Medicare is a big deal for many people. It helps pay for health care, but how it pays can be confusing. Let's talk about how Medicare handles payments when a team of health care workers is involved. This team might include doctors and other health care professionals, like physician assistants or nurse practitioners. These folks are often called advance practice clini...
The flu shot is a simple and effective way to protect against the flu. However, not everyone is taking advantage of it. Some groups, like older Black and Hispanic adults, are not getting the flu shot as much as they should. This is a worry, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic has changed how people think about vaccines. Health experts are keeping an eye on this s...
Medicare Advantage (MA) has become a popular choice among seniors. More than half of Medicare beneficiaries have chosen MA over Traditional Medicare (TM). This shift raises questions about the quality of care, especially when it comes to cancer treatment. Radiotherapy is a common treatment for cancer patients. So, it is crucial to compare how often TM and MA use ra...
Veterans have a new option for health coverage. These are called Veteran Medicare Advantage affinity plans, or VMAPs. They are designed to attract veterans, including those who already have the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) coverage. This is a big change. Before this, there wasn't much info on what VMAPs offer or who joins them. There is a lot of confusio...
The spotlight is on Dr. Mehmet Oz, who is up for a big job. He is nominated to lead the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. But there's a twist. Some Democrats think he might not have paid his fair share of Social Security and Medicare taxes. They say he paid very little in 2022 and nothing in 2023, missing out on $440, 000 in taxes. Oz's team says he's follo...
Dr. Mehmet Oz, a former TV host and heart surgeon, is up for a big job. He wants to lead the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. This job is huge. It's about managing nearly $1. 5 trillion spent by the government on health insurance for seniors and low-income Americans. This includes Medicare, which covers around 65 million people, and Medicaid, which support...
Dr. Mehmet Oz is set to face some tough questions on Capitol Hill. He's up for a big job, leading the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid. This means he'd be in charge of a huge amount of money, nearly $1. 5 trillion, for federal healthcare spending. That's a lot of cash to manage. Oz is known for his TV show and his failed run for Senate in Pennsylvania. He lost to J...
Medicare's 60th anniversary is a big deal. It's not just about the program itself, but how it has navigated through different healthcare markets over the decades. Let's dive in. First off, when Medicare was first being debated, people thought of government programs and markets as complete opposites. This was a big mistake. They didn't see the potential for markets t...
Medicare Advantage has become a big part of the healthcare system. It all started with a major change in 2003. The government decided to boost private managed care plans for Medicare. This shift aimed to improve how Medicare benefits were delivered. The idea was to make things better for everyone. Let's talk about how this change has affected people who use Medicare...
Medicare, a program that has been around for 60 years, is a big deal. It provides health insurance to 67 million people, including seniors and those with disabilities. It's loved by people from all political backgrounds. It has also played a big role in increasing life expectancy and reducing health disparities. This program is a major source of income for hospitals,...