WASHINGTON – The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) recommended Thursday that Congress reduce Medicare payment rates for nonemergent hospital visits to be the same as payments made for equivalent services delivered at doctor’s offices.
As hospitals acquire physicians’ practices in record numbers, more and more routine visits and consultations are taking place in hospital outpatient departments for which Medicare currently pays a higher reimbursement rate than for visits in a traditional office setting.
“America’s hospitals are very disappointed with the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission’s (MedPAC) recommendations regarding changes in Medicare payment to hospitals,” said American Hospital Association President and CEO Richard Umbdenstock in a statement on the AHA’s website. “Cutting hospital reimbursement for evaluation and management services in hospital outpatient departments threatens patient access to care that is not otherwise available in a community.”
“The cuts to outpatient services in addition to other MedPAC recommended reductions ultimately would jeopardize patient access to unique, vital care,” continued Umbdenstock in the statement. “The country continues
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Over the past few months, the Citi ThankYou Rewards program has been vastly improved. The value of ThankYou Reward points earned has been increased substantially as has the overall quality of promotional offers made available to new customers. At present, there are three different Citi ThankYou cards available and four different offers to choose from. Here, we’ll take a look at these offers and consider who can benefit the most from the various promotions.
While the basic Citi ThankYou card is lacking in the sign-up bonus relative to other offers, it does presently offer the longest 0% introductory period of any rewards credit card on the market. With a 0% APR for 15 months on balance transfers and purchases, this ThankYou card is definitely the best option for consumers who currently have credit card debt – and can benefit from a 15 month balance transfer – as well as those who may incur some debt in the coming months.
Being locally owned since 1934, Bellevue State Bank knows how to treat their customers right and does so by providing accounts with great rates. If you are looking for a savings account that requires a low minimum opening deposit plus a stable rate, then consider Bellevue State Bank Savings account.
For the second year in a row, Discover is running a limited time 0% APR no fee balance transfer promotion. This is one of only two no fee balance transfer offers presently on the market and it is substantially better than the competing offer from Chase.
M&I Bank, or also known as Marshall and Ilsely Bank, gets its uncommon name from its founder Samuel Marshall. In the beginning, M&I Bank operated as an exchange brokerage under the name of Samuel Marshall and Co. In 1849, Marshall partnered with Charles Ilsley and the pair created the company known as today Marshall and Ilsley.