Policy Updates

Coronavirus Update for Tuesday, November 10

The following is the latest COVID-19 information from the federal government as of 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday, November 10. Food and Drug Administration The FDA has issued emergency use authorization (EUA) for the investigational monoclonal antibody therapy bamlanivimab for the treatment of mild-to-moderate COVID-19 in adult and pediatric patients. In issuing this EUA, the FDA noted that “While the safety and effectiveness of this investigational therapy continues to be evaluated, bamlanivimab was shown in clinical trials to reduce COVID-19-related hospitalization or emergency room visits in patients at high risk for disease progression within 28 days after treatment when compared to [...]

iqtsupport2020-11-11T06:00:57-05:00November 11, 2020|Coronavirus, COVID-19|

Coronavirus Update for Thursday, November 5

The following is the latest COVID-19 information from the federal government as of 3:00 p.m. on Thursday, November 5. Provider Relief Fund A reminder that applications for Phase 3 general distribution payments are due Friday, November 6. HHS has updated the Provider Relief Fund FAQ with two modified items; the second bullet below addresses the deadline for Phase 3 applications. p. 6 - Does HHS intend to recoup any payments made to providers not tied to specific claims for reimbursement, such as the General or Targeted Distribution payments? ( Modified 11/5/2020) The Provider Relief Fund and the Terms and Conditions [...]

iqtsupport2020-11-06T06:01:36-05:00November 6, 2020|Coronavirus, COVID-19|

Most Hospitals Fined by Medicare Over Readmissions

More than 80 percent of all hospitals subject to Medicare’s hospital readmissions reduction program, and half of all of hospitals in the country, will be penalized in FY 2021 under that program because they have what Medicare considers to be too many avoidable readmissions. In all, 2556 of the 3080 hospitals subject to the program will be penalized. More than 600 will see their inpatient payments cut one percent as a result and the average cut will be 0.69 percent. The penalties are based on hospital performance with patients experiencing congestive heart failure, heart attacks, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, coronary [...]

iqtsupport2020-11-06T06:00:25-05:00November 6, 2020|Medicare regulations, Medicare reimbursement policy|

MACPAC Meets

The Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission met for two days last week in Washington, D.C. The following is MACPAC’s own summary of the sessions. The October 2020 MACPAC meeting opened with a panel discussion on restarting Medicaid eligibility redeterminations when the public health emergency ends. It included Jennifer Wagner, director of Medicaid eligibility and enrollment at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities; René Mollow, deputy director for health care benefits and eligibility at the California Department of Health Care Services; and Lee Guice, director of policy and operations at the Department for Medicaid Services, Kentucky Cabinet for [...]

iqtsupport2020-11-05T06:00:25-05:00November 5, 2020|MACPAC, Medicaid, Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission, Medicaid disproportionate share, Medicaid DSH, Medicaid DSH allotments, Medicaid regulations|

Coronavirus Update for Tuesday, November 3

The following is the latest COVID-19 information from the federal government as of 2:45 p.m. on Tuesday, November 3. Provider Relief Fund A reminder that applications for Phase 3 general distribution payments are due November 6. HHS has made one change in the Provider Relief Fund FAQ: on pages 15 and 16 is one new question and answer: Question: “At the bottom of page 1 of the reporting requirements announcement in PDF, Step 2 states "PRF payment amounts not fully expended on healthcare related expenses attributable to coronavirus are then applied to patient care lost revenues, net of the healthcare [...]

iqtsupport2020-11-04T06:00:03-05:00November 4, 2020|Coronavirus, COVID-19|

Off-Again, On-Again Public Charge Rule is Off Again

A federal rule that would have limited immigration to the U.S. for people who might at some point become dependent on public aid programs has been put on hold again by a federal judge. Implementation of the rule, delayed by several courts and then authorized by the U.S. Supreme Court until the merits of challenges could be heard, was delayed again by a federal court, which said the rule contained “numerous unexplained flaws” that made it “arbitrary and capricious.” Health care advocates feared the rule would discourage some immigrants to whom the rule does not even apply from seeking to [...]

iqtsupport2020-11-03T08:26:59-05:00November 3, 2020|Medicaid|

Coronavirus Update for Friday, October 30

The following is the latest COVID-19 information from the federal government as of 2:45 p.m. on Friday, October 30. Provider Relief Fund A reminder that applications for Phase 3 general distribution payments are due November 6. Another reminder that HHS will hold a webcast about the Phase 3 general distribution on Monday, November 2 at 3:00 p.m. (eastern) for interested parties. Go here to register for the webcast and to submit questions. Also available are a fact sheet and a presentation about the Phase 3 general distribution. HHS has added or modified 61 questions in its Provider Relief Fund FAQ. [...]

iqtsupport2020-11-02T06:00:50-05:00November 2, 2020|Coronavirus, COVID-19|

Coronavirus Update for Monday, October 26

The following is the latest COVID-19 information from the federal government as of 3:45 p.m. on Monday, October 26. Provider Relief Fund: Webcast on Phase 3 General Distribution Applications for the Provider Relief Fund Phase 3 general distribution are now being accepted by HHS. HHS will hold a webcast on Monday, November 2 at 3:00 p.m. (eastern) for interested parties. Go here to register for the webcast and to submit questions. Providers considering applying for Phase 3 general distribution funds that did not view the previous webcast should participate in this one in anticipation of the November 6 application deadline. [...]

iqtsupport2020-10-27T06:00:30-04:00October 27, 2020|Coronavirus, COVID-19|

GAO Calls for More Work Scrutinizing Hospitals’ Tax-Exempt Status

The question of whether non-profit hospitals are doing enough to justify their tax-exempt status is the focus of a new Government Accountability Office study on the manner in which the Internal Revenue Service evaluates hospitals’ tax exemption. According to the study, the IRS struggles with one of the three primary criteria for non-profit hospitals’ tax-exempt status outlined in the Affordable Care Act (PPACA): whether the community benefit such hospitals provide justifies their tax exemption. The GAO review observed that While PPACA established requirements to better ensure hospitals are serving their communities, the law is unclear about what community benefit activities [...]

iqtsupport2020-10-23T06:00:31-04:00October 23, 2020|hospitals|

Coronavirus Update for Thursday, October 22

The following is the latest COVID-19 information from the federal government as of 2:30 p.m. on Thursday, October 22. Provider Relief Fund HHS has announced that it is updating its most recent Provider Relief Fund reporting instructions to broaden how past fund recipients may use those funds. See that announcement here. In September HHS announced changes in instructions that had originally been issued in June, but with this announcement it appears the agency is restoring its June instructions. In making this decision, HHS wrote that As providers, provider organizations, and members of Congress familiarized themselves with the reporting requirements, HHS [...]

iqtsupport2020-10-23T06:00:16-04:00October 23, 2020|Coronavirus, COVID-19|