CMS Moves To Overhaul Medicare ACOs CMS last week issued a proposed rule, which would make major changes to the Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP). In this rule, CMS proposes to redesign the MSSP, eliminating Track 1 and 2, establishing a new BASIC track and reframing...
CMS Rules Have Medicare Payment Increases for Acute, Post-Acute Facilities, Finalizes Inpatient Rule A number of finalized payment rules were posted by CMS with very few changes to the original proposals that impact both acute and post-acute care facilities: The final hospital inpatient rule will boost...
CMS Outpatient Rule Smacks Hospitals: More 340B Cuts and Site Neutral Cuts Included Hospitals take numerous financial hits in CMS' proposed hospital outpatient and ASC rule released last week. Among other changes, the rule would: Make more cuts to the 340B drug discount program, focusing Medicare...
Hospitals' 340B Lawsuit Fails; Congress Considers Action A federal appeals court has dismissed the hospitals' lawsuit over CMS cuts to Medicare reimbursement for 340B drugs, restating the lower courts decision that hospitals sued before they had been hurt by the policy. Specifically, the three-judge panel of...
Azar Seeks Deep Cuts to 340B Discounts; House Committee Clashes Over 340B Future HHS Secretary Alex Azar reportedly told a gathering of key lawmakers and staff late last week that the 340B drug discount to providers should be standardized to 20 percent, according to a report...
Key House Panel Releases Eight Draft Bills To Change 340B The House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee will hold the long awaited 340B legislative hearing on Wednesday. 15 bills, including eight drafts, will be discussed reviewed. While witnesses have not been announced, it is expected the list will...
GAO: More Oversight Needed on 340B Contract Pharmacies; House 340B Hearing Mid-July In a new report for the House Energy and Commerce Committee, the Government Accountability Office suggests that HHS, and more specifically HRSA, should perform more oversight and more audits on 340B.. Most specifically, GAO...
340B Hospitals Denied Claims Appeals on Drug Payments In an effort to press a federal court decision to stop CMS' 340B payment cut, hospital representatives sent a letter to the U.S. Court of Appeals detailing how two Medicare claims processors recently told hospitals that their appeals of...
Hospital Readmission Penalties Save $2 Billion, MedPAC Suggests Expansion To All Conditions The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission released its annual June Report to Congress late last week and says the hospital readmission penalties program should be dramatically expanded. The overall report examines a variety of Medicare...
The Cost of Health Care: a Renewed National Focus The high cost of pharmaceuticals may be the current national focus, but make no mistake, the overall high cost of health care in the United States is being targeted by the Trump Administration and Congress. No one...