On Monday, 22 state attorneys general including Arizona's AG Kris Mayes, filed suit against the Trump administration for an attempted cut of funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding for research programs. The targeted funding would limit payments to universities, medical centers and research institutions. A...National News
The Trump administration has targeted DEI, or "diversity, equity and inclusion" programs within the federal infrastructure that were expanded and encouraged under the Biden administration. A multi-pronged effort is underway to rid the government of any mention of social justice initiatives, including within the Department of Health and...CMS Rules
The proposals were rolled out early in preparation for the incoming Trump administration, and it remains unclear what changes the incoming office will make to the proposed rule.
According to STAT, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) proposed to increase benchmark payments for MA plans by 2.2% for 2026, as opposed to...
The incoming Trump administration and the GOP-controlled 119th Congress likely have designs for healthcare policy that may not become clear until they happen. Industry stakeholders and patients advocates are raising their concerns and hopes for the next two years of lawmaking.
The 119th Congress commences on Friday and will have a...
Healthcare was barely mentioned during the 2024 election cycle, but there are major policy decisions to be made early next year that will have major impacts across the industry.
While Medicaid was almost never mentioned, there are glaring vulnerabilities to the program as President-elect Donald Trump threatens severe cuts to federal...National News
Medicare Advantage insurers are confident that the second Trump administration will be helpful to their goals for growth and expanding their market share.
The MA program is bigger than ever, costing the Medicare program $500 billion for 2024 alone, despite the rise in regulatory enforcement under President Joe Biden. According to STAT...
The nursing home industry appears relieved Donald Trump was re-elected and many industry insiders are anticipating a swift rollback of the Biden administration's controversial nursing home staffing requirement.
The nursing home staffing requirement is the only major regulatory change for nursing homes after the death of 200,000...
After a campaign season that was light on healthcare topics like Medicaid, a new issue brief from the Manhattan Institute might signal where Republicans are looking to cut spending for the public payor program.
Spending growth is the central issue of the issue brief, and it takes issue with the program's rising expenses in a vacuum....National News
President-reelect Donald J. Trump has spent the past week announcing his nominees for his administration's cabinet. Last Thursday, he announced he would appoint environmentalist attorney and anti-vaccine activist Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. (RFK) to be the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS).
Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. has been a...National News
On December 19, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) rescinded a Trump era rule that granted flexibilities to small businesses in establishing large group association health plans (AHPs).
The rescinded rule provided the flexibility by modifying the definition of "employer" under federal law such that individuals like sole proprietors...National News
As House Republicans continue to use the threat of the debt ceiling to pass work requirements for the Medicaid program, providers and industry experts are voicing concerns for how such requirements could play out.
The bill stipulates that certain adults between the ages of 18 and 55 who have Medicaid coverage in Medicaid expansion...National News
On Thursday, the Biden administration rejected work requirements for Medicaid recipients in Georgia, the last state with a federal waiver from the Trump administration for such restrictions.
Though the Trump administration had previously approved work requirements for 17 states, including Arizona, in February 2021, Centers for...National News
A new bill introduced by Representatives Suzan DelBene (D-Wash.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Darin LaHood (R-Ill.) and Brad Wenstrup (R-Ohio) looks to reverese Trump-era modifications to the Medicare Accountable Care Organization (ACO) program and restore higher cost savings to participating providers while removing some of the risk. The bill...
Last Thursday, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued an interim final rule that aims to protect consumers from surprise and balance billing practices and restricting out-of-pocket costs. Surprise billing was a major campaign concern for both presidential candidates and the Biden Administration is acting on...
Direct Contracting has been under intense scrutiny since the Biden Administration's Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) put the Geographic Model on ice in early March. The National Association of Accountable Care Organizations (NAACOS) raised concerns following that announcement as 53 direct contracting entities are enrolled...Arizona News
As of January 1st, all hospitals are now required to disclose prices for basic items and services due to the Trump administration’s price transparency rule which was given the go-ahead by a U.S. appellate court just last week.
The rule aims to empower consumers by making hospitals report their prices in two ways. They must publish a...Arizona News
On December 17, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released an official health advisory as the U.S. experiences a surge in fatal drug overdoses during the COVID-19 pandemic.
About 81,000 drug overdose deaths occurred in the U.S. in the 12 months ending May 2020, with the largest spike after the COVID-19 public...Arizona News
Medicaid work requirements, which the Trump administration has strongly backed, are on hold in many states following federal district court and appellate court rulings holding that such policies are not consistent with the statutory objective of the Medicaid program to provide coverage, according to Modern Healthcare.
Of the 10...Arizona News
Last week, the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia overturned a decision that said the Trump administration did not have the authority to reduce subsidies from Medicare for the 340B Drug Pricing Program.
The 340B program allows hospitals to buy medications at large discounts, but many have objected to this...CMS Rules
Accountable care organizations (ACOs) are asking for more support from the Trump administration amid the pandemic. ACOs want more time to decide on whether to voluntarily exit the Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP) as coronavirus-related financial losses and balance sheet deficits pile up.
With payments tied to spending and...
