U.S. House Passes Bipartisan Bill to Fix Medicare Doctor Payments

[axeman462]

Bring me up to date... Is this the same bill that would mean "The End of Plan F" as another thread discussed?

What's so hard about increasing the pay to medical providers, or keeping it from dropping 25% like its scheduled to? Clean and simple..duh.

"The end of Plan F" conservation right now, is a bunch of scare tactics and chicken poop agents blowing things out of proportion. Nothing being discussed right now is going to end Plan F.
Of course, that doesn't mean that congress wont ever bring up that conversation, or hasnt ever brought up that conversation. I'm just saying, it is not happening right now.

 

[somarco]

House (bi-partisan) version


Q. Will seniors and Medicare providers have to help pay for the plan?

Starting in 2018, wealthier Medicare beneficiaries (individuals with incomes between $133,500 to $214,000, with thresholds likely higher for couples) would pay more for their Medicare coverage, a provision impacting just 2 percent of beneficiaries, according to the summary.

Starting in 2020, "first-dollar" supplemental Medicare insurance known as "Medigap" would not be able to cover the Part B deductible for new beneficiaries, which is currently $147 per year but has increased in past years.

But the effect of that change may be mitigated, according to one analysis.

"Because Medigap policies would no longer pay the Part B deductible, Medigap premiums for the affected policies would go down. Most affected beneficiaries would come out ahead — the drop in their Medigap premiums would exceed the increase in their cost sharing for health services," according to an analysis from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, a left-leaning think tank. "Some others would come out behind. In both cases, the effect would be small — generally no more than $100 a year."

Experts contend that the "first-dollar" plans, which cover nearly all deductibles and co-payments, keep beneficiaries from being judicious when making medical decisions. According to lobbyists and aides, an earlier version of the "doc fix" legislation that negotiators considered would have prohibited "first dollar" plans from covering the first $250 in costs for new beneficiaries.

Post-acute providers, such as long-term care and inpatient rehabilitation hospitals, skilled nursing facilities and home health and hospice organizations, would help finance the repeal, receiving base pay increases of 1 percent in 2018, about half of what was previously expected.

Other changes include phasing in a one-time 3.2 percentage-point boost in the base payment rate for hospitals currently scheduled to take effect in fiscal 2018. The number of years of the phase-in isn't specified in the bill summary.

Scheduled reductions in Medicaid "disproportionate share" payments to hospitals that care for large numbers of people who are uninsured or covered by Medicaid would be delayed by one year to fiscal 2018 but extended for an additional year to fiscal 2025.

 

[kgmom219]

Starting in 2018, wealthier Medicare beneficiaries (individuals with incomes between $133,500 to $214,000, with thresholds likely higher for couples) would pay more for their Medicare coverage, a provision impacting just 2 percent of beneficiaries, according to the summary.

Did I miss something here?

Right now, the income threshold for the Part B "penalty" (its crap that they pay more their entire working life via taxes then get hit again) starts at $85K for individuals and $170K for couples.

Part B costs | Medicare.gov

Does the plan the house just passed RAISE the threshold? Am I reading this right?

 

[azmedsupagent]

and then true to form the Senate was like... Meh! We'll do it later, we're going on break.

 

[Lloydlofton]

The bill passed in the house was to fix the Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) provision of a law signed by Clinton in 1998, this is a good thing I believe. What is not getting press and will have a demonstrative affect on the senior business in 2020 is this part of the law going to the Senate, which I believe they will pass and will be signed by this President.

Starting in 2020, "first-dollar" supplemental Medicare insurance known as "Medigap" would not be able to cover the Part B deductible for new beneficiaries, which is currently$147 per year but has increased in past years.
But the effect of that change may be mitigated, according to one analysis.

"Because Medigap policies would no longer pay the Part B deductible, Medigap premiums for the affected policies would go down. Most affected beneficiaries would come out ahead — the drop in their Medigap premiums would exceed the increase in their cost sharing for health services," according to an analysis from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, a left-leaning think tank.

"Some others would come out behind. In both cases, the effect would be small — generally no more than $100 a year."

Experts contend that the "first-dollar" plans, which cover nearly all deductibles and co-payments, keep beneficiaries from being judicious when making medical decisions. According to lobbyists and aides, an earlier version of the "doc fix" legislation that negotiators considered would have prohibited "first dollar" plans from covering the first $250 in costs for new beneficiaries.

In case this isn't clear get ready to say good-by to the Plan F. The question is will this be the picking apart of this market or will this strengthen this market starting in 2020, for sure it will modify buying behaviors which will affect all sales people here. Your thoughts?

 

[sman]

Pretty sure that was covered in this thread Lloyd.

 

[Lloydlofton]

Your right, hadn't see the whole wording, thought it was interesting. Thanks,

 

[bluediamond]

and then true to form the Senate was like... Meh! We'll do it later, we're going on break.

Hey you know they have had a hard month or so with their mister's and mistresses they keep on the side in D.C. it's time to go home and see their spouses and children for a couple of week's. These guys work awful hard the few days they are in D.C. trying to screw all their constituent's. Just give them a break.

 

[Norwayguy]

Hey you know they have had a hard month or so with their mister's and mistresses they keep on the side in D.C. it's time to go home and see their spouses and children for a couple of week's. These guys work awful hard the few days they are in D.C. trying to screw all their constituent's. Just give them a break.

Think about it they have been passing laws for over 200 hundred years just how much more legislation do we need?

 

[sman]

Think about it they have been passing laws for over 200 hundred years just how much more legislation do we need?

Well, until one particular party is able to get those they deem wealthy to "share the wealth" more, I guess there are laws still to pass.