If it’s fixed, break it
I chose original Medicare because I’d read about all the problems, delays and overcharges in Medicare “Advantage.” So far, I’m happy with that choice, and things don’t seem to be improving with Medicare “Advantage.”
Now, it appears the Trump Administration has decided to throw sand in the gears of a government program that works.
“Traditional Medicare beneficiaries generally don’t need prior authorization before receiving medical treatment.
“In January, however, a new pilot program launched by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) began bringing prior authorization, including the use of artificial intelligence to review requests for care, to parts of traditional Medicare.
“And it’s not going smoothly.
“The program, known as the Wasteful and Inappropriate Service Reduction (WISeR) model, requires additional approvals for a range of procedures, including epidural steroid injections, treatments for spinal stenosis and knee osteoarthritis, and nerve stimulation for conditions such as tremors and Parkinson’s disease.”
Trump said he wouldn’t touch Medicare. They’re implementing death by a thousand cuts.
Prior authorization for traditional Medicare
Some Info:
How Would Medicare Be Affected Between 2027 and 2034?
The 4 percent maximum reduction in Medicare spending would continue to apply to sequestration orders for years after 2026. If OMB ordered a sequestration of $415 billion for each year through 2029 and $339 billion each year from 2030 through 2034, the ordered reductions in Medicare spending would increase to $76 billion in 2034 and would total $491 billion over the 2027–2034 period.
“CBO’s Estimates of the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Effects of Public Law 119-21″