The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services released a regulation Friday that reduces the 75% Rule pertaining to inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs) to 60%.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is asking states to coordinate their Medicaid policies with Medicare's hospital-acquired condition payment policy so states do not bear the burden of paying for adverse events.

Some durable medical equipment, prosthetic, and orthotics suppliers (DMEPOS) are abusing the Medicare system, despite fraud-prevention safeguards, according to a new report from the Government Accountability Office.

Last week's decision by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to halt its planned $770 million cuts in Medicare Part A payments to nursing homes for fiscal year 2009 drew loud praise from the long-term care sector.

Reversing earlier plans, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will not trim $770 million in Medicare Part A payments to nursing homes in the next fiscal year. This development comes as welcome news to long-term care providers, who had rallied against the planned cuts.

President Bush Wednesday signed into law a housing bill that will help more than 400,000 Americans keep their homes and help to stabilize the turbulent housing market. The legislation also will streamline the financing process for Section 202 housing projects.

Nearly half of the nation's senators have voiced objections to proposed Medicare cuts of $770 million in fiscal year 2009, according to the American Health Care Association and the Alliance for Quality Nursing Home Care.

Medicare providers will not face penalties if they do not collect retroactive fee increases from beneficiaries as a result of changes to Medicare payment rates, according to the Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General.

Prescription drugs for Medicare and Medicaid-eligible beneficiaries cost 30% more under Medicare Part D than they would if Medicaid paid the bill, according to a new report from the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.

The House voted not to act this year on legislation to reduce Medicare spending.