Medicaid disproportionate share

Federal Health Policy Update for March 6

The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government for March February 28 – March 6. Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents. Congress The current continuing resolution funding the federal government expires on March 14. Leaders intend to propose a long-term continuing resolution through the end of the current federal fiscal year in September. The likelihood of success of that approach is uncertain. Separately, a number of health care extenders, including preventing cuts to Medicaid disproportionate share (Medicaid DSH), an extension of telehealth flexibilities, an extension of the Acute Hospital Care [...]

joe2025-03-06T16:39:50-05:00March 6, 2025|Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, health equity, hospitals, Medicaid, Medicaid disproportionate share, Medicaid DSH, Medicaid DSH allotments, Medicaid regulations, Medicare, Medicare regulations, Medicare reimbursement policy, Telehealth|

Federal Health Policy Update for February 27

The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government for February 21-27. Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents. Congress The current continuing resolution funding the federal government expires on March 14. Separately, a number of health care extenders, including preventing cuts to Medicaid disproportionate share (Medicaid DSH), an extension of telehealth flexibilities, an extension of the Acute Hospital Care at Home program, and other rural programs, will expire on March 31. Also, provisions that had been included in the bipartisan health care package proposed in December, including PBM reform, the package [...]

joe2025-02-27T16:26:33-05:00February 27, 2025|Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, COVID-19, hospitals, Medicaid, Medicaid disproportionate share, Medicaid DSH, Medicaid DSH allotments, Medicare, Medicare reimbursement policy, social determinants of health|

Federal Health Policy Update for February 13

The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government for February 7 - 13. Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents. Introduction With the pause in external communication that the new administration imposed on HHS three weeks ago, including announcements, advisories, regular publications, and web site updates, there has been very little public communication from or activity involving HHS in the past week. While an HHS spokesperson explained that the moratorium has been eased and agencies are now permitted to engage in some public communication, subject to review, such activity remains very [...]

Hospitals Chart 2025 Public Policy Objectives

The hospital industry has an ambitious public policy agenda for 2025 – most of it involving defending the status quo against proposed changes. Hospitals’ advocacy in 2025 will focus on: Fighting off Medicaid cuts, work requirements, reductions in the federal Medicaid matching rate, eliminating scheduled cuts in Medicaid disproportionate share (Medicaid DSH) allotments to the states, and protecting state-directed Medicaid payments and the ability of states to raise Medicaid funding through provider taxes. Preventing a transition to site-neutral payments for Medicare-covered outpatient services. Ensuring the continuation of current section 340B prescription drug discount program practices. Preserving and even extending current [...]

joe2025-02-12T11:11:23-05:00February 13, 2025|340b, hospitals, Medicaid, Medicaid disproportionate share, Medicaid DSH, Medicaid DSH allotments, Medicaid managed care, Medicaid regulations, Medicare, Medicare reimbursement policy, Telehealth|

Federal Health Policy Update for February 6

The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government for January 31 – February 6. Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents. Introduction With the pause in external communication that the new administration imposed on HHS two weeks ago, including announcements, advisories, regular publications, and web site updates, there has been very little public communication from or activity involving HHS in the past week, including no new regulations or grant or meeting notices. While an HHS spokesperson explained that the moratorium has been eased and agencies are now permitted to engage in [...]

joe2025-02-06T16:51:06-05:00February 6, 2025|Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Congress, Federal Update, Medicaid, Medicare, Medicare cuts, News, Pennsylvania Update|

Federal Health Policy Update for December 19

The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government for December 13-19. Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents. Congress Funding for the operation of the federal government will expire tomorrow, December 20, unless Congress passes a funding bill. Earlier this week, congressional leaders agreed on a continuing resolution that included a number of health care priorities, including relief from scheduled Medicaid DSH cuts, relief for Medicare physician payment cuts, extension of telehealth flexibilities, extension of the Acute Hospital Care at Home program, a number of changes in the practices of pharmacy [...]

Federal Health Policy Update for December 12

The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government for December 6-12. Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents. Congress Funding the Federal Government With funding for the federal government set to expire in eight days, Congress is still negotiating the details of the next continuing resolution. Speaker Johnson has indicated that the next continuing resolution will extend until an unspecified date in March. Last week, the House majority and House minority exchanged proposals for additional items to include in the next continuing resolution and both parties listed health care extenders – [...]

joe2024-12-12T16:16:50-05:00December 12, 2024|340b, Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, CMMI, Congress, COVID-19, Federal Update, hospitals, Medicaid, Medicaid disproportionate share, Medicaid DSH, Medicaid DSH allotments, Medicare, Medicare regulations, Medicare reimbursement policy|

182 House Members Ask for Halt to Medicaid DSH Cut

182 members of the House of Representatives have written to House Speaker Mike Johnson and House minority leader Hakeem Jeffries to ask them to prevent a major cut in Medicaid disproportionate share hospital payments (Medicaid DSH) that is scheduled to take effect on January 1. As members of Congress negotiate how to fund the federal government when the current continuing resolution ends on December 20, the bipartisan group of legislators as urges its leaders to prevent the $8 billion cut in Medicaid DSH allocations to the states. Their letter states that Hospitals that receive Medicaid DSH funding treat the most [...]

joe2024-12-11T12:37:18-05:00December 11, 2024|Congress, Medicaid, Medicaid disproportionate share, Medicaid DSH, Medicaid DSH allotments|

Federal Health Policy Update for November 14

The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government for November 8-14. Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents. Election Update House of Representatives Though the outcome of nine races for seats in the House remains undecided, Republicans have won enough seats to control the House in the new Congress. Yesterday, Republicans voted to nominate the current Speaker of the House, Mike Johnson (LA), for Speaker in the new Congress and will hold the vote for that position when the 119th Congress convenes in Washington, D.C. on January 3. It is expected, after [...]

joe2024-11-14T15:18:02-05:00November 14, 2024|ACO, Alternative payment models, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, CMMI, COVID-19, health equity, hospitals, Medicaid, Medicaid DSH, Medicaid DSH allotments, Medicare reimbursement policy, MedPAC, Telehealth|

Federal Health Policy Update for September 12

The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government for September 6-12. Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents. 340B A federal court has declined to issue a preliminary order to block implementation of a Maryland law that requires pharmaceutical companies to provide discounts on drugs dispensed by eligible 340B providers by contract pharmacies. The challenge to the Maryland law, filed by Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) and several pharmaceutical companies, will be heard without a temporary order suspending the law’s implementation. Learn more from the court order. Centers for [...]

joe2024-09-12T15:22:15-04:00September 12, 2024|340b, Alternative payment models, Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, COVID-19, hospitals, Medicaid, Medicaid managed care, Medicaid regulations, Medicare regulations, Medicare reimbursement policy, MedPAC|