CareFirst pledges to plug Medicare drug gap in Maryland

RSS

The Baltimore Sun, February 15, 2008

In a public-private partnership to help thousands of seniors struggling to pay for prescription drugs, Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley plans to announce today a deal with CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield to help cover those caught in a Medicare gap. The agreement would help seniors bridge the "doughnut hole," a much criticized cost-saving measure built into the Medicare prescription drug benefit passed by Congress in 2003. The program covers annual prescription costs up to a certain amount and costs above a higher threshold, but not those in between, leaving a hole in the middle of the coverage plan.

Full Story

Accounts Receivable Alert: The Significant Impact Potential of New Medicare Payment Reforms

Medicare and Medicaid Services finalized two payment reforms in August 2007, which took effect Oct. 1. These changes could have a significant impact on your organization’s accounts receivable and medical...

Bush budget plan targets Medicare, Medicaid for cuts

Healthcare providers would get smaller pay increases when caring for the elderly, poor and disabled under President Bush’s budget plan submitted to Congress. The recommendations, if adopted, would trim...

Healthways stock skids 16 percent on cloudy Medicare forecast

Shares of wellness program provider Healthways Inc. plunged today after the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) said the first phase of a pilot wellness program will end this year, as scheduled...

Audioconference: Legal and Tax Implications of Incentive Program Design:

Speakers in this audioconference discuss factors to consider for designing and structuring new or existing health focused incentive programs. They point out best practices, along with...

go to complete list