Posted
on December 14, 2021
The government agency that advises Congress on Medicare payment matters met publicly in Washington, D.C. last week.
During the virtual meeting, members of the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission discussed and debated future Medicare payments for:
- hospital inpatient services
- hospital outpatient services
- physician services
- ambulatory surgical center services
- outpatient dialysis
- hospice care
- skilled nursing facilities
- home health
- inpatient rehabilitation facilities
- long-term-care hospitals
MedPAC is an independent congressional agency that advises Congress on issues involving Medicare. While its recommendations are not binding on either Congress or the administration, MedPAC is highly influential in governing circles and its recommendations often find their way into legislation, regulations, and new public policy.
For a look at the agenda for the two-day meeting and to find the presentations for each of these subjects, go here.
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Posted
on November 4, 2021
The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government as of 2:45 p.m. on Thursday, November 4. Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents.
New Federal Vaccination Requirements
CMS has unveiled its new COVID-19 vaccine requirements for health care providers that receive reimbursement from the federal government. The highlights include:
- CMS is requiring COVID-19 vaccination of eligible staff at health care facilities that participate in the Medicare and Medicaid programs.
- The staff vaccination requirement applies to the following Medicare and Medicaid-certified provider and supplier types: ambulatory surgery centers, community mental health centers, comprehensive outpatient rehabilitation facilities, critical access hospitals, end-stage renal disease facilities, home health agencies, home infusion therapy suppliers, hospices, hospitals, intermediate-care facilities for individuals with intellectual disabilities, clinics, rehabilitation agencies, public health agencies as providers of outpatient physical therapy and speech-language pathology services, psychiatric residential treatment facilities, Programs for All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly Organizations (PACE), rural health clinics/federally qualified health centers, and long-term care facilities.
- Facilities covered by this regulation must establish a policy ensuring that all eligible staff have received the first dose of a two-dose COVID-19 vaccine or a one-dose COVID-19 vaccine prior to providing any care,
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Filed under:
340b,
Alternative payment models,
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services,
Congress,
Coronavirus,
COVID-19,
MACPAC,
Medicaid,
Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission,
Medicaid upper-payment limit,
Medicare post-acute care,
Medicare regulations,
MedPAC,
Telehealth
Posted
on September 9, 2021
The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government as of 2:30 p.m. on Thursday, September 9. Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents.
The White House
Congress
- Democrats on the House Energy and Commerce Committee today introduced their contribution to their party’s anticipated $3.5 trillion dollar spending bill. Their portion of the reconciliation bill addresses expanding Medicaid in non-expansion states, reducing prescription drug prices, increasing federal spending on home-based care, and more. Find their summary of their proposals here.
Provider Relief Fund
- HHS’s Human Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) has published a notice explaining how Provider Relief Fund payments can be used for a wide variety of direct and indirect costs
…
Filed under:
Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation,
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services,
CMMI,
Congress,
Coronavirus,
COVID-19,
MACPAC,
Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission,
Medicare post-acute care,
Medicare regulations,
Medicare reimbursement policy,
MedPAC,
post-acute care
Posted
on August 26, 2021
The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government as of 2:30 p.m. on Thursday, August 26. Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents.
Provider Relief Fund
- HHS’s Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) has revamped its Provider Relief Fund web site. See the new site here.
- During a Provider Relief Fund stakeholder webinar today, HRSA highlighted three new fact sheets to assist providers in meeting the September 30, 2021 reporting deadline for Provider Relief Fund money received from April 2020 through June 2020:
The White House
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
COVID-19
- Health care providers can now receive additional payments from Medicare for administering vaccines to multiple residents in one home setting or a communal home setting. Previously, CMS increased Medicare payments for vaccines administered in the home, and now, under this new policy, vaccine providers can
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Posted
on August 19, 2021
The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government as of 2:30 p.m. on Thursday, August 19. Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents.
The White House
Provider Relief Fund
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid
…
