Medicare sequestration

Health Policy Update for Tuesday, March 30

The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government as of 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 30. Medicare Sequestration In anticipation of possible congressional action to extend the two percent sequester reduction suspension, CMS has instructed the Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs) to hold all claims with dates of service on or after April 1, 2021 for a short period without affecting providers’ cash flow.  This will minimize the volume of claims the MACs must reprocess if Congress extends the suspension.  The MACs will automatically reprocess any claims paid with the reduction applied if necessary. The White House [...]

2021-03-30T17:20:36-04:00March 30, 2021|Coronavirus, COVID-19|

Health Policy Update for Friday, March 26

Beginning this week, DeBrunner & Associates is expanding its regular updates to encompass a broader scope of federal health policy endeavors to include other matters of importance to providers.  Feel free to share this newsletter with others in your organization or to send us the email addresses of those you think might be interested and we will send it directly to them. The following is the latest such information from the federal government as of 2:30 p.m. on Friday, March 26. The White House COVID-19 With funding in large part from the American Rescue Plan, the White House announced that [...]

House to Consider Extending Medicare Sequester Delay

The moratorium on the two percent sequestration of Medicare payments could be extended under a bill the House may consider this week. If adopted, the bill would extend the sequester delay for nine months, providing financial relief that many health care providers seek as they continue to deal with the financial challenges posed by COVID-19. The sequester delay was implemented early in the pandemic as a means of providing additional Medicare revenue to hospitals and other health care providers at a time when many people were delaying seeking medical attention out of fear of contracting COVID-19. Without action by Congress, [...]

Hospital Government Payment Losses Could Reach $218 Billion by 2028

A recent study concluded that hospitals can expect to lose about $218 billion in federal Medicare and Medicaid payments between 2010, when the latest round of major cuts began, and 2028. Among those cuts cited in the study, which was commissioned by the American Hospital Association and the Federation of American Hospitals, are: $79 billion for DRG documentation and coding adjustments $73 billion for Medicare sequestration $26 billion for Medicaid disproportionate share payments (Medicaid DSH) $11 billion in cuts associated with the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 Other cuts came, or will be coming, through regulatory changes, the introduction [...]

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