Medicare reimbursement policy

Federal Health Policy Update for November 13

The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government for November 7-13. Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents. Please note that during the federal government shutdown, most HHS and other health care-related agencies, with limited exceptions, engaged in little public activity such as announcements, the publication of new regulations, and updating their web sites. Now that the shutdown has ended, normal activity can be expected to resume shortly. The End of the Federal Government Shutdown On Wednesday night the House passed the Senate-amended version of the continuing resolution (CR) in a [...]

joe2025-11-13T15:20:05-05:00November 13, 2025|Affordable Care Act, Alternative payment models, Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, CMMI, Congress, hospitals, Medicaid, Medicaid disproportionate share, Medicaid DSH, Medicaid DSH allotments, Medicaid managed care, Medicare, Medicare reimbursement policy, Telehealth|

Senate Bill Includes Provisions Vital to Many Hospitals

Last weekend the Senate passed a bill that could, if negotiated successfully with and adopted by the House, temporarily end the current federal government shutdown. Included in the Senate-passed bill are so-called health care extenders that are important to many hospitals, including: A delay in cuts in Medicaid disproportionate share hospital (Medicaid DSH) allotments to the states. A temporary extension of COVID-era telehealth flexibilities. Extension of the Medicare low-volume hospital and Medicare-dependent hospital programs. Extension of authorization for Medicare’s Acute Hospital at Home program. Extension of funding for Community Health Centers and teaching hospitals that operate graduate medical education (GME) [...]

joe2025-11-10T12:19:59-05:00November 10, 2025|Affordable Care Act, Congress, hospitals, Medicaid, Medicaid disproportionate share, Medicaid DSH, Medicaid DSH allotments, Medicare, Medicare regulations, Medicare reimbursement policy, Telehealth|

Federal Health Policy Update for November 6

The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government for October 31 – November 6. Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents. Please note that most HHS and other health care-related agencies have indicated that they will not be announcing new policies, publishing proposed regulations, or updating their web sites during the current federal government shutdown; some are engaging in limited exceptions. Congress and the Shutdown Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) today told his caucus that he plans to bring the House-passed CR to yet another vote in the Senate on [...]

joe2025-11-06T21:35:12-05:00November 6, 2025|340b, Affordable Care Act, Alternative payment models, Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, CMMI, Congress, hospitals, Medicaid, Medicare, Medicare regulations, Medicare reimbursement policy, Telehealth|

Federal Health Policy Update for October 3

The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government for September 26 to October 3. Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents. 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. Medicare and Medicaid will continue to function; previous legislation ensures Medicaid funding through the first quarter of FY 2026. States will continue to receive federal funding to [...]

joe2025-10-03T14:33:33-04:00October 3, 2025|Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, CMMI, Congress, hospitals, Medicaid, Medicaid disproportionate share, Medicaid DSH, Medicaid DSH allotments, Medicaid managed care, Medicare, Medicare reimbursement policy, Telehealth|

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 page advises stakeholders that The Acute Hospital Care at Home [...]

Federal Health Policy Update for September 18

The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government for September 12-18. Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents. Congress Funding for the federal government expires on September 30. Members of Congress have not yet coalesced around a plan to fund the federal government when the new federal fiscal year begins on October 1, with House Republican and Democratic leaders releasing competing legislative texts for a short-term continuing resolution (CR). House Republicans have proposed a CR to last through November 21 with very few anomalies, or policy changes, outside of regular spending. [...]

joe2025-09-18T17:11:02-04:00September 18, 2025|340b, Affordable Care Act, Congress, hospitals, Medicaid, Medicaid disproportionate share, Medicaid DSH, Medicaid DSH allotments, Medicaid managed care, Medicaid regulations, Medicare, Medicare disproportionate share, Medicare DSH, Medicare regulations, Medicare reimbursement policy, post-acute care, Telehealth|

Providers Objecting to New HHS Programs

Health care providers are expressing concern about two new programs recently announced by the Department of Health and Human Services: the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ Medicare WISeR (Wasteful and Inappropriate Service Reduction) Model and HHS’s 340B Rebate Model Pilot Program. The WISeR model, to be tested in six states, will require doctors to obtain prior authorization before providing a limited group of services. That prior authorization is expected to be delivered primarily through the use of AI. Participation will be mandatory in the states involved in the program and providers are concerned that it will increase their administrative [...]

joe2025-09-17T12:50:36-04:00September 18, 2025|340b, Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation, CMMI, Medicare, Medicare reimbursement policy|

Federal Health Policy Update for September 11

The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government for September 5-11. Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents. Congress With fewer than three weeks until the end of the federal fiscal year, congressional leaders are beginning to devise a strategy to avoid a federal government shutdown on October 1. Whatever strategy they ultimately adopt will certainly involve some form of continuing resolution (CR). Some conservatives in Congress would like to see a full-year CR that would keep funding at current levels and permit the President to cut spending via rescissions. Appropriators [...]

joe2025-09-11T16:41:56-04:00September 11, 2025|340b, Affordable Care Act, Congress, hospitals, Medicaid, Medicaid disproportionate share, Medicaid DSH, Medicaid DSH allotments, Medicare, Medicare regulations, Medicare reimbursement policy, Telehealth|

MedPAC Meets

MedPAC’s commissioners held their latest public meetings on Thursday, September 4 and Friday, September 5. The subjects on the meetings’ agenda were: Medicare payment operations and improving payment accuracy oversight needed to ensure Medicare’s sustainability: a report from the Government Accountability Office context for Medicare payment policy access to hospice and certain services under the hospice benefit for beneficiaries with end-stage renal disease or cancer the association between changes in Medicare Advantage enrollment and hospital finances Go here for summaries of the issues and key points and links to the presentations delivered by MedPAC staff and go here a transcript [...]

joe2025-09-09T13:26:12-04:00September 10, 2025|Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Medicare, Medicare reimbursement policy, MedPAC|

CMS Tinkers With Models

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has announced changes in two of its Medicare accountable care models: the Achieving Healthcare Efficiency Through Accountable Design (AHEAD) Model and the Transforming Episode Accountability (TEAM) Model. The AHEAD Model is a state total cost of care model that seeks to drive state and regional health care transformation and multi-payer alignment with the goals of improving the total health of the population involved, promoting competition and choice, enhancing prevention, and empowering patients. Under the changes, states must implement at least two policies focused on promoting choice and competition in their health care markets [...]

joe2025-09-04T17:31:02-04:00September 9, 2025|Accountable Care Organization, ACO, Alternative payment models, Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Medicare, Medicare post-acute care, Medicare reimbursement policy|