Medicare changes fiercely resisted

[Geee]

The Hill:

The Obama administration is hitting resistance from industry groups as it tries to change Medicare payments before leaving office.

 

The administration argues its Medicare proposals will make payments smarter, save money and incentivize quality care. Opposition to the plans, it says, is mainly coming from entrenched interests that are seeking to protect their profits.

 

But opponents say administration officials are overstepping their authority and rushing to make changes before the clock runs out.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has put forward several proposals that would change how Medicare pays for care. The plans move away from the old system of paying for individual tests and procedures, instead seeking to reward doctors for delivering healthy outcomes.

 

The most controversial of these proposals would change how Medicare Part B pays for drugs. While Medicare now pays doctors a percentage of the cost of a drug, the administration wants to shift toward paying a flat fee.