Bulletin Board2021-11-23T21:39:28-05:00

Bulletin Board

Bulletin Board

Health Care During the Government Shutdown

With the federal government technically without spending authority now that FY 2026 has begun without an approved FY 2026 budget, the federal role in health care will change in some respects and be greatly reduced in others. The Department of Health and Human Services anticipates reducing its workforce by 40 percent during the federal government shutdown while the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services anticipates furloughing nearly half its staff.  The Office of Management and Budget has issued a memo encouraging agencies to consider making at least some and possibly [...]

New Medicaid Work Requirement Could Slam Hospital Finances

The Medicaid work/community engagement requirement included in the “One Big Beautiful Bill” Act could cost hospitals millions of dollars –  losses that could translate into potential declines of 11.7-13.3 percent in hospital operating margins, according to a Commonwealth Fund analysis based on Urban Institute data. Not all current Medicaid participants are subject to the new work and community engagement requirements but between 5.5 million and 6.3 million people are expected to lose their Medicaid benefits as a result of those requirements.  Among them, some will be newly unemployed; some will [...]

Hospitals to Face More Readmissions Penalties in 2026

Hospital readmissions penalties will increase, as will the size of the typical penalty, in the coming year. Beginning in FY 2026, the proportion of hospitals that will be penalized at least one percent for excessive readmissions under the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program will rise from seven percent of all hospitals to eight percent.  The number of hospitals penalized less than one percent will decline. Hospitals that care for the highest proportions of dually eligible Medicare/Medicaid patients will see their penalties increase slightly. The penalties [...]

MACPAC Meets

Members of the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission met recently in Washington, D.C. The following is MACPAC’s own summary of its two days of public meetings. MACPAC’s September 2025 meeting began with a summary of Public Law 119-21, an Act to Provide for Reconciliation Pursuant to Title II of H. Con. Res. 14 (2025 Budget Reconciliation Act, P.L. 119-21). This legislation included several provisions affecting Medicaid and the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). In this session, staff provided a summary of the Medicaid and CHIP-related provisions in [...]

Federal Health Policy Update for September 25

The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government for September 19-25.  Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents. Federal Funding for Fiscal Year 2026 Telehealth and Acute Hospital Care at Home Program Flexibilities Many current telehealth flexibilities and authorization for the Acute Hospital Care at Home program will expire on September 30 unless Congress extends them.  The following is CMS’s current guidance on these programs if they are not extended by September 30: The CMS Acute Hospital Care at Home web [...]

September 25, 2025|Categories: Alternative payment models, Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, CMMI, Congress, COVID-19, hospitals, MACPAC, Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission, Medicaid disproportionate share, Medicaid DSH, Medicaid DSH allotments, Medicaid long-term services and supports, Medicaid regulations, Medicare, Medicare regulations, Medicare reimbursement policy, Telehealth|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

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