- CMS: Medicare Program; Implementation of Prior Authorization for Select Services for the Wasteful and Inappropriate Services Reduction (WISeR) Model
- Public Inspection: CMS: Medicare Program: Implementation of Prior Authorization for Select Services for the Wasteful and Inappropriate Services Reduction Model
- CMS: Secretarial Comments on the CBE's (Battelle Memorial Institute) 2024 Activities: Report to Congress and the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services
- HHS: Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act: Marketplace Integrity and Affordability
- HRSA Announces Action to Lower Out-of-Pocket Costs for Life-Saving Medications at Health Centers Nationwide
- Public Inspection: HHS: Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act: Marketplace Integrity and Affordability
- Increased Risk of Cyber Threats Against Healthcare and Public Health Sector
- Eight Hospitals Selected for First Cohort of Rural Hospital Stabilization Program
- Announcing the 2030 Census Disclosure Avoidance Research Program
- CMS: Medicare Program; Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems for Acute Care Hospitals and the Long-Term Care Hospital Prospective Payment System and Policy Changes and Fiscal Year 2026 Rates; Requirements for Quality Programs; and Other Policy Changes; Correction
- CMS: Medicare Program; Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems for Acute Care Hospitals and the Long-Term Care Hospital Prospective Payment System and Policy Changes and Fiscal Year 2026 Rates; Requirements for Quality Programs; and Other Policy Changes; Correction
- CMS: Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Contract Year 2026 Policy and Technical Changes to the Medicare Advantage Program, Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit Program, Medicare Cost Plan Program, and Programs of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly; Correction
- CMS: Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Contract Year 2026 Policy and Technical Changes to the Medicare Advantage Program, Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit Program, Medicare Cost Plan Program, and Programs of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly; Correction
- CMS: Medicare Program; Prospective Payment System and Consolidated Billing for Skilled Nursing Facilities; Updates to the Quality Reporting Program for Federal Fiscal Year 2026
- CMS: Medicare Program; FY 2026 Hospice Wage Index and Payment Rate Update and Hospice Quality Reporting Program Requirements
Federal Transit Administration and CMS Announce Medicaid Transportation Coordination Fact Sheet
Building from the Medicaid Transportation Coverage Guide issued by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) in 2023, this fact sheet helps clarify and encourage partnership at the state level and includes commonly asked questions and relevant resources. Stakeholders, such as state Departments of Transportation staff, provided input into the document. Many FTA public transit grantees offer NEMT, providing vital access to health care for low-income Medicaid beneficiaries, particularly in rural areas. Research has found that Medicaid covers a relatively greater share of individuals in rural counties than in urban counties.
Call for Nominations to the CMS Health Equity Advisory Committee
– December 12. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) requests nominations for members to their newly formed Health Equity Advisory Committee (HEAC). This Committee will advise and make recommendations to CMS on how they can promote quality and access for beneficiaries in all CMS programs, like Medicare and Medicaid. Nominations must be submitted by email to HEAC@cms.hhs.gov with the subject line “HEAC Nomination” by December 12.
HRSA Announces Complete Lists of Health Professional Shortage Areas
The new lists, maintained and updated by HRSA’s Data Warehouse, were announced in the Federal Register last week. They identify all geographic areas, population groups, and facilities designated as Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs). Designations that are currently proposed for withdrawal will remain in this status until a second notice is published in the Federal Register.
Re-imagining Rural Health: The CMS Innovation Center “Hackathon” Series
In August of this year, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Center for Medicare and Medication Innovation (“Innovation Center”) borrowed an idea-generating concept from the tech industry to come up with actionable steps for tough challenges in rural health care. A new report describes what CMS learned from three sessions – Bozeman, MT; Dallas, TX; and Wilson, NC – and how they might use this input for current and future programs. The Innovation Center at CMS was created to develop and test alternative payment models that improve quality while reducing costs in Medicare, Medicaid, and Children’s Health Insurance Programs (CHIP) – public health insurance programs that play a critical role in providing coverage in rural areas where people are more likely to face challenges accessing health care.
CMS: Rural Urban Disparities in Health Care in Medicare
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Office of Minority Health presents summary information on the quality of health care received by people with Medicare nationwide, highlighting (1) rural-urban differences in health care experiences and clinical care, (2) how rural-urban differences in health care experiences and clinical care vary by race and ethnicity, and (3) historical trends in quality of care for rural and urban residents.
HRSA’s National Rural Health Day 2024 Agenda
Take part in a dynamic series of events to celebrate National Rural Health Day on November 21. This year’s theme is “Advancing Maternal Health in Rural Communities” as we highlight how federal agencies, rural health care providers and state and community-based organizations work to enhance maternal health services through workforce training, hospital technical assistance, telehealth initiatives, and flexible and innovative care coordination. Visit HRSA’s National Rural Health Day Agenda page to view the full schedule of events and join discussions with rural researchers, federal and community leaders, and health professionals dedicated to making a difference for rural mothers and families.
For Some Pennsylvanians, Health Insurance Marketplace Premiums Could Nearly Quadruple in 2026
Enhanced subsidies that make coverage affordable expire in 2025, which means premiums would rise an average 81% from this year if consumers remain in the same plan, said Devon Trolley, executive director of the Pennsylvania Health Insurance Exchange Authority, which oversees the state’s Pennie health insurance marketplace. Read more.
Best Practice Guide Available: Telehealth for Diabetes Management
More than one in every ten people in America have diabetes. This National Diabetes Month, learn how you can provide diabetes management care using telehealth. Read the Best Practice Guide.
Equitable Pain Management and Addiction Treatment Blog Available
Communication between patients and care teams about medical, behavioral health (including substance use), and social service needs is essential to ensuring equitable, quality care and cultivating trusting relationships. For patients who speak English less than “very well,” also known as Limited English Proficiency or LEP, the inability to communicate effectively and confidently with care teams is a significant barrier and undermines the ability to build trust in providers and the health system as a whole. In the area of pain management and substance use disorder treatment, these disparities are exacerbated by the lack of language-appropriate care, leading to untreated or undertreated conditions. Read the full blog post.
Report Released on Substance Use and Mental Health Services
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has released the National Substance Use and Mental Health Services Survey 2023: Data on Substance Use and Mental Health Treatment Facilities. The report provides findings on key operational characteristics of substance use disorder and mental health treatment facilities, including use of pharmacotherapies, language assistance provided, and suicide prevention services. Learn more and download the report on SAMHSA’s website.