As of late March 2021, 475 million people worldwide have received a COVID-19 vaccine. Although a return to normalcy is drawing closer, it is unclear how state and federal governments will regulate and reimburse for telehealth...more
This week in Washington: Budget reconciliation package passes and is signed into law; Becerra’s nomination for HHS secretary advances in the Senate....more
On March 11, 2021, President Joe Biden signed into law H.R. 1319, the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. The American Rescue Plan’s $1.9 trillion in spending, contains numerous provisions impacting healthcare, including...more
On March 10, 2021, the U.S. House of Representatives narrowly passed H.R. 1319, the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, on a largely partisan basis by a 220-211 vote. Final passage came four days after the U.S. Senate amended...more
On March 6, 2021, the U.S. Senate narrowly passed H.R. 1319, the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, by a 50-49 vote, along entirely partisan lines. Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-AK) missed the vote after joining with all Republicans on...more
3/9/2021
/ COBRA ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
Health Care Providers ,
Hospitals ,
Medicaid ,
Medicare ,
Mental Health ,
Popular ,
Rural Health Care Providers ,
SAMHSA ,
Skilled Nursing Facility ,
Vaccinations
This week in Washington: The House votes on budget reconciliation while the Senate ponders the Byrd Rule; Senate committees hold hearings on HHS Secretary-designate Becerra’s confirmation....more
In the early morning of Feb. 27, 2021, the U.S. House of Representatives narrowly passed H.R. 1319, the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, by a 219-212 vote. Two Democrats joined with a united Republican caucus to oppose the...more
3/2/2021
/ CARES Act ,
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ,
Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) ,
COBRA ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
FMAP ,
Health Care Providers ,
Indian Health Service (IHS) ,
Mental Health ,
OIG ,
Personal Protective Equipment ,
Popular ,
Provider Relief Fund ,
SAMHSA ,
Skilled Nursing Facility
Passed by Congress Dec. 21, 2020, and signed by President Donald Trump Dec. 27, 2020, the $1.4 trillion omnibus Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (H.R. 133), includes numerous statutory provisions that directly affect...more
On Dec. 27, 2020, President Trump signed the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (H.R. 133), an appropriations and stimulus package that includes changes to the Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund (Provider...more
This week in Washington: Washington waited for a COVID-19 stimulus and omnibus appropriations bill ahead of the holiday recess, and a deal was struck Sunday night; Attached to the COVID-19 relief provisions and omnibus...more
This week in Washington: Congress passes funding bill for an additional week to come up with full-year spending legislation to avoid a government shutdown....more
This week in Washington: House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy announced he is waiting to see who will become the next House speaker before working on another COVID-19 stimulus package; Senate Appropriations Committee releases...more
11/17/2020
/ Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) ,
Comment Period ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ,
GAO ,
Health Care Providers ,
Health Insurance ,
Hospitals ,
Interim Final Rules (IFR) ,
Medicaid ,
Physicians ,
Trump Administration
This week in Washington: Washington’s focus has been on the presidential and Senate races....more
11/10/2020
/ Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
GAO ,
Health Care Providers ,
Hospitals ,
Medicare ,
Medicare Part A ,
Medicare Part B ,
OMB ,
Physicians
This week in Washington: Washington is relatively quiet because of Election Day on Tuesday, Nov. 3rd. Grassley, Hassan Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Increase Transparency and Accountability within the Federal Government...more
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently issued an updated fact sheet and a FAQ page detailing the repayment terms for Medicare Part A providers and Part B suppliers who received payments under its...more
This week in Washington: Mnuchin and Pelosi continue discussions for COVID-19 stimulus package....more
This week in Washington: Negotiations for COVID-19 stimulus package are ongoing; House and Senate are in recess....more
10/13/2020
/ Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
Drug Pricing ,
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ,
GAO ,
Health Care Providers ,
Medicare ,
Medicare Part D ,
OIG ,
Pharmaceutical Industry ,
Pharmacy Benefit Manager (PBM) ,
Prescription Drugs ,
Section 340B
This week in Washington: House passes bipartisan continuing resolution (CR) to avoid government shutdown; Senate set to pass the CR this Tuesday....more
9/29/2020
/ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ,
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) ,
Continuing Resolution ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
GAO ,
Health Care Providers ,
Medicaid ,
Medicare ,
Medicare Part D ,
Telehealth ,
Trump Administration
This week in Washington: Congress remains in a district work period, while COVID-19 legislative talks continue....more
This week in Washington: COVID-19 bill negotiations continue; House and Senate remain in district work periods....more
This week in Washington: Both the House and Senate return to session, discussions on the next COVID-19 package begin....more
7/21/2020
/ Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ,
Health Care Providers ,
Medicaid ,
Medicare ,
MedPAC ,
Nursing Homes ,
Telehealth ,
Trump Administration
This week in Washington: Trump administration again attempts to overturn ACA in Supreme Court, House considers legislation to shore up ACA and multiple hearings related to the COVID-19 pandemic....more
6/30/2020
/ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ,
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ,
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ,
GAO ,
Health Care Providers ,
HRSA ,
IRS ,
Long Term Care Facilities ,
Nursing Homes
On June 23, 2020, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced the creation of the Office of Burden Reduction and Health Informatics. The new office aims to ease healthcare providers’ regulatory and...more
This week in Washington: Senate begins considering appropriation bills and hearings on COVID-19 and health disparities continue....more
This week in Washington: Senate to hold hearing on unemployment insurance during COVID-19 and will hold a second hearing on going back to school safely. House to hold hearings on COVID-19's disproportionate impact on...more