Much of the spending growth in Medicare physician services is due to an increase in the volume and intensity of physicians' services rather than the result of changes in Medicare's payment rates, a Congressional Budget Office (CBO) analysis concludes. Read more »
John K. Iglehart is stepping down September 4 as the editor of Health Affairs, the journal he founded 25 years ago to bring the work of academia to the attention of the healthy policy community broadly and to Congress in particular. Read more »
Two key creators of the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) released their goals for reauthorization of the program, which expires Sept. 30. Sens. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., and Orrin G. Hatch, R-Utah, said in a statement that they support an increase in the federal tobacco tax as a funding source for SCHIP, and say that children must be its primary focus. Read more »
A bipartisan group of House members has introduced legislation to expand a prescription drug discount program that benefits low-income individuals. The measure would expand Medicaid's "340B" drug program to allow more hospitals and community health centers to purchase drugs at discounted rates. Read more »
Based on the budget recommendations of the nation's governors, Medicaid spending will grow by 5.8 percent in fiscal 2008, down from an expected growth rate of 6.6 percent in fiscal 2007, according to a new survey. Read more »
The Senate Finance Committee may mark up legislation the week of June 11 to reauthorize the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), but full Senate action is not expected before the July Fourth recess, senators said. Read more »