This Week in Medicare…
The following is a wrap-up of stories in the news about Medicare, Medicare Supplement Insurance Plans and Medicare Prescription Drug Plans:
Good news for Medicare beneficiaries battling cancer; according to The New York Times, The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) promises to continue to pay for two expensive cancer drugs. Recently the FDA reneged the two drugs’ approval as a treatment for cancer. Don McLeod, a spokesperson for CMS said, “The label change will not affect our coverage.”
One perk of Medicare and Medicare Supplement Insurance is the benefit of hospice care. It has come to attention that some for-profit hospice companies are misusing this benefit to receive more money for terminally ill patients. Kaiser Health News points out that, “Medicare’s bill for hospice care rose to more than $12 billion in 2009 from $2.9 billion in 2000.” With plans to cut Medicare spending, this paints a grim future for hospice care and Medicare. The situation could also stress the importance of honing in on Medicare fraud to save benefits such as these for people who actually need it.
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