340b – DeBrunner & Associates

Federal Health Policy Update for July 2

Don’t Miss: CMS proposes CY 2027 Medicare outpatient rates, reviving 340B cuts, expanding site-neutral payments CMS calls for modest Medicare home health pay hike, more ways to oust providers Court halts borrowing limit that jeopardized supply of qualified health professionals The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government for June 25-July 2. Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents. Proposed CY 2027 Medicare Outpatient Prospective Payment and Ambulatory Surgical Center Rule CMS has published its proposed Medicare FY 2027 outpatient and ambulatory surgical center prospective payment system rule. The proposed [...]

joe2026-07-02T16:55:39-04:00July 2, 2026|340b, Accountable Care Organization, Affordable Care Act, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, hospitals, Medicare, Medicare post-acute care, Medicare regulations, Medicare reimbursement policy|

House Weighs Hospital Transparency Bill

A new bill in the House of Representatives would require most non-profit hospitals to provide more detailed financial information to the federal government to justify their continued tax-exempt status. The Tax Exempt Hospital Transparency Act, currently working its way through the House Ways and Means Committee, would apply, in general, to non-profit hospitals and hospital organizations with more than 100 staffed beds and more than $100 million in patient revenue. Affected tax-exempt hospitals would be required to report annually on how they have addressed the needs identified in their required community needs assessment – and explain why they are not [...]

joe2026-07-01T12:09:31-04:00July 2, 2026|340b, Congress, hospitals|

Federal Health Policy Update for June 25

Don’t Miss: CMS posts a new presentation on Medicaid eligibility under HR 1 House health subcommittee marks up health care price transparency bills Cassidy proposes 340B bill HRSA announces two maternity-related funding opportunities The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government for June 19-25. Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents. Congress The House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Oversight Subcommittee held a hearing to discuss integrity and fraud risk in state Medicaid programs; witnesses included state Medicaid directors from California, Minnesota, New York, and Ohio. For more information, see the press [...]

joe2026-06-25T17:28:47-04:00June 25, 2026|340b, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Congress, hospitals, MACPAC, Medicaid, Medicare, Medicare regulations, Medicare reimbursement policy|

Federal Health Policy Update for June 18

Don’t Miss: 340B Rebate Model pilot program – next steps Stricter rules on CMS’s reviews of new and existing section 1115 Medicaid demonstration programs Changes in health care institution accrediting practices HHS posts mental and behavioral health grant opportunities The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government for June 12-18. Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents. Congress Both chambers of Congress will return to session on June 22. The House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee will hold a hearing titled “State Medicaid Program Integrity: Examining Fraud Risks [...]

joe2026-06-18T16:07:51-04:00June 18, 2026|340b, Affordable Care Act, Alternative payment models, hospitals, MACPAC, Medicaid, Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission, Medicaid managed care, Medicaid regulations, Medicare, Medicare regulations, Medicare reimbursement policy, MedPAC|

A 340B Scorecard

Hospitals suing CVS Health over 340B savings. The Health Resources and Services Administration’s proposed 340B Rebate Model Pilot Program. Eli Lilly’s demand that hospitals share claims-level data for 340B-covered drugs. The continuing battle over the involvement of contract pharmacies in providing access to 340B-covered drugs. Sometimes it seems as if barely a week passes without some new challenge to the 340B program. In a recent article, Becker’s Hospital News presents an update on the latest in challenges to the 340B program. Learn more from its article “340B in 2026: Tracking litigation, mandates and policy shifts reshaping the program.”

joe2026-06-03T12:31:11-04:00June 4, 2026|340b|

Federal Health Policy Update for April 10

The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government for April 4-10. Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents. Congress The House and Senate were in recess this week and are scheduled to be back in session on April 14. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) has indicated that the House will not vote on the Senate‑passed Department of Homeland Security continuing resolution until there is meaningful progress on a reconciliation package to fund U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. In an effort to narrow the scope [...]

joe2026-04-10T13:43:20-04:00April 10, 2026|340b, Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, CMMI, Congress, Medicaid, Medicare, Medicare disproportionate share, Medicare DSH, Medicare reimbursement policy|

“Rural Emergency Hospital” Designation Making a Difference for Some Communities

The new (since 2023) classification of some hospitals as “Rural Emergency Hospitals” is proving to be an effective tool for preserving access to care in some rural communities. The program, introduced to help stem the closure of rural hospitals, which was leaving many communities without reasonable access to care, appears to be having the desired effect. Among the benefits reported by the administrators of such hospitals – which must apply for this special federal designation – are preservation of access to emergency and outpatient services, including surgery, laboratory, imaging, and therapy, in communities where they were otherwise in jeopardy; financial [...]

joe2026-03-11T11:18:59-04:00March 12, 2026|340b, hospitals, Medicare|

Federal Health Policy Update for February 26

The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government for February 20-26. Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents. Congress Both chambers of Congress are in session this week and next. The partial shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security that began on February 23 continues. The House Ways and Means Committee held a hearing titled “Advancing the Next Generation of America’s Health Care Workforce” to examine the shortage of resident physicians and explore ways to strengthen rural health care providers and Graduate Medical Education (GME). Watch the hearing and review the witness testimony here. Centers for Medicare & [...]

joe2026-02-26T15:43:01-05:00February 26, 2026|340b, Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, CMMI, COVID-19, hospitals, Medicaid, Medicaid disproportionate share, Medicaid DSH, Medicaid managed care, Medicaid regulations, Medicare, Medicare regulations, Medicare reimbursement policy, Telehealth|

Federal Health Policy Update for February 19

The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government for February 13-19. Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents. Congress Congress is not in session this week and will return on Monday, February 23. The House Ways and Means Committee will hold a hearing titled “Next Generation of Health Care Workforce” on Tuesday, February 24. View a livestream of the hearing here. The Courts A federal court has vacated the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) 2024 overhaul of the Hart-Scott-Rodino Premerger Notification Rule. That rule expanded disclosure requirements, requiring filings for transactions valued [...]

joe2026-02-19T15:40:16-05:00February 19, 2026|340b, Accountable Care Organization, ACO, Alternative payment models, Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, CMMI, Medicaid, Medicare, Medicare regulations|

Feds Taking Another Shot at 340B Changes

Only a week after a federal court rejected for a second time its attempt to introduce a new approach to administering the 340B Drug Pricing Program, the Health Resources and Services Administration is going back to the drawing board and trying again to launch the model. In its first step, HRSA has issued a Request for Information (RFI) to gather input from interested parties on whether the agency should implement a rebate model under the 340B program and how best to implement such a model. The RFI notes that in 2024, HRSA began receiving inquiries from drug companies seeking to [...]

joe2026-02-18T10:37:51-05:00February 18, 2026|340b|