Health care issues: Medicare cuts

October 12th, 2009 Health care issues: End-of-life decisionsA look at key issues in the health care debate: THE ISSUE: Would proposed health care legislation pay for counseling that might encourage elderly people to end their lives sooner than they might otherwise do? THE POLITICS: This became one of the summer's most explosive topics, with flatly untrue claims competing with mere exaggerations and often-confusing explanations. Pending House legislation would let Medicare reimburse doctors who consult with patients on end-of-life care.

October 1st, 2009 Health care issues: Medicare payments to doctorsA look at key issues in the health care debate: THE ISSUE: Should health care legislation include a so-called "doc fix" — funding to adjust Medicare reimbursements for doctors so that they don't face annual pay cuts? THE POLITICS: Democrats in the House and President Barack Obama have said they want health care legislation to include $245 billion to adjust Medicare payments for physicians. The money would ensure doctors' pay isn't cut, and solve a payment problem that Congress has fixed piecemeal for years.

September 22nd, 2009 Health care issues: Bundling paymentsA look at key issues in the health care debate: THE ISSUE: What can the government do to get doctors and hospitals to deliver cheaper medical services? THE POLITICS: Medicare's fee-for-service structure means that doctors, hospitals and other providers have a greater financial incentive to provide large quantities of medical services than to provide high-quality medical services. Democrats and the Obama administration want to change that, and use the savings to help pay for their health overhaul legislation and bring down medical costs over the long term.

September 16th, 2009 Details on costs of Baucus health care billA rundown of the new spending in Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus' health care overhaul bill, and a look at how it's paid for. The numbers are 10-year totals covering 2010-2019.

September 16th, 2009 HHS announces Medicare pilot programWASHINGTON — The Obama administration announced a new Medicare pilot program Wednesday to strengthen primary care services for patients and cut costly emergency room visits — by offering financial incentives to doctors. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said the three-year pilot plan is modeled after a program being tested in Vermont.

September 14th, 2009 Analyst: Amedisys, LHC upgraded on Medicare viewNEW YORK — A First Analysis Securities Corp. analyst upgraded shares of Amedisys Inc.

September 9th, 2009 Health care issues: Government spendingA look at key issues in the health care debate: THE ISSUE: Can taxpayers afford new subsidies to provide health insurance for millions in such a weak economy? THE POLITICS: With a comprehensive insurance policy averaging nearly $13,000 a year for a family, covering nearly 50 million uninsured doesn't come cheap. Estimates range from $100 billion to $150 billion a year.

September 9th, 2009 Obama: 'I will protect Medicare'WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama on Wednesday night promised to protect Medicare and reassured the elderly that Medicare funds would not be used to pay for a health care overhaul. The president said the plan would eliminate billions of dollars in waste and fraud and what he called the "unwarranted subsidies" that go to insurance companies.

August 24th, 2009 Republicans offer seniors health 'bill of rights'WASHINGTON — Republicans are targeting older Americans worried about President Barack Obama's health overhaul plans with a "seniors' health care bill of rights." The six principles outlined Monday by the Republican National Committee include protecting Medicare, prohibiting rationing of health care based on age and making sure government doesn't get between seniors and their doctors. The Obama administration has insisted repeatedly that it doesn't want to shrink Medicare benefits, ration care or reduce the role of doctors.

August 18th, 2009 AARP loses members over health care stanceWASHINGTON — About 60,000 senior citizens have quit AARP since July 1 due to the group's support for a health care overhaul, a spokesman for the organization said Monday. The membership loss suggests dissatisfaction on the part of AARP members at a time when many senior citizens are concerned about proposed cuts to Medicare providers to help pay for making health care available for all.

August 12th, 2009 AARP tells Obama: No health plan endorsement yetWASHINGTON — A group usually seen as one of Barack Obama's allies in the health care debate — AARP — says the president went too far Tuesday when he said the seniors lobby had endorsed the legislation pending in Congress. AARP is sensitive to the issue because polls show that Medicare beneficiaries are worried their health care program will be cut to subsidize coverage for the uninsured.

August 11th, 2009 Obama seeks to reassure seniors on health carePORTSMOUTH, N.H. — President Barack Obama is seeking to reassure the nation's seniors that health care overhaul won't mean cuts in Medicare.

August 11th, 2009 Obama defends ability of government on health carePORTSMOUTH, N.H. — President Barack Obama says Americans wary of a government-run health care plan should look no further than Medicare.

July 28th, 2009 Obama: Existing health system threatens MedicareWASHINGTON — President Barack Obama is telling participants in an online forum on health care that the current system and its skyrocketing costs are a threat to Medicare. Obama says the Medicare trust fund will be in the red and out of money in a decade unless Washington overhauls the system.

July 23rd, 2009 Obama says Medicare benefits won't be cutWASHINGTON — President Barack Obama says cutting Medicare costs won't mean cuts in benefits to seniors. He says his goal instead is to change how those benefits are delivered, to make them more efficient.