Washington Outlook
- Medicare payment extension talks resume with hospital cuts in the mix
- MedPAC approves recommendation cutting payment for E&M outpatient services
- MedPAC also approved recommendations related to post-acute care, including:
- Medicaid proposal helps compensate DSH hospitals for care for underinsured
- CMS finalizes initial core set of Medicaid-eligible adult quality measures
- Energy and Commerce Committee to zero in on drug shortages as part of drug user fee deliberations
- Weekly legislative and regulatory round-up
- Physician payment fix/payroll tax package still in fluxr
- House and Senate expected to vote on funding bill today, averting federal government shut-down and rescinding IPAB funds
- CMS releases proposed rule implementing Physician Payment Sunshine Act reform
- Senate panel weighs balance of stepped-up FDA authority and private initiatives to address drug shortages
- MedPAC discusses 1 percent update for hospital payments and equalizing outpatient E&M services
- Weekly legislative and regulatory round-up
- Super Committee's failure prompts lawmakers to consider reshaping sequester
- Congressional leaders contemplate SGR fix
- House Oversight Subcommittee examines impact of payments on drug shortages
- Deadline for Stage 2 HIT Meaningful Use delayed
- Innovation Center announces awards for workforce innovations
- Weekly legislative and regulatory round-up
- Super Committee trades partisan proposals as deadline draws near
- Republican senators challenge Innovation Center and delivery
- Obama issues Executive Order to address drug shortages
- CMS releases final Medicare outpatient payment rule
- Without congressional action physicians face 29.5 percent cut in Medicare fees
- HHS releases final standards for healthcare disparities
- Weekly legislative and regulatory round-up
- CMS makes sweeping changes to accountable care organizations program in final rule
- Super Committee zeros in on discretionary spending while partisan proposals are floated
- Premier urges deficit panel to strengthen and accelerate healthcare delivery system, supply chain and liability reforms
- Premier comments on insurance exchanges proposal
- CMS proposes modifications to Medicare conditions of participation, other regulations to reduce burden
- Cantor releases 2012 House schedule
- Weekly legislative and regulatory round-up
- House and Senate committees offer healthcare recommendations to “Super Committee”
- Premier joins hospitals, healthcare groups in calling on super committee to reject hospital cuts
- House Oversight Committee lead Democrat launches investigation into “gray market” sales of drugs in short supply
- MedPAC approves four SGR reform recommendations, but fails to vote on draft "offset" list
- Lawmakers push CMS to release rule for industry payments sunshine law
- Weekly legislative and regulatory round-up
- Stop-gap measure keeps government funded; proposed appropriations bill would void healthcare reform funding
- Lawmakers and stakeholders petition deficit reduction panel
- Premier testifies at House Energy and Commerce Committee hearing on drug shortages
- Patient safety coalition urges OMB to release proposed rule on unique device identification
- Premier presses IRS for flexibility for nonprofit hospitals in complying with new community needs assessment
- CMS issues final rule on Medicaid RACs
- House passes legislation to fund graduate medical education at children’s
- MedPAC’s offers offsets for preliminary SGR fix proposal
- Weekly legislative and regulatory round-up
- Deficit control "super committee" begins deliberations
- Senate HELP Committee votes to reauthorize children's GME
- Senator Bennet calls for federal drug pedigrees, citing Premier price gouging analysis
- Premier comments on proposed outpatient payment rule
- CMS Innovation Center announces bundled payment initiative
- Weekly legislative and regulatory round-up
- Congressional leaders appoint members to powerful deficit reduction committee after passage of Budget Control Act
- Premier calls for significant changes to HHS' accounting for disclosures proposal
- CMS releases FY 2012 hospital inpatient PPS final rule
- CMS issues final payment rules for post-acute care sites
- CMS releases Physician Group Practice Demonstration results
- CMS issues proposed rule addressing Medicaid expansion mandated in healthcare reform
- Weekly legislative and regulatory round-up
- Budget update
- Lawmakers urge CMS to modify IPPS coding offset proposal
- House panel advances Children’s Graduate Medical Education funding
- CMS walks through details of hospital value-based purchasing program
- House subcommittee examines Medicare fraud, zeroes in on RACs
- Weekly legislative and regulatory round-up
- Health spending proposals remain in deficit plan talks, but outcome is uncertain
- Hospital community continues to put pressure on Congress to reject hospital cuts
- Attacks against IPAB cross party lines
- Premier urges DOJ to modify quotas to address drug shortages
- Multi-campus EHR incentive payment bill introduced
- Democratic House members defend GME against cuts
- HHS issues proposed rules implementing state insurance exchanges
- HHS announces three funding initiatives to care for dual eligibles
- IRS issues guidance on community health needs assessment requirements
- CMS releases proposed Medicare payment rules for hospital outpatient, ASCs, physician services and home health
- Weekly legislative and regulatory round-up
- Premier comments on FY 2012 inpatient payment proposed rule
- Study shared with lawmakers illustrates impact of budget proposals on providers, beneficiaries
- Governors and committee leaders target Medicaid mandate
- MedPAC releases June report to Congress
- Bipartisan drug shortage legislation introduced in House
- CMMI holds ACO advance payment briefing
- HHS releases action plan for prevention
- Weekly legislative and regulatory round-up
- Medicare and Medicaid cuts still in play in deficit negotiations
- Premier calls for major revisions to ACO proposal
- Proposed rule on accounting for disclosures expands provider and covered entity requirements
- CMS releases final rule implementing Medicaid non-payment for HACs
- New independent analysis finds group purchasing organizations decrease costs for hospitals and other healthcare providers
- Court Case Reaffirms GPO value and practices
- IOM releases inaugural report on geographic adjustments in Medicare payment
- IRS announces Schedule H reform-related section optional for tax year 2010
- Weekly legislative and regulatory round-up
- Medicare is at crux of budget and debt ceiling debate
- Premier joins hospital coalition in sponsoring ad opposing hospital payment cuts
- Innovation Center unveils three new ACO-related initiatives
- Senators ask for withdrawal of ACO regulation
- Multi-Campus Legislation Gaining Steam
- HHS slashes funding for children’s hospital GME while lawmakers seek support for reauthorization
- HHS launches programs to reduce healthcare disparities
- Weekly legislative and regulatory round-up
- Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee approves repeal of Medicaid maintenance of effort requirements
- CMS issues proposed rule on Medicaid rate-setting by states
- House Judiciary Committee approves medical liability bill that caps economic damages
- Ways and Means Health Subcommittee examines options for Medicare physician payment fix
- GAO tasked with drug shortage study
- Weekly legislative and regulatory round-up
- CMS releases Medicare hospital value-based purchasing final rule
- CMS releases FY 2012 hospital inpatient PPS proposed rule
- CMS proposes reimbursement rate increases for LTCHs and IRFs, finalizes increase for IPFs and offers two options for SNF update
- Energy and Commerce Committee to examine physician payment reform proposals from stakeholders
- Weekly legislative and regulatory round-up
- FY 2011 Continuing Resolution sent to president's desk
- House and Senate revisit healthcare reform
- House passes Budget FY 2012 budget resolution
- President Obama announces budget framework with heavy healthcare cuts
- HHS and CMS unveil patient safety initiative and announce availability of funding for hospitals to address high readmission rates
- State flexibility on Medicaid offered through CMS initiatives
- HHS launches plans to address healthcare disparities
- MedPAC approves recommendations to alter QIOs
- Weekly legislative and regulatory round-up
- Senate Appropriations Committee hearings focus on FY 2012 funding
- CMS and OIG release proposed rules on accountable care organizations; FTC/DOJ and IRS release accompanying documents
- HHS releases National Quality Strategy
- Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation issues guidance and updated web resources
- Premier joins other organizations in urging U.S. support for providers' rights in Medicaid Supreme Court case
- Groups caution against allowing medical device tax to be passed on to hospitals
- Weekly legislative and regulatory round-up
- Senate wrestles with solutions to the nation’s fiscal crisis
- MedPAC March Report to Congress recommends 1 percent hospital update
- Commission releases inaugural Medicaid report
- CMS announces March 24 call on transparency of financial relationships in healthcare
- CMS releases interim final rule with comment period on GME -- Premier summary available
- CMS to review public reporting of HACs measure during Monday, March 21 call
- Weekly legislative and regulatory round-up
- Funding for federal government continues under two week continuing resolution
- Governors push for more flexibility on Medicaid
- Lawmakers target fraud and abuse amid concern about federal spending
- MedPAC considers fundamental change to Quality Improvement Organizations
- IRS releases new Form 990 Schedule H instructions and delays filing for certain hospitals
- Premier submits comments on Medicare hospital value-based purchasing proposed rule
- Premier urges careful evaluation of EHR incentive program
- Weekly legislative and regulatory round-up
- President’s budget proposal calls for $62 billion in healthcare cuts
- Sebelius defends administration’s budget before congressional committees
- House continuing resolution slashes funding and defunds healthcare reform implementation for remainder of the year
- House Judiciary Committee approves medical liability bill that caps economic damages
- CMS releases proposed rule to implement Medicaid payment adjustment for hospital-acquired conditions
- CMS holds special “Open Door Forum” on hospital value-based purchasing
- Lawmakers encourage joint FTC and DOJ effort on ACO antitrust
- Carolyn Clancy, federal legislators and hospital representatives discuss QUEST national performance improvement program
- $12 million awarded to RECs to aid CAHs and rural hospitals
- Weekly legislative and regulatory round-up
- Senate rejects amendment to repeal healthcare law while committee debates the law’s constitutionality
- Committees focus on fiscal impact of healthcare reform law
- Budget leaders plan deep cuts for annual spending bills
- Committee assignments shake out in Senate
- CMS to hold call on value-based purchasing call on February 10
- CMS releases proposed rule on notifying beneficiaries of rights to lodge complains to QIOs
- Weekly legislative and regulatory round-up
- House passes healthcare reform repeal bill
- House Judiciary examines medical liability overhaul as part of reshaping reform
- MedPAC recommends 1 percent hospital payment update for 2012
- IOM Committee on geographic variation in healthcare spending and promotion of high-value care
- Comments sought on potential Stage 2 EHR meaningful use objectives
- Appointments announced for comparative effectiveness Methodology Committee
- Weekly legislative and regulatory round-up
- Reform repeal vote scheduled for next week
- New budgetary rules repealing “pay-as-you-go” will have ramifications for healthcare
- Chairman Camp announces Ways and Means Committee and Health Subcommittee rosters
- CMS releases proposed rule on Medicare hospital value-based purchasing and readies ACO proposal
- Electronic health records meaningful use incentives registration begins
- CMS solicits comments on changes to EMTALA relating to inpatients
- Weekly legislative and regulatory round-up
- President signs into law one-year SGR fix with Medicare and Medicaid extenders
- House Republicans announce new Ways & Means and Energy & Commerce Committee members
- Court rules in favor of Virginia challenge to individual coverage mandate
- Hospitals in Premier/CMS value-based purchasing demonstration project continue to improve patient outcomes
- Weekly legislative and regulatory round-up
- Despite election results, repeal of healthcare reform unlikely in the near future
- Chairmen of President’s Fiscal Commission release proposals to reduce spending and increase revenue
- CMS releases Medicaid RAC proposed rule
- CMS to hold public conference on Community-Based Care Transitions Program to reduce readmissions
- MedPAC considers expanding technical assistance beyond QIOs
- CMS releases final Medicare hospital outpatient PPS/ASC and physician fee schedule rules
- Weekly legislative and regulatory round-up
- Barton sets sights on Energy and Commerce Committee chairmanship
- GAO finds states spending majority of enhanced Medicaid funds
- Federal agencies examine potential legal barriers to launching ACOs
- MedPAC focuses on ACOs, bundled payment pilot and physician payments
- Obama provides relief for employers by delaying W-2 reform provision
- Weekly legislative and regulatory round-up
- Republican attempt at piece-meal repeal of healthcare reform law rejected
- Grassley presses HHS for overdue Medicaid report
- CMS, FTC and Office of Inspector General to hold workshop on accountable care organizations
- New comparative effectiveness research institute board members appointed
- CMS issues Medicaid and CHIP guidance and quality report on children’s health
- Gilfillan appointed new acting director of Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation
- CMS delays posting of hospital-acquired condition rates on Hospital Compare website
- Weekly legislative and regulatory round-up
- Senate Democrats intend to move new tax and healthcare extenders package
- Premier urges changes to DME competitive bidding program; Henry Ford Health System testifies before Congress
- Senate rejects amendment to “1099 form” legislation that would have slashed preventive care programs
- MedPAC Discusses Medicare’s Shared Savings Program for ACOs
- Weekly legislative and regulatory round-up
- Senate passes legislation providing enhanced FMAP funding; House to reconvene next week to hold vote
- CMS releases final FY 2011 hospital inpatient PPS rule
- Effort to fix EHR multi-campus hospital issue underway
- Premier releases summary of initial set of standards, implementation specifications, and certification criteria for EHR technology
- Trustees announce Medicare solvency until 2029
- Weekly legislative and regulatory round-up
- CMS releases final meaningful use regulation and final standard and certification rule; Premier detailed summary available
- Legislators inquire about multi-campus issue at HIT hearing; Premier and HIT Collaborative members submit testimony
- CMS releases proposed privacy rule
- Lawmakers urge CMS to reduce coding offset in final IPPS rule
- Premier joins other organizations in commenting on nonprofit hospital provisions in healthcare reform law
- Newly eligible entities can begin to enroll in 340B program in August
- CMS releases payment rate updates for SNFs, IRFs and hospice, and proposed rule for home health
- Weekly legislative and regulatory round-up
- Senators continue efforts to pass tax extenders bill that includes healthcare provisions
- CMS releases proposed hospital outpatient and ASC payment rules
- CMS releases proposed CY 2011 Medicare physician fee schedule rule
- Lawmakers seeking co-signers for letters on $3.7 billion hospital cut in proposed IPPS rule
- Berwick named CMS Director through recess appointment
- Advancing Patient Safety Coalition sends letter to FDA regarding unique device identification rule
- Weekly legislative and regulatory round-up
- Obama signs temporary physician payment fix legislation
- Another tax extenders package falters, leaving state Medicaid funds and other healthcare extenders hanging
- Premier submits comments on coding & documentation and quality proposals in proposed FY 2011 inpatient payment rule
- CMS holds Open Door Forum on accountable care organizations
- ONC issues final rule to establish the temporary certification program for electronic health record technology
- Premier leaders support Berwick nomination
- CMS releases proposed rule on patients’ hospital visitation rights
- Lawmakers express concern with MedPAC GME recommendations
- Healthcare reform moves forward with issuance of interim final rules on patient rights and “grandfathered” health plans
- Weekly legislative and regulatory round-up
- Congressional action on tax extenders bill with health provisions expected next week
- CMS releases Q&A document on accountable care organizations and announces listening session
- IRS requests comments on nonprofit hospital provisions in healthcare reform law—due July 22
- CMS issues clarification of outpatient requirements on physician supervision of certain procedures
- Weekly legislative and regulatory round-up
- House passes scaled-down jobs/extenders package with hospital cuts, 19-month SGR fix and no FMAP
- Baucus, Pomeroy and Boustany join in announcing launch of Premier alliance ACO Collaboratives on Capitol Hill
- DOJ says antitrust issues will not get in the way of healthcare reform
- CMS releases inpatient hospital regulations to implement healthcare reforms
- ONC announces additional Beacon Community HIT funds
- Weekly legislative and regulatory round-up
- Healthcare provisions tied up in extenders package; Administration heralds reform implementation accomplishments as CBO releases new cost estimates
- FMAP increase extension, SGR fix caught up in negotiations on extenders package
- CBO releases new higher estimate of healthcare reform costs
- Administration updates Hill on implementation of healthcare reform
- Regulations implementing the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act
- Premier joins healthcare community in urging changes to EHR incentive program
- Hearing focuses on bill to increase healthcare transparency for hospitals and other providers
- Weekly legislative and regulatory round-up
- CMS releases FY 2011 hospital inpatient PPS proposed rule
- CMS proposes payment policies and rates for LTCHs and psychiatric facilities
- Consolidated healthcare reform legislation now available
- CMS actuary releases new estimates of health reform
- President Obama nominates Berwick for CMS administrator
- CMS releases final Medicaid benefit package rule
- Weekly legislative and regulatory round-up
- Premier provides healthcare reform resources for members
- President signs short-term extension package with clarification of EHR incentive payments for clinic-based physicians
- Lawmakers continue to tell CMS to follow congressional intent in implementing EHR meaningful use incentives
- CMS releases guidance for states on expanded Medicaid coverage
- MedPAC approves GME recommendation and considers innovative Medicare reforms
- GAO finds RAC program did not address vulnerabilities leading to improper payments
- Weekly legislative and regulatory round-up