One in three adults who are enrolled in Medicaid have high blood pressure, which costs the U.S. about $131 billion each year.
The use of self-measured blood pressure (SMBP) monitoring can help improve hypertension control and reduce costs, yet Medicaid coverage is insufficient in some states and remains a key access barrier to wider adoption of SMBP. That is something Maryland set out to change.
A new study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) late last week, compared hospitalization rates between Medicare fee-for-service and Medicare A. The study found MA had fewer avoidable hospitalizations for acute care than traditional Medicare, a trend that may be caused by shifting patients to other sites of care.
CPT is “not just a methodology for getting paid,” said Christopher Jagmin, MD, vice chair of the AMA CPT Editorial Panel and Aetna’s vice president of clinical policy, noting that “there is a great interest now in diversity and equity in how we deliver health care services to patients in this country and we need to recognize that in the development of our code set.”
Addressing rural health inequities is a cornerstone of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS’) effort to improve health equity. This article highlights some of CMS’ policies to support rural providers, improve access to care in rural areas, and support the transformation of the rural health delivery system.
Despite mask mandates expiring in states that had the strictest laws and the majority of Americans less conscious about practicing physical distancing, about 4 million Medicare patients received medical care through telehealth in each of the first two quarters in 2022, according to data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
Amazon unveiled a new $5 monthly subscription plan for U.S. Prime members that covers a range of generic drugs and includes delivery to consumers' doorsteps. Industry experts say the move is worth watching for how it lays the groundwork for the e-commerce giant's long-term healthcare and pharmacy strategy.
The COVID-19 public health crisis has disproportionately affected historically marginalized racial and ethnic groups, which Cook County Health in Chicago primarily serves. And leaders at the public health system became increasingly aware of another health issue that needed greater attention: high blood pressure.
According to predictions from industry stakeholders, this year could represent an inflection point for real-world utilization of artificial intelligence, and standards could raise for health data privacy and cybersecurity. Funding will continue to be available for startups this year, and the telehealth industry will be held to higher clinical standards as it’s used more frequently in care delivery.
This is a reversal from several years ago, when more Medicare Advantage beneficiaries switched to traditional Medicare, a recent report found. Medicare Advantage has grown in popularity over the last several years.
The Department of Veterans Affairs and Congress are continuing to support the rollout of the agency’s new electronic health record system, even as lawmakers remain concerned about the project’s cost and effectiveness.
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