Senate Special Committee on Aging Holds Hearing on People with Disabilities. Senators and witnesses acknowledged the significant barriers that exist for Americans with disabilities and discussed current and proposed federal...more
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) published two significant updates to its Medicaid regulations on May 10, 2024. The two Final Rules, a Medicaid Access Rule and a Medicaid Managed Care Rule, impose new...more
Congress is back in session this week, with the House in today and the Senate returning tomorrow. They are back for a four-week stretch until the Memorial Day recess break. Congress has already moved many of the major bills...more
On April 22, 2024 the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) published the Medicaid Program; Ensuring Access to Medicaid Services final rule. The rule has a particular focus on home- and community-based services...more
In May 2023, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (“CMS”) proposed a series of rule changes intended to help promote the availability of home and community-based services (“HCBS”) for Medicaid beneficiaries. Chief...more
Earlier this week, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released two final regulations that added new requirements for states when operating their Medicaid programs. Medicaid is currently the largest health...more
The New York Department of Health (DOH) recently announced it is accepting applications for New York Health Equity Reform: Social Care Networks regional grants. The nine regional grants will distribute a total of $500 million...more
On May 3, 2023 the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) published the proposed rule Medicaid Program; Ensuring Access to Medicaid Services. The proposed rule seeks to increase transparency in payment rates,...more
On August 3, 2022, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced the Health Care and Mental Hygiene Worker Bonus program, also known as the HWB program. Enacted in New York’s Fiscal Year 2023 budget, the program allocates $1.3 billion for the...more
On July 21, 2022, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (“CMS”) released its first-ever nationally standardized Home- and Community-Based Services (“HCBS”) quality measure set to encourage consistent quality...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
As part of the Fiscal Year 2023 New York state Executive Budget legislation, $1.2 billion in funding has been allocated for the payment of bonuses for certain “frontline” healthcare workers. With the stated goals to...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
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
Late last month, the Biden Administration announced the second installment of its recovery plan, dubbed the “American Jobs Plan” (the “Plan”). The Plan’s $2.3 trillion price tag includes $400 billion to revamp and reinvest...more
This morning, the United States Senate Committee on Finance questioned Pres. Biden’s nominee, Chiquita Brooks-LaSure, for Administrator for Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), as well as Andrea Palm, the nominee...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
On July 30, 2020, HHS released several new Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) regarding payments distributed to providers under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act Provider Relief Fund. Providers...more
The Sheppard Mullin Healthcare Law Blog has included many blog articles over the last weeks and months regarding telehealth. As our most recent blog articles show, telehealth is playing an important role in the COVID-19...more
We’ve written previously about the the 2014 final regulation issued by the Obama administration making significant updates to the requirements for the qualities of settings eligible for reimbursement for Medicaid...more
What are the options available to a long-term care resident who wants to return home? Consider using the Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) centered planning rules to help the resident transition back into the...more