According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, Medicare spending for 2016 is expected to reach $560 billion and is projected to continue to increase exponentially with Medicare spending costs soaring to $866 billion by 2024. If these projections are accurate, there’s growing concern among many economists that the Medicare program will soon be insolvent. In an…
On April 11, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced its largest-ever initiative to, in its words “transform and improve how primary care is delivered and paid for in America”. The effort, the Comprehensive Primary Care Plus (CPC+) model, will be implemented on January 1, 2017 in up to 20 regions. It will…
While, thankfully, reports of kidnappings and hostage takings are extremely rare on U.S. soil, U.S. companies and governmental entities are increasingly becoming targets of extortion cyber attacks called rasomware attacks. Using encryption viruses that are often disguised as email links or attachments, would-be thieves are able to access “compromised computer files” and essentially hold them…
The complex nature of billing practices within the health care field makes it particularly vulnerable to errors and possible acts of fraud. In cases where a hospital or nursing home employee believes that an employer is engaging in dishonest financial practices aimed to defraud the federal government, a lawsuit may be filed under the False…
Has your insurance company denied coverage or reimbursement of you or your family member’s mental health or substance abuse service claims? In light of the recent New York Attorney General settlements with insurance companies for violations of the federal and New York state mental health parity laws, insurance companies need to take a hard look…
The rise of social media has forever changed not only how individuals communicate with one another in their personal lives, but also how businesses communicate to and with consumers. Traditionally viewed as a more informal and personal means of communication; hospitals, nursing homes and other health care facilities must walk a fine line when attempting…
Within recent decades, there’s been growing concern about the rising costs of health care and the lack of transparency on the parts of physicians, hospitals and insurance providers with regard to those costs. While some states have taken steps to compel health care providers, facilities and private insurance companies to provide detailed information related to…
Increasingly in industries, workplaces and households around the world, privacy is becoming a longed-for relic of the past. While one’s right to privacy was previously assumed; from an individual’s personal identifying information to a bank’s list of security codes— in today’s digital age information is easily and readily discovered and shared. When it comes to…
Most individuals who endure the years of schooling and training it takes to become a full-fledged medical doctor do so because they want to help people. As with many professionals, despite all of their professional training, physicians are often ill-prepared for many of the realities that come with the job. Along with the physical, mental…
For individuals who are age 65 and older or who are permanently disabled, Medicare provides vital health insurance coverage to help pay for doctor visits, medical procedures, hospital stays, physical therapy, prescription drugs and medical equipment. According to The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, during 2014, Medicare spending totaled $597 billion and accounted for 14…