Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration

Federal Health Policy Update for June 6

The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government for May 31-June 6. Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services The deadline for stakeholders to submit comments on CMS’s proposed FY 2025 Medicare inpatient prospective payment system and long-term-care hospital prospective payment system regulation is Monday, June 10. Go here for further information about the proposed rule and how to submit comments. CMS has posted a bulletin describing billing changes in the Medicare hospital outpatient prospective payment system that will take effect on July 1. Find [...]

joe2024-06-06T20:37:05-04:00June 6, 2024|Accountable Care Organization, ACO, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, COVID-19, Medicaid, Medicare, Medicare regulations, Medicare reimbursement policy, MedPAC|

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 February 29

The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government for February 23-29. Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents. Congress This afternoon the House passed H.R. 7463, which changed the dates for the March 1 and March 8 funding deadlines to March 8 and March 22 and includes no new health care policies. Health care extenders included in the current continuing resolution, including the delay to Medicaid DSH cuts, are not included in the bill that passed the House; the March 8 expiration date still applies to those extenders. The new continuing [...]

joe2024-02-29T22:41:47-05:00February 29, 2024|Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, COVID-19, Medicaid, Medicaid disproportionate share, Medicaid DSH, Medicaid DSH allotments, Medicare, Medicare reimbursement policy|

Federal Health Policy Update for February 1

The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government for January 26 – February 1. Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services CMS has released its calendar year (CY) 2025 Advance Notice for the Medicare Advantage and Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Programs that would update payment and other policies for these programs. Under the notice, federal Medicare Advantage spending would increase an expected 3.7 percent, or more than $16 billion, but the agency also proposes reducing by 0.16 percent the program’s base rate. CMS also detailed [...]

joe2024-02-01T21:47:38-05:00February 1, 2024|Accountable Care Organization, Alternative payment models, Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, CMMI, COVID-19, Federal Update, health equity, hospitals, MACPAC, Medicaid, Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission, Medicare, Medicare regulations, Medicare reimbursement policy, Telehealth|

Federal Health Policy Update for August 24

The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government for August 11-24. Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services After suspending the No Surprises Act-created Independent Dispute Resolution process in the wake of a court ruling striking down a recent increase in fees for that process, CMS has established a new rate structure for initiating the adjudication of payment disagreements between providers and payers. It explains the new rate structure in this new FAQ, which nevertheless notes that despite the creation of new rates, the Independent [...]

Federal Health Policy Update for March 30

The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government for March 24-30. Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services CMS’s Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) has extended its Medicare Advantage Value-Based Insurance Design (VBID) Model for calendar years 2025 through 2030 and will introduce changes intended to address more fully the health-related social needs of patients, advance health equity, and improve care for patients with serious illness. Learn more from this CMS announcement, which includes a link to additional information about the program. CMS [...]

iqtsupport2023-03-30T17:20:37-04:00March 30, 2023|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, Medicare, Medicare reimbursement policy, Telehealth|

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 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|