Commission Recommendations
MedPAC makes recommendations to the Congress and to the Secretary of Health and Human Services on issues affecting the administration of the Medicare program. With its recommendations, the Commission strives to improve the delivery of care, while ensuring financial stability and maximizing value for the program. After extensive analysis and evaluation, our recommendations are discussed and voted on by Commissioners in our public meetings. Recommendations are typically published in two main reports, released in March and June of each year.
| Recommendations | Topic(s) | Date |
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Outpatient dialysis servicesThe Congress should update the composite rate in calendar year 2009 by the projected rate of increase in the end-stage renal disease market basket index less the Commission’s adjustment for productivity growth. The Commission reiterates its recommendation that the Congress implement a quality incentive program for physicians and facilities that treat dialysis patients. |
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February 2008 |
Part D enrollment, benefit offerings, and plan paymentsThe Congress should direct the Secretary to make Part D claims data available regularly and in a timely manner to congressional support agencies and selected executive branch agencies for purposes of program evaluation, public health, and safety. |
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February 2008 |
Physician servicesThe Congress should update payments for physician services in 2009 by the projected change in input prices less the Commission’s adjustment for productivity growth. The Congress should enact legislation requiring CMS to establish a process for measuring and reporting physician resource use on a confidential basis for a period of two years. |
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February 2008 |
Skilled nursing facility services (1)The Congress should eliminate the update to payment rates for skilled nursing facility services for fiscal year 2009. |
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February 2008 |
Skilled nursing facility services (2)The Congress should establish a quality incentive payment policy for skilled nursing facilities in Medicare. |
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February 2008 |
Skilled nursing facility services (3)To improve quality measurement for skilled nursing facilities, the Secretary should: * Add the risk-adjusted rates of potentially avoidable rehospitalizations and community discharge to its publicly reported post-acute care quality measures; * Revise the pain, pressure ulcer, and delirium measures currently report on CMS’s Nursing Home Compare website; and * Require skilled nursing facilities to… Read more » |
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February 2008 |
Update on the Medicare Advantage program (1)The Congress should require the Secretary to establish additional, tailored performance measures for special needs plans and evaluate their performance on those measures within three years. |
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February 2008 |
Update on the Medicare Advantage program (2)The Secretary should furnish beneficiaries and their counselors with information on special needs plans that compares their benefits, other features, and performance with other Medicare Advantage plans and traditional Medicare. |
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February 2008 |
Update on the Medicare Advantage program (3)The Congress should direct the Secretary to require chronic condition special needs plans to serve only beneficiaries with complex chronic conditions that influence many other aspects of health, have a high risk of hospitalization or other significant adverse health outcomes, and require specialized delivery systems. |
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February 2008 |
Update on the Medicare Advantage program (4)The Congress should require dual-eligible special needs plans within three years to contract, either directly or indirectly, with states in their service areas to coordinate Medicaid benefits. |
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February 2008 |