Policy Updates

MedPAC Meets

Last week the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission met in Washington, D.C. to discuss a number of Medicare payment issues. The issues on MedPAC’s October agenda were: the skilled nursing facility value-based payment system future research directions in hospice payments Medicare Advantage benchmark policy indirect medical education: current Medicare policy, concerns, and principles for revising the evolution of Medicare’s advanced alternative payment models vertical integration and Medicare payment policy MedPAC is an independent congressional agency that advises Congress on issues involving the Medicare program. While its recommendations are not binding on either Congress or the administration, MedPAC is highly influential in [...]

iqtsupport2020-10-09T06:00:26-04:00October 9, 2020|Alternative payment models, Medicare, Medicare regulations, Medicare reimbursement policy, MedPAC|

Congress Gives Hospitals Medicaid DSH Relief

Medicaid DSH allocations to states will not be reduced right away thanks to a new continuing resolution to fund the federal government through December 11. The Medicare disproportionate share allocation cuts to the states, mandated by the Affordable Care Act but delayed by Congress several times, were delayed again earlier this year but scheduled to take effect on November 11. With the latest continuing resolution, the cuts will be delayed yet another month. Learn more about the delay of Medicaid DSH cuts and other aspects of the continuing resolution that affect hospitals in the Healthcare Dive article “Providers win Medicare [...]

iqtsupport2020-10-08T13:00:57-04:00October 8, 2020|Medicaid disproportionate share, Medicaid DSH|

Coronavirus Update for Wednesday, October 7

The following is the latest COVID-19 information from the federal government as of 2:45 p.m. on Wednesday, October 7. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services: Updated Hospital Data Reporting Requirements CMS has issued guidance in support of an interim final regulation presenting its COVID-19 data reporting requirements for hospitals as a condition for continued participation in Medicare and Medicaid. The daily reporting requirements apply to all types of hospitals except for the following, for which reporting is required weekly: psychiatric hospitals distinct part psych hospitals Medicaid only psychiatric hospitals Medicaid only children’s hospitals rehabilitation hospitals Medicaid only rehabilitation hospitals The [...]

iqtsupport2020-10-08T06:00:50-04:00October 8, 2020|Coronavirus, COVID-19|

Coronavirus Update for Tuesday, October 6

The Department of Health and Human Services is now providing extensive information about its planned Phase 3 distribution of Provider Relief Funds. Background Last Thursday HHS announced the planned distribution of $20 billion in new funding for providers on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic. Under this Phase 3 General Distribution allocation, providers that have already received Provider Relief Fund payments are invited to apply for additional funding that considers financial losses and increased expenses experienced due to COVID-19. Previously ineligible providers, such as those that began practicing in 2020, will also be invited to apply, and an expanded [...]

iqtsupport2020-10-07T06:00:54-04:00October 7, 2020|Uncategorized|

Coronavirus Update for Monday, October 5

The following is the latest COVID-19 information from the federal government as 2:45 p.m. on Monday, October 5. Provider Relief Fund HHS has updated its Provider Relief Fund information about the Phase 3 general distribution that was announced last week. Go here for information on how to apply for Phase 3 funding and here for the terms and conditions for Phase 3 payments. Today is the first day for providers to apply for Phase 3 funding; the application deadline is November 6. HHS has updated its Provider Relief Fund FAQ with seven changes marked “Modified 10/1/2020.” The changes, found on [...]

iqtsupport2020-10-06T06:02:50-04:00October 6, 2020|Coronavirus, COVID-19|

Medicaid and CHIP Enrollment Rising in Pandemic

Medicaid enrollment rose 6.2 percent and CHIP enrollment 0.5 percent during the first four months of the COVID-19 public health emergency, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services reports. The enrollment increase can be traced to rising unemployment, with many people losing their employer-sponsored health insurance. The new figures cover five months, from February through June, the latter four of which marked the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. The information comes from CMS’s first monthly “Medicaid and CHIP Enrollment Trends Snapshot.” Go here for CMS’s news release explaining its new initiative and here to see the trends snapshot itself.

iqtsupport2020-10-06T06:00:36-04:00October 6, 2020|Medicaid|

Payer Mix to Change, Providers Anticipate

Health care providers expect to serve higher proportions of Medicaid and uninsured patients in the coming year, according to a new survey. The shift will be driven by the COVID-19 pandemic, which as unemployment remains high is leading to fewer patients with commercial insurance and more with Medicaid or no insurance all, according to provider financial executives. Learn more about the reimbursement changes health care providers expect to see over the next twelve months in the Healthcare Dive article “Provider finance execs bracing for unfavorable shift in payer mix, survey finds.”

iqtsupport2020-10-05T06:00:36-04:00October 5, 2020|Medicaid|

Coronavirus Update for Thursday, October 1

The following is the latest COVID-19 information from the federal government as 2:30 p.m. on Thursday, October 1. Provider Relief Fund HHS announced the planned distribution of $20 billion in new funding for providers on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic. Under this Phase 3 General Distribution allocation, providers that have already received Provider Relief Fund payments will be invited to apply for additional funding that considers financial losses and increased expenses experienced due to COVID-19. Previously ineligible providers, such as those that began practicing in 2020, will also be invited to apply, and an expanded group of behavioral [...]

iqtsupport2020-10-02T06:00:18-04:00October 2, 2020|Coronavirus, COVID-19|

Coronavirus Update for Tuesday, September 29

The following is the latest COVID-19 information from the federal government as 2:30 p.m. on Monday, September 29. Provider Relief Fund HHS has revised its Provider Relief Fund FAQ with updated information about the tax identification number (TIN) validation process for phase 2 general distribution payments. The update consists of six changes, all marked “modified 9/28/2020,” on pages 30 and 31 of that document. Department of Health and Human Services HHS announced that it will distribute 150 million units of a rapid point-of-care COVID-19 diagnostic test to states with the expectation that they will be used to facilitate the [...]

iqtsupport2020-09-30T06:00:21-04:00September 30, 2020|Coronavirus, COVID-19|

Public Charge Rule Takes Effect

The “public charge rule” that the administration introduced in 2019, only to have it challenged in the courts, is now being enforced by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services after a federal court lifted an injunction on its implementation. The rule authorizes USCIS to deny a green card to any immigrant who receives certain public benefits – such as food stamps, public housing vouchers, welfare, or Medicaid – for more than 12 months within any three-year period. The expressed purpose of the rule is to deny green cards to individuals who may become dependent on publicly funded services – a [...]

iqtsupport2020-09-29T06:00:27-04:00September 29, 2020|Medicaid|