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1 in 3 California hospitalizations stem from diabetes: Study

Patients with diabetes account for one in three hospitalizations in California, according to a new study on diabetes prevalence in the state. The study highlights the impact the disease is having on health care costs.

Chronic Diseases
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2 Min Read

Pew got it wrong on advance care planning

There has been a lot of misinformation about advance care planning over the years. The latest in false reporting on this issue is told by Stateline, a news website run by the Pew Charitable Trusts. In an article that appeared this week about possible federal payment policy for advance care planning,

Medicare & Medicaid
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3 Min Read

Don't proceed with eRx and PQRS audits, AMA tells CMS

Following a Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announcement of a proposal to conduct audits of physicians and other eligible professionals who received incentive payments under the Medicare Physician Quality Reporting System and ePrescribing programs, the AMA called on the agency to abandon its plans because of numerous implementation problems.

Medicare & Medicaid
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2 Min Read

CMS suspends RAC audits, sets up physician safeguards

Physicians and hospitals will get a short reprieve from Medicare's recovery audit contractors, CMS recently announced.

Medicare & Medicaid
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Overriding doctor's orders-Case takes up hospital observation

A federal court case is shining light on the growing problem of inappropriately classifying hospital patients as “observation status” in an effort to cut down Medicare costs.

Judicial Advocacy
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Medical associations urge HHS to address Medicare appeals backlog

Following a January notice from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that Medicare appeals could be delayed for more than two years, the AMA and nearly 100 other organizations called on the Office of Medicare Hearings and Appeals (OMHA) to remedy the appeals backlog. 

Medicare & Medicaid
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2 Min Read

Controversial "two-midnight" rule delayed ... again

A confusing Medicare policy that creates a "two-midnight" stay benchmark to distinguish between observation care and short inpatient admissions has been partially delayed a third time.

Medicare & Medicaid
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