On December 4, 2023, CMS issued an interim final rule (the Interim Rule) (RIN 0938-AV26) to implement new enforcement authorities that CMS may use if states fail to comply with new reporting requirements or with federal...more
When the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE) ended in April 2023, the Families First Coronavirus Response Act’s Medicaid continuous enrollment condition also came to an end. The condition had allowed states to claim a...more
The Mitchell Williams Insurance Regulatory team of lawyers recently attended the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) 2022 Summer National Meeting which was held in Portland, Oregon on August 9-13th. We have...more
On August 1, 2022, CMS issued guidance on the implementation of Section 1945A of the Social Security Act (the Act), which gives states the option to cover health home services for Medicaid-eligible children under age 21 with...more
States now have through March 31, 2025 to use the federal medical assistance percentage (FMAP) funding made available by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). The announcement was made by the U.S. Department of Health and...more
Last week, President Biden presented an outline of a $1.75 trillion Build Back Better (BBB) social spending reconciliation framework resulting from months of negotiations with House and Senate Democrats. Congressional...more
We’ve previously discussed the numerous flexibilities CMS offered state Medicaid programs to respond to local outbreaks and address health concerns associated with the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE). Back in...more
The Big Picture - On August 10, 2021, a Missouri circuit court ruled that Missouri can no longer delay Medicaid expansion. This order follows the July 22, 2021 unanimous Missouri Supreme Court ruling that ordered the state...more
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, most people have spent considerably more time at home over the past year. For many, this meant long hours of Netflix binging, crossword puzzles, and the occasional zoom happy hour. But for some...more
On March 10, 2021, US Congress finalized and passed the American Rescue Plan of 2021 (ARPA), the latest COVID-19 relief package that largely tracks President Joe Biden’s initial $1.9 trillion proposal. The ARPA extends...more
On Saturday, March 6, 2021, by a vote of 50-49, the Senate amended and approved the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, which is reconciliation legislation to provide $1.9 trillion in COVID-19 relief. The House of...more
In the early morning of Feb. 27, 2021, the U.S. House of Representatives narrowly passed H.R. 1319, the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, by a 219-212 vote. Two Democrats joined with a united Republican caucus to oppose the...more
Here at the Medicaid and the Law Blog, we’ve spent the past couple of days going through the American Rescue Plan Act, legislation introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives last Friday that is the latest attempt by...more
Back in March, Tom gave you, our readers, an overview of the Administration’s and Congress’ initial response to the COVID-19 pandemic, including the inclusion in the second Congressional package (the Families First...more
Caring for Recipients, Protecting the Workforce and Supporting Provider Sustainability - Examine the Immediate Issues and Opportunities Facing Long-Term Care Providers—and Look Ahead at How to Build a Stronger Future—at a...more
As my colleague Tom Barker wrote last week, the second emergency COVID-19 supplemental bill (officially referred to as the Families First Coronavirus Response Act), signed by the President on March 18, 2020, included a new...more
On March 27, 2020, Congress passed the CARES Act (the Act), an approximately $2 trillion bill drafted in response to the COVID-19 crisis, with the goal of providing much needed relief for the United States economy. ...more
On March 18, President Trump signed into law H.R. 6201, the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (Public Law 116-127), a second coronavirus, or COVID-19, response package. Funds in the Act are designated as emergency...more
The package was sent to the President’s desk after undergoing technical changes to paid medical leave and public health emergency medical leave provisions that will limit costs for small businesses. Employers with 500...more
The global pandemic caused by the novel corona virus has certainly shaken up our normal way of life and will do so for the foreseeable future. Times like this reinforce the importance of public health insurance programs like...more
With the recent scoop from Politico that the Trump Administration is considering giving states the ability to implement Medicaid block grants, there has been considerable speculation on what the Administration is planning....more
On March 6, House Republicans revealed The American Health Care Act. It is their plan to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act. The bill changes the structure of Medicaid financing from the Federal Medical Assistance...more
Currently, state Medicaid programs have flexibility in developing payment policies, including utilizing supplemental payments and non-federal supplemental payment mechanisms. Supplemental payments pay providers above what...more
Securing the Safety Net for America's Vulnerable Populations - Editor's Note: America's population is aging rapidly. By 2029, 75 million baby boomers will have reached age 65 and older, and older adults will represent...more
The election of Donald J. Trump as the 45th President of the United States, along with the Republican control of the majority of both the House of Representatives and the Senate, will likely set in motion a major overhaul of...more