Skip to Main Content
Brown University
School of Public Health Brown University

Center for Advancing Health Policy through Research

Search Menu

Site Navigation

  • Home
  • About
  • Research
    • Traditional Medicare
    • Medicare Advantage
    • Markets and Consolidation
    • State Policies to Enhance Competition and Affordability
    • Research Unplugged
    • Working Papers
  • Policy Tools
    • Hospital Payment Cap Simulator
    • MediCode Tool
    • Newsletters & Research Summaries
    • Policy Briefs
    • Public Comments
    • Testimonies & Briefings
  • Events and Programs
    • Launch Events (Providence x DC)
    • Policy Discussions
    • Health Data Science Summer Fellowship Program
    • Seminar Series
  • People
    • Leadership
    • Faculty and Staff
    • Trainees
    • Center Spotlight
  • CAHPR in the Media
  • Work with us
Search
Center for Advancing Health Policy through Research

Traditional Medicare

Traditional Medicare is public health insurance that provides coverage to about half of the 62 million adults aged 65 and older who are covered by the federally-funded Medicare insurance program.

Breadcrumb

  • Home
  • Research Informing Policy

Sub Navigation

  • Traditional Medicare
  • Medicare Advantage
  • Markets and Consolidation
  • State Policies to Enhance Competition and Affordability
  • Research Unplugged
  • Working Papers

The Affordable Care Act created the most significant changes to Medicare since its inception to create new incentives for health care providers to deliver higher quality care at a lower cost. Under the direction of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Innovation Center, these policies — including Accountable Care Organization program, bundled payment, and primary care reforms — continue to evolve. Understanding whether these models are successful in reducing spending growth, and how they can be modified to achieve this goal, is central to the future of Traditional Medicare. 

Recent News

August 17, 2025 Yahoo Finance

Trump administration tiptoes into testing prior authorization in traditional Medicare

Traditional Medicare plan holders have typically not had to wait for prior authorization before receiving medical treatment. CMS recently announced a new program to test prior authorization requirements for certain services in six states to root out fraud, waste and abuse. Jeffrey Marr highlights what’s needed to set up a well-functioning prior authorization system.
August 5, 2025 Modern Healthcare

Rural aid loophole: Urban hospital dual status sparks concerns

Another news article speaks on a study published in Health Affairs that reveals a sharp rise in urban hospitals reclassifying themselves as "rural" under Medicare rules, allowing them to access financial benefits intended for rural health providers. Researchers warn that this loophole could redirect billions in federal funds away from genuinely rural hospitals and urge policymakers to take corrective action.
August 4, 2025 Fierce Healthcare

Hundreds of urban hospitals could be double-dipping into rural Medicare funds, study finds

Hundreds of large, urban hospitals have taken advantage of a 2016 policy change to classify themselves as both urban and rural, allowing them to access financial benefits meant for rural hospitals. Researchers warn that this loophole could divert billions in taxpayer funds away from actual rural communities and into already well-funded urban hospitals unless policymakers intervene.
July 24, 2025 STAT

How states can mitigate Trump’s Medicaid cuts – and set their health care systems on a better path

This piece, authored by Hayden Rooke-Ley, argues that while the Trump administration’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act threatens to gut Medicaid funding by nearly $1 trillion over a decade, states still have powerful tools to protect coverage and even strengthen their healthcare systems. By capping inflated prices in the private insurance market and redirecting those savings to Medicaid—where every dollar is federally matched—states can blunt the impact of federal cuts, support vulnerable providers, and reduce systemic inequities.
August 22, 2024 Harvard Medical School

Hospital-SNF Integration and APM Participation

This article highlights a study published in JAMA Network Open that explores the impact of hospital-SNF (skilled nursing facility) integration on participation in alternative payment models (APMs), particularly focusing on the Bundled Payments for Care Improvement Advanced (BPCI-A) program. The findings reveal that while integration influences APM participation, the effects are complex, pointing to broader implications for healthcare systems.
August 12, 2024 Health Affairs Forefront

Are Changes To The Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Driving Value In US Health Care?

The Medicare Physician Fee Schedule is a cornerstone of U.S. healthcare policy, directly influencing how services are priced and covered. This Health Affairs blog delves into a brief analysis of the CY25 Physician Fee Schedule Proposed Changes and what impact it could have moving forward.
Brown University School of Public Health
Providence RI 02903 401-863-3375 public_health@brown.edu

Quick Navigation

  • Newsletter
  • Visit Brown
  • Campus Map

Footer Navigation

  • Accessibility
  • Careers at Brown
Give To Brown

© Brown University

School of Public Health Brown University
For You
Search Menu

Mobile Site Navigation

    Mobile Site Navigation

    • Home
    • About
    • Research
      • Traditional Medicare
      • Medicare Advantage
      • Markets and Consolidation
      • State Policies to Enhance Competition and Affordability
      • Research Unplugged
      • Working Papers
    • Policy Tools
      • Hospital Payment Cap Simulator
      • MediCode Tool
      • Newsletters & Research Summaries
      • Policy Briefs
      • Public Comments
      • Testimonies & Briefings
    • Events and Programs
      • Launch Events (Providence x DC)
      • Policy Discussions
      • Health Data Science Summer Fellowship Program
      • Seminar Series
    • People
      • Leadership
      • Faculty and Staff
      • Trainees
      • Center Spotlight
    • CAHPR in the Media
    • Work with us
All of Brown.edu People
Close Search

Traditional Medicare