Latest news with #CMS
Barnama
5 hours ago
- Health
- Barnama
KPJ Healthcare Launches KWAN Mobile Clinic At HSAJB To Support Public Healthcare In Johor
GENERAL KUALA LUMPUR, June 20 (Bernama) -- KPJ Healthcare Berhad (KPJ Healthcare) has launched the operations of its Klinik Waqaf An-Nur (KWAN) Mobile Clinic at Hospital Sultanah Aminah Johor Bahru (HSAJB), Johor, to improve access to affordable care and support emergency services for the public. In a statement today, it said the mobile clinic provides after-hours treatment for non-critical cases and is aimed at reducing congestion at the hospital's Emergency and Trauma Department. The mobile clinic operates from 8 pm to 12 midnight, offering medical consultations, basic medications and medical certificates at subsidised rates equivalent to those at government hospitals and also supported by KPJ's digital Clinic Management System ('CMS'), which ensures safe, efficient and secure patient management. KPJ Healthcare President and Managing Director Chin Keat Chyuan said by expanding access to care after hours, they are helping to ease congestion at HSAJB while serving the community more effectively. 'This is also the first time a KWAN Mobile Clinic is operating within a public hospital setting in Johor, which reflects the strength of our collaboration with government partners. It is part of our commitment under the KPJ Health System to deliver more connected, inclusive care,' he said. The launch of KWAN Mobile Clinic was officiated by the Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi and attended by Johor State Executive Councillor for Health and Enviroment Ling Tian Soon, Johor State Health Department (JKNJ) Director Dr Mohtar Pungut @ Ahmad, HSAJB Director Dr Mohamad Nizam Subahir, as well as senior representatives from KPJ Healthcare and Waqaf An-Nur Corporation Berhad. The initiative is a collaboration involving the Johor State Government, JKNJ, Waqaf An-Nur Corporation Berhad, and the Johor State Health Exco Office. KWAN Mobile Clinic services in Johor began in 2017 and currently in operation through two mobile units that serve various communities across the state. The addition of HSAJB as a new service point is expected to increase outreach to patients, including those seeking treatment at public hospitals. To date, KWAN has treated more than 2.2 million patients nationwide through a network comprising eight static clinics, eight dialysis centres with 192 dialysis machines, and nine mobile units.
Forbes
18 hours ago
- Health
- Forbes
What The Senate Budget Bill Would Mean For Older Adults
WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 14: Senate Finance Committee Chairman Mike Crapo (R-ID) is seen before Dr. ... More Mehmet Oz arrives for his confirmation hearing to lead the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). (Photo by Craig Hudson for The Washington Post via Getty Images) The Senate's draft budget bill would cut Medicaid for older adults and people with disabilities even more deeply than the House version. It would scrap a Biden-era minimum staffing rule for nursing homes. And, at the same time, it drops a House proposal to increase tax-free savings that higher-income households could use to buy long-term care insurance or pay caregiving costs. The overall measure, approved by the Senate Finance Committee and likely to reach the Senate floor sometime next week, would cut taxes by trillions of dollars over the next decade and cut spending, though by significantly less. The Congressional Budget Office has not yet calculated the costs of the package. It also is possible Senate GOP leaders will revise the bill before it reaches the Senate floor. However, the current version would make substantial changes to programs affecting older adults, especially those on Medicaid. While Medicaid is widely considered to be a program for poor families, more than half of its benefits go to older adults and younger people with disabilities. About 7.2 million seniors and 4.8 million younger people with disabilities are enrolled in both Medicaid and Medicare. The Senate bill mimics the House measure by limiting the ability of states to tax Medicaid providers, such as hospitals and nursing homes, but it is even more aggressive. Those complex provider taxes make it possible for states to pay providers more and effectively bill most of the additional costs to the federal government, which pays for about 70 percent of the program on average. The House bill would cap these taxes at current levels. The Senate plan would require states to lower their taxes for most providers, though they still could tax nursing homes at the higher levels. The provider tax limits would apply only to the 40 states and the District of Columbia that expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. Critics call provider taxes a financial gimmick that allows states to boost federal payments for the program. However, the real-world impact would be less federal funding for state Medicaid programs. And that would force states to either cut Medicaid benefits, limit program eligibility, or raise taxes to fill the federal hole. It also likely would result in states scaling back their home and community-based benefits, which are optional under the law, and shift more people to nursing home care, which is required. Like the House version, the Senate bill also would require Medicaid recipients to work. It exempts older adults and people with disabilities from having to work. But it could require some family members who are unable to work because of their caregiving responsibilities to choose between assisting a loved one and losing their own Medicaid benefits. The House bill appears to exempt family members caring for children and younger people with disabilities, but it is not clear whether it protects those staying home to assist frail parents or spouses. The Senate bill is ambiguous in a different way. It would exempt people from the Medicaid work requirement if they are a 'parent, guardian, caretaker relative, or family care giver (as defined in section 2 of the RAISE Family Caregivers Act) of a dependent child 14 years of age and under or a disabled individual.' And what does the RAISE Act say? 'The term 'family caregiver' means an adult family member or other individual who has a significant relationship with, and who provides a broad range of assistance to, an individual with a chronic or other health condition, disability, or functional limitation.' What does that mean? Well, nobody really knows. What does 'significant relationship' mean? What is a 'broad range of assistance?' What happens if two Medicaid recipients are caring for a parent? Which is exempt from the work requirement? Presumably, somebody at the Department of Health and Human Services eventually would have to write regulations to clarify it all. But that could take months, at the very least, especially since the Trump Administration fired so many HHS staffers earlier this year. The Senate bill also adopts many of the House's additional paperwork requirements for those applying for Medicaid or trying to keep benefits. It would block a Biden Administration rule that makes it easier to enroll in Medicare Savings Programs, which allow Medicaid to cover Medicare premiums and cost sharing. Without MSPs, low-income Medicare beneficiaries would have to pick up those costs themselves or buy costly Medicare Supplement (Medigap) insurance. The Senate bill also would effectively scrap Biden rules that would require nursing homes to maintain a minimum level of staff, including aides and Registered Nurses. Nursing homes are fighting those rules in court but a congressional repeal of the regulations would make the legal battle unnecessary. Finally, the Senate bill excludes a change in the House bill that could benefit higher-income people who want to put money away for long-term care. The House version would double the maximum contributions to employer-based Health Savings Accounts, but the Senate measure currently has no provision. The House and Senate are operating on a self-imposed July 4 deadline for passing this huge fiscal bill. It will be important to keep an eye on what happens over the next couple of weeks.
Business Wire
a day ago
- Health
- Business Wire
Newly Published Health Economics Study Demonstrates In-Office Ear Tube Procedures with Hummingbird TTS Significantly Reduce Healthcare Costs
GOLDEN VALLEY, Minn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Preceptis Medical, Inc., a pioneer in pediatric ENT innovation, today announced the publication of a health economic study assessing the financial impact of shifting pediatric tympanostomy tube (ear tube) placement from operating room to in-office settings. The analysis, published in the Journal of Medical Economics, demonstrates significant cost savings potential for Commercial and Medicaid health insurance payers that provide access to in-office ear tube procedures utilizing the Hummingbird ® Tympanostomy Tube System (TTS). "This analysis demonstrates that payers can also realize meaningful cost savings, even when accounting for the additional resources required to treat children in-office." Dr. Gene Liu, Study Co-Author Key findings from the study include 1: Current costs of ear tube surgeries are estimated to be $3.5 billion annually for the US Healthcare System: Ear tube surgeries in a Hospital Outpatient Department (HOPD) on average cost over $5,700 for a commercial plan and $2,100 for a Medicaid plan Higher costs of OR-based surgeries are driven by the costs of the operating room, anesthesia, pre- and post-surgery care, and additional pre-operative testing Shifting ear tube procedures from the OR to the Office could save: Up to $3,743 per patient (65% cost savings) for a Commercial health plan Up to $519 per patient (24% cost savings) for a Medicaid health plan The procedural cost savings were significant even after accounting for the increased costs of pediatric in-office ear tube procedures, including the costs of the Hummingbird ® TTS Pediatric ear tube surgeries historically have been performed in the operating room (OR) under general anesthesia. However, the procedure can be safely and effectively performed in an office setting by using the Hummingbird ® TTS, helping pediatric patients avoid risks associated with operating room surgeries and general anesthesia exposure 2. This analysis demonstrates that in addition to the important clinical and safety benefits, Payers may also experience significant cost savings. 'Shifting ear tube placement into the office with the Hummingbird ® Device has improved patient access and offered families an important alternative to OR-based surgeries,' said Dr. Gene Liu, Pediatric Otolaryngologist at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. 'This analysis demonstrates that payers can also realize meaningful cost savings, even when accounting for the additional resources required to treat children in-office. My hope is that these findings encourage payers to establish sustainable reimbursement rates that expand access to this safe and cost-effective option.' To support patient access to pediatric in-office ear tube procedures with tympanostomy tube delivery devices, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) established add-on HCPCS Code (+G0561) in the 2025 Physician Fee Schedule 3. CMS stated in the 2025 PFS, 'These minimally invasive, in-office procedures can offer significant benefits, including reduced risks associated with general anesthesia, quicker recovery, fewer infections, and improved access to care.' The new add-on G code facilitates fair reimbursement to providers for the incremental work and practice expenses (including device costs) involved in performing pediatric ear tube procedures in-office. This is the first economic study to evaluate the economic impact of utilizing the add-on code +G0561. 'This study reinforces what we have seen in our Health System, where we have been offering in-office ear tube procedures with the Hummingbird Device since 2021,' shared Dr. Mark Gerber, Pediatric Otolaryngologist at Phoenix Children's Hospital. 'Providing a mechanism for reimbursement for the incremental costs of the pediatric procedure will remove a significant barrier to utilization and save healthcare dollars.' About Preceptis Medical Founded in 2011, Preceptis Medical is an innovative medical technology company dedicated to providing less invasive ear tube procedure options for pediatric patients. The FDA-cleared Hummingbird ® Tympanostomy Tube System (TTS) streamlines ear tube placement, which enables the procedure to be performed with only a topical anesthetic. The Hummingbird, indicated for use in patients 6 months of age and older, provides a simple and efficient option for ENTs and parents while reducing healthcare costs. For more information, please visit Moynihan, M., Ross, R., Delgado, J., Gerber, M., & Liu, G. (2025). Economic impact of in-office pediatric tympanostomy tube placement using a tympanostomy tube delivery device in a commercially- and Medicaid-insured US population. Journal of Medical Economics, 28 (1), 899–909 Truitt MD, Theodore O., et al. 'In-office insertion tympanostomy tubes in children using single-pass device' Laryngoscope Investigative Otolaryngology. 2021;6:325-331.
2 days ago
- Business
Social Security fund may run dry sooner than previously expected, trustees say
The trust funds for Social Security and Medicaid will run out of money in as little as 8 years, a shorter time frame than previously estimated, according to a report issued Wednesday by the programs' trustees. The Social Security fund will run dry in 2033, unless Congress combines the program's old-age and disability funds, in which case insolvency would arrive in 2034, the report found. A finding last year predicted Social Security would become insolvent in 2035 or 2036. Medicare's hospital insurance fund is expected to run out of money in 2033, the report said. 'Social Security and Medicare are vital programs that support tens of millions of Americans across the country,' U.S. Secretary of Treasury Scott Bessent said in a statement. 'This data underscores the need for lawmakers to take action to support the long-term viability of these programs.' If Congress fails to address the projected budget shortfalls, automatic cuts will dial back Social Security benefits by 23% and Medicare hospital benefits by 11% in 2033, the report found. Roughly 66 million Americans receive medical coverage through Medicare, while 70 million people are set to receive Social Security benefits this year. The Social Security and Medicare trust funds generate revenue through a payroll tax paid by employees and employers, setting the income apart from the overall federal budget. The programs routinely spend more money than they take in through such taxes. President Donald Trump has vowed to safeguard Social Security and Medicare, even as the White House pursues spending cuts at other federal programs and agencies. The Department of Government Agency, formerly led by Elon Musk, sought to eliminate what it described as 'waste, fraud and abuse' in Social Security and Medicare. In March, the White House backed such efforts in a memo. Last year, the Government Accountability Office, a federal agency, estimated that taxpayers lose as much as $521 billion annually to fraud, much of which occurs in entitlement programs like Medicare. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) have stopped more than $100 billion in potentially fraudulent expenditures over recent months, the agency said in a statement. Still, those possible savings make up a fraction of roughly $1.9 trillion in spending for Medicare and Medicaid in 2023, the most recent year for which data is available. 'Medicare provides essential coverage for millions of American seniors, but this year's report underscores the urgent need for serious, sustained reform to secure its long-term future,' CMS Administrator Mehmet Oz said in a statement.
Hamilton Spectator
2 days ago
- Health
- Hamilton Spectator
California senators demand Trump immigration officials stop using Medicaid data
WASHINGTON (AP) — California's two U.S. senators demanded on Wednesday that the Trump administration stop using personal data of millions of Medicaid enrollees — including their immigration status — as part of its sweeping deportation campaign. In a letter to top administration officials, Democratic Sens. Adam Schiff and Alex Padilla expressed alarm over an Associated Press report last week that detailed how deportation officials had obtained the sensitive data over the objections of career health officials. They wrote that health officials needed to stop sharing the information and that the Department of Homeland Security should 'destroy any and all such data' it had obtained. The data transfer, the senators wrote, posed serious ethical issues and 'significant concerns about possible violations of federal' privacy laws. Officials at the Department of Health and Human Services declined to comment on the letter. In a statement last week, an HHS spokesman said the department 'acted entirely within its legal authority' and that the effort was 'focused on identifying waste, fraud and systemic abuse.' DHS officials did not respond to requests for comment. The AP reported that HHS' Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services transferred the data transfer last week to DHS officials. Internal CMS records obtained by the AP showed the Medicaid agency fought the request, arguing that sharing the data would violate rules and federal law. Trump appointees overruled them, giving CMS a 54-minute deadline to share the information with DHS, according to emails obtained by AP. The transfer comes 'as the Trump administration continues to target noncitizens,' the senators wrote in their letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. , DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz . 'We are deeply troubled that this administration intends to use individuals' private health information for the unrelated purpose of possible enforcement actions targeting lawful noncitizens and mixed status families,' the senators wrote. The dataset provided to DHS includes the information of people living in California, Illinois , Washington state and Washington, D.C., all of which allow non-U. S. citizens to enroll in Medicaid programs that pay for their expenses using only state taxpayer dollars. Besides helping authorities locate migrants, experts said, the Trump administration could eventually use the information to scuttle the hopes of migrants seeking green cards, permanent residency or citizenship if they had ever obtained Medicaid benefits funded by the federal government. CMS transferred the information just as the administration was ramping up its enforcement efforts in Southern California . Schiff and Padilla said the decision by HHS to share the information was 'a remarkable departure from established federal privacy protections that should alarm all Americans.' The senators gave the administration a July 9 deadline to provide to provide copies of communications between the agencies regarding the data transfer, details about the personal information provided to DHS and an accounting for how homeland security officials intend to use it. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
