Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

Federal Health Policy Update for April 17

The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government for April 11-17. Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents. The White House President Trump signed an executive order titled “Lowering Drug Prices by Once Again Putting Americans First” that directs the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services to take steps to lower prescription drug costs for patients. The order addresses several prescription drug-related policies, including: the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program seeking better Medicare prices for drugs not subject to the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program accelerating FDA drug [...]

joe2025-04-17T17:14:31-04:00April 17, 2025|340b, Accountable Care Organization, ACO, Alternative payment models, Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, CMMI, Congress, hospitals, MACPAC, Medicaid, Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission, Medicare, Medicare reimbursement policy|

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 today passed the budget resolution passed by the Senate last week. Passage of the same budget resolution by both chambers now enables Congress to begin work on a reconciliation bill to enact President Trump’s priorities on tax cuts, border security, and energy policies. Until this morning, more than a dozen Republican House members had opposed the Senate-passed budget resolution because they believed the Senate’s budget did not require enough spending [...]

joe2025-04-10T16:05:02-04:00April 10, 2025|Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, hospitals, Medicaid, Medicaid managed care, Medicaid regulations, Medicare, Medicare regulations, Medicare reimbursement policy|

Federal Health Policy Update for April 3

The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government for March 28 through April 3. Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents. Congress - Reconciliation Yesterday, Senate Republicans released their new budget resolution as they try to create a single budget resolution that can pass the House and Senate – a necessary step before the chambers can pass a reconciliation bill. The new resolution includes the following instructions: The Senate Finance Committee can increase the deficit no more than $1.5 trillion over 10 years. This assumes use of the “current policy baseline” [...]

joe2025-04-03T14:39:43-04:00April 3, 2025|Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, MACPAC, Medicaid, Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission|

Federal Health Policy Update for March 27

The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government for March 21-27. Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents. Congress The House and Senate need to pass a joint budget resolution as a first step before committees can begin writing legislation to pass under reconciliation. Each chamber has passed its own budget resolution and while the two are very different, congressional leaders have agreed to write a less prescriptive resolution that will permit each chamber’s committees to determine the level of spending and saving required and then will try to work out [...]

joe2025-03-27T17:03:07-04:00March 27, 2025|Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Medicaid, Medicare, Medicare regulations, Medicare reimbursement policy, Telehealth|

Federal Health Policy Update for March 20

The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government for March 14-20. Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents. The White House The White House has rescinded Executive Order 13994 of January 21, 2021, titled “Ensuring a Data-Driven Response to COVID-19 and Future High-Consequence Public Health Threats.” In response to this action, CMS rescinded its November 22, 2022 memo “The Importance of Timely Use of COVID-19 Therapeutics,” the purpose of which, according the memo, was “…to highlight the importance of providing timely access to available COVID-19 therapeutics to patients who test positive [...]

joe2025-03-20T16:00:25-04:00March 20, 2025|340b, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Medicaid, Medicaid disproportionate share, Medicaid DSH, Medicaid DSH allotments, Medicare, Medicare disproportionate share, Medicare DSH, Medicare post-acute care, Medicare regulations, Medicare reimbursement policy, MedPAC|

Federal Health Policy Update for March 13

The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government for March 7-13. Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents. Congress Funding the Federal Government Unless Congress passes spending legislation, funding for the federal government will expire at 12:01 a.m. this Saturday, March 15. This week, the House passed a continuing resolution that would fund the federal government through the end of the 2025 federal fiscal year. The bill extends telehealth flexibilities, the Acute Hospital Care at Home program, and other health extenders through September 30, 2025. The bill also delays cuts to [...]

joe2025-03-13T15:54:07-04:00March 13, 2025|Affordable Care Act, Alternative payment models, Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, CMMI, Congress, 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 reimbursement policy, Telehealth|

Federal Health Policy Update for March 6

The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government for March February 28 – March 6. Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents. Congress The current continuing resolution funding the federal government expires on March 14. Leaders intend to propose a long-term continuing resolution through the end of the current federal fiscal year in September. The likelihood of success of that approach is uncertain. Separately, a number of health care extenders, including preventing cuts to Medicaid disproportionate share (Medicaid DSH), an extension of telehealth flexibilities, an extension of the Acute Hospital Care [...]

joe2025-03-06T16:39:50-05:00March 6, 2025|Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, health equity, hospitals, Medicaid, Medicaid disproportionate share, Medicaid DSH, Medicaid DSH allotments, Medicaid regulations, Medicare, Medicare regulations, Medicare reimbursement policy, Telehealth|

Federal Health Policy Update for February 27

The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government for February 21-27. Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents. Congress The current continuing resolution funding the federal government expires on March 14. Separately, a number of health care extenders, including preventing cuts to Medicaid disproportionate share (Medicaid DSH), an extension of telehealth flexibilities, an extension of the Acute Hospital Care at Home program, and other rural programs, will expire on March 31. Also, provisions that had been included in the bipartisan health care package proposed in December, including PBM reform, the package [...]

joe2025-02-27T16:26:33-05:00February 27, 2025|Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, COVID-19, hospitals, Medicaid, Medicaid disproportionate share, Medicaid DSH, Medicaid DSH allotments, Medicare, Medicare reimbursement policy, social determinants of health|

Federal Health Policy Update for February 20

The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government for February 14-20. Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents. Congress The current continuing resolution funding the federal government expires on March 14 and a number of health care extenders, including preventing cuts to Medicaid disproportionate share (Medicaid DSH), an extension of telehealth flexibilities, an extension of the Acute Hospital Care at Home program, and other rural programs will expire on March 31. It is yet unclear how Congress will meet either of those deadlines. Provisions that had been included in the bipartisan [...]

joe2025-02-20T16:09:51-05:00February 20, 2025|Affordable Care Act, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, hospitals, Medicaid, Medicaid disproportionate share, Medicaid DSH, Medicaid DSH allotments, Medicare, Telehealth|

Federal Health Policy Update for February 13

The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government for February 7 - 13. 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 three 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. While an HHS spokesperson explained that the moratorium has been eased and agencies are now permitted to engage in some public communication, subject to review, such activity remains very [...]