Medicare
Mobile devices make it easier to store, share and steal medical records
MASSDEVICE ON CALL — Patient medical records are harder to keep safe when they’re stored on mobile devices like iPads and smartphones, but it’s not because of an innate vulnerability in mobile platforms – it’s because they’re easier to steal.
More than 116 cases of data breaches that exposed at least 500 patient records resulting from loss or theft were reported in less than two years, according to a Dept. of Health & Human report spanning Sept. 22, 2009, to May 8, 2011.
Defendants in $200 million Medicare scam plead guilty
MASSDEVICE ON CALL — Three Miami residents pleaded guilty to playing roles in the $200 million Medicare scam, the largest mental-health clinic con in U.S. history.
Joseph Valdes, 30, a marketer for the company, and James Edwards, 65, a recruiter, admitted to conspiracy to commit health care fraud and illegal kickbacks to patients.
A third defendant, Adriana Mejia, 40, pleaded guilty to money-laundering conspiracy.
Health care reform: The American Medical Assn. joins Congressional Republicans in challenging IPAB law
MASSDEVICE ON CALL — Congressional Republicans are getting help from the American Medical Assn. in challenging the validity of the controversial Independent Payment Advisory Board mandated by President Barack Obama’s health care overhaul.
The GOP and the AMA have renewed their attacks on the controversial panel, which they say has far too much power over health care reimbursement rates.
Imaging reimbursement cuts removed from displaced worker retraining bill
The Medical Imaging & Technology Alliance lauded a Senate Finance Committee decision to remove Medicare reimbursements cuts for imaging from trade bills containing the Trade Adjustment Assistance extension program.
MITA has been vocal about the dangers of cutting imaging funds, which Congress has considered as a measure to provide funding for the displaced worker retraining program that’s packaged with trade agreements with South Korea, Colombia and Panama.
The program is expected to cost about $7.2 billion over 10 years, if renewed at 2009 levels.
Diabetes rates doubled in 30 years
MASSDEVICE ON CALL —The incidence of adults worldwide with diabetes has more than doubled over the last 30 years, according to a study published by the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston and Imperial College London.
The number of adults with diabetes rose from 153 million in 2008 to 347 million in 2008.
About 70 percent of the rise can be attributed to populating growth and aging, but the rest is driven by obesity, a direct result of worsening diets, researchers said.
Medtronic’s sales may slide on allegations of Infuse cover-up
MASSDEVICE ON CALL — New allegations against Medtronic Inc.’s (NYSE:MDT) Infuse bone growth product may bring down its sales, which were last reported at $800 million per year.
Amid an ongoing investigation into whether Medtronic and its paid consultants concealed information linking the Infuse system to male infertility, a critical review published in the Spine Journal alleged that researchers on the company’s payroll also hid the product’s tendency to cause excess bone growth in the spinal canal.
Medicare: Congressmen urge Donald Berwick to use caution with ACOs
Two congressmen are lobbying Medicare chief Donald Berwick to use caution when implementing accountable care organizations for fear that the new payment programs for doctors established by the healthcare reform act could lead to rationing of care and have a chilling effect on medical innovation.
Home health care gets bipartisan bump
A bipartisan group of Representatives is driving a bill to empower physician assistants, nurse practitioners and certified midwives to order home health care services for Medicare recipients.
The bill, sponsored by Reps. Allyson Schwartz (D-Pa.) and Greg Walden (R-Ore.) and 26 others, is designed to allow more care providers to offer home services rather than send seniors and disabled patients to nursing homes.
The Reps. urged the need for timely access to home services that are less costly and more convenient for Medicare recipients with reduced mobility.
Credit card companies teach Medicare a thing or two
Medicare anti-fraud strategies are getting a serious boost by taking notes from credit card companies.
On the heels of White House initiatives to cut waste, fraud and abuse, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced last week that they’re doing away with their "pay and chase" strategy and opting for a proactive screening process that flags suspicious claims before they are paid.
Doctor group warns against Medicare imaging cuts
The American Medical Assn. cautioned Congress against new bids to cut Medicare payments for imaging tests, warning that the initiative could reducing payments to primary care physicians and drive imaging services into more expensive hospital settings.