- 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; FY 2026 Hospice Wage Index and Payment Rate Update and Hospice Quality Reporting Program Requirements
- CMS: Medicare Program; Prospective Payment System and Consolidated Billing for Skilled Nursing Facilities; Updates to the Quality Reporting Program for Federal Fiscal Year 2026
- Public Inspection: CMS: Medicare Program: Fiscal Year 2026 Hospice Wage Index and Payment Rate Update and Hospice Quality Reporting Program Requirements
- Public Inspection: 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 and Medicaid Programs; CY 2025 Payment Policies Under the Physician Fee Schedule and Other Changes to Part B Payment and Coverage Policies; Medicare Shared Savings Program Requirements; Medicare Prescription Drug Inflation Rebate Program; and Medicare Overpayments; and Appeal Rights for Certain Changes in Patient Status; Corrections and Correcting Amendment
Out of Reach 2021: The High Cost of Housing Report
The National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC) recently released Out of Reach 2021: The High Cost of Housing. This report highlights the mismatch between the wages people earn and the price of decent rental housing in every state, metropolitan area, and county in the U.S. This robust report and data are extremely valuable in making the case for rental assistance, affordable housing, and livable wages among other important policy priorities. The report also includes housing cost and wage data specific for Pennsylvania and our counties. Explore the full report that includes an interactive website with an easy-to-use search function for data by metropolitan-area ZIP codes.
Major Medical Associations Release PSA Urging Vaccination
The American Hospital Association, American Medical Association, and American Nurses Association on Tuesday released a public service announcement in English and another one with Spanish subtitles in which leaders of each of the groups tell audiences to “ask questions, follow the science and get vaccinated.”
New Pennsylvania Law Increases Access to Medicaid Workers with Disabilities
On July 1, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf signed into law Act 69 of 2021 formally Senate Bill 156. This Act increases earning eligibility under the Medicaid Assistance for Workers with Disabilities (MAWD) program. Dollars earned over the cap will move contributions into a new category instead of eliminating eligibility and covers workers from 250% of the federal poverty level to 600% or about $75,000. Workers will pay 7.5% of their income to the MAWD program to cover their healthcare, which is a 2.5% increase from the current 5%. This means, when a worker earns $75,000 annually, they will pay 100% of the average cost of the MAWD program.
Young Invincibles Releases State of Enrollment Report
The current enrollment landscape is and has been quite tumultuous. With many trying to return to a regular routine, taking a step back and looking at what we learned about enrollment assistance during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic is key. With millions losing job-based health insurance, assisters stepped up to the plate, creating new and initiative ways to conduct enrollment, outreach virtually, harnessing the power of social media, and continued to enroll despite lack of internet or Wi-Fi access or the ability to meet in-person with those who needed assistance the most. Young Invincibles, founded by a group of students in 2009, is a network of advocates committed to educating young adults on all aspects of life from finances to the importance of health insurance coverage to making smart economic choices to build a better future. This new report discusses the current enrollment landscape, COVID-19 enrollment, and highlights some federal policy recommendations.
Read the full State of Enrollment Report.
Pennsylvania Medicaid Enrollment Continues to Climb
Enrollment statewide for Pennsylvania’s Medicaid program has increased by 456,330 people since March 2020 for a total enrollment of 3,330,144 people in June 2021. This represents an almost 15 percent increase. Of these enrollments, 957,812 are enrolled due to Medicaid expansion. Enrollment in the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) peaked in May 2020 and has steadily decreased as children enrolled in Medical Assistance have increased by 11 percent since the beginning of the public health emergency declaration.
Automatic Reduction of Premiums for ACA Plans Slated for September
The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) temporarily increases the generosity of subsidies available on Marketplace plans for consumers earning up to 400% FPL. It also provides maximum subsidies and cost-sharing reductions to people who have been approved for unemployment for any week during 2021. At present, states using Healthcare.gov whose customers were enrolled in an ACA plan prior to April must return to request the new, higher subsidies. However, starting in September, CMS will automatically begin providing the higher premium tax credits (PTCs) amounts to consumers who have yet to update their information on healthcare.gov. However, CMS will not automatically adjust plans to reflect the larger cost-sharing reductions, so consumers are still encouraged to return to the Marketplace and access the benefits. Pennsylvania’s state-based marketplace, Pennie, has already completed automatic reduction for customers as of July 6, 2021. Pennie customers should have received information from Pennie and their current health insurance plan with the new premium tax credit calculations and lower premiums.
Cognitive Assessment: CMS Resources for Providers
Do you have a patient with a cognitive impairment? Medicare covers a separate visit for a cognitive assessment so you can more thoroughly evaluate cognitive function and help with care planning.
The Cognitive Assessment & Care Plan Services (CPT code 99483) typically start with a 50-minute face-to-face visit that includes a detailed history and patient exam, resulting in a written care plan.
Effective January 1, 2021, Medicare increased payment for these services to $282 (may be geographically adjusted) when provided in an office setting, added these services to the definition of primary care services in the Medicare Shared Savings Program, and permanently covers these services via telehealth.
More Information:
- Visit the Cognitive Assessment webpage
- Watch our video (4:34)
- Visit the National Institute on Aging’s Alzheimer’s and Dementia Resources for Professionals webpage
Follow us on Twitter | Visit the CMS Innovation Center website
Senate HELP Subcommittee Hearing on Addressing Declining Life Expectancies
On July 21, 2021, the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Primary Health and Retirement Security Subcommittee held a hearing on year-end data from CDC showing life expectancy dropped 1.5 years from 2019 to 2020. The focus of the hearing was on both COVID-19 and drug overdoses. Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) pointed to the concerning number of drug overdose deaths in Maine, 504 last year alone, which were more than the deaths there from COVID-19.
USDA Seeks Applications for Rural Energy for America Program
USDA Deputy Under Secretary for Rural Development Justin Maxson announced that the department is accepting applications for loan guarantees and grants for renewable energy systems; and to make energy efficiency improvements, conduct energy audits and provide development assistance.
Funds are being made available under the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP). USDA is seeking applications for Fiscal Year 2022 funding. The deadlines to apply for grants are Oct. 31, 2021, and March 31, 2022. Applications for technical assistance grants are due Jan. 31, 2022. Applications for loan guarantees are accepted year-round.
Agricultural producers and rural small businesses are eligible applicants for loan guarantees and grants for renewable energy systems and to make energy efficiency improvements. State and local governments, federally-recognized tribes, land-grant colleges or universities or other institutions of higher education, rural electric cooperatives, public power entities, and Resource Conservation & Development Councils (as defined in 16 USC §3451) are eligible applicants for grants to conduct energy audits and provide development assistance.
Interested applicants are encouraged to contact their local USDA Rural Development State Energy Coordinator well in advance of the application deadlines to discuss their project and ask any questions about the REAP program or the application process.
Additional information on the required materials and how to apply for the REAP program are available on page 40000 of the July 26, 2021, Federal Register.
If you’d like to subscribe to USDA Rural Development updates, visit our GovDelivery subscriber page.
USDA Adds Online Listening Sessions to Its Review of Racial Justice and Equity
From Xander Brown, The Daily Yonder
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has expanded opportunities for stakeholders to comment on how the agency serves marginalized and vulnerable communities.
The department added two online listening sessions so the public can literally speak for themselves. And USDA moved the deadline for commenting from July 15 to August 14.
The goal of the effort is to gather “input on how to best engage external stakeholders and community members representing marginalized, vulnerable, or underserved communities in order to increase participation in USDA programs, services, committees and decision-making processes,” according to a Regulations.gov notice.
The department will offer three listening sessions on Wednesday, July 28 (10 a.m.-1 p.m., 1-4 p.m., and 4-7 p.m. EST). A second day of listening will occur Thursday, July 29 (7-9 p.m. EST).
Registration guarantees that participants have a reserved spot in a queue to offer their thoughts. Each speaker will have five minutes to touch on their interactions with the USDA as well as ways the USDA can remove barriers and engage more with underserved communities. Participants are also encouraged to touch on topics like access, enrollment, and general customer service experiences.