joe

About joe

This author has not yet filled in any details.
So far joe has created 143 blog entries.

The Potential Impact of Medicaid Work Requirements

Many policymakers in Washington, D.C. are again talking about imposing work requirements on the Medicaid population.  Limited work requirements were imposed during the late 2010s in some states, although many were overturned by the courts. But as policymakers consider such requirements again, a natural question is what kind of difference work requirements might make. According to recent data from the Kaiser Family Foundation, not as great a difference as many might suspect. According to a recent Kaiser Family Foundation analysis, In 2023, most Medicaid adults under age 65 were working (Figure 1). Among adults under age 65 with Medicaid who [...]

2025-02-06T16:18:44-05:00February 10, 2025|Congress, Medicaid|

Federal Health Policy Update for February 6

The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government for January 31 – February 6.  Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents. Introduction With the pause in external communication that the new administration imposed on HHS two weeks ago, including announcements, advisories, regular publications, and web site updates, there has been very little public communication from or activity involving HHS in the past week, including no new regulations or grant or meeting notices.  While an HHS spokesperson explained that the moratorium has been eased and agencies are now permitted to engage in [...]

Hospitals End 2024 in Encouraging Financial Position

Hospitals finished 2024 in generally good financial condition, according to a new report. Hospital net revenue rose six percent in 2024 and outpatient revenue was up 10 percent, according to the report. With expenses rising but at a rate lower than inflation, hospitals ended 2024 with average operating margins of 7.6 percent – their highest rate for the year. At the same time, however, bad debt and charity care increased, most likely because of the contraction of Medicaid eligibility following the end of pandemic-related eligibility expansion and the continued trend of insurers denying care.  Thus, while the short-term financial outlook [...]

2025-02-04T15:13:21-05:00February 6, 2025|hospitals|

Executive Order Seeks to Reduce Federal Regulations

A new executive order issued by the Trump administration calls for a significant reduction in federal regulations. Describing many current federal regulations as overly complex, burdensome, and obstacles to economic growth and innovation, the order directs that Unless prohibited by law, whenever an executive department or agency (agency) publicly proposes for notice and comment or otherwise promulgates a new regulation, it shall identify at least 10 existing regulations to be repealed. The executive order also states that For fiscal year 2025, which is in progress, the heads of all agencies are directed to ensure that the total incremental cost of [...]

2025-02-04T16:06:30-05:00February 5, 2025|Medicaid regulations, Medicare regulations, Uncategorized|

State-by-State Medicaid Data

New resources published by the Commonwealth Fund share information on the role of Medicaid in serving the U.S. population on a state-by-state basis. The one-page fact sheets – one for each state – share data about how many people in each state are covered by Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP); how many are dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid; how many adults participate in Medicaid as a result of Affordable Care Act Meedicaid expansion; how much money each state’s Medicaid program receives from the federal government – and the share of each state’s Medicaid spending that federal [...]

2025-02-04T14:46:40-05:00February 5, 2025|Affordable Care Act, Congress, Medicaid|

Magazine Cites DeBrunner Consultant for Excellence

The magazine and online news provider City and State PA has named DeBrunner & Associates’ Laura Stevens Kent one of its “CSPA 2025 Government Relations 100” as one of “the commonwealth’s most effective advocates.” Laura is DeBrunner & Associates’ vice president of federal affairs.  She joined DeBrunner last year from the Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania, where she was senior vice president of advocacy and external affairs for the Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania. Congratulations, Laura!

2025-02-04T10:51:32-05:00February 3, 2025|DeBrunner & Associates|

Health Policy Update for January 30

The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government for January 24-30.  Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents. Introduction With the pause in external communication that the new administration imposed on HHS last week, including announcements, advisories, regular publications, and web site updates, there has been very little public communication from or activity involving HHS in the past week, including no new regulations or grant or meeting notices. The Administration Earlier in the week the federal Office of Management and Budget (OMB) announced a temporary pause on agency grant, loan, and [...]

New Client

DeBrunner & Associates is pleased to welcome our newest client:  the Delaware Healthcare Association. The Delaware Healthcare Association is a statewide trade and membership services organization that exists to represent and serve hospitals, health systems, and related health care organizations in their role of providing a continuum of appropriate, cost-effective, quality care to improve the health of the people of Delaware.  The association views its primary role as that of serving as a leader in the promotion of effective change in health services through collaboration and consensus building on health care issues at the state and federal levels. Welcome Delaware [...]

2025-01-29T16:18:37-05:00January 30, 2025|Uncategorized|

Federal Health Policy Update for January 23

The Administration Public Communication The new administration has directed HHS to pause all external communications, including announcements, advisories, regular publications, and web site updates.  According to a published report, "HHS has issued a pause on mass communications and public appearances that are not directly related to emergencies or critical to preserving health," a spokesperson wrote in an email.  "This is a short pause to allow the new team to set up a process for review and prioritization.  There are exceptions for announcements that HHS divisions believe are mission critical, but they will be made on a case-by-case basis."  The directive [...]

MedPAC Meets

MedPAC’s commissioners held their latest public meetings on Thursday, January 13 and Friday, January 14.   The subjects on the meetings’ agenda were: assessing payment adequacy and updating payments: physician and other health professional services assessing payment adequacy and updating payments: hospital inpatient and outpatient services assessing payment adequacy and updating payments: skilled nursing facility services; home health agency services; inpatient rehabilitation facility services; outpatient dialysis services; and hospice services eliminating Medicare’s coverage limits on stays in freestanding inpatient psychiatric facilities Medicare prescription drug program (Part D): status report ambulatory surgical center services: status report the Medicare Advantage program: status report [...]

Go to Top