After weeks of negotiations and months of temporary stopgap funding bills since the federal fiscal year started in October 2021, on Tuesday, the President signed the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022, an omnibus funding...more
3/17/2022
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Healthcare ,
Healthcare Reform ,
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Medicare ,
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Section 340B ,
Telehealth
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
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As the Biden administration begins its second year in office, the administration remains focused on its core health policy agenda—advancing coverage, access and equity....more
2/4/2022
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Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Drug Pricing ,
Health Insurance ,
Healthcare ,
Healthcare Reform ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Medicaid ,
Medicare ,
Public Health Insurance Marketplace ,
Surprise Medical Bills ,
Telehealth
The Big Picture -
On November 19, the House of Representatives passed the Build Back Better Act (BBB) (H.R. 5376) by a vote of 220–213. The BBB contains a number of health and social policy priorities that are widely viewed...more
12/8/2021
/ American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 ,
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Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) ,
Low-Income Issues ,
Medicaid ,
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Regulatory Agenda ,
Tax Credits
The Big Picture -
Before leaving for its August recess, the Senate made progress on two major Biden Administration priorities by passing bipartisan infrastructure legislation and a fiscal year (FY) 2022 budget resolution....more
8/17/2021
/ Affordable Care Act ,
American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 ,
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Healthcare Reform ,
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Legislative Agendas ,
Medicaid ,
Medicare ,
Medicare Part B ,
Medicare Part D ,
Patient Access ,
Prescription Drugs ,
Regulatory Agenda
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
The Big Picture -
On March 18, 2020, the U.S. Senate passed—by a 90-8 vote—the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, a COVID-19 stimulus package. In addition to the healthcare provisions described below, which focus...more
3/20/2020
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
Economic Stimulus ,
Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) ,
Financial Stimulus ,
Healthcare ,
Medicaid ,
Medical Testing ,
Medicare ,
Relief Measures ,
Telehealth
On August 12, 2019, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued the final version of its public charge rule, which was slated to go into effect on October 15 but is currently subject to a nationwide preliminary...more
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has released a long-anticipated proposed rule that would dramatically change the extent to which the use of public benefits—including Medicaid and the Medicare low-income drug...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
Editor’s Note: While the American Health Care Act (AHCA)—the bill that would replace the Affordable Care Act—does not include explicit changes to Medicare, it could have a profound impact on the 11 million Medicare...more