D.C. Rap Up: Did You Miss That CMS Splash?

Welcome to the D.C. Rap Up, a weekly rundown of the most important health policy stories. Cleavon Gilman, MD, an emergency physician in New York City, remixes the news and drops the beat to catch you up with what’s up.

What’s changing across the nation?

Let’s start with accountable care organizations

Did you miss that CMS big splash?

Moving quickly towards a two-sided risk track

But national groups, wonder in fact

if penalties against ACOs are coming too fast

Let’s dash, to something fundamental

like documenting needs with ICD-10 codes

Have you ever heard of Z56?

Problems with employment to be real distinct

Have you ever encountered Z59?

Problems with housing is how it’s defined.

When it comes to the poor and the elderly

we need data and funds to unveil relief

So if we use these codes less seldomly

we’ll connect the underserved to the help they need

And this may be more important than ever

Since the uninsured rate was 13% in December

Who is it affecting? Women, people under 35

and those under 48 thou nationwide

But why? Well according to the media

It’s based on budget cuts and increased premiums

Hmm… Well what about Medicaid?

Would acceptance change, if expanded to every state?

Nope! Well what can it be?

The only thing that mattered was Medicaid fees

Especially compared to Medicare

declared by a recent study mentioned here

Let’s closeout this week with a cheer

Since drug prices fell the first time in 50 years

last updated 01.25.2019