WASHINGTON, D.C. (April 5, 2022)—The Biden-Harris Administration announced that more than 59 million Americans with Medicare Part B, including those enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan, now have access to FDA approved, authorized or cleared over-the-counter COVID-19 tests at no cost. People with Medicare can get up to eight tests per calendar month from participating pharmacies and health care providers for the duration of the COVID-19 public health emergency.
CMS
WASHINGTON, D.C. (April 1, 2022)—On Monday, March 28th, President Biden released a $5.8 trillion proposed budget for fiscal year (FY) 2023, which begins Oct. 1, 2022. While the White House budget is simply a request and Congress has final say on government spending, it does provide a window into the president’s priorities and where his administration wants to direct its efforts going forward.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (March 31, 2022)—The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has issued a proposed rule (CMS1773-P) that would provide routine updates to hospice based payments and the aggregate cap amount for fiscal year (FY) 2023 in accordance with existing statutory and regulatory requirements. This rule proposes to establish a permanent mitigation policy to smooth the impact of year-to-year changes in hospice payments related to changes in the hospice wage index.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (March 11, 2022)—The Advanced Care at Home Coalition applauds introduction of the Hospital Inpatient Services Modernization Act, which would extend the Acute Care at Home waivers that have allowed for the expanded delivery of hospital-level care at home for Medicare beneficiaries during the COVID-19 pandemic.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (March 1, 2022)—Building on the Biden-Harris administration’s priorities for a better health care system, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has announced a redesigned Accountable Care Organization (ACO) model that better reflects the agency’s vision of creating a health system that achieves equitable outcomes through high quality, affordable, person-centered care.
Get your team ready for a possible feeding frenzy
WASHINGTON, D.C. (February 22, 2022)—Medicare paid a total $6.6 billion to nonhospice providers for services provided to hospice beneficiaries between 2010 and 2019, according to a new report from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Office of the Inspector General (OIG).
ALEXANDRIA, Va. (February 3, 2022)—The National Home Infusion Association (NHIA) appreciates the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid services (CMS) publication, “HIT Monitoring Report, January 2022,” which summarizes utilization trends for the Medicare Part B home infusion therapy (HIT) services benefit over three years.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (February 3, 2022)—As part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s ongoing efforts to expand Americans’ access to free testing, people in either Original Medicare or Medicare Advantage will be able to get over-the-counter COVID-19 tests at no cost starting in early spring. Under the new initiative, Medicare beneficiaries will be able to access up to eight over-the-counter COVID-19 tests per month for free.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (January 27, 2022)—The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has published the 2021 Medicare Fee-For-Service Supplemental Improper Payment Data report. This is an annual report published by CMS’s Comprehensive Error Rate Testing (CERT) program that is intended to measure the improper payments made in the Medicare fee-for-service (FFS) program.
[UPDATED at 4 p.m. ET]
What group is especially vulnerable to the ravages of covid-19 even if fully vaccinated and boosted? Seniors. And who will have an especially tough time getting free at-home covid tests under the Biden administration’s plan? Yes, seniors.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (January 11, 2022)—The deadline for home health agencies to submit a request for an exemption from participating in the Home Health CAHPS (HH CAHPS) Survey for the CY 2023 Annual Payment Update (APU) is March 31, 2022.
The industry's unfinished business
New model should address social determinants of health at home
WASHINGTON, D.C. (January 7, 2022)—The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Competitive Bidding Implementation Contractor (CBIC) recently announced the redesigned CBIC homepage.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (December 21, 2021)—The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has just released a long-awaited durable medical equipment (DME) rule that includes significant provisions impacting Medicare reimbursement for DME products and services.
NEW ORLEANS, La. (December 15, 2021)—The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals has revived the federal COVID-19 vaccine mandate for health care facilities, including home health agencies, in 26 states.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (December 2, 2021)—The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) published fee schedule adjustments for durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics and supplies (DMEPOS) for calendar year (CY) 2022. Adjustments differ depending on whether the items serviced are competitive bidding program (CBP) items or in former competitive bidding areas (CBAs). Below is the breakdown:
Updated Dec. 1, 2021, at 3:22 p.m. to include statement from NAHC.
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (November 30, 2021)—A judge has blocked enforcement of the Biden administration’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate for health care workers in 10 rural states pending a trial over whether the federal government exceeded its authority in issuing the nationwide requirement.
LANSING, Mich. (Nov. 18, 2021)—Amy Bassano, former deputy director for the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, has joined national healthcare consulting firm Health Management Associates (HMA), taking the helm as a managing director of Medicare services.