BACKGROUND In the United States, over 1,650,000 new cases of cancer are being diagnosed yearly with almost 50 % of them being the top five bone-seeking cancers. Since cancer risk increases with age, this suggests that orthopedic oncology services may be a strain on the Medicare system. The femur is the most common site of long bone metastases. Prophylactic fixation techniques prevent pathologic...

OBJECTIVES Private insurance plans typically reimburse doctors of chiropractic for a range of clinical services, but Medicare reimbursements are restricted to spinal manipulation procedures. Medicare pays for evaluations performed by medical and osteopathic physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, podiatrists, physical therapists, and occupational therapists; however, it does not ...

BACKGROUND In the United States, patients who enroll in chemotherapy trials seldom reflect the attributes of the general population with cancer, as they are often younger, more functional, and have less comorbidity. We compared survival following three chemotherapy regimens according to the setting in which care was delivered (ie, clinical trial vs usual care) to determine the generalizability ...

The Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey (MCBS) is a longitudinal survey of a nationally-representative sample of Medicare enrollees. The survey collects information on a variety of topics, including beneficiaries' health status; health care use and financing; and social, economic, and demographic characteristics. Medicare administrative data is regularly coupled with the information collected t...

Although 3 organizations have achieved "deemed status" with respect to accreditation of ambulatory surgical facilities, only Medicare may grant certification. An initial accreditation review also may be combined with a Medicare certification review. However, Medicare requirements can be quite rigorous, especially with regard to the physical plant layout. (Aesthetic Surg J 2001; 21:375-376.).

With policymakers calling for reforms to ensure Medicare beneficiaries continue to have access to care without bankrupting the Medicare Trust Fund, it is hard to know how changes to the system will affect cancer care delivery. This primer provides oncologists with context for the Medicare reform debates anticipated in the coming months.

ONTENTS: MEDICARE-MEDICAID REIMBURSEMENT REFORM ACT INTRODUCED AAMC TESTIFIES ON ADMINISTRATION'S COST CONTAINMENT BILL MEDICARE PROPOSES NEW LIMITS ON ROUTINE SERVICE COSTS MEDICARE PROPOSES REGS FOR NEW BASIS FOR ALLOCATING MALPRACTICE COSTS BILL INTRODUCED TO DEFINE INTERNS AND RESIDENTS AS EMPLOYEES MORE LEGISLATION TO DELAY SECTION 227 IMPLEMENTATION INTRODUCED KENNEDY SUBMITS HEALTH PLANN...

T he requirements for Medicare coverage are stringent. The therapist's charting is the only means by which a Medicare reviewer can judge the progress of patients. Reimbursement is denied when skilled care or patient progress is not documented. With a clear understanding of the Medicare guidelines, occupational therapists will be better able to document services and record patient progress to en...

BACKGROUND Medicare Part D, introduced in January 2006, was intended to decrease beneficiaries' out-of-pocket expenditures on medications. METHODS We examined whether this policy was successful in achieving this goal, including effects on Medicare beneficiaries without previous drug coverage and those who previously received coverage through Medicaid, in a longitudinal study of out-of-pocket ...

Amid continued attention toward cutting the cost of Medicare, medical imaging continues to be an area that legislators focus on for reducing expenditures, which ultimately affects the amount of money available in health care facilities to provide services and pay personnel. These issues support the need for medical imaging and radiation therapy professionals to understand how the Medicare progr...