Charles Grassley

CMS needs to improve QIOs' reporting of cost, volume related to quality-of-care reviews

December 24, 2010

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services cannot be certain that it is budgeting accordingly for Quality Improvement Organizations' (QIOs) quality-of-care reviews because of potential reporting errors. That is a according to a report released this week by the Government Accountability Office.

Senate votes to postpone payment cut to Medicare docs

November 22, 2010

To the relief of physicians everywhere, the Senate voted Thursday to put off a 23% cut in Medicare pay for doctors until Dec. 31.

Grassley rips CMS Medicare contractors for inappropriate payments

October 12, 2010

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services needs to have more oversight of Medicare contractors, Sen. Charles Grassley (R-IA) recently argued.

GAO: States' underreporting of nursing home deficiencies improving slightly

May 27, 2010

A new governmental report released Wednesday shows that federal nursing home surveyors continue to identify more deficiencies in care than state surveyors, but the discrepancy is shrinking.

CMS nominee Berwick may face questions on healthcare 'rationing' during confirmation hearings

April 22, 2010

Donald Berwick, the current nominee for administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, likely will face questions over his views of end-of-life care during his Senate confirmation hearings, according to recent news reports.

Long-term care hospitals subject of Senate investigation

March 10, 2010

A recent New York Times article has sparked a Senate investigation into Select Medical Corp., one of the country's largest long-term care hospital providers.

Senate takes out therapy caps, physician pay provisions from jobs bill

February 16, 2010

Just hours after unveiling a jobs bill that would extend the therapy caps exceptions process and delay a pay cut for Medicare physicians, Senate leaders last week scrapped it in favor of a bill that contains neither of those provisions.

New draft legislation would extend therapy caps exceptions process

February 12, 2010

Senate Finance Committee leaders Thursday issued a draft of a jobs-creation bill. The legislation would extend the Medicare Part B therapy caps exceptions process and delay through Sept. 30 an impending 21% cut in payments for Medicare physicians.

Senators propose stop-gap measure on implementation of Medicare Part B therapy caps

February 05, 2010

One bipartisan group of senators is petitioning Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius to postpone implementation of the cap on Medicare Part B outpatient therapy reimbursements.

Need grows for therapy caps resolution

Liza Berger February 05, 2010

My how things change. Just a month ago a healthcare reform bill seemed en route to passage. Now its very existence is in question and, by extension, some key long-term care services are too.

Late release of CMS Medicare payment error report troubles Grassley

December 21, 2009

An official Medicare payment error report is a month past due, and Sen. Charles Grassley (R-IA) is not pleased about it.

Providers praise Senate Finance Committee for retaining market-basket update in bill

September 17, 2009

Nursing home providers reacted positively to the release of the Senate Finance Committee's healthcare reform bill Wednesday. They were particularly pleased that the bill would not lower the market-basket update for nursing homes.

As recess winds down, Congress readies for healthcare reform battle

September 02, 2009

Congress is preparing to return to Washington D.C. after an eventful August recess. Democrats and Republicans are looking to ramp up efforts at passing, or, in some cases, derailing healthcare reform.

Senate to hold off on healthcare bill mark-up until after summer recess

August 03, 2009

Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-MT) has made it clear that his committee would not finish deliberation on its healthcare reform proposal before the summer recess begins this Friday.