Latest California Healthline Stories
Judge Bars Recovery of Erroneous Reimbursements
A federal judge said that many Medicare beneficiaries who received the reimbursements might qualify for repayment waivers under federal law because returning the funds might cause financial hardship. New York Times et al.
Tenet Enters Into Integrity Agreement With HHS
Tenet must maintain its existing code of conduct, formalize billing policies and provide compliance instruction to employees, contractors and the hospital’s governing board, among other provisions of a federal agreement. Bloomberg/Philadelphia Inquirer et al.
Medicare Physician Payment Reversal Expected
Members of a House committee have released a draft proposal that would increase physician Medicare reimbursements over three years, in addition to a bonus in 2008 and 2009 for physicians who agree to report quality-of-care information. Washington Post et al.
Accounting Rules Require Estimates of Retiree Health Benefits
The rules require public entities to disclose their retiree liabilities but do not mandate payments to offset the future cost of the benefits, which by 2020 could reach $31 billion for California public employers. San Jose Mercury News.