The proposed changes to the Confidentiality of Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Patient Records Part 2 would revise privacy rules to align with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) - the change is designed to improve care coordination for patients and reduce discrimination in treatment.
Currently, the Part 2...National News
Despite the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ (CMS) efforts to reduce the amount of psychotropic drugs in nursing homes, rates remained “constant” between 2011 and 2019.
A new report from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG) found 80% of Medicare's long-stay nursing home...National News
The U.S Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) through the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is taking steps to improve access to and quality of maternal healthcare nationwide, including supporting the delivery of equitable care for both pregnancy and postpartum care. The Children's Action Alliance in Arizona wants...National News
The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission voted to recommend Congress create a new value incentive program to reward skilled nursing facilities for good performance. MedPAC also approved a recommendation for Congress to direct the Department of Health and Human Services to develop and begin to report patient experience measures for...CMS Rules
Proposing a rule to amend risk adjustment methodology for exchange plans, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) aims to improve the accuracy and effectiveness of the Affordable Care Act (ACA)-era program. The agency seeks to refine the program's error rate calculation and risk adjustment data validation (HHS-RADV)...National News
A myriad of fiscal and monetary stimulus has come out of Washington in recent months with the government and the Federal Reserve working jointly to provide financial aid and inject liquidity into industries struck by an unprecedented supply and demand shock. The government has provided $175 billion in relief funds to hospitals and other...Arizona News
In a March 24 ruling, U.S. District Judge Michael Shea granted Medicare patients the constitutional right to challenge hospital decisions putting them on observation status. The class action case favored beneficiaries who had their status changed by hospitals to observation, despite having initially been admitted by...National News
The Trump administration is reportedly slated to introduce guidance for granting states waivers to block grant Medicaid dollars.
According to Wall Street Journal reporting, federal officials are expected to release guidance this month as many healthcare professionals continue to express concern and criticism over a block grant...
A report from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) inspector general's office analyzed Medicare Advantage (MA) encounter data from 2016, stemming from concerns that MA organizations use chart reviews to inaccurately inflate risk adjusted payments. The result was billions in additional payments.
The Office of Inspector...
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) unveiled a proposal spearheaded by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) on Oct. 9 to make changes to anti-kickback legislation and Stark Law in an effort to modernize.
In a news release announcing the proposals, HHS...National News
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) cracked down on 35 individuals found to be tampering with genetic testing reimbursements in a fraudulent Medicare billing scheme totaling $2.1 billion. The defendants were linked to various telemedicine and telemarketing companies as well as cancer genetic testing labs for their participation in the...Arizona News
The Office of Inspector General (OIG) reviewed five Indian Health Services (IHS) hospitals last month and concluded they do not always follow necessary guidelines when prescribing and dispensing opioids to patients.
The audit was spurred by a national opioid epidemic that continues to be fueled by prescription opioids and a...National News
Early last week the Government Accountability Office (GAO) issued a decision stating Congress can review and overturn Trump Administration guidance regarding Section 1332 waivers, or innovation waivers, that have loosened Affordable Care Act restrictions and opened gateways for states to overhaul individual exchanges.
An October...Arizona News
The Trump administration finalized a new rule last week, further chipping away at the Obama administration’s healthcare legacy by allowing employers to set aside tax-preferred funds and pay money into employee health reimbursement accounts (HRAs).
Employees can later retrieve that money to purchase healthcare coverage on the...Arizona News
The Trump administration finalized a new 440-page rule Thursday strengthening protections for healthcare workers who refuse to provide care that violates their religious or moral beliefs. The new rule was announced by President Donald Trump during remarks at the White House Rose Garden on the National Day of Prayer.
The reactions were...Arizona News
On Monday, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a proposed rule to lower prescription drug costs for beneficiaries by making changes to Medicare Part D. The proposal could give insurers negotiating powers on drug prices by offering an expectation that plans would implement broader use of prior authorization (PA)...
