Policy Updates

Health Policy Update for Wednesday, April 7

The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government as of 2:45 p.m. on Wednesday, April 7. The White House Health Policy News President Biden’s first budget proposal is expected to be released this Friday, April 9. It could have important policy implications for health care providers of all types. COVID-19 The White House has posted a transcript of the April 7 press briefing provided by its COVID-19 response team and public health officials. Federal Emergency Management Agency FEMA has published a notice titled “Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic: Safe Opening and Operation Work Eligible for Public Assistance;” the announcement “…defines the framework, [...]

iqtsupport2021-04-07T21:32:50-04:00April 7, 2021|Coronavirus, COVID-19|

MedPAC Meets

The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission met in Washington, D.C. last week to discuss various Medicare payment issues. Among the issues discussed at MedPAC’s April meeting were: Medicare skilled nursing facility value-based purchased program. Medicare alternative payment models (APMs). Medicare Advantage benchmark policy. Medicare indirect medical education (Medicare IME) payments. Medicare vaccine coverage and payments. Medicare payment for prescription drugs prescribed on an outpatient basis. Private equity and Medicare. Medicare clinical laboratory fee schedule. MedPAC is an independent congressional agency that advises Congress on issues involving Medicare. While its recommendations are not binding on either Congress or the administration, MedPAC is [...]

iqtsupport2021-04-07T06:00:07-04:00April 7, 2021|Alternative payment models, Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation, CMMI, Medicare regulations, Medicare reimbursement policy, MedPAC|

Health Policy Update for Monday, April 5

The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government as of 2:30 p.m. on Monday, April 5. The White House COVID-19 The White House has posted a transcript of the April 5 press briefing provided by its COVID-19 response team and public health officials. Provider Relief Fund HHS has removed the following question and answer from its Provider Relief Fund FAQ. Are there any restrictions on how hospitals that receive Medicaid disproportionate share hospital (DSH) payments can use Provider Relief Fund General and Targeted Distribution payments? (Added 2/24/2021) Yes. Providers may not use PRF payments to reimburse expenses or losses that [...]

iqtsupport2021-04-05T17:20:29-04:00April 5, 2021|Coronavirus, COVID-19|

Health Policy Update for Thursday, April 1

The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government as of 2:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 1. Medicare Accelerated and Advance Payments Program In the latest edition of its online publication MLN Connects, CMS has published information about repayment of money health care providers received under its COVID-19 Accelerated and Advance Payments Program. Those repayments began on March 30. For further information, see the MLN Matters article “Repayment of COVID-19 Accelerated and Advance Payments Began on March 30, 2021.” The White House COVID-19 The White House has posted a transcript of the March 31 press briefing provided by its COVID-19 response [...]

iqtsupport2021-04-01T18:01:20-04:00April 1, 2021|Coronavirus, COVID-19, Medicare reimbursement policy|

Health Policy Update for Tuesday, March 30

The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government as of 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 30. Medicare Sequestration In anticipation of possible congressional action to extend the two percent sequester reduction suspension, CMS has instructed the Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs) to hold all claims with dates of service on or after April 1, 2021 for a short period without affecting providers’ cash flow. This will minimize the volume of claims the MACs must reprocess if Congress extends the suspension. The MACs will automatically reprocess any claims paid with the reduction applied if necessary. The White House [...]

iqtsupport2021-03-30T17:20:36-04:00March 30, 2021|Coronavirus, COVID-19|

CMS Ponders Future of Medicare Payment Models

The new administration has delayed the planned launch of several new Medicare payment models and ultimately may choose not to move forward with some or to alter them. The models currently under review by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services are: Primary Care First Kidney Care Choices Geographic Direct Contracting Part D Payment Modernization Model Learn more from the Becker’s Hospital Review article “CMS payment models that are under review, delayed.”

iqtsupport2021-03-30T06:00:20-04:00March 30, 2021|Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, CMMI, Medicare reimbursement policy|

Health Policy Update for Friday, March 26

Beginning this week, DeBrunner & Associates is expanding its regular updates to encompass a broader scope of federal health policy endeavors to include other matters of importance to providers. Feel free to share this newsletter with others in your organization or to send us the email addresses of those you think might be interested and we will send it directly to them. The following is the latest such information from the federal government as of 2:30 p.m. on Friday, March 26. The White House COVID-19 With funding in large part from the American Rescue Plan, the White House announced that [...]

iqtsupport2021-03-26T17:12:30-04:00March 26, 2021|Coronavirus, COVID-19, Medicare regulations, Medicare reimbursement policy|

Federal Health Policy Update for Wednesday, March 24

Beginning today, DeBrunner & Associates is expanding its regular updates to encompass a broader scope of federal health policy endeavors to include other matters of importance to providers. Feel free to share this newsletter with others in your organization or to send us the email addresses of those you think might be interested and we will send it directly to them. The following is the latest such information from the federal government as of 2:45 p.m. on Wednesday, March 24. Congress The temporary delay of implementation of the Medicare two percent sequester expires at the end of the month and [...]

iqtsupport2021-03-25T08:51:40-04:00March 25, 2021|Affordable Care Act, Coronavirus, COVID-19|

New Medicare Policy May Save Money for Government But Cost Patients More

A new Medicare policy expected to save money for the federal government may end up doing so at the expense of Medicare beneficiaries who may find themselves faced with costs that Medicare previously paid. Under the new policy, selected procedures that Medicare once authorized only when performed on an inpatient basis can now be performed on an outpatient basis. The underlying rationale for the policy, which took effect on January 1 and will be phased in over the next three years, is that such an approach should foster competition and possibly lower Medicare costs. But some of those procedures still [...]

iqtsupport2021-03-25T06:00:40-04:00March 25, 2021|Medicare reimbursement policy|

COVID Drives Major Increase in PA Medicaid Enrollment

Medicaid enrollment in Pennsylvania has risen nearly 14 percent in the past year as rising unemployment resulting from COVID-19 drives people to turn to the state for health insurance. As a result, Pennsylvania has added nearly 400,000 people to its Medicaid rolls in the past year. Today, 3.2 million Pennsylvanians are enrolled in the state’s program, although among them are approximately 250,000 who would have been dropped from the program except for a federal requirement that the state not drop people from the program in exchange for a major increase in federal aid for the state’s program. As a result [...]

iqtsupport2021-03-24T06:00:12-04:00March 24, 2021|Pennsylvania Medicaid|