Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission

Federal Health Policy Update for April 16

The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government for April 11-16. Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents. CMS – New Proposed Regulations FY 2027 Medicare Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment System and Long-Term Care Hospital Prospective Payment System Proposed Rule CMS has published its proposed FY 2027 Medicare hospital inpatient and long-term-care hospital prospective payment system rule. The highlights of the proposed rule are: A 2.4 percent rate increase for both acute-care hospital inpatient and long-term care hospital services. A $564 million reduction in Medicare disproportionate share hospital (Medicare DSH) and [...]

joe2026-04-16T16:21:07-04:00April 16, 2026|Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, hospitals, MACPAC, Medicaid, Medicaid managed care, Medicaid regulations, Medicare, Medicare regulations, Medicare reimbursement policy|

MACPAC Meets

Members of the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission met last week in Washington, D.C. During the course of the deliberations, MACPAC’s staff made the following presentations to the commissioners: Implementing Community Engagement Requirements in Medicaid State and Federal Tools for Ensuring Accountability of Medicaid Managed Care Plans: Draft Chapter Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs (CYSHCN) Transitions to Adult Coverage: Draft Chapter and Recommendations Automation in the Prior Authorization Process: Draft Recommendations Exploring the Role of the State Medicaid Agency in the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly: Policy Options Health and Welfare in Self-Directed [...]

joe2026-04-15T12:51:27-04:00April 16, 2026|MACPAC, Medicaid, Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission, Medicaid managed care|

MACPAC Submits March Report to Congress

The Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission has submitted its mandated March report to Congress. The report consists of four chapters: Chapter 1 offers a recommendation to support the home- and community-based services (HCBS) workforce by requiring states to report hourly wages paid to HCBS workers to help states set effective HCBS payment rates. Chapter 2 focuses on behavioral health in Medicaid and CHIP. Chapter 3 looks at the role of Medicaid in supporting justice-involved youth. Chapter 4 provides an overview of how Medicaid meets the needs of children in child welfare. Learn more from this MACPAC news release, which summarizes the [...]

joe2026-03-17T13:15:26-04:00March 18, 2026|MACPAC, Medicaid, Medicaid long-term services and supports|

MACPAC Meets

Members of the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission met recently in Washington, D.C. The following is MACPAC’s own summary of its two days of public meetings. MACPAC’s March meeting began with a discussion on the role of automation in the Medicaid prior authorization (PA) process. MACPAC conducted a literature review, a federal policy review, and stakeholder interviews on the role of automation in the PA process. During this session, we reviewed findings and challenges that surfaced in this research, including the extent to which automation is already in use in Medicaid PA; the availability of information and documentation [...]

joe2026-03-12T15:08:27-04:00March 16, 2026|MACPAC, Medicaid, Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission, Medicaid managed care, Medicaid regulations for long-term care|

Federal Health Policy Update for January 29

The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government for January 23-29. Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents. Congress The Senate today failed to advance a package of the remaining six FY 2026 appropriations bills, including funding for the Department of Health and Human Services. Democratic senators continue negotiating with the White House on how to proceed with Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding, including the possibility of separating the DHS bill from the broader appropriations package and making targeted amendments to that measure. The Labor, HHS, Education, and Related Agencies bill, [...]

joe2026-02-02T08:58:43-05:00January 29, 2026|Affordable Care Act, Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, CMMI, Congress, hospitals, MACPAC, Medicaid, Medicaid managed care, Medicaid regulations, Medicare, Medicare reimbursement policy, MedPAC, 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 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|

Federal Health Policy Update for August 21

The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government for August 15-21. 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 Medicaid disproportionate share (Medicaid DSH) allotments. In the fall, Congress is considering pursuing health care legislation along two [...]

joe2025-08-21T14:43:11-04:00August 21, 2025|Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, CMMI, Congress, COVID-19, hospitals, MACPAC, Medicaid, Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission, Medicaid disproportionate share, Medicaid DSH, Medicaid DSH allotments, Medicare, Medicare cuts, Medicare reimbursement policy, post-acute care, Telehealth|

Federal Health Policy Update for August 14

The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government for August 8-14. Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents. Congress The House and Senate are both in recess and will return to Washington D.C. on September 2. Funding for the federal government, along with health care extenders including extensions of telehealth flexibilities, the Acute Hospital Care at Home program, the Medicare-dependent hospital and low-volume hospital programs, and delays to Medicaid disproportionate share (Medicaid DSH) allotments, all expire September 30. In the fall, Congress is considering pursuing health care legislation along two tracks, [...]

joe2025-08-14T15:35:41-04:00August 14, 2025|Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, hospitals, MACPAC, Medicaid, Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission, Medicaid disproportionate share, Medicaid DSH, Medicaid DSH allotments, Medicare, Medicare post-acute care, Medicare reimbursement policy, Telehealth|

Federal Health Policy Update for July 31

The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government for July 25-31. Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents. Congress The House recessed last week and the Senate is still in session. When Congress returns in September its top priority will be funding the federal government before the fiscal year ends on September 30, likely requiring a continuing resolution to avoid a shutdown. Several major health care programs and extenders are set to expire at the end of the fiscal year, including Medicaid DSH allotments, telehealth flexibilities, the Acute Hospital Care at [...]

joe2025-07-31T15:04:29-04:00July 31, 2025|340b, Alternative payment models, Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, CMMI, COVID-19, MACPAC, Medicaid, Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission, Medicaid disproportionate share, Medicaid DSH, Medicaid DSH allotments, Medicaid regulations, Medicare reimbursement policy, Telehealth|