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May 11, 2013 APRNHow much hospitals around the country bill for 100 top procedures became public this week. Though insurance or Medicare may not actually pay the sticker price, some hospitals in Alaska are considering how they'll respond to more knowledgeable consumers.

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May 8, 2013 In a first, Medicare has revealed how much individual hospitals bill and how much they are paid for common treatments. The charges vary widely. And while Medicare and private insurers generally pay far less than what hospitals request, the uninsured may pay something closer to these sticker prices.

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April 11, 2013 In many parts of the South, more than one-third of seniors are taking drugs that they should avoid, an analysis of Medicare data finds. Ten percent are taking two or more potentially problematic medicines.

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April 9, 2013 One possible proposal in President Obama's budget would change the way Medicare patients pay for their care. It's been floated as a possible bipartisan compromise, but it's an idea with a long, controversial and unsuccessful history.

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April 5, 2013 Administration officials are telling news outlets that the budget the president unveils next week will include proposals he made last year during negotiations with House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio. Those include changes that could reduce increases in Social Security and Medicare spending.

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March 22, 2013 KHNAn influential panel panned an idea to pay hospitals and doctors less under Medicare if they happen to be in regions that are heavy users of medical services. The approach has been popular with some in Congress.

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March 20, 2013 A poll finds the central elements of the federal health law remain popular across partly lines. But the law as a whole is still polarizing and confusing to many Americans, the results suggest.

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January 29, 2013 KHNIf there's a settlement or judgment against another party in a liability case, Medicare is entitled to reimbursement for the money it spent on a beneficiary's medical care. The process is complex and prone to delays. A new law is expected to fix the problems.

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January 4, 2013 Health care has been a major focus in recent budget battles. New legislation provides a temporary fix in payments for doctors, but it will be paid for by a decade of cuts to hospitals. And a program for long-term-care insurance won't ever get off the ground.

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January 2, 2013 The California congressman lost his seat this fall. Stark has been part of almost every piece of health legislation enacted while he was in office. The 113th Congress will be the first one in 40 years to convene without him as a member.

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December 21, 2012 KHNThe nation's biggest insurer is starting to dole out bonuses and penalties to nearly 3,000 hospitals as it ties almost $1 billion in payments to the quality of care provided to patients.

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December 18, 2012 KHNIn a switch, Medicare began covering smoking cessation counseling for smokers without symptoms of disease back in 2010. Beneficiaries are eligible for up to two four-session smoking cessation counseling attempts a year.

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December 12, 2012 Despite his re-election and bolstered Democratic numbers in Congress, President Obama has far from a free hand to make a comprehensive deal with House Speaker John Boehner that would include cuts to entitlement programs. Strong resistance to that notion is coming from the political left — and with a warning.

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December 5, 2012 If Congress fails to reach an agreement on tax increases and spending cuts this year, it will mean sharp reductions in a broad swath of federal spending, from defense and Medicare to education and unemployment benefits. Economists say the cuts would be a serious setback for the economy as a whole.

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November 29, 2012 By delaying the age at which people can join Medicare, the federal government could save millions of dollars. But if 65- and 66-year-olds have to find health insurance on the open market, states, employers and individuals of all ages will end up paying a lot more.

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