healthcare-policy8.64 min read
No Surprises Act Arbitration System Drives Up Health Costs
5 days ago•Source: CBS News
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4.21 min•20 days ago
New Advocacy Group Launches to Combat Medicaid Work Requirement Disruptions
A new $2 million nonprofit campaign, 'Keep Your Care,' has launched to help millions of Americans navigate new federal Medicaid work and reporting requirements effective January 1, 2027. While Republicans argue the rules target fraud and waste, advocates and local officials warn that administrative burdens will cause eligible individuals to lose coverage. States like Pennsylvania, Oregon, and Virginia are actively issuing notices and urging residents to update their information to avoid gaps in care.
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Oz launches 29-member coalition to speed medical prior authorizations
Axios•5 months ago
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Court halts federal bid to ban pediatric gender-affirming care, boosting access
The Guardian•5 months ago
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CMS Proposes 2026 Medicare Fee Schedule Focused on Cost Savings and Chronic Disease Management
CMS has issued a proposed rule for the CY 2026 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule, outlining policy changes including separate conversion factors for qualifying and non-qualifying APM participants, efficiency adjustments to RVUs, updates to telehealth services, and new policies for skin substitutes, digital mental health devices, and drug pricing, aiming to improve healthcare quality, efficiency, and innovation.
FTC's Noncompete Ban Set to Transform Healthcare Industry
The FTC's new rule banning noncompete agreements in employment contracts is welcomed by many healthcare workers but may not protect those employed by nonprofit hospitals, which make up a significant portion of the healthcare sector. The rule aims to enhance worker mobility and reduce healthcare costs but faces legal challenges and concerns about its impact on labor competition and costs.
"Medicare Fee Schedule Sparks Outrage and Calls for Reform with Proposed Pay Cuts"
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has released the initial 2024 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule, proposing a pay cut for diagnostic and interventional radiology. The proposed fee schedule also suggests potentially rescinding the long-delayed Appropriate Use Criteria (AUC) Program. The preliminary changes include reductions in relative value units for various specialties, with diagnostic radiology facing a 3% cut and interventional specialists facing a 4% cut. The proposed 2024 conversion factor, used to convert RVUs into payment, represents a 3.36% reduction from the 2023 amount. The Medical Group Management Association (MGMA) expressed concerns about the cut, stating that it would further increase the gap between practice expenses and reimbursement rates. CMS is also considering doing away with the AUC Program due to challenges in implementation and potential risks. The agency is accepting comments on the proposed rule until September 11.