SAMHSA

Federal Health Policy Update for August 5

The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government for July 19 – August 5. Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents. CMS – Medicare Payment Regulations Final FY 2025 Inpatient Prospective Payment System Regulation CMS has finalized its hospital inpatient prospective payment system rule for FY 2025. In the next fiscal year CMS will increase Medicare inpatient payments 2.9% while cutting Medicare disproportionate share hospital payments (Medicare DSH) $200 million. It also has: finalized its use of new core-based statistical area (CBSA) delineations for use in Medicare wage index calculations; established [...]

joe2024-08-06T14:25:10-04:00August 6, 2024|Alternative payment models, Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, CMMI, health equity, Medicaid, Medicare, Medicare disproportionate share, Medicare DSH, Medicare post-acute care, Medicare regulations, Medicare reimbursement policy, MedPAC, post-acute care|

Federal Health Policy Update for May 9

The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government for May 3-9. Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services HHS and CMS have announced the Increasing Organ Transplant Access Model, which seeks to increase access to kidney transplants for people living with end-stage renal disease (ESRD), improve the quality of care for people seeking kidney transplants, reduce disparities among individuals undergoing the process of receiving a kidney transplant, and increase the efficiency and capability of transplant hospitals selected to participate. Hospitals eligible to be selected for [...]

joe2024-05-09T20:32:32-04:00May 9, 2024|Affordable Care Act, Alternative payment models, Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, health equity, hospitals, Medicaid, Medicare, social determinants of health|

Federal Health Policy Update for December 15

The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government for the week of December 12-15. Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents. White House The White House has unveiled its “COVID-19 Winter Preparedness Plan,” the major components of which are expanding easy access to free COVID-19 testing options in the winter; making vaccinations and treatments readily available as cases rise; preparing personnel and resources; and focusing on protecting the highest-risk Americans. Learn more about the plan from this White House fact sheet and go here for a transcript of the White House [...]

Federal Health Policy Update for the Week of August 24 to September 2

The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government for the week of August 29 to September 2. Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents. The White House The White House has introduced a new “National HIV Strategy” for 2022-2025. The new strategy updates the 2021 strategy and establishes targets for ending the HIV epidemic in the U.S. by 2030, including a 75 percent reduction in new HIV infections by 2025 and a 90 percent reduction by 2030. Find the strategy here. Proposed Changes in Medicaid, CHIP, and Basic Health Program Enrollment [...]

iqtsupport2022-09-06T15:25:17-04:00September 6, 2022|Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, COVID-19, MACPAC, Medicaid, Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission, Medicare reimbursement policy, MedPAC, post-acute care, Telehealth|

Federal Health Policy Update for Thursday, June 30

The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government as of 2:45 p.m. on Thursday, June 30. Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents. White House The White House has unveiled its “White House Blueprint for Addressing the Maternal Health Crisis.” Monkeypox Update The White House has announced the first phase of its national monkeypox vaccine strategy, a part of its monkeypox outbreak response. The major components of the strategy include expanded efforts to vaccinate those most at risk, expanded testing supply and availability, and greater engagement with community leaders and stakeholders. [...]

iqtsupport2022-06-30T17:01:01-04:00June 30, 2022|Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, COVID-19, MACPAC, Medicaid, Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission, Medicaid managed care, Medicaid regulations for long-term care, Medicare, Medicare post-acute care, Medicare regulations, MedPAC|

Federal Health Policy Update for Friday, May 20

The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government as of 2:15 p.m. on Friday, May 20. Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents. White House The White House has announced that U.S. households may now order an additional eight free home COVID-19 tests at COVIDTests.gov. Learn more from this White House fact sheet. White House COVID-19 and public health officials have held a COVID-19 briefing. Find a transcript of the briefing here and the slides presented during the briefing here. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services CMS has published a new [...]

iqtsupport2022-05-20T17:13:05-04:00May 20, 2022|Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, COVID-19, hospitals, MACPAC, Medicaid, Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission, Medicare|

Federal Health Policy Update for Wednesday, March 30

The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government as of 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 30. Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents. Provider Relief Fund The Provider Relief Fund last week distributed more than $413 million to more than 3600 providers across the country, the fourth round of Phase 4 payments since those payments began last November. This is in addition to nearly $7.5 billion in American Rescue Plan (ARP) Rural payments over the past four months. HHS’s Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), which administers the Provider Relief Fund, [...]

iqtsupport2022-03-30T17:28:16-04:00March 30, 2022|Accountable Care Organization, ACO, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, CMMI, Congress, Coronavirus, COVID-19, MACPAC, Medicaid, Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission, Medicare reimbursement policy|

Federal Health Policy Update for Thursday, February 10

The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government as of 2:45 p.m. on Thursday, February 10. Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents. Provider Relief Fund The reconsideration window for Provider Relief Fund Phase 4 payments and American Rescue Plan rural hospital payments is now open for providers to request reconsideration of their payments. This process is intended only for providers that believe their payment was not calculated correctly. They will not have an opportunity to submit an application if they missed a deadline; will not be able to revise or [...]

iqtsupport2022-02-10T16:46:29-05:00February 10, 2022|Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Coronavirus, COVID-19, MACPAC, Medicaid, Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission, Medicare regulations|

Federal Health Policy Update for Thursday, December 9

The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government as of 2:30 p.m. on Thursday, December 9. Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents. Update on Efforts to Delay Medicare Sequestration Cuts The Senate has advanced S 610, a bill that would: Extend the COVID-19-driven moratorium on the long-time two percent Medicare sequestration until the end of March 2022, reducing that sequestration from two percent to one percent from the beginning of April through the end of June 2022. Avoid the additional four percent sequestration necessitated by federal PAYGO rules by moving [...]

iqtsupport2021-12-09T16:47:04-05:00December 9, 2021|Congress, Coronavirus, COVID-19, Medicaid, Medicaid and housing for the disabled, Medicare cuts, Medicare reimbursement policy|

Federal Health Policy Update for Wednesday, May 19

The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government as of 2:15 p.m. on Wednesday, May 19. Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents. NASH Advocacy NASH has written to all members of Congress urging them to contact Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra about directing more of its remaining CARES Act Provider Relief Fund money to private safety-net hospitals to help them serve their diverse, predominantly low-income communities during the COVID-19 emergency. Go here to see NASH’s message to Congress. The White House COVID-19 The White House has posted a [...]

iqtsupport2021-05-19T18:01:19-04:00May 19, 2021|Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Congress, Coronavirus, hospitals, Medicare, Medicare reimbursement policy, MedPAC, Telehealth|