Practice Management

The reimbursement policies of Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurers can have a major impact on the ability of oncologists to deliver care to their patients. This article explores current issues of particular interest to

WASHINGTON--Sen. Nancy Kas-sebaum (R-KS) and Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-MA) have proposed health reform legislation that is more modest than that touted by President Clinton, but that contains some of the same goals.

WASHINGTON--The Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of the Inspector General (OIG) has published a final rule that implements a civil monetary penalty for physicians who refer patients to radiology, laboratory, and other facilities in which they, or a member of their immediate family, have a financial interest.

After much anticipation regarding health care reform, 1994 ended without passage of any national legislation. The debate will probably resurface in the new Congress, since the issues and concerns surrounding the U.S. health care system still exist.

WASHINGTON--Health and Human Services Secretary Donna Shalala has announced that Medicare physician fees will be increased in 1995--by 7.9% for primary services, 12.2% for surgical services, and 5.2% for other services. Payments for

WASHINGTON--For the first time, Medicare will make separate payments to physicians for supervising the care of patients receiving Medicare-covered home health and hospice services.

WASHINGTON--In testimony before the House Small Business Subcommittee chaired by Rep. Ron Wyden (D-Ore), the US General Accounting Office (GAO) said that Medicare beneficiaries may be denied reimbursement for certain x-rays and other diagnostic tests, depending on where they live.

First in a series of articles on how economic factors, managed care, and other aspects of health care reform affect physicians in the various oncology specialties, and ultimately their patients. The series was compiled for ONCOLOGY

WASHINGTON--Republican control of the US Congress means that the chance for comprehensive health-care reform, as envisioned by the Clinton administration, is over. But incremental changes to the health-care system, including insurance reforms that limit or exclude preexisting condition clauses, may gain significant support, says Stacey Beckhardt, of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO).