Sen. Mark Kirk, Republican of Illinois, suffered a debilitating stroke on Monday, a tragedy for him and his family. Ironically, it occurred on the eve of one of the more important Medicare meetings of the year, which convened Wednesday at the Baltimore headquarters of the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services to discuss the best ways to prevent strokes in at-risk older adults.
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)
Cardiologists charged with Medicare fraud in over-stenting cases
A whistle-blower lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for Western Pennsylvania accuses 5 cardiologists of defrauding Medicare by performing unnecessary cardiac procedures.
Wash. governor and 11 attorneys general defend health law | MassDevice.com On Call
MASSDEVICE ON CALL — Washington state governor Christine Gregoire joined 11 state attorney generals in voicing defense for the individual insurance mandate in President Barack Obama’s health care overhaul.
The group filed documents in support of the mandate with the U.S. Supreme Court, where challenges to the health law are expected to undergo initial arguments in March.
Each filed a separate amicus brief, Law360.com reported, including Gregoire and Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley.
The war on health care fraud needs a champion
Regular readers of this blog know how much importance I attach to the war on waste, fraud and abuse in the Medicare and Medicaid programs (see posts here and here).
Anyone who cares deeply about providing health care for all our citizens needs to make this a high priority, since taxpayers won’t long support those in need if the programs that deliver services aren’t protected from theft.
Raising the Medicare eligibility age would save $148B | MassDevice.com On Call
MASSDEVICE ON CALL — Raising the Medicare eligibility age to 67 would save the federal government roughly $147 billion but shift costs to seniors, according to a report from the Congressional Budget Office.
The age increase has been on the table in most budget cut talks since the Republicans took over House majority in the last election, and President Obama supported the idea during budget talks in the fall.
MassDevice.com +3 | MassDevice Q&A with Medtronic CEO Omar Ishrak, Judge strikes down Conceptus’ injuction against Hologic and CMS blames economy for health care spending drop
Say hello to MassDevice +3, a bite-sized view of the top three med-tech stories of the day. This latest feature of MassDevice.com’s coverage highlights our three biggest and most influential stories from the day’s news to make sure you’re up to date on the headlines that continue to shape the medical device industry.
If you read nothing else today, make sure you’re still in the know with MassDevice +3.
Health care spending at 50 year low, economy to blame | MassDevice.com On Call
MASSDEVICE ON CALL — Health care spending grew only 3.8% in 2009 and 3.9% in 2010, the smallest spending increase in 50 years.
The rate of growth in the health care sector has slowed every year since 2002, but the rates in 2009 and 2010 were especially pronounced, according to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services national health expenditure report.
Santorum takes aim at Medicare | MassDevice.com On Call
MASSDEVICE ON CALL — Republican presidential hopeful Rick Santorum told CNN that he supports privatizing Medicare and wants to eliminate the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
Santorum said that private-sector competition should completely replace the government’s role in health care.
Health IT spending will grow $2B in the next 4 years | MassDevice.com On Call
MASSDEVICE ON CALL — The federal government’s health care IT spending is set to increase from $4.5 billion in 2011 to $6.5 billion by 2016, according to a research study by Deltek.
Amid budget cuts across the rest of the federal spectrum, the health IT market will grow largely due to rising health care costs, an aging population and high unemployment rates.
MassDevice.com +3 | U-Wisc. chair under fire for MDT ties, Texas medical supplier gets 12 years, FDA bans Oridion-shares fall 40%
Say hello to MassDevice +3, a bite-sized view of the top three med-tech stories of the day. This feature of MassDevice.com’s coverage highlights our three biggest and most influential stories from the day’s news to make sure you’re up to date on the headlines that continue to shape the medical device industry.
If you read nothing else today, make sure you’re still in the know with MassDevice +3. And Happy New Year from the MassDevice team!
Texas medical supplier gets 12 years in Medicaid fraud case | Legal News
A Texas judge slapped a former medical equipment supplier with more than 12 years in jail and ordered him to repay the nearly $1.5 million he bilked from the government in a scheme to defraud the federal Medicaid insurance program.
A federal grand jury in 2009 indicted Benjamin Essien and his sister, Rose Essien, alleging that they routinely billed Medicaid for equipment they never delivered or delivered short of what they billed for. The indictment also accused the siblings of providing medical supplies to patients that weren’t prescribed or needed.