In its annual report to Congress, the independent agency that advises Congress on Medicare payment issues offered a variety of suggestions for changes in how Medicare payments for health care.

Among the recommendations offered by the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission are policies affecting:

  • payments for drugs under Medicare Part A and Part D
  • the development of a unified payment system for post-acute care
  • a new framework for paying physicians
  • using competitive pricing to set Medicare beneficiary premiums
  • the preservation of access to emergency care in rural areas
  • telehealth services in the Medicare program
  • dual-eligible beneficiaries

To learn more about these and other proposals see this MedPAC news release or go here to see the entire June 16, 2016 MedPAC report to Congress.