Health Care System
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services today announced it will update the hospital outpatient prospective payment system rates by 1.35% in calendar year 2018 compared to CY 2017. The rule also finalizes CMS’s proposal to drastically cut Medicare payment for drugs that are acquired…
Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch (R-UT) and House Ways and Means Chairman Kevin Brady (R-TX) today announced an agreement on a proposal that would fund cost-sharing reduction payments to health insurers for two years and eliminate temporarily certain Affordable Care Act mandates. The…
Regulatory Burden Overwhelming Providers,
Diverting Clinicians from Patient Care
Sens. Lamar Alexander (R-TN) and Patty Murray (D-WA) yesterday released a proposal intended to stabilize the Health Insurance Marketplaces authorized by the Affordable Care Act.
Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN), chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, today said he and committee Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-WA) had reached an agreement on legislation to fund cost-sharing reduction payments for two years and provide states some flexibility in…
The AHA and seven other national organizations this weekend urged congressional leaders to “take action now to fund cost-sharing reduction benefits for the millions of Americans who depend on this critical program.” The White House announced last week that it will stop making CSR payments…
The Health Resources and Services Administration has announced that 340B Drug Pricing Program hospitals in areas affected by recent natural disasters can immediately enroll in the program instead of waiting for the normal registration period. “HRSA recognizes that circumstances surrounding disaster…
The Trump administration will stop making cost-sharing reduction payments to health insurers, the White House announced last night. Insurers use the federal payments to reduce out-of-pocket costs for low-income individuals purchasing coverage through the Health Insurance Marketplaces. The…
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services this week published its star ratings for 2018 Medicare Advantage and prescription drug plans. Approximately 44% of MA plans that offer prescription drug coverage will have an overall rating of four stars or higher in 2018, and about 52% of stand-…