Medicare Archives

Social Justice

Smoking Mad: Tobacco Users Caught Up in Insurer’s Obamacare Glitch

After signing up for coverage and disclosing they were smokers, about 100 New Hampshire consumers, including Terry Wetherby, find their new Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield policies canceled because they were charged incorrect “non-smoker” rates.

Charles Ornstein

Social Justice

Medicare’s Drug Program Needs Stronger Protections Against Fraud

A new report finds that more than half of insurance companies in Medicare’s drug program haven’t reported fraud cases to the government. The findings echo an earlier investigation that found fraud flourishing in the program.

Charles Ornstein

Social Justice

Our Patient-Harm Problem: One Third in Nursing Facilities Harmed by Treatment

A study by Medicare’s inspector general of skilled nursing facilities says nearly 22,000 patients were injured and more than 1,500 died in a single month—a higher rate of medical errors than hospitals.

Marshall Allen

Social Justice

If We’re Going to Go After Dirty Doctors, We Need a Definition for ‘Abusive’ Prescribing

As Medicare considers banning doctors who pose a “threat to the health or safety” of patients, it plans to consider an array of factors.

Tracy Weber and Charles Ornstein

Social Justice

Fraud Rx: Medicare Makes Moves to Tighten Oversight of Dirty Doctors

Action comes after ProPublica uses the government’s own data to find patterns of dangerous prescribing, waste, and potential fraud in Medicare Part D.

Tracy Weber and Charles Ornstein

Social Justice

‘Let the Crime Spree Begin’: How Fraud Flourishes in Medicare’s Drug Plan

The federal government does little to stop schemers from stealing from Medicare Part D, the program that provides prescription drugs to more than 36 million seniors and disabled people.

Tracy Weber and Charles Ornstein

Social Justice

Caught Up in a Medicare Drug Fraud

The long list of medications on Joyce Heap’s insurance forms didn’t look right. It turns out they weren’t—and Medicare didn’t seem to care.

Tracy Weber and Charles Ornstein

Social Justice

How Medicare’s Failure to Track Doctors Wastes Billions on Name-Brand Drugs

The failure to track doctors who shun cheaper generics racks up huge costs for taxpayers in Medicare Part D, which fills one of every four U.S. prescriptions.

Charles Ornstein, Tracy Weber & Jennifer LaFleur

Social Justice

Are You Overpaying for Name-Brand Drugs When Generics Would Be Just as Effective?

With billions in potential savings for Medicare at stake, we asked drug experts and practitioners alike why more doctors don’t recommend generics when they can.

Charles Ornstein and Tracy Weber