In a letter to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the National Pharmaceutical Council (NPC) outlines some key issues with the agency's recently-proposed rule. NPC says the proposal "poses a barrier to implementing value-based arrangements and hinders innovation in payment and […]
Datta: CMS Proposal a ‘Grab-bag of Issues’
Sidley Austin LLP's Meena Datta told HealthLeaders that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' (CMS) latest proposal is a "grab-bag of issues." Datta said the proposal, which looks to ease regulations on value-based deals, addresses issues for which the health industry has long sought […]
Bach Outlines ‘Gaping’ Loophole in Medicaid Proposal
A Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services proposal includes a "gaping" loophole through which drugmakers could avoid selling drugs to Medicaid for the lowest possible price, Peter Bach writes in a Health Affairs Blog post. The proposal, he writes, opens the door for drugmakers to exploit […]
Report Reveals Racial Disparities in COVID-19 Outcomes
New data released by the government on Monday suggests black Americans under Medicare were roughly four times more likely as white Americans to be hospitalized for COVID-19, Reuters reports. The data was released by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. "The disparities in the data […]
CMS Implements Harsher Penalties for Nursing Homes Amid Pandemic
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Servicies (CMS) is implementing stiffer penalties for nursing homes which are repeatedly caught violating infection control protocol, FierceHealthcare reports. According to the report, as of May 24, some 26,000 COVID-19 deaths were individuals in nursing […]
Report: Providers Can Earn MIPS Credits by Participating in Data-Sharing Program
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) last week urged providers to use a data-sharing program through which they can earn Merit-Based Incentive Payment System credits, Modern Healthcare reports. According to the report, the Quality Payment Program could help in the fight against […]
CMS Testing Waters with Risk-Sharing Deals with ACO Program
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is testing risk-sharing agreements in Medicare's Direct Contracting program, according to a Managed Care report. According to the report, the agency is accepting applications from potential "direct contracting entities" for the program until […]
New Guidance Enables States to Convert Medicaid Funding into Block Grant
A new initiative rolled out earlier this week by Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) aims to let states convert Medicaid funding into a block grant, Fierce Healthcare reports. According to the report, states who receive a waiver are permitted to change the benefits for a limited […]
CMS Chief Talks Drug Prices at Event
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Seema Verma during this year's J.P. Morgan Health Care Conference doubled down on the administration's proposal to align Medicare Part B drug prices with international prices, Barron's reports. "People feel like it's not fair to our […]
Blog Post Highlights Key Takeaways from 2018 Health Spending
Katie Keith, author of Health Affairs' "Following the ACA" blog, in her latest post highlights three key takeaways on health care spending in 2018 from a new report out of the CMS Office of the Actuary. Spending on private insurance posted a 5.8 percent increase ($1.2 trillion) in 2018, up from […]
