Applied Policy provides our clients with more than just summaries and alerts. We review thousands of pages of proposed and final rules issued by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and identify what is most important to each client. We help our clients understand the implications of the Medicare, Medicaid, and Health Insurance Exchange program changes to their organizational goals. We then help them develop an appropriate business strategy to manage the changes. If needed, we help design a strategy to change CMS proposals to enable organizations to achieve their objectives. We also help implement those strategies, including drafting comments, arranging meetings with agency officials, engaging external stakeholders, and coordinating our efforts with other advocacy efforts undertaken by our clients.
Washington, D.C. is more than legislation. Work continues long after bills are signed into law. Often, the rule-making process can be just as important – or more important – than the legislative drafting process, as the regulatory arena is where most details are finalized. Federal agencies use the rule making process to set provider payment rates, determine policy, and suggest future regulatory activities. The expert team at Applied Policy has the needed skills to monitor the prevailing regulatory environment, inform out clients about the possible impacts, and help them strategize to achieve desirable outcomes.
Within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), some agencies are required to regularly release payment regulations. CMS uses the regulatory process to annually release both proposed and final rules that dictate how providers will be paid through the Medicare program. These rules cover a wide variety of settings and programs, including:
- Hospital inpatient and outpatient departments;
- Physician services;
- Medicare Advantage and Part D prescription drug plans;
- Quality payment programs; and
- Payment systems for specialized facilities like skilled nursing facilities and inpatient rehabilitation facilities.
Once a rule is released, the Applied Policy team quickly reviews it and provides our clients with an immediate analysis that includes key policy decisions. Next, we follow-up with an in-depth analysis that discusses the specific impact to that client’s business as well as possible influence on the industry. Finally, we work with our clients to determine the best next steps, whether that be filing public comments, coordinating a response with other stakeholders, or adjusting business plans and strategies to adapt to the new reality.
At Applied Policy, we pride ourselves on our ability and willingness to go beyond the surface of proposals to really understand the potential opportunities or threats presented by a policy change. We tailor our solutions specific to each client and their needs and goals; we don’t offer “cookie cutter” responses. Working collaboratively with our clients, we identify, plan, and execute a strategy that maximizes opportunity.