Latest California Healthline Stories
Feds Join Lawsuit Alleging Sutter Health Padded Revenue With False Patient Data
The whistleblower complaint says that Sutter, one of the largest health systems in the U.S., exaggerated how sick certain Medicare patients were in order to collect higher payments from the government-funded program.
Medicare Cuts Payments To Nursing Homes Whose Patients Keep Ending Up In Hospital
The incentive program to discourage nursing homes from discharging patients too quickly will also give bonuses to facilities with fewer rehospitalizations.
Feds Order More Weekend Inspections Of Nursing Homes To Catch Understaffing
Medicare instructs inspectors to look for staffing inadequacies in homes that report suspiciously low numbers of registered nurses and weekend workers.
Look-Up: Medicare’s Bonuses And Penalties For Nursing Homes In California
The federal government is issuing bonuses and penalties to skilled nursing facilities based on how often their patients are readmitted to hospitals within a month of being discharged.
Podcast: KHN’s ‘What The Health?’ Reading The Tea Leaves In Blue Wave’s Wake
In this episode of KHN’s “What the Health?” Mary Agnes Carey of Kaiser Health News, Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times, Alice Ollstein of Politico and Anna Edney of Bloomberg News discuss the impact of House Democratic leadership elections and their impact on health policy; as well as efforts by the Trump administration to address high drug prices and ensure the safety of medical devices. Plus, Julie Rovner interviews KHN’s Jay Hancock about the latest “Bill of the Month.”
Chronically Ill, Traumatically Billed: The $123,000 Medicine For MS
Shereese Hickson’s doctor wanted her to try the infusion drug Ocrevus for her multiple sclerosis. Even though Hickson is trained as a medical billing coder, she was shocked to see two doses of the drug priced at $123,019, with her share set at $3,620.
Podcast: KHN’s ‘What The Health?’ Health Nerd Books For The Holidays
In this episode of KHN’s “What the Health?” Julie Rovner of Kaiser Health News, Stephanie Armour of The Wall Street Journal, Joanne Kenen of Politico and Anna Edney of Bloomberg News discuss the latest on open enrollment for the Affordable Care Act and Medicare; new moves by the Food and Drug Administration to regulate tobacco and nicotine products; and whether House Democrats will pursue a “Medicare-for-all” bill in the next Congress. Plus, for extra credit, the panelists recommend their favorite health policy books for your holiday reading and gifting pleasure.
Trumpeted New Medicare Advantage Benefits Will Be Hard For Seniors To Find
Federal officials are hailing the introduction of services such as transportation to medical appointments, home-delivered meals and installation of wheelchair ramps as a way to keep beneficiaries healthy and avoid costly hospitalizations. But not many plans are offering the services in 2019.
Midterm Results Show Health Is Important To Voters But No Magic Bullet
Even though they are taking control of the House, Democrats will be unlikely to advance many initiatives on health that don’t meet Republican approval since the GOP controls the Senate and the White House. But they can block any efforts to weaken the Affordable Care Act or change Medicaid or Medicare.
Beyond The Buzz: What Do Americans Mean By ‘Medicare-For-All’?
KHN’s news analysis on “Medicare-for-all” sparks a broader conversation.
