On September 7-8, 2017, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) had the first meeting of their new term. The meeting contained sessions that mostly focused on providing Commissioners with information about various Medicare-related topics that could be areas for further exploration. No policy recommendations were discussed or voted on. In addition, the meeting introduced the Commission’s […]
Read MoreCMS Finalizes Payment Increases for SNFs and IRFs Both Seeing a 1% Bump, Advances Move from Volume to Value within SNF VBP Program On Monday, July 31, 2017 the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued two final rules updating the following payment systems for federal fiscal year (FY) 2018: the Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility […]
Read MoreOn July 13, 2017, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released the Revisions to Payment Policies under the Physician Fee Schedule and Other Revisions to Part B for CY 2018 proposed rule. The proposed rule updates payment policies, payment rates, and quality provisions for services furnished under the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule on […]
Read MoreThe Treasury Department and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released the 2017 Medicare Trustees Report late this afternoon. The Trustees are projecting that total Medicare costs will grow from approximately 3.6 percent of GDP in 2016 to 5.6 percent of GDP by 2041. In addition, the report projects that the 2018 Part […]
Read MoreThis afternoon, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services released its CY 2018 End Stage Renal Disease Prospective Payment System, Payment for Renal Dialysis Services Furnished to Individuals with Acute Kidney Injury, and End-Stage Renal Disease Quality Incentive Program proposed rule. Besides setting a slightly increased end stage renal disease (ESRD) prospective payment system (PPS) base rate […]
Read MoreToday, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced a final implementation date for several bundled payment models that were finalized in December 2016. A final rule that included three new episode payment models (EPMs), plus an incentive payment model for cardiac rehabilitation services, and administrative changes to the Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement […]
Read MoreOn Thursday, February 16, 2017, the Senate Finance Committee held a hearing to consider the nomination of Seema Verma for Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). The hearing was noticeably less combative than the hearings held for previous nominees, including Tom Price, who was recently sworn in as Secretary of the […]
Read MoreOn January 18, 2017, the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee held a hearing on the nomination of Representative Tom Price (R-GA) for Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) in the Trump Administration. The hearing lasted for close to four hours. Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-TN) decided members of the committee would have […]
Read MoreLast night, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released a Ruling which, for the first time, classified certain continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) systems as durable medical equipment (DME) under the Medicare Part B benefit. This Ruling, which is binding on all CMS and HHS components including contractors, is a critical step in securing […]
Read MoreToday, the Creating High-Quality Results and Outcomes Necessary to Improve Chronic (CHRONIC) Care Act of 2016 (S. 3504) was introduced Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch and Ranking Member Ron Wyden along with Senator Johnny Isakson and Senator Mark Warner, co-chairs of the Finance Committee Chronic Care Working Group. The CHRONIC Care Act hopes to […]
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