Key takeaways from the final MACRA rule, plus remaining challenges (Kavita Patel, Margaret Darling, Paul Ginsburg, Brookings)

https://www.brookings.edu/2016/12/15/key-takeaways-from-the-final-macra-rule-plus-remaining-challenges/

How the money flows under MACRA (Kavita Patel, Loren Adler, Margaret Darling, Paul Ginsburg, Brookings)

The Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015, referred to most often as “MACRA,” set in motion a new approach to Medicare physician payment and replaced the oft-criticized Sustainable Growth Rate with two new payment schemes. In late April, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released many proposed details surrounding the law’s implementation; however, it is important to keep in mind that the final rule is still forthcoming and may incorporate significant changes in response to public comments made on the proposed rule.

http://www.brookings.edu/research/papers/2016/07/12-how-the-money-flows-under-macra-patel-adler-darling-ginsburg

A fair plan for fairer drug prices (Scott Gottlieb, Kavita Patel, Brookings)

As the biological basis of more diseases are fully revealed, and the drugs targeting medical problems become more focused and effective, more patients are finding themselves on costlier specialty medicines. At the same time, consumers find themselves paying a growing portion of their drug bills out of pocket as the structure of insurance changes. These two developments have combined to result in significant consumer hardship.

http://www.brookings.edu/blogs/health360/posts/2016/07/11-fair-plan-for-fairer-drug-prices-gottlieb-patel

Comments on CMS's proposed rule for implementation of MACRA provisions (Paul Ginsburg, Kavita Patel, Brookings)

http://www.brookings.edu/research/opinions/2016/06/28-comment-on-proposed-medicare-physician-payment-rule-ginsburg-patel

CMMI's new Comprehensive Primary Care Plus: Its promise and missed opportunities (Paul Ginsburg, Margaret Darling, Kavita Patel, Brookings)

The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI, or “the Innovation Center”) recently announced an initiative called Comprehensive Primary Care Plus (CPC+). It evolved from the Comprehensive Primary Care (CPC) initiative, which began in 2012 and runs through the end of this year. Both initiatives are designed to promote and support primary care physicians in organizing their practices to deliver comprehensive primary care services. Comprehensive Primary Care Plus has some very promising components, but also misses some compelling opportunities to further advance payment for primary care services

http://www.brookings.edu/blogs/health360/posts/2016/05/31-cmmi-new-comprehensive-primary-care-plus-ginsburg-darling-patel

Physician payment in Medicare is changing: Three highlights in the MACRA proposed rule that providers need to know (Kavita Patel, Margaret Darling, Caitlin Brandt, Paul Ginsburg, Brookings)

The passage of the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA) just over a year ago signaled a strong and unique bipartisan agreement to move towards value-based care, but until recently, many of the details surrounding how it would be implemented remained unknown. But last week, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Studies (CMS) released roughly 1,000 pages that shed more light on how physician payment will hopefully dramatically change for the better.

http://www.brookings.edu/blogs/health360/posts/2016/05/04-three-highlights-in-the-macra-proposed-rule-providers-need-to-know-patel-darling-brandt-ginsburg

A controversial new demonstration in Medicare: Potential implications for physician-administered drugs (Kavita Patel, Caitlin Brandt, Brookings)

According to an August 2015 survey, 72 percent of Americans find drug costs unreasonable, with 83 percent believing that the federal government should be able to negotiate prices for Medicare. Recently, Acting Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Andy Slavitt commented that spending on medicines increased 13 percent in 2014 while health care spending growth overall was only 5 percent, the highest rate of drug spending growth since 2001.

http://www.brookings.edu/blogs/health360/posts/2016/05/03-controversial-new-demonstration-in-medicare-patel-brandt

From worst to first: Louisiana makes great waves with Medicaid expansion (Kavita Patel, Brookings)

http://www.brookings.edu/blogs/health360/posts/2016/01/15-worst-to-first-louisiana-medicaid-patel

Something as simple and cheap as a checklist could help improve health care (Kavita Patel, Margaret Darling, Brookings)

http://www.brookings.edu/blogs/health360/posts/2015/12/29-checklist-improve-health-care-patel-darling