Among the many sweeping changes to the Medicaid program included in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (“OBBBA”), Congress established new statutory caps on state-directed payments (“SDPs”) in Medicaid managed care. SDPs have...more
CMS announced this month that it does not anticipate using federal funds to match state funds for designated state health programs (DSHP) and designated state investment programs (DSIP) under its section 1115 demonstration...more
On January 29, 2023, a Florida Magistrate Judge recommended denying the State of Florida’s Motion for Preliminary Injunction and granting CMS’s Motion to Dismiss in connection with the implementation and enforcement of its...more
At the onset of the COVID pandemic in March of 2020, Congress made an important policy decision: continued access to health coverage was crucial, especially because, at the time, it was uncertain how the economy would...more
On May 3, 2023 the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) published the proposed rule Medicaid Program; Ensuring Access to Medicaid Services. The proposed rule seeks to increase transparency in payment rates,...more
Lots of Healthcare Activity in Congress - Activity in Congress focusing on healthcare issues has increased over the last few weeks and is not slowing down anytime soon. This week, the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and...more
The COVID-19 pandemic has seen a wave of telehealth policy changes across the nation at both federal and state levels. Such changes have expanded access to health care and addressed underutilization in chronic disease...more
On December 4, 2020, the Supreme Court agreed to hear arguments to decide the legality of the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS’s) authorization for states to incorporate work requirements into their Medicaid...more
The first ever VIRTUAL Managed Care Compliance Conference will have the great speakers and content you have come to expect from the in-person event. Each year, we look forward to hosting compliance professionals at our...more
On Thursday, Jan. 30, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released the Healthy Adult Opportunity initiative, long-awaited guidance that would enable states to convert Medicaid funding into a block grant for...more
In what is widely considered to signal intensified focus by the Federal government on Medicaid supplemental payments and related State Medicaid financing mechanisms, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on...more
We’ve posted previously the long-standing rumor (substantiated by several folks within the Administration) that CMS is working on a guidance document to states to receive their Medicaid funding through a block grant. In June,...more
On September 17, 2019, Tennessee released its proposal to block grant most of the funding the state’s Medicaid program (TennCare) receives from the Federal government. If approved by CMS, the amendment to the state’s...more
Health care issues will remain a central focus in Washington throughout 2019. Having gained control of the House following the 2018 mid-term elections, Democrats now have the ability to block President Trump's legislative...more
On January 23, 2019, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker revealed his fiscal year 2020 budget for the Commonwealth of $42.7 billion. While the budget contains a number of new initiatives, one new initiative is particularly...more
California’s Medicaid agency has posted draft language of a new state plan amendment (SPA) that would make major changes to federally qualified health center (FQHC) and Rural Health Clinic (RHC) reimbursement. Public comments...more
We expect 2018 to be another year of rapid change within the health care industry. In this episode, Mary Beth Johnston highlights some of the key topics that the health care practice group will monitor in the coming year,...more
CMS solicited input from State Medicaid Directors earlier this month for new strategies to combat the ongoing opioid abuse problem. Authorized demonstration proposals would be eligible for federal financial participation to...more
In the short span of two years, the Iowa Department of Human Services designed, implemented and recently completed a plan to transition the vast majority of the 560,000 members in the state’s $4.2 billion Medicaid program to...more
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (“CMS”) has released the final version of its much anticipated revisions to the regulations governing Medicaid managed care (the “Final Rule”). First proposed in May 2015, the...more
The new year has already gotten off to a busy start for health care providers that participate in the 340B Drug Pricing Program (“340B Program”) and government agencies that reimburse these providers. Following on the heels...more
Tips on preserving the provider-based status for existing clinics. The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 (H.R. 1314) was signed into law on Monday, November 2. Notwithstanding significant concerns raised by the hospital...more
This Week - After passing the State’s biennial budget into law last week, the legislature turned its focus towards adjournment. The Senate unveiled an adjournment resolution which would adjourn the session on Tuesday,...more
On September 11, 2015, the Office of Inspector General (OIG), Director of Medicaid Audits, John Hagg, testified before the House Committee on Energy and Commerce regarding areas in need of corrective action within the Centers...more
This article is part of a series that takes an in-depth look at several proposals that would affect managed care organizations, health care providers and other industry stakeholders participating in, and contracting with...more