On Feb. 29, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) released its March 2008 Report to the Congress: Medicare Payment Policy. MedPAC has concluded that Congress and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) will need to make changes across a broad front to increase quality, slow the growth in Medicare expenditures, and address Medicare’s long-term sustainability. The report focuses on policy recommendations that create incentives for greater efficiency, reward quality, and modify payment rates to private plans and providers to ensure accuracy and equity.
The report reviews the financial context for Medicare and recommends updates for its fee-for-service payment systems. It also reviews recent findings and makes recommendations on Medicare Advantage plans and recommendations specific to special needs plans, reviews findings on the private plans offering the prescription drug benefit (Part D), and makes recommendations on Medicare programs for low-income beneficiaries. Download the report. Read the press release.
