In a high-stake but relatively uneventful series of negotiations, the House and Senate passed a continuing resolution to fund the government through September, averting another government shutdown. Also over the past week,...more
The new year kicked off this week with all eyes watching not only Winter Storm Hercules, but also how the new Affordable Care Act (ACA) coverage will work. According to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS),...more
The deadline to enroll in coverage for January 1 was officially extended by a week, but the new December 23 deadline is fast approaching, and premium payments are required to be paid by the last day of 2013 for January 2014...more
12/20/2013
/ Affordable Care Act ,
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) ,
Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
Federal Budget ,
Health Insurance Exchanges ,
Healthcare ,
Healthcare Reform ,
Medicaid ,
Medicare ,
MedPAC ,
Mental Illness ,
Physician SGR Formula ,
Premiums
The Obama administration announced that it met the November 30 deadline for fixing HealthCare.gov’s problems; however, there are some concerns that information submitted by consumers is not properly transmitting to insurers,...more
Criticism of the Affordable Care Act’s exchange rollout continued this past week. The main line of attack has moved from the malfunctioning website to canceled plans despite President Obama’s repeated promise that those who...more
Repair work to Healthcare.gov is underway, and White House advisors are now pledging that it will be functioning smoothly by the end of November. However, the system was met with new problems over the weekend when the...more
After 16 days of government shutdown, Congress voted to reopen the government and avert default without defundingthe Affordable Care Act, delaying the individual mandate, stripping the medical device tax from the law or...more
It is now the second week the exchanges have been open and the second week the government has been partially closed. The exchanges still have glitches, and Congress still has not agreed on a way to fund the government,...more
Open enrollment began this week, making it possible for the first time to enroll in Affordable Care Act (ACA) online marketplaces. Technical glitches were widespread, but the problems were overshadowed by the shutdown of the...more
With a week until a potential government shutdown and a week until open enrollment begins, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is in the limelight. On September 20, the House voted for a continuing resolution that funds the...more
9/26/2013
/ Affordable Care Act ,
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) ,
Continuing Resolution ,
Contraceptive Coverage Mandate ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
Federal Budget ,
Fraud ,
Government Shutdown ,
Health Insurance Exchanges ,
Healthcare ,
Open Enrollment ,
Premiums
Congress has been back for a week, and already the president and Democrats are engaged in a contest with Republicans to see who will blink first. Additional spending legislation needs to be passed to keep the government...more
After spending the past month in their home districts listening to constituents, this week House and Senate members are back in Washington and Congress is back in session. Though the attention of many has turned to...more
There is only one week left of Congress’ summer recess. While the members have been in their home districts, the agencies in Washington have been finalizing Affordable Care Act (ACA) regulations on everything from the...more
In response to security concerns about personal information in the health insurance exchanges, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released a new security agreement for the data hubs where this information...more
With less than 50 days until open enrollment begins, tensions in Washington and around the country are high among health care stakeholders. ...more
8/20/2013
/ Affordable Care Act ,
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) ,
Deadlines ,
Delays ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Healthcare ,
Healthcare Reform ,
Open Enrollment ,
Pay or Play ,
Shared Responsibility Rule
The House Energy and Commerce Committee voted unanimously on legislation that would repeal the sustainable growth rate (SGR) formula that has historically led to annual decreases in physician payments that are fixed at the...more
8/14/2013
/ Affordable Care Act ,
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) ,
Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Fraud ,
Healthcare Reform ,
IRS ,
Medicaid ,
Medicare ,
Proposed Legislation
With only two weeks before Congress’ August recess and just a little more than two months before October open enrollment begins, Washington is busy sorting through, implementing and, in some cases, fighting the Affordable...more
Capitol Hill and the agencies went back and forth last week on the impact and consideration involved in delaying the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) employer mandate; votes in the House are expected this week on it, as well as a...more
7/17/2013
/ Affordable Care Act ,
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) ,
Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) ,
Delays ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
Employer Mandates ,
Health Insurance Exchanges ,
Healthcare ,
Healthcare Reform ,
Medicaid ,
Medicare
The Obama administration announced yesterday it was delaying the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) Employer Mandate, which requires employers with 50 or more full-time workers to provide affordable health insurance to its employees...more
7/5/2013
/ ACOs ,
Affordable Care Act ,
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) ,
Contraceptive Coverage Mandate ,
Contraceptives ,
Deadlines ,
Delays ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
Employer Mandates ,
Healthcare ,
Hobby Lobby ,
Medicaid ,
Medicare ,
Pay or Play ,
Physician SGR Formula ,
Proposed Legislation ,
Religious Institutions ,
Shared Responsibility Rule
The countdown is on now. Less than 100 days until the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) main provisions go into effect, and Organizing for Action and Enroll America kicked outreach efforts to the uninsured into high gear last week....more
6/28/2013
/ Affordable Care Act ,
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) ,
Deadlines ,
Health Insurance Exchanges ,
Healthcare ,
Hospitals ,
Medicaid ,
Medicare ,
Pay-For-Delay ,
Reverse Payment Settlement Agreements ,
SCOTUS
Last week the House Committee on Ways & Means Health Subcommittee held a hearing on Medicare overhaul proposals affecting post-acute care; the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) wrote to House Budget Committee Chairman Paul...more
Discussions around reforming Medicare’s sustainable growth rate (SGR) continued this week as the Committee on Energy & Commerce held a hearing to solicit input on a draft bill for replacing the current SGR formula...more
Medicare Trustees released their annual report finding that the Medicare trust fund will be exhausted in 2026, two years later than was predicted last year; over the past two weeks, as Washington has investigated the Internal...more
Last week the Senate agreed to vote on Marilyn Tavenner’s nomination to lead the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS); the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced an initiative that will give...more
Last week the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued new proposed regulations on FY 2014 payment updates and regulatory policy changes for inpatient and long term care hospitals, skilled nursing facilitates,...more