Medicare

Most screening tests for colon cancer are covered by insurance. But if the results are positive, patients may require a diagnostic colonoscopy that may not be fully paid for by insurance.

Hospitals have been fighting to block the rankings, but Medicare released them Wednesday. Of the 102 hospitals that got a five-star rating, few are among those generally praised for great care.

Investigators say Philip Esformes, 47, used his access to thousands of Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries to perpetrate a massive and profitable fraud.

The president made the proposal as part of a comprehensive look at the Affordable Care Act's legacy in an article under his byline in JAMA, the top journal of the American Medical Association.

Researchers found that in states with medical marijuana laws on the books, the number of prescriptions dropped for drugs to treat anxiety, depression, nausea, pain, seizures and sleep disorders.

A Department of Health and Human Services proposal and an increase in funding could reduce the backlog in appeals of denied Medicare claims by 2021, six years sooner than without the changes.

Counselors nationwide have helped 7 million people choose Medicare plans, challenge coverage denials and get subsidies. But some senators just voted to spend the money on other causes.

The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission told Congress that rising drug costs helped push Medicare Part D spending up nearly 60 percent between 2007 and 2014. There are options to contain spending.

The seniors of tomorrow will have much higher rates of diabetes and obesity than the seniors of today, according to a data analysis. That means higher medical bills for them — and for taxpayers, too.