Drug Enforcement Administration

Federal Health Policy Update for November 21

The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government for November 15-21. Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents. The Incoming Administration President Trump has nominated Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. for Secretary of Health and Human Services and Dr. Mehmet Oz for Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Both positions require confirmation by the Senate. Senators will start the process of confirming the President-elect’s cabinet nominees when the new Congress convenes in January. Congress Funding for the federal government will expire on December 20 and it is still [...]

joe2024-11-21T15:14:52-05:00November 21, 2024|Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, hospitals, Medicaid, Medicaid managed care, Medicaid regulations, Medicare, Medicare regulations, Medicare reimbursement policy, Telehealth|

Federal Health Policy Update for October 12

The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government for October 6-12. Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents. No Surprises Act CMS has reopened the federal independent dispute resolution (IDR) portal for the initiation ofnew single disputes, including single disputes involving bundled payment arrangements, but parties still cannot initiate new disputes involving air ambulance services and batched disputes for air ambulance and non-air ambulance items and services. IDR portal functionalities related to previously initiated batched disputes also are unavailable. Learn more about this action from this CMS announcement, which includes an [...]

iqtsupport2023-10-12T14:42:15-04:00October 12, 2023|COVID-19, health equity, MACPAC, Medicaid, Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission, Medicare, Medicare post-acute care, Medicare reimbursement policy, MedPAC, social determinants of health, Telehealth|

DEA Okays Continued Remote Prescribing of Controlled Substances

The federal Drug Enforcement Administration has extended the authority of qualified health care providers to prescribe controlled substances via telehealth through the end of 2024. This authorization originated as a temporary measure in response to the COVID-19 public health emergency and this is its second extension since the end of the formal public health emergency. The DEA says it intends to promulgate new remote prescribing standards by the fall of 2024. Without the extension, the authority would have expired on November 11. Learn more about this DEA decision, why it was made, and what to expect next from this Federal [...]

iqtsupport2023-10-11T06:00:23-04:00October 11, 2023|COVID-19, Telehealth|

Federal Health Policy Update for August 10

The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government for August 4-10. Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services CMS has temporarily suspended the federal Independent Dispute Resolution process, which adjudicates problems involving surprise medical bills, in the wake of a federal court ruling that found some of the process’s underlying regulations invalid. CMS has directed the certified Independent Dispute Resolution entities to pause all dispute resolution activities. As a result, providers and insurers temporarily cannot initiate new disputes. Learn more from this CMS notice. CMS [...]

iqtsupport2023-08-10T16:32:27-04:00August 10, 2023|Alternative payment models, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, COVID-19, hospitals, MACPAC, Medicaid, Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission, Medicare, Medicare reimbursement policy, MedPAC, Telehealth|