On Wednesday, June 15, 2022, in a unanimous decision, the U.S. Supreme Court decided in favor of the American Hospital Association in the case of American Hospital Association vs. Becerra, that the nearly 30 percent cuts in...more
6/22/2022
/ American Hospital Association ,
American Hospital Association et al v Becerra Secretary Of Health And Human Services et al ,
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) ,
Drug Pricing ,
Health Care Providers ,
Hospitals ,
Medicare ,
Medicare Part B ,
Prescription Drugs ,
SCOTUS ,
Section 340B
After two years, a multitude of factors are pointing toward the end of the formal public health emergency declaration, related emergency declarations, and associated waivers in connection with COVID-19, including declining...more
On March 11, 2021, President Biden signed into law the American Rescue Plan Act, a $1.9 trillion package to provide relief related to the COVID-19 public health emergency. The final legislation, which passed with support from...more
3/22/2021
/ American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 ,
Biden Administration ,
CARES Act ,
Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) ,
COBRA ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
Grants ,
Health Care Providers ,
Health Insurance ,
Medicaid ,
Medicare ,
Mental Health ,
Public Health ,
Relief Measures ,
Rural Health Care Providers ,
Skilled Nursing Facility ,
Vaccinations
On December 21, 2020, the House and Senate passed fiscal year (FY) 2021 federal omnibus appropriations legislation that included the fifth measure passed by Congress to address the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to providing...more
12/28/2020
/ CARES Act ,
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
Drug Pricing ,
Federal Funding ,
Financial Stimulus ,
Health Care Providers ,
Healthcare Facilities ,
Medicaid ,
Medicare ,
Popular ,
Relief Measures
Below is a broad overview of policies for which President-Elect Biden has indicated support (PDF). It is important to note that, while some of these policies fall under the President's executive power, many will require...more
11/12/2020
/ Affordable Care Act ,
Biden Administration ,
Child Tax Credit ,
Clean Energy ,
Colleges ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Corporate Taxes ,
Debt ,
Drug Pricing ,
Federal Budget ,
Federal Reserve ,
Financial Services Industry ,
Foreign Policy ,
Green Cards ,
H-1B ,
Infrastructure ,
Joe Biden ,
Medicare ,
NAFTA ,
NATO ,
Payroll Taxes ,
Public Health ,
Public Policy ,
Relief Measures ,
Social Security ,
Trump Administration ,
USPS ,
Zero-Emission Vehicles
Health care providers are beginning to receive payments from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to address expenses and revenue losses related to coronavirus (COVID-19). On April 10, 2020, HHS announced the...more
Over the last few weeks, President Trump and lawmakers in both the House and Senate have taken several steps to protect patients from surprise medical bills, the latest signs of bipartisan momentum to address the issue this...more
5/29/2019
/ Bipartisan Agreement ,
Health Care Providers ,
Health Insurance ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Medical Expenses ,
Medicare ,
Out of Network Provider ,
Patient Rights ,
Physicians ,
Surprise Medical Bills ,
Trump Administration
President Trump's fiscal year 2020 (FY20) budget proposal for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) reflects the Trump Administration's priorities to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA), implement...more
3/18/2019
/ Affordable Care Act ,
Cost-Sharing ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
Drug Pricing ,
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ,
Health Care Providers ,
Medicaid ,
Medicare ,
Opioid ,
Popular ,
Prescription Drugs ,
Section 340B ,
Trump Administration
Health care issues will remain a central focus in Washington throughout 2019. Having gained control of the House following the 2018 mid-term elections, Democrats now have the ability to block President Trump's legislative...more
2/12/2019
/ Affordable Care Act ,
Block Grants ,
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) ,
CMMI ,
Congressional Oversight ,
Constitutional Challenges ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
Drug Pricing ,
Healthcare Reform ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Medicaid Expansion ,
Medicare ,
Medicare for All ,
Political Parties ,
Popular ,
Prescription Drugs ,
Repeal ,
Stark Law ,
State Medicaid Programs ,
Trump Administration ,
Waivers
The 2018 midterm elections resulted in Democrats regaining the House, Republicans expanding their Senate majority, and both parties positioning themselves for the 2020 presidential election. These factors will have a major...more
Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar has continued to promote and expand on the Trump Administration's new Drug Pricing Blueprint through media appearances and congressional testimonies over the past several...more
The wide-reaching Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 (BBA), passed by Congress and signed by the President on February 9, 2018, extends and modifies dozens of health care programs, including extending funding for two years for...more
2/22/2018
/ ACOs ,
Affordable Care Act ,
Bipartisan Budget Act ,
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) ,
Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
Health Care Providers ,
Medicare ,
Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization (MACRA) ,
Medicare Part B ,
Medicare Part D
Note: All fiscal estimates cited over a ten-year budget window refer to the Fiscal Year 2019-2028 budget window.
The President's fiscal year 2019 (FY19) budget proposal for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)...more
2/20/2018
/ Affordable Care Act ,
Cost-Sharing ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
Drug Pricing ,
Federal Budget ,
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ,
Health Care Providers ,
HRSA ,
Medicaid ,
Medicare ,
Medicare Part D ,
Opioid ,
Trump Administration
After a brief federal government shutdown overnight, Congress passed and the President signed into law the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 on February 9, 2018. The Senate voted 71-28 and the House voted 240-186 to approve the...more
2/12/2018
/ Affordable Care Act ,
Bipartisan Budget Act ,
Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
Health Care Providers ,
Health Insurance ,
Medicare ,
Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization (MACRA) ,
Medicare Part B ,
Medicare Part D ,
Opioid
On February 6, 2018, the House voted 242-182 to pass a Continuing Resolution (CR) to extend government funding until March 23, 2018 (H.R. Res 128). The CR includes provisions to extend funding for a number of Medicare...more
Health care stakeholders are increasing pressure on Congress to continue funding for a series of Medicare "extenders" – Medicare program and payment policies that expired at the end of 2017. Some examples of the extenders...more
On November 1 and 2, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released the final 2018 Medicare Payment Regulations for the Physician Fee Schedule, Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System and Ambulatory...more
On November 2, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released the final rule implementing policies for Year 2 (2018) of the Quality Payment Program established under the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization...more
On November 15, House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady (R-TX) and Ranking Member Richard Neal (D-MA) announced a bipartisan agreement on Medicare "extenders," Medicare programs and payment policies that have...more
There are numerous Medicare programs (referred to as Medicare "extenders") that have already expired or will expire later this year, prompting congressional action. If Congress were to reauthorize all provisions for another...more
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released several annual Medicare proposed payment rules over the summer that are expected to be finalized this fall for 2018.
On July 13, CMS released the proposed 2018...more
On July 13, the Boards of Trustees for Medicare issued the annual Trustees Report to the Congress on the financial operations and actuarial status of the Medicare Program. The trustees estimate that the trust fund financing...more
On July 13, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released the proposed 2018 Physician Fee Schedule that would update payment policies, payment rates and quality provisions for physicians and other medical...more
Having returned from its Memorial Day recess, Congress now enters one of the longest continuous work periods of the year and – with the exception of the week of the Fourth of July – will likely be in session until the end of...more
6/28/2017
/ ACOs ,
Affordable Care Act ,
American Health Care Act (AHCA) ,
Budget Control Act of 2011 ,
Chronic Care Managment (CCM) ,
Congressional Budget Office ,
Debt Ceiling ,
FDA Reauthorization Act ,
Federal Budget ,
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ,
GDUFA ,
Healthcare Reform ,
Medical Devices ,
Medicare ,
OMB ,
Tax Reform ,
Trump Administration
On May 18, the Senate Finance Committee unanimously approved the Creating High-Quality Results and Outcomes Necessary to Improve Chronic (CHRONIC) Care Act of 2017 (S. 870). The bipartisan bill aims to modernize care...more