As I write this, the elementary school across the street has Thriller playing at the 5th grade Halloween party happening in the parking lot. Things change and they stay the same. Not the worst reminder this week.
Waiting. Payment rules expected from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services plus maybe eventually the Medicare Transaction Facilitator information. Let’s hope at least one company wants that role.
Big Picture. Earlier this month, an article in the New England Journal of Medicine provided an overview of the Commonwealth Fund’s Mirror Mirror study looking at health care in 10 countries. The punchline — the U.S. system is failing its population. Because the drastic changes needed are hard to accomplish, we’ve only nibbled at the edges. It is sobering to read the Health Affairs piece and just realize the miles to go. Personally? I think theme for the next 3 years should be patient affordability. Which is different than price and *might be* easier to solve for.
Open Season. A reminder in JAMA on the Medicare Savings program and more from the National Council on Aging. If you are helping someone with their Medicare open enrollment, worth seeing if it is an option. The PAN Foundation also has great resources on the 2025 Medicare reforms if you need some brushing up.
Short and sweet for newsletter #100!