Medicare Innovations Foster Focus on Behavioral Health
A number of recent changes in the Medicare program appear designed to make it easier for beneficiaries to pursue behavioral health assistance. Among them: A greater focus on the integration of physical and behavioral health. A greater willingness to pay [...]
Federal Health Policy Update for April 23
The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government for April 17-23. Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents. The White House President Trump has issued an executive order calling for accelerated [...]
Some States Step in to Help Offset Health Exchange Changes
Enhancing existing state subsidies to help pay health insurance premiums. Replacing lost premium tax credits. Reducing monthly premiums. Extending subsidies to some middle-income individuals and families. Mitigating the loss of eligibility for lawfully present immigrants. These are among the steps [...]
CMS Introduces Next Step in Fighting Medicaid Fraud, Waste, and Abuse
In his agency’s latest attempt to identify and address Medicaid fraud, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz has announced that states will have 30 days to submit to CMS a plan for revalidating all providers enrolled [...]
ASH Opposes HRSA 340B Proposal
The federal government should not change the 340B Drug Pricing Program from a discount program into a rebate model, the Alliance of Safety-Net Hospitals has told the federal Health Resources and Services Administration in response to the latter’s February proposal [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
MedPAC Meets
MedPAC’s commissioners held their latest public meeting on Thursday, April 9 and Friday, April 11. The subjects on the meeting’s agenda were: improving payment incentives in Medicare analysis of regional benchmarks and benchmark-plan availability in the Part D prescription drug [...]
Is CON on the Way OUT in Rural States?
The federal Rural Health Transformation Program may sound the death knell for certificate-of-need laws in some states. The rural funding program, created last year as part of H.R. 1, often referred to as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, is [...]
Federal Health Policy Update for April 10
The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government for April 4-10. Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents. Congress The House and Senate were in recess this week and are scheduled [...]
