The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government as of 2:30 p.m. on Monday, September 13.  Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents.

Provider Relief Fund

• HHS and its Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) are making $25.5 billion in new funding available for health care providers affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.  This funding includes $8.5 billion in American Rescue Plan money for providers that serve rural Medicaid, Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), or Medicare patients and an additional $17 billion for Provider Relief Fund Phase 4 grants for a broad range of providers that can document revenue loss and expenses associated with the pandemic.  To learn more about the funding to be distributed and how it will be distributed, see the following resources:
  • the HHS announcement
  • a more detailed explanation from HRSA
  • information about the calculation of Phase 3 grants

The White House

• In support of the president’s speech about his administration’s next steps in the fight against COVID-19, the White House has published a plan describing those next steps.  The plan, “Path Out of the Pandemic,” consists of six parts:
  • vaccinating the unvaccinated
  • further protecting the vaccinated

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

• The White House has issued a fact sheet outlining how the administration plans to improve the country’s readiness for future pandemics.  The major elements of the plan are transforming medical defenses, ensuring situational awareness, strengthening public health systems, building core capabilities, and managing the mission.
• The White House has posted a transcript of the September 2 press briefing given by its COVID-19 response team and public health officials.  Find the slides presented during the briefing here.

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

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:
  • Provider Relief Fund resource guide
  • guide to using funds for recruitment and retention
  • guide to reporting lost revenues

The White House

• The White House has posted a transcript of the August 24 press briefing given by its COVID-19 response team and public health officials.  Find the slides presented during the press briefing here.

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

The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government as of 2:45 p.m. on Thursday, August 5.  Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents.

Final Medicare Inpatient Prospective Payment System Regulation for FY 2022

CMS has published its final Medicare inpatient prospective payment system regulation for FY 2022.  Highlights include:

• An increase in hospital inpatient rates of 2.5 percent and an increase in long-term hospital rates averaging 0.9 percent.
• The Medicare disproportionate share (Medicare DSH) payments uncompensated care allocation has been cut $1.1 billion, to $7.2 billion, with distribution to be based on hospitals’ FY 2018 Medicare cost reports.
• A reduction of the labor-related share of Medicare payments from 68.3 percent to 67.6 percent.
• Repeal of the requirement that hospitals report median payer-specific negotiated charges with Medicare Advantage plans on their Medicare cost reports.
• Extension of the COVID-19 treatment add-on payment through the end of the fiscal year in which the public health emergency ends.
• A new requirement that hospitals include in their Medicare quality program reporting information about the vaccination status of their staffs.

CMS noted that this regulation is not comprehensive and that it will issue an additional regulation or …

The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government as of 2:45 p.m. on Friday, July 30.  Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents.

Final Medicare Payment Regulations for FY 2022

CMS has published four final rules for Medicare payments in FY 2022:

• FY 2022 Hospice Wage Index and Payment Rate Update, Hospice Conditions of Participation Updates, Hospice and Home Health Quality Reporting Program Requirements.

(See also CMS’s fact sheet)

• FY 2022 Inpatient Psychiatric Facilities Prospective Payment System and Quality Reporting Updates for Fiscal Year Beginning October 1, 2021 (FY 2022)

(See also CMS’s fact sheet)

• Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility Prospective Payment System for Federal Fiscal Year 2022 and Updates to the IRF Quality Reporting Program; Payment for Complex Rehabilitative Wheelchairs and Related Accessories (Including Seating Systems) and Seat and Back Cushions Furnished in Connection with Such Wheelchairs

(See also CMS’s fact sheet)

• Prospective Payment System and Consolidated Billing for Skilled Nursing Facilities; Updates to the Quality Reporting Program and Value-Based Purchasing Program for Federal Fiscal Year 2022; and Technical Correction to Long-Term Care Facilities Physical Environment Requirements

(See also CMS’s fact sheet)

The White House

• The White