Industry News
 Medical news from the Government section of the news source for America's physicians
Updated: 1 hour 8 min ago Medicare pay patches persist as medicine demands long-term fixThe latest plan would delay the pay cut until Oct. 1. Some physicians say they are getting tired of repeatedly being taken to the brink.
Medicare pay formula needs repair, Sebelius saysRep. Michael Burgess, MD, and Surgeon General Regina Benjamin, MD, also spoke at the annual AMA conference. Topics included health reform, obesity and violence prevention.
Legal immigrants sue when left out of Mass. health planHealth reform expanded coverage, but lawmakers had to scale it back to balance the 2009 budget. A lawsuit claims that was unconstitutional.
Stricter training urged for imaging, radiationRadiologists urge accreditation standards that would link Medicare pay to a practitioner's training.
EMR certification proposal outlines path to "meaningful use"Concerns about safety issues from health IT malfunctions could result in more federal oversight.
Medical product research, approval get new push from NIH, FDABesides offering an expedited process, the agencies' new council hopes to improve the safety, efficacy and quality of new treatments.
Insurer antitrust exemption would end under House billBut the move would not increase competition among health plans, said an insurance industry association, citing nonpartisan research.
Medicare physician pay cut delayed as Senate clears logjamThe 21% reduction will return April 1 unless Congress delays it further. The Senate is considering a bill to make Oct. 1 the new deadline.
Liability reform gets nod in Obama proposal after health summitThe president said he was open to expanding liability reform pilots and to three additional GOP ideas raised at the White House meeting.
Medicare PECOS deadline extended againDoctors now have until the end of the year to ensure that they are current on the Medicare enrollment system and avoid claims denials.
CMS to undergo major restructuringThe agency still lacks a permanent administrator but has a new second-in-command. A new office will target program fraud.
Per capita spending for immigrant health care far less than for U.S. citizensProgram eligibility restrictions and economic conditions restrain health care access for noncitizens, a new study says.
Health status varies by county: Where patients live mattersA report detailing the first-ever county breakdown in each state finds wide disparities in health standings and notes factors contributing to those rankings.
Obama health reform proposal builds on previous legislationThe plan further develops provisions from Senate and House bills, but Republicans found much to criticize in advance of a White House summit.
Health reform is top ACP priority in annual status reportThe physician organization also says President Obama can begin enacting meaningful changes on his own before any action from Congress.
Medicare pay-for-reporting still gets bad grades from physiciansA new poll of practice managers finds PQRI report cards remain difficult to obtain and are of little value.
Colorado IPA, FTC settle over allegations of price-fixingThe agreement highlights the dangers of negotiating jointly with payers without showing evidence of clinical integration, experts said.
Federal EMR money starts flowing to statesA new office under the national health IT chief will work with small group practices in adopting and implementing paperless systems.
Oklahoma physicians see Medicaid pay cut reducedA budget agreement lowers a planned cut, yet some physicians worry that this will still reduce patient access. Government officials predict possible future cuts.
Senate fails to stop 21% Medicare pay cut -- for nowCMS says claims from physicians will be held until March 15 to give the Senate more time to act. The AMA predicts a "Medicare meltdown."
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