While the policy and politics of health care have dominated the last several election cycles, never have they been so prominent as they are today. As the country continues to battle COVID-19, there are now health care...more
10/29/2020
/ Donald Trump ,
Drug Pricing ,
Health Insurance ,
Healthcare Reform ,
Joe Biden ,
Medicaid ,
Medicare ,
Policy Drafting ,
Policy Statement ,
Political Campaigns ,
Presidential Elections ,
Surprise Medical Bills ,
Trump Administration
In this special weekend edition, Michael Schmidt hosts a roundtable discussion with 6 of his Cozen O'Connor colleagues to discuss frequently asked questions on the following issues: (1) labor and employment considerations;...more
4/4/2020
/ CARES Act ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) ,
Healthcare ,
Medicaid ,
Medicare ,
Paid Leave ,
Presidential Elections ,
Primary Elections ,
SBA ,
Sick Leave ,
Small Business ,
U.S. Treasury
Affordable Care Act (ACA) action on Capitol Hill this past week centered on investigations into improper ACA subsidy payments, a potential constitutional amendment proposal, and support for an appeal of the ACA in favor of a...more
On April 14, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) and the Joint Committee on Taxation (JCT) reported their findings that show a smaller rise in insurance premium costs under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) than previously...more
4/22/2014
/ Affordable Care Act ,
CBO Report ,
Census Bureau ,
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) ,
Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
Health Insurance ,
Legislative Agendas ,
MACPAC ,
Medicaid ,
Medicare ,
Obama Administration ,
Physician SGR Formula ,
Premiums
Though Congress was in recess this past week, congressional staff was hard at work continuing to consider ways to prevent a cut to Medicare providers’ payment rates that will be triggered by the sustainable growth rate...more
2/27/2014
/ Affordable Care Act ,
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) ,
Contraceptive Coverage Mandate ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Durable Medical Equipment ,
Eligibility ,
Final Rules ,
Health and Welfare Plans ,
Healthcare Reform ,
Medicaid ,
Medicare ,
Medicare Advantage ,
Medicare Part D ,
Notre Dame ,
Physician Medicare Reimbursements ,
U.S. Treasury ,
Waiting Periods
This week the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) provided new scores for the three sustainable growth rate (SGR) repeal proposals from the Senate Finance, House Ways and Means, and Energy and Commerce Committees; a list of...more
The new year kicked off this week with all eyes watching not only Winter Storm Hercules, but also how the new Affordable Care Act (ACA) coverage will work. According to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS),...more
The deadline to enroll in coverage for January 1 was officially extended by a week, but the new December 23 deadline is fast approaching, and premium payments are required to be paid by the last day of 2013 for January 2014...more
12/20/2013
/ Affordable Care Act ,
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) ,
Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
Federal Budget ,
Health Insurance Exchanges ,
Healthcare ,
Healthcare Reform ,
Medicaid ,
Medicare ,
MedPAC ,
Mental Illness ,
Physician SGR Formula ,
Premiums
It is now the second week the exchanges have been open and the second week the government has been partially closed. The exchanges still have glitches, and Congress still has not agreed on a way to fund the government,...more
After spending the past month in their home districts listening to constituents, this week House and Senate members are back in Washington and Congress is back in session. Though the attention of many has turned to...more
In response to security concerns about personal information in the health insurance exchanges, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released a new security agreement for the data hubs where this information...more
The House Energy and Commerce Committee voted unanimously on legislation that would repeal the sustainable growth rate (SGR) formula that has historically led to annual decreases in physician payments that are fixed at the...more
8/14/2013
/ Affordable Care Act ,
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) ,
Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Fraud ,
Healthcare Reform ,
IRS ,
Medicaid ,
Medicare ,
Proposed Legislation
Capitol Hill and the agencies went back and forth last week on the impact and consideration involved in delaying the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) employer mandate; votes in the House are expected this week on it, as well as a...more
7/17/2013
/ Affordable Care Act ,
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) ,
Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) ,
Delays ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
Employer Mandates ,
Health Insurance Exchanges ,
Healthcare ,
Healthcare Reform ,
Medicaid ,
Medicare
The Obama administration announced yesterday it was delaying the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) Employer Mandate, which requires employers with 50 or more full-time workers to provide affordable health insurance to its employees...more
7/5/2013
/ ACOs ,
Affordable Care Act ,
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) ,
Contraceptive Coverage Mandate ,
Contraceptives ,
Deadlines ,
Delays ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
Employer Mandates ,
Healthcare ,
Hobby Lobby ,
Medicaid ,
Medicare ,
Pay or Play ,
Physician SGR Formula ,
Proposed Legislation ,
Religious Institutions ,
Shared Responsibility Rule
The countdown is on now. Less than 100 days until the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) main provisions go into effect, and Organizing for Action and Enroll America kicked outreach efforts to the uninsured into high gear last week....more
6/28/2013
/ Affordable Care Act ,
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) ,
Deadlines ,
Health Insurance Exchanges ,
Healthcare ,
Hospitals ,
Medicaid ,
Medicare ,
Pay-For-Delay ,
Reverse Payment Settlement Agreements ,
SCOTUS
Discussions around reforming Medicare’s sustainable growth rate (SGR) continued this week as the Committee on Energy & Commerce held a hearing to solicit input on a draft bill for replacing the current SGR formula...more
Marilyn Tavenner received bipartisan support from members of the Senate Committee on Finance in her confirmation hearing to lead the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) though a full Senate vote is being held up,...more
4/26/2013
/ Affordable Care Act ,
CCIIO ,
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) ,
Charitable Donations ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
EHR ,
Fraud Abuse and Waste ,
Health Insurance Exchanges ,
Medicaid ,
Safe Harbors ,
Tax Credits
Last week, as the Affordable Care Act turned three, the drumbeat of concern over Medicare Advantage cuts grew louder when Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus and Ranking Member Orrin Hatch – as well as 98 house...more
As Washington and the rest of the country brace for cuts from the sequester to kick in on March 1, Florida Gov. Rick Scott surprised many and confirmed others' predictions by announcing his state will expand its Medical...more
Last week another marketplace deadline came and went, Illinois became the 21st state approved to operate a health insurance marketplace, and U.S. senators pressed the HHS official responsible for the bulk of exchange...more
In the past week, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released an updated federal budget to account for new regulations from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS),...more
2/13/2013
/ Actuarial Values ,
Affordable Care Act ,
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) ,
Congressional Budget Office ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
Essential Health Benefits ,
Health Insurance Exchanges ,
IRS ,
Medicaid ,
Medical Device Tax ,
Medicare ,
Notice Requirements ,
OMB
The extended deadline for states to submit plans to run their own insurance exchanges is now behind us. A total of 18 states submitted blueprints to run their own exchanges. The 32 remaining states have until February 15,...more
As the year’s end approaches, the Hill is a flurry of activity with representatives from various health groups trying to ensure that whatever solution Congress finds to the fiscal cliff problems does not negatively affect...more