Renal Business Today

Medicare

MedPAC Appoints Four New Members

WASHINGTON–Gene L. Dodaro, Acting Comptroller General of the United States and head of the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), announced May 14 the appointment of four new members and the reappointment of two existing members to the Medicare Payment Advisory ...More
May 21, 2010
Posted in News, Government & Regulation
Reimbursement Changes Could Strengthen Fresenius

Next year’s proposed Medicare bundled-rate reimbursement changes could help Germany's Fresenius Medical Care to strengthen its already powerful role in the U.S. dialysis industry, according to Reuters News. Fresenius is the world’s largest dialysis provider. ...More
April 12, 2010
Posted in News, Business, Government & Regulation, Practice Management
Renal Care Ordered to Pay $19.4M for Billing Fraud

NASHVILLE, Tenn.—A federal judge ordered Renal Care Group, Renal Care Group Supply Company, and Fresenius Medical Care Holdings to pay $19.4 million because the group “recklessly disregarded federal law when billing the Medicare program for home dialysis supplies and ...More
March 23, 2010
Posted in News, Business, Government & Regulation
House Passes Health Reform Bill

The controversial U.S. health system transformation won approval on Capitol Hill late Sunday, as stated in a report in The Wall Street Journal.According to the report, "The House gave final passage to the Senate's health legislation on a climactic 219-to-212 vote, as ...More
March 22, 2010
Posted in News, Business, Government & Regulation
Bundling Decision Deadline

You may not be aware that the dialysis providers will have a one-time option to choose how fast to switch over to being reimbursed based on the new bundle. Not making an informed decision could hurt your bottom line. ...More
March 3, 2010
Posted in Articles, Business, Government & Regulation, Practice Management
NKF Launches Pre-Dialysis Medicare Education Benefit Promotion

NEW YORK—Helping patients make informed choices about their own health is the rationale behind the new Medicare pre-dialysis education benefit, and the National Kidney Foundation has developed a comprehensive curriculum to assist professionals in providing this patient ...More
February 24, 2010
Posted in News, Business, Government & Regulation, Practice Management
Ga. Legislator Introduces Bill to Help Transplant Patients

Sen. Don Thomas, (R-Dalton) introduced legislation that would help pay for dialysis and drugs needed after a kidney transplant. ...More
January 29, 2010
Posted in News, Business, Clinical & Pharma, Government & Regulation, Practice Management
CBO: Medicare Spending to Reach $528 Billion in 2010

Gross spending on the Medicare program is expected to total $528 billion in 2010, $735 billion in 2015, and $1,038 billion in 2020, according to the Congressional Budget Office. The CBO also expects for Medicare spending to rise (as a percentage of gross domestic product ...More
January 27, 2010
Posted in News, Business, Government & Regulation
‘Doughnut Hole’ Causes Seniors to Skip Diabetes Meds

LOS ANGELES—Medicare recipients with diabetes who have a gap in their Part D prescription drug benefits—known as the “doughnut hole”—have higher out-of-pocket drug costs and are less likely to stick to their medications than those who have ...More
January 7, 2010
Posted in News, Clinical & Pharma, Government & Regulation
Nearly Half of Dialysis Clinics Do Not Specify Hemoglobin Range

WASHINGTON—Only 56 percent of Medicare-certified dialysis clinics have anemia drug administration protocols in place that explicitly state a target hemoglobin range for patients, according to a recent government review of dialysis facilities. ...More
November 10, 2009
Posted in News, Business, Clinical & Pharma, Government & Regulation, Practice Management