Health

Maine’s childhood vaccine guidance won’t change due to President Donald Trump’s new executive order .

Axios-  An overhaul of how Medicare pays hospitals for joint replacements could pare hundreds of millions of dollars in program spending while getting facilities to pay more attention to the cost and quality of care.

Why it matters: It's an example of how hospitals are the health sector that's being most rocked by the policy changes of President Trump's second term.

Medicare officials last month expanded a pilot program that bundled payments for hip, knee, and ankle replacements — some of the most common surgeries for seniors — to incentivize providers to manage their spending. Nearly all hospitals in the country will have to participate. The pilot ran from mid-2016 through 2024 in selected regions and generated more than $112 million in savings in its sixth and seventh years. 

The expansion is projected to save $725 million over five years.

How it works: Starting in 2028, Medicare will set spending targets for post-surgical care and other services delivered for 90 days after an operation.