Last week the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission met in Washington, D.C. to discuss a number of Medicare payment issues.

Among issues on MedPAC’s October agenda of potential interest to private safety-net hospitals were:

• restructuring Medicare Part D
• updates to the methods used to assess the adequacy of Medicare’s payments for physicians and other health professionals
• population-based outcome measures: avoidable hospitalizations and emergency department visits
• aligning benefits and cost-sharing under a unified payment system for post-acute care

MedPAC is an independent congressional agency that advises Congress on issues involving the Medicare program. While its recommendations are not binding on either Congress or the administration, MedPAC is highly influential in governing circles and its recommendations often find their way into legislation, regulations, and new public policy.

Go here for links to the policy briefs and presentations that supported MedPAC’s discussion of these issues.