews.net A news blog on all things Medicare. Fri, 09 Jan 2009 07:07:41 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 en National End-of-Life Organizations Release Consensus Statement On Hospice, The Medicare Hospice Benefit, And Key … http://www.medicarenews.net/national-end-of-life-organizations-release-consensus-statement-on-hospice-the-medicare-hospice-benefit-and-key-01-2009.htm http://www.medicarenews.net/national-end-of-life-organizations-release-consensus-statement-on-hospice-the-medicare-hospice-benefit-and-key-01-2009.htm#comments Fri, 09 Jan 2009 07:07:41 +0000 http://www.medicarenews.net/national-end-of-life-organizations-release-consensus-statement-on-hospice-the-medicare-hospice-benefit-and-key-01-2009.htm The National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization along with several national leadership organizations issued a consensus statement regarding the principles of hospice care and protection of the Medicare Hospice Benefit.

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]]> http://www.medicarenews.net/national-end-of-life-organizations-release-consensus-statement-on-hospice-the-medicare-hospice-benefit-and-key-01-2009.htm/feed Noridian Lands Big Medicare Contract http://www.medicarenews.net/noridian-lands-big-medicare-contract-01-2009.htm http://www.medicarenews.net/noridian-lands-big-medicare-contract-01-2009.htm#comments Thu, 08 Jan 2009 22:06:19 +0000 http://www.medicarenews.net/noridian-lands-big-medicare-contract-01-2009.htm Fargo-based Noridian Administrative services LLC will be handling more than 10 percent of the Medicare Part A and Part B claims Nationwide after landing another big contract.

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]]> http://www.medicarenews.net/noridian-lands-big-medicare-contract-01-2009.htm/feed Fargo firm lands Medicare contract for Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois http://www.medicarenews.net/fargo-firm-lands-medicare-contract-for-minnesota-wisconsin-illinois-01-2009.htm http://www.medicarenews.net/fargo-firm-lands-medicare-contract-for-minnesota-wisconsin-illinois-01-2009.htm#comments Thu, 08 Jan 2009 14:19:07 +0000 http://www.medicarenews.net/fargo-firm-lands-medicare-contract-for-minnesota-wisconsin-illinois-01-2009.htm BISMARCK, N.D. — Fargo-based Noridian Administrative services has landed another big Medicare contract.

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]]> http://www.medicarenews.net/fargo-firm-lands-medicare-contract-for-minnesota-wisconsin-illinois-01-2009.htm/feed Bravo Health inks Medicare Advantage pact with Providence Hospital http://www.medicarenews.net/bravo-health-inks-medicare-advantage-pact-with-providence-hospital-01-2009.htm http://www.medicarenews.net/bravo-health-inks-medicare-advantage-pact-with-providence-hospital-01-2009.htm#comments Thu, 08 Jan 2009 12:19:46 +0000 http://www.medicarenews.net/bravo-health-inks-medicare-advantage-pact-with-providence-hospital-01-2009.htm Baltimore-based Bravo Health, a company that manages private health plans, signed a contract this week with Providence Hospital in Washington, D.C.

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]]> http://www.medicarenews.net/bravo-health-inks-medicare-advantage-pact-with-providence-hospital-01-2009.htm/feed CMS Finalizes Medicare Rule That Aims To Stop Pharmacy Benefit Manager Practice That Inflates Drug Costs For Some … http://www.medicarenews.net/cms-finalizes-medicare-rule-that-aims-to-stop-pharmacy-benefit-manager-practice-that-inflates-drug-costs-for-some-01-2009.htm http://www.medicarenews.net/cms-finalizes-medicare-rule-that-aims-to-stop-pharmacy-benefit-manager-practice-that-inflates-drug-costs-for-some-01-2009.htm#comments Thu, 08 Jan 2009 09:09:01 +0000 http://www.medicarenews.net/cms-finalizes-medicare-rule-that-aims-to-stop-pharmacy-benefit-manager-practice-that-inflates-drug-costs-for-some-01-2009.htm CMS officials on Tuesday said that the agency has finalized a new rule that will restrict an approach used by pharmacy benefit managers that inflates prescription drug costs for some Medicare beneficiaries, the Wall Street Journal reports.

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]]> http://www.medicarenews.net/cms-finalizes-medicare-rule-that-aims-to-stop-pharmacy-benefit-manager-practice-that-inflates-drug-costs-for-some-01-2009.htm/feed CMS Finalizes Medicare Rule That Aims To Stop Pharmacy Benefit Manager Practice That Inflates Drug Costs For Some … http://www.medicarenews.net/cms-finalizes-medicare-rule-that-aims-to-stop-pharmacy-benefit-manager-practice-that-inflates-drug-costs-for-some-01-2009.htm http://www.medicarenews.net/cms-finalizes-medicare-rule-that-aims-to-stop-pharmacy-benefit-manager-practice-that-inflates-drug-costs-for-some-01-2009.htm#comments Thu, 08 Jan 2009 09:09:01 +0000 http://www.medicarenews.net/cms-finalizes-medicare-rule-that-aims-to-stop-pharmacy-benefit-manager-practice-that-inflates-drug-costs-for-some-01-2009.htm CMS officials on Tuesday said that the agency has finalized a new rule that will restrict an approach used by pharmacy benefit managers that inflates prescription drug costs for some Medicare beneficiaries, the Wall Street Journal reports.

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]]> http://www.medicarenews.net/cms-finalizes-medicare-rule-that-aims-to-stop-pharmacy-benefit-manager-practice-that-inflates-drug-costs-for-some-01-2009.htm/feed House Eliminates Medicare ‘Trigger’ In Rules Package http://www.medicarenews.net/house-eliminates-medicare-trigger-in-rules-package-01-2009.htm http://www.medicarenews.net/house-eliminates-medicare-trigger-in-rules-package-01-2009.htm#comments Thu, 08 Jan 2009 09:07:40 +0000 http://www.medicarenews.net/house-eliminates-medicare-trigger-in-rules-package-01-2009.htm The House on Tuesday voted 242-181 to approve an operating rules package that eliminates the Medicare trigger, which requires the president to submit a plan to contain Medicare costs if they reach a certain level, CQ Today reports. The trigger was approved as part of the 2003 Medicare law.

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]]> http://www.medicarenews.net/house-eliminates-medicare-trigger-in-rules-package-01-2009.htm/feed House Eliminates Medicare ‘Trigger’ In Rules Package http://www.medicarenews.net/house-eliminates-medicare-trigger-in-rules-package-01-2009.htm http://www.medicarenews.net/house-eliminates-medicare-trigger-in-rules-package-01-2009.htm#comments Thu, 08 Jan 2009 09:07:40 +0000 http://www.medicarenews.net/house-eliminates-medicare-trigger-in-rules-package-01-2009.htm The House on Tuesday voted 242-181 to approve an operating rules package that eliminates the Medicare trigger, which requires the president to submit a plan to contain Medicare costs if they reach a certain level, CQ Today reports. The trigger was approved as part of the 2003 Medicare law.

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]]> http://www.medicarenews.net/house-eliminates-medicare-trigger-in-rules-package-01-2009.htm/feed Geriatric Care Managers Meet with Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services to Improve Caregiving http://www.medicarenews.net/geriatric-care-managers-meet-with-center-for-medicare-medicaid-services-to-improve-caregiving-01-2009.htm http://www.medicarenews.net/geriatric-care-managers-meet-with-center-for-medicare-medicaid-services-to-improve-caregiving-01-2009.htm#comments Thu, 08 Jan 2009 08:16:16 +0000 http://www.medicarenews.net/geriatric-care-managers-meet-with-center-for-medicare-medicaid-services-to-improve-caregiving-01-2009.htm NAPGCM and NAELA representatives joined other opinion leaders in Washington, D.C. at the Center for Medicare & medicaid services‘ Thought Leaders Conference on Caregiving. Association officials discussed the increasing need for caregiving and the issues facing caregivers in the United States along with ideas to shape public policy.

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]]> http://www.medicarenews.net/geriatric-care-managers-meet-with-center-for-medicare-medicaid-services-to-improve-caregiving-01-2009.htm/feed Obama Promises Bid to Overhaul Retiree Spending http://www.medicarenews.net/obama-promises-bid-to-overhaul-retiree-spending-01-2009.htm http://www.medicarenews.net/obama-promises-bid-to-overhaul-retiree-spending-01-2009.htm#comments Thu, 08 Jan 2009 07:01:23 +0000 http://www.medicarenews.net/obama-promises-bid-to-overhaul-retiree-spending-01-2009.htm 07obama-75 Obama Promises Bid to Overhaul Retiree SpendingShould the president-elect take on a serious effort to address the growing costs of entitlement programs, he would be opening up a potentially risky battle.

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]]> http://www.medicarenews.net/obama-promises-bid-to-overhaul-retiree-spending-01-2009.htm/feed STUCK IN MEDICARE LIMBO http://www.medicarenews.net/stuck-in-medicare-limbo-01-2009.htm http://www.medicarenews.net/stuck-in-medicare-limbo-01-2009.htm#comments Thu, 08 Jan 2009 05:53:02 +0000 http://www.medicarenews.net/stuck-in-medicare-limbo-01-2009.htm Washington — Master toolmaker John McClain built machine parts with details so small they couldn’t be seen with the naked eye. Then a lump on his neck turned out to be cancer. Shalonda Frederick managed a bakery, and decorated cakes for special occasions.

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]]> http://www.medicarenews.net/stuck-in-medicare-limbo-01-2009.htm/feed Spending watchdog appointed by Obama Buying during deficit tough but necessary medicine http://www.medicarenews.net/spending-watchdog-appointed-by-obama-buying-during-deficit-tough-but-necessary-medicine-01-2009.htm http://www.medicarenews.net/spending-watchdog-appointed-by-obama-buying-during-deficit-tough-but-necessary-medicine-01-2009.htm#comments Thu, 08 Jan 2009 05:34:28 +0000 http://www.medicarenews.net/spending-watchdog-appointed-by-obama-buying-during-deficit-tough-but-necessary-medicine-01-2009.htm Washington — Pointing with concern to “red ink as far as the eye can see,” President-elect Barack Obama pledged Wednesday to tackle out-of-control Social Security and Medicare spending and named a special watchdog to clamp down on other federal programs — even as he campaigned anew to spend the largest pile of taxpayer money in history to revive the sinking economy.

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