In This Issue:

Implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA); Other HHS and Federal Regulatory Initiatives; Other Congressional and State Initiatives; and Other Health Care News.

Excerpt from Implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA)

On April 2nd the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued both its 2013 Rate Announcement and Final Call Letter and its final 2013 rule for Medicare Parts C and D. Included in the announcement is an estimated annual growth rate of 3.07% and guidance for preventing cost increases for Medicare Advantage (MA) beneficiaries. Highlights of the rule include the steps to implement the Part D Coverage Gap Discount Program of the ACA and new authority to exclude unsatisfactory MA and Part D plans.

On April 3rd the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced nearly $72 million in grant funding for 10 states through the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program (MIECHV). The program was created under the ACA to increase funding for counselors to conduct voluntary home visits to support families with young children. It is a collaboration of the Health Resources and Services Administration and the Administration for Children and Families, which together provide guidance to states on the implementation of home visiting programs.