Bulletin Board
Bulletin Board
Federal Health Policy Update for October 30
The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government for October 17-23. Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents. Please note that most HHS and other health care-related agencies have indicated that they will not be announcing new policies, publishing proposed regulations, or updating their web sites during the current federal government shutdown. Congress and the Shutdown The federal government remains shut down and the Senate expects to leave Washington today without another vote on the House-passed continuing resolution (CR), ensuring that [...]
CMS Employees Return to Work
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has recalled 3000 employees – 47 percent of its workforce – furloughed earlier this month when the federal government shutdown began. In a published report, a CMS spokesperson explained that “In order to best serve the American people amid the Medicare and Marketplace open enrollment seasons, CMS is temporarily calling back all furloughed employees on Monday, October 27.” In addition to working on Medicare and Marketplace open enrollment, some of the employees returning to work also will participate in the review of applications [...]
Senate Committee Looks at 340B
Last week the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee held a hearing on the 340B Drug Pricing Program, which provides discounted prescription drugs to eligible health care providers, known as "covered entities," to help them serve low-income and uninsured patients. In recent years the 340B program has become more controversial as it has grown and as pharmaceutical companies object more strenuously to the discounts they are required to provide to participating providers. In addition, some critics charge that the savings providers gain from 340B discounts are not consistently [...]
Impact of H-1B Visa Fee on Hospitals in Underserved and Rural Areas
The new $100,000 fee for H-1B visas is expected to detract from the ability of providers in low-income and rural areas to serve their communities. Providers – especially hospitals – in such areas typically operate on very low margins and always have trouble recruiting physicians and other highly skilled providers and often turn to international medical graduates in search of help. In fact, a 2021 study published by the National Institutes of Health reported that nearly two-thirds of international medical graduates practiced in areas designated as health professional shortage areas [...]
The Struggle to Help Prove Medicaid Eligibility
With new Medicaid work rules scheduled to take effect in 42 states by the end of 2026, policymakers are working to find new, better ways to enable Medicaid applicants to demonstrate that they are meeting Medicaid work and community engagement requirements. While the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has set aside $200 million to pursue technology solutions for this problem, such efforts, at least so far, have not proven successful. In a test in Louisiana, for example, state officials sent text messages to 13,000 Medicaid enrollees, asking them to [...]