Open Enrollment Starts 10/15. Are You Ready for Open Enrollment? Prepare by Previewing 2023 Health and Drug Plans Now.

Medicare Open Enrollment runs from October 15 to December 7, 2022. During this time, people eligible for Medicare can compare 2023 coverage options on Medicare.gov. Medicare.gov provides clear, easy-to-use information, as well as an updated Medicare Plan Finder, to allow people to compare options for health and drug coverage, which may change from year to year.

Medicare Plan Finder was updated with the 2023 Medicare health and prescription drug plan information on Saturday, October 1, 2022 to allow people to begin previewing health and drug plans before the enrollment period opens on October 15. 1-800-MEDICARE is also available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to provide help in English and Spanish as well as language support in over 200 languages. People who want to keep their current Medicare coverage do not need to re-enroll.

To view options for health and drug coverage, please visit the Medicare Plan Finder on Medicare.gov.

 

Vote Now! 2022 APTACO Elections Now Open!

Voting is now open for the APTA Colorado Chapter 2022 elections and will conclude at 9:00am MT on Saturday, October 1st, 2022 during the annual conference. The results will be announced during the conference and online. Only current APTA Colorado Chapter PT and PTA members are permitted to vote. You will need your APTA Member Number and last name to login to vote. Please contact us at [email protected] if you have trouble logging in.

For more information on the candidates & to vote, click here

 

Run, Walk or Roll in 2022 Bob Doctor Fundraiser Virtual 5k!

When: Wednesday, September 28 - Sunday, October 9, 2022

The Bob Doctor Fundraiser is APTA CO's annual fundraiser done to honor the legacy of Bob Doctor and to raise support for the Colorado Chapter’s legislative advocacy activities. In addition to raising funds to support advocacy activities, proceeds of this event will also raise funds for scholarships given by the APTA CO Chapter. This year we will be holding a virtual 5K run/walk/roll fundraiser for all individuals throughout the state of CO to participate in! You will have from Wednesday September 28th through Sunday October 9th to complete the virtual 5K in your neighborhood, local park, gym, or wherever space you can think of!

You can either participate in a team or as an individual! The team who fundraises the most money will receive the Bob Doctor Trophy, and can display it in their clinic or school for the entire year.

Click here for more information & to register!

 

MedPAC Explores Standardized Plan Options in Medicare Advantage

Fierce Healthcare | By Robert King
 
Affordable Care Act (ACA) plans may not be the only ones to introduce standardized options, as a key advisory panel wants to apply a similar strategy to the popular Medicare Advantage (MA) program. 
 
The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC), which advises Congress on Medicare issues, is researching how standardized benefit options would work for MA. The goal is to include the findings in an annual report to Congress next year and explore how standardization could help simplify choice for seniors. 
 
“I think there’s some reasonable evidence about the challenges of choice,” said Michael Chernew, the commission chair, during the panel’s Thursday meeting.
 
MA plans are required to offer services under Medicare Parts A and B, but there are some differences based on cost-sharing and other supplemental benefit packages. The MA program has gained in popularity in recent years and with it an abundance of plan choices for seniors.
 
Commission staff gave an example of how standardized benefit packages work by breaking out three options based on how generous they were for cost-sharing. What types of plans would be subject to the standard package would have to be decided and could be vital.
 
“This requirement would aim to ensure a minimum level of access to standardized plans, but its impact could be limited if the plans that insurers are required to offer are unpopular,” said MedPAC staff member Eric Rollins.
 
Letting insurers offer both nonstandardized and the standard options could also help reduce any disruption for existing enrollees but could reduce any gains from standardization, he added. Only offering the standardized benefit plans, on the other hand, could cause too much disruption.
 
There could be a benefit to insurers, though, by avoiding paying a broker that guides seniors through different plan options. 
 
“There’s a huge financial incentive for them,” said commission member Lynn Barr.
 
However, some commission members were concerned about the impact standardization could have on plan innovation. 

Read Full Article 

 

House Passes Bill to Install Electronic Prior Authorization in Medicare Advantage Plans

Fierce Healthcare | By Robert King

 The House passed key legislation that creates an electronic prior authorization process for Medicare Advantage (MA) plans and other reforms aimed at a major headache for providers. 

The House unanimously passed the Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act on Wednesday via a voice vote. The legislation, which has new transparency requirements for MA plans, now heads to the Senate.

Lawmakers behind the legislation said in a joint statement the bill will “make it easier for seniors to get the care they need by cutting unnecessary red tape in the healthcare system,” said Reps. Suzan DelBene, D-Washington, Mike Kelly, R-Pennsylvania, Ami Bera, M.D., D-California, and Larry Bucshon, M.D., R-Indiana.

Prior authorization—where providers must first get insurer approval before performing certain services or making prescriptions—has increased in recent years much to the chagrin of providers who charge the process causes a massive administrative burden.

The House bill aims to require the establishment of an electronic prior authorization process for all MA plans to hasten the approval of requests. It would also require the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to create a process for faster, “real-time” decisions on the items or services that already get routinely approved.

Another new requirement is that MA plans must report to the federal government on how they use prior authorization, as well as the rate that such requests are approved and denied. The requirement comes as HHS’ watchdog found that MA plans have denied prior authorization claims for services that met Medicare’s coverage requirements.

The overwhelming House vote earned plaudits from several provider groups. 

“At a time when group practices face unprecedented workforce shortage challenges, 89% of [Medical Group Management Association] members report they do not have adequate staff to process the increasing number of prior authorizations from health insurers,” the Medical Group Management Association said in a statement. “By streamlining and standardizing the overly cumbersome and wildly inefficient MA prior authorization process, this legislation will return a focus to the physician-patient relationship.”

Read Full Article

 
<< first < Prev 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 Next > last >>

Page 38 of 172