Medicare regulations

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|

Federal Health Policy Update for June 11

The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government for June 5-11. Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents. Don’t Miss: CMS warns more than 500 hospitals for failing to meet price transparency requirements HHS OIG looks at Medicare Advantage rejections of post-acute services Federal court rejects $100,000 H-1B visa fee HHS RFI seeks new approaches, including AI, for treating addiction CMS creates new office to help with tech modernization Congress Some Republican members of Congress continue to plan for a third party-line reconciliation bill to focus on health care affordability. The [...]

joe2026-06-11T16:08:27-04:00June 11, 2026|Alternative payment models, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Congress, hospitals, Medicaid, Medicare, Medicare regulations, Medicare reimbursement policy, MedPAC|

Federal Health Policy Update for May 28

The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government for May 22-28. Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents. Congress When Congress returns from the Memorial Day recess next week, lawmakers will have to address the Republican-led reconciliation bill to fund ICE and CBP. After, they plan to start working on a third party-line bill focusing on affordability—including health care—which leadership aims to pass by the end of July. Next week, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies is scheduled to mark up its Fiscal [...]

sysadmin2026-05-28T17:43:32-04:00May 28, 2026|Affordable Care Act, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Congress, MACPAC, Medicare, Medicare regulations, Medicare reimbursement policy|

Federal Health Policy Update for May 7

The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government for May 1-7. Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents. Congress Congress hopes to pass a reconciliation package to fund Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection before June 1; lawmakers would then turn to a potential third reconciliation measure to address health care affordability before the mid-term elections. Health care provisions in a potential third reconciliation bill could include expanded access to health savings accounts (HSAs); changes to the rate at which the federal government matches state Medicaid spending [...]

joe2026-05-07T16:06:32-04:00May 7, 2026|Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Medicaid, Medicare, Medicare post-acute care, Medicare regulations, Medicare reimbursement policy, MedPAC|

Federal Health Policy Update for April 30

The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government for April 24-30. Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents. Congress Yesterday, House Republicans adopted the Senate’s budget resolution, clearing the way for the party-line reconciliation process to move into the drafting phase. The limited budget resolution for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection instructs the Senate Judiciary and Homeland Security committees to write legislation by May 15. Today, the House passed the Senate’s spending bill to fund the rest of the Department of Homeland Security, including FEMA. [...]

joe2026-04-30T14:21:14-04:00April 30, 2026|Alternative payment models, Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, CMMI, Congress, Medicaid, Medicaid regulations, Medicare, Medicare regulations, Medicare reimbursement policy|

Federal Health Policy Update for April 16

The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government for April 11-16. Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents. CMS – New Proposed Regulations FY 2027 Medicare Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment System and Long-Term Care Hospital Prospective Payment System Proposed Rule CMS has published its proposed FY 2027 Medicare hospital inpatient and long-term-care hospital prospective payment system rule. The highlights of the proposed rule are: A 2.4 percent rate increase for both acute-care hospital inpatient and long-term care hospital services. A $564 million reduction in Medicare disproportionate share hospital (Medicare DSH) and [...]

joe2026-04-16T16:21:07-04:00April 16, 2026|Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, hospitals, MACPAC, Medicaid, Medicaid managed care, Medicaid regulations, Medicare, Medicare regulations, Medicare reimbursement policy|

MedPAC Meets

MedPAC’s commissioners held their latest public meeting on Thursday, April 9 and Friday, April 11. The subjects on the meeting’s agenda were: improving payment incentives in Medicare analysis of regional benchmarks and benchmark-plan availability in the Part D prescription drug plan market preferred networks and pharmacy access in Part D estimated association between Medicare Advantage enrollment and hospitals’ and post-acute care providers’ finances information sources that beneficiaries use to make Medicare enrollment decisions institutional special-needs plans: provision of services, network-adequacy requirements, and star ratings mandated report: assessment of the Medicare ground ambulance data collection system Go here for summaries of [...]

joe2026-04-15T08:18:40-04:00April 15, 2026|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 27 to April 3. Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents. Proposed and Final CMS Medicare Regulations Proposed FY 2027 Medicare Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities Payment Rule CMS has published a proposed rule updating Medicare payment policies and rates for inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRF) under its IRF prospective payment system and updating the IRF quality reporting program for FY 2027. CMS proposes updating FY 2027 IRF rates by 2.4 percent based on a market basket update of 3.2 percent less a proposed [...]

joe2026-04-03T13:22:10-04:00April 3, 2026|Accountable Care Organization, ACO, Alternative payment models, Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, CMMI, Congress, Medicaid, Medicare regulations, Medicare reimbursement policy|

Federal Health Policy Update for March 26

The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government for March 20-26. Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents. Congress Republican leadership is exploring a reconciliation bill as a potential vehicle to fund Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and pass the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act (SAVE) voting rights act. If pursued, this approach could increase the likelihood of additional health care cuts, including expanding site-neutral payment policies in both Medicare and Medicaid. It is not clear whether there will be sufficient support in either chamber for Republicans to pursue a party-line [...]

joe2026-03-26T15:09:34-04:00March 26, 2026|Alternative payment models, Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation, CMMI, Congress, hospitals, Medicaid, Medicaid disproportionate share, Medicaid DSH, Medicare, Medicare regulations, Medicare reimbursement policy|