Medicare Medicaid Category

Medicare & Medicaid

News articles in this section include actions by federal regulators like the CMS and HHS, as well as information on Medicare and state Medicaid coverage and benefits.

3 Key Health Policies In The Senate’s $1T Infrastructure Package

The Senate is poised to pass a roughly $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure package that will delay until 2026 a controversial Part D rebate rule. While most of the new funding in the package, the text for which was released Sunday, goes toward infrastructure projects such as new roads or information technology, there are several healthcare-related provisions that could impact the industry.

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Insurers Push Back On CMS’ Proposals To Extend ACA Open Enrollment, Bring Back Standardized Plans

Insurers pushed back at the Biden administration’s efforts to extend the Affordable Care Act’s open enrollment period by another month and require them to post standardized plan options.

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Legislation To Control Drug Prices Advances From Committee To Full Senate

The U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee in late July voted unanimously to advance four pieces of legislation aimed at reining in prescription drug prices. The legislation, which would enhance the Federal Trade Commission’s ability to initiate enforcement actions against drug companies, now moves to the Senate floor for a vote. * The Stop STALLING Act would give the ...

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Four Senators Call On Becerra To Back Importation Of Prescription Drugs From Canada

A bipartisan group of four senators requested Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra’s support to allow less costly prescription drugs to be imported from Canada. Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Angus King (I-Maine) and Susan Collins (R-Maine) sent a letter to the secretary on Monday asking him to back policies permitting states and tribes to import certain prescription drugs from Canada. ...

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430 Groups Demand Congressional Action On Permanently Expanding Telehealth Flexibilities

More than 400 advocacy groups are calling for Congress to act quickly to permanently expand flexibilities for telehealth that could go away after the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency expected to run through 2021. The 430 groups sent a letter to congressional leadership on Monday underscoring the urgency for action now amid concerns from providers ...

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Dems’ Plan To Boost Health Care System The ‘Biggest Jolt’ Since The ACA

The budget package Democrats are assembling in Congress would likely provide the biggest jolt to the American health care system since the passage of the Affordable Care Act in 2010, according to sources familiar with work on the plan.

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CMS Proposes Extension Of Medicare Telehealth Coverage

CMS is proposing to extend Medicare coverage of certain telehealth services granted for the COVID-19 public health emergency to the end of 2023 to help gather data that can determine whether the services should be permanently covered.

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GOP Joins Dems In Taking On Big Pharma

Senators working to keep the bipartisan infrastructure deal alive are zeroing in on Medicare prescription drug rebate formulas to offset up to $60 billion of the $1.2 trillion package, people familiar with the matter tell Axios.

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Report: Only 5% Of Hospitals Fully Compliant With Controversial Price Transparency Rule

A new analysis found only 5.6% of hospitals were fully compliant with a major price transparency rule, with most failures centered on not posting payer-negotiated prices. The analysis released Friday by the group PatientRightsAdvocate.org is the latest evidence of widespread noncompliance with the rule, which went into effect back in January. “These findings align with previous research indicating ...

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California Makes It Easier for Low-Income Residents to Get and Keep Free Health Coverage

The World War II veteran needed to repay the loan for the water pump installed on his 1-acre property in rural Tulare County, the only source of water to his mobile home. He carefully socked away a few thousand dollars so he could make the payoff — only to find that those savings put him over the asset threshold to remain on Medi-Cal, California’s Medicaid program for low-income people.

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