On February 17, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released a Request for Information (RFI) regarding the federal standards that govern access to care in Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program...more
President Biden set an ambitious health care agenda in his campaign and maintained that focus as he took office. The Biden administration has expressed a strong commitment to “protect and build on the Affordable Care Act,...more
2/16/2022
/ Alternative Payment Models (APM) ,
Biden Administration ,
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Drug Pricing ,
Health Care Providers ,
Health Insurance ,
Health Plan Sponsors ,
Healthcare Reform ,
Medicaid ,
Medicare ,
Medicare Advantage ,
Medicare Beneficiaries ,
Physicians ,
Public Health Emergency ,
Public Health Insurance Marketplace ,
Surprise Medical Bills ,
Telehealth ,
Webinars
On March 11, President Joe Biden signed an approximately $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill—the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (American Rescue Plan). It includes myriad health care provisions, focused primarily in two...more
3/18/2021
/ Affordable Care Act ,
American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 ,
Biden Administration ,
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) ,
COBRA ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
Medicaid ,
Provider Relief Fund ,
Relief Measures ,
Tax Credits
The Big Picture -
The Biden Administration is just two weeks old, and President Biden has already issued more than two dozen Executive Orders on racial justice, health equity, strengthening Medicaid and the Affordable...more
The Big Picture -
On January 8, the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) released a final rule that imposes a ten-year sunset date on most regulations that have ever been, or will ever be, issued by HHS and...more
The Big Picture -
In late December, following several weeks of dynamic negotiations, Congress passed the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (the Act).1 The massive legislative package includes appropriations through...more
Last month, both parties held their 2020 conventions. In addition to the pageantry associated with formally nominating the presidential candidate, conventions have traditionally served as a time to solidify the party platform...more
Over the past five months, Congress and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) have dramatically, but temporarily, expanded coverage and reimbursement for telehealth services in response to the COVID-19 pandemic....more
Over the last few days, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued several clarifications to guide the implementation of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA, P.L. 116-127) and the Coronavirus...more
The Big Picture -
On Sunday, March 22, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released a suite of tools to help state Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) agencies respond to the COVID-19...more
On January 30, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released long-anticipated guidance that invites states to pursue capped funding demonstrations for the Affordable Care Act Medicaid expansion population as well...more
On September 17, Tennessee unveiled for public comment a draft waiver proposal seeking federal approval to amend its long-standing Section 1115 demonstration by applying a block grant financing model to its Medicaid program...more
On May 31, 2019, Utah released a draft Section 1115 waiver application, the Per Capita Cap Demonstration, for public comment. The proposal seeks to create a new Section 1115 demonstration that, if granted, would break new...more
Over the past month, there has been significant activity related to the future of requirements that condition Medicaid eligibility on work/community engagement (CE). In both the policy arena and in court, the Trump...more
In January 2018, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued guidance to states as to the circumstances under which CMS would approve Section 1115 demonstration waivers making work/community engagement (CE)...more
Since assuming office last January, the Trump administration has signaled a shift in Medicaid policy. In early November, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Seema Verma made the administration’s...more
Next Steps on Healthcare Reform -
Though President Trump has continued to call for action on repeal and replace in the wake of the Senate’s failed vote at the end of July, congressional Republicans have been fairly muted...more
8/8/2017
/ Affordable Care Act ,
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) ,
Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) ,
Cost-Sharing ,
DSH ,
Health Insurance ,
Healthcare Reform ,
HOPPS ,
Pharmaceutical Industry ,
Repeal ,
Section 340B ,
Tax Reform ,
Waivers