Wolters Kluwer Editorial Staff – March 13, 2009.

Although payment adequacy has been positive, average Medicare margins are expected to fall to 6.9 percent in 2009, according to the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC). An increase in payment rates was recommended for most providers, except for home health agencies. MedPAC recommended that payments for home health services should be reduced by 5.5 percent.

Wolters Kluwer Editorial Staff – March 12, 2009.

A study conducted by the Office of Inspector General (OIG) found that Medicare Part D and Medicaid pharmacy reimbursement amounts for most single-source drugs were similar; however, Medicaid reimbursement amounts for multiple-source drugs were typically higher than Part D amounts.

Wolters Kluwer Editorial Staff – March 11, 2009.

President Obama on March 5 warned that greatest threat to the U.S. economy is the soaring cost of heath care and called on Congress to enact a comprehensive health reform bill by the end of the year. Obama, at a White House forum on health care, brought together approximately 120 lawmakers, healthcare providers, pharmaceuticals, insurance, consumer, labor and business groups to discuss measures to lower health care costs, improve the quality of health care and expand coverage.

Wolters Kluwer Editorial Staff – March 10, 2009.

President Obama officially announced on March 2, 2009, his intention to nominate Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius as Secretary of Health and Human Services and Nancy-Ann DeParle as Counselor to the President and Director of the White House Office for Health Reform. Sebelius and DeParle, having worked together in the past on health care issues, both believe that theirs will be a great partnership. The President cited Governor Sebelius’ knowledge of health care stemming from the time she spent as state insurance commissioner of Kansas and her success in `bridging’ the partisan divide in balancing the budget in her state as further evidence of her qualifications for this position.

Wolters Kluwer Editorial Staff – March 8, 2009.

A skilled nursing facility (SNF) was unsuccessful in its pursuit of state law claims against the state of Indiana, as summary judgment against the claims was proper.