Congress

Federal Health Policy Update for December 5

The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government for November 22 – December 5.  Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents. Congress The House has posted its session calendar for 2025.  Find that calendar here. Yesterday, House Republicans made an offer to House Democrats regarding health care provisions to be included in the continuing resolution (CR) that must pass before December 20.  The offer is a conversation-opener and very few details are available.  Although most of the proposed policies have bipartisan support, there are some tangible policy differences, including House Democrats’ [...]

Federal Health Policy Update for May 30

The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government for May 24-30.  Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents. Congress When the House and Senate return to Washington, DC from the Memorial Day recess next week committees will resume holding hearings and markups on health care policy while appropriators will focus on funding for federal fiscal year 2025, which begins October 1.  While there seems to be plenty of activity in Congress it is widely expected that only the most essential bills, like emergency supplemental packages and bills to keep the federal [...]

Federal Health Policy Update for May 23

The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government for May 18-23.  Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents. Congress Leaders of the Senate Finance Committee have released a white paper outlining potential reforms of how Medicare pays physicians and how Medicare might better meet the needs of those with chronic illnesses.  The white paper notes areas of interest the committee sees as opportunities for reform, including: Creating sustainable payment updates to ensure clinicians can own and operate their practices. Creating incentives for alternative payment models that reward providing better care at [...]

Federal Health Policy Update for March 21

The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government for March 15-21.  Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents. The White House The White House has announced new actions to advance women’s health research and innovation and issued an executive order in support of that objective.  The order directs executive branch agencies to integrate women’s health across the federal research portfolio; prioritize investments in women’s health research; pursue new research on women’s midlife health; and assess unmet needs to support women’s health research.  Learn more from this White House fact sheet, which [...]

MedPAC Recommends Medicare Rate Updates to Congress

Some health care providers deserve larger Medicare payments in 2025, some should receive payment cuts, and others should see their payments go unchanged according to new recommendations from the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission to Congress. In its annual report to Congress, MedPAC recommended the following changes in Medicare rates for 2025: Medicare inpatient rates – the rate increase currently scheduled by law for 2025 plus 1.5 percent. Medicare outpatient rates – the rate increase currently scheduled by law for 2025 plus 1.5 percent. Medicare physician rates – the rate increase for physician and other health professional services currently scheduled by [...]

Federal Health Policy Update for March 14

The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government for March 8-14.  Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents. The White House The Biden administration this week released its proposed FY 2025 federal budget.  Health care highlights include: Making permanent the expanded health care premium tax credits introduced to make health insurance marketplace plans more affordable for middle-class Americans. Extension of coverage similar to Medicaid to residents of the 10 states that have not taken advantage of the Affordable Care Act opportunity to expand their Medicaid programs. Permission for states to extend [...]

Federal Health Policy Update for March 7

The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government for March 1-7.  Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents. Congress On Wednesday, March 16 the House passed, by a vote of 339-85, the first package of spending bills to fund some federal agencies through the remainder of the 2024 federal fiscal year.  The House bills include several health care provisions extending programs that were set to expire on Friday, March 8.  The bills would extend the following provisions and programs through December 31, 2024: The continued delay of cuts to Medicaid disproportionate [...]

Medicaid DSH Cut In, Medicare Site-Neutral Payments Out of Health Bill?

With Congress at a stalemate on spending legislation, lawmakers are considering a narrower scope of issues to address in near-term health care legislation. According to published reports, scheduled cuts in Medicaid disproportionate share allotments to states (Medicaid DSH), already delayed several times, could be delayed once again. In addition, a proposal to require Medicare to pay for outpatient services on a site-neutral basis, rather than paying higher rates to hospital-based outpatient departments higher rates, might not be included. Also under consideration:  restoring some cuts in Medicare’s payments to physicians and additional funding for community health centers. Also in jeopardy at [...]

New Way of Calculating Medicaid DSH

Hospitals will soon see federal regulators take a new approach to calculating their Medicaid DSH payments. Specifically, their Medicaid disproportionate share hospital-specific payment limit. A new CMS regulation changes how third-party payments are factored into the calculation of hospitals’ Medicaid disproportionate share hospital-specific payment limit.  That limit, in turn, affects hospitals’ Medicaid DSH payments. This final rule implements changes CMS proposed last year to comply with a congressional mandate to include in the calculation of hospitals’ Medicaid disproportionate share hospital-specific payment limits only costs and payments for services furnished to beneficiaries for whom Medicaid is the primary payer; this means [...]

Proposal Would Establish New “Essential Health System” Designation

The newly proposed “Reinforcing Essential Health Systems for Communities Act” would create a new federal hospital designation that would create a mechanism for directing more federal resources to safety-net hospitals that care for more low-income and uninsured patients. The bipartisan bill, sponsored by Representatives Lori Trahan (D-MA) and David Valadao (R-CA), would, according to Rep. Trahan, … provide federal lawmakers with the avenues necessary to target funding and resources to these critical facilities – just as we’ve done with other types of hospitals that serve specific populations or regions. Hospitals would qualify for “essential health system” status by meeting one [...]

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