Telehealth

Federal Health Policy Update for October 16

The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government for October 10 - 16. 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. Congress and the Shutdown In its tenth attempt, the Senate today failed to pass a Republican-sponsored continuing resolution (CR). Republicans were unable to gain the 60 votes needed to pass the bill, winning Democratic support only from [...]

joe2025-10-16T16:38:02-04:00October 16, 2025|Affordable Care Act, Medicaid, Telehealth|

Misinterpretation of Shutdown Plagues Telehealth

When federal authorization for Medicare-covered telehealth services lapsed at the end of the federal fiscal year on September 30, it was only supposed to affect traditional Medicare participants. But not everyone got the message. Some providers, confused about the lapse of Medicare authorization, are refusing to prescribe telehealth services for their non-Medicare patients. In addition, some health insurers are declining to cover telehealth services for their non-Medicare patients, misinterpreting the scope of the loss of Medicare authorization for telehealth care – something they should not be doing, according to a health insurance industry trade group. Older patients, patients with limited [...]

joe2025-10-14T11:45:35-04:00October 14, 2025|Medicare, Telehealth|

States Mull Pursuit of Rural Health Transformation Money

Support to grow their health care workforce, including new or expanded medical education programs to attract doctors and nurses. Doing more to address chronic medical conditions. Better coordination of care and greater use of technology. Making greater use of telehealth. Improving the local transportation infrastructure as a means of improving access to care. These are among the ideas that health care officials from almost every state discussed recently at a networking workshop held last week by the Health Policy Futures Lab to discuss how states might approach crafting proposals seeking a portion of the first half of the $50 billion [...]

joe2025-10-07T15:50:11-04:00October 8, 2025|Medicaid, 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|

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. The Department of Health and Human Services anticipates reducing its workforce by 40 percent during the federal government shutdown while the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services anticipates furloughing nearly half its staff. The Office of Management and Budget has issued a memo encouraging agencies to consider making at least some and possibly many of these furloughs permanent. Medicare and Medicaid will continue [...]

joe2025-10-01T08:42:28-04:00October 1, 2025|Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Congress, hospitals, Medicaid, 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|

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|

Federal Health Policy Update for September 4

The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government for August 29 – September 4. Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents. Congress The House and Senate have returned to Washington D.C., where their focus has turned to funding for the federal government, which expires on September 30. Senior appropriators predict that Congress will pass a continuing resolution (CR) to keep the government open through at least mid-November. We expect any CR to include a number of health care extenders for programs that also expire after September 30, including for telehealth flexibilities, [...]

joe2025-09-04T15:15:10-04:00September 4, 2025|Accountable Care Organization, ACO, Alternative payment models, Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, CMMI, Medicaid, Medicaid disproportionate share, Medicaid DSH, Medicaid DSH allotments, Medicaid managed care, Medicare, Medicare post-acute care, Medicare regulations, Medicare reimbursement policy, Telehealth|

Federal Health Policy Update for August 28

The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government for August 22-28. Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents. Congress The House and Senate are in recess and will return to Washington D.C. on September 2. Funding for the federal government expires on September 30, as will a number of health care extenders, including for telehealth flexibilities, the Acute Hospital Care at Home program, the Medicare-dependent hospital and low-volume hospital programs, and delays to reductions to Medicaid disproportionate share (Medicaid DSH) allotments. Congressional Budget Office (CBO) The CBO has written to congressional [...]

joe2025-08-28T15:48:29-04:00August 28, 2025|Alternative payment models, Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation, CMMI, MACPAC, Medicaid, Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission, Medicaid disproportionate share, Medicaid DSH, Medicaid DSH allotments, Medicare, Medicare reimbursement policy, MedPAC, Telehealth|