Medicare: More Hospital Costs Should Be Paid by Other Insurers

摘要

Since 1980, the Congress has amended the Social Security Act several times to require that, in certain cases, employer-sponsored group health insurance and accident insurance covering Medicare beneficiaries pay medical claims ahead of Medicare. The report assesses the Department of Health and Human Services' implementation of these amendments. The report makes several recommendations to the Department that could substantially increase Medicare's savings from billing other insurers without adversely affecting Medicare beneficiaries' services or increasing their costs. It also offers, as a matter for congressional consideration, legislative options to better ensure that employer-sponsored group health insurance pays claims for covered Medicare beneficiaries ahead of Medicare.