A Fond Farewell: Musings on the End of the Medicare Advantage Hospice Carve-In Demonstration
Counsel That Cares - The Private Payer's Perspective on Value-Based Care
Business Better Podcast Episode: 2024 Advance Notice: Proposed Changes to the Medicare Advantage Risk Adjustment Model
Video: Record-Shattering Year for FCA Recoveries in Health Care - Thought Leaders in Health Law
Hooper, Kearney and Macklin on Cutting Edge Topics in the False Claims Act
Hospice Audit Series: The Latest Developments and Strategies for Success in the Ever-changing Audit Landscape
Podcast: IP(DC): Drug Prices, Political Pressures & Patents
On August 15, 2024, CMS announced the results of the first round of the negotiated prices between CMS and participating drug manufacturers for the 10 selected drugs under the Inflation Reduction Act’s (IRA) Medicare Drug...more
This issue of McDermott’s Healthcare Regulatory Check-Up highlights regulatory activity for April 2024. We discuss several US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) agency actions, including the Calendar Year (CY) 2025...more
On April 4, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued the Contract Year (CY) 2025 Medicare Advantage (MA) Final Rule (Final Rule), which will have significant implications for MA plans and other industry...more
Although I previously declared January 2024 Medicare Advantage (MA) Month, this week has also been filled with news about the MA program. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released the final rate announcement...more
On April 1, 2024, the US Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released the Announcement of Calendar Year (CY) 2025 Medicare Advantage (MA) Capitation Rates and Part C and D Payment Policies (Rate Announcement). CMS...more
On January 31, 2024, the US Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released the Advance Notice of Methodological Changes for Calendar Year (CY) 2025 for Medicare Advantage (MA) Capitation Rates and Part C and D...more
House Energy and Commerce Committee Holds Hearing on Healthcare Costs. The hearing included discussion on what factors are causing cost increases for individuals, for the healthcare sector, and for federal health programs...more
Last week, McDermott+Consulting launched an election 2024 resource page, where you can find a 2024 health policy outlook and other insights into the November election. While regulations aren’t necessarily top-of-mind when...more
The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) has provided new updates on CMS’ planned initiatives to address prescription drug costs in a blog post from Director Liz Fowler. One test, the Accelerating Clinical...more
CMS published the Calendar Year (“CY”) 2024 Medicare Advantage (“MA”) Capitation Rates and Part C and Part D Payment Policies (“Rate Announcement“) on March 31 and, five days later, issued the MA and Part D final rule for...more
"Rather than reacting, you must be proactive and preventive. By doing this, you will not only be prepared for the potential obstacles that face your company, but you will most likely eliminate obstacles before they appear." ...more
OCR Public Comment on Security Practices and Civil Monetary Penalties - The Office for Civil Rights (“OCR”) is seeking information from stakeholders on two aspects of the Health Information Technology for Economic and...more
On January 12, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released the Contract Year 2023 Policy and Technical Changes to the Medicare Advantage and Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit Programs proposed rule,...more
Over the last year, we have seen volatility in the healthcare industry overall, and Medicare Advantage (“MA”) and Medicare Part D plans (together, “Plans”) have not been immune. Particularly because of their risk adjustment...more
CMS recently proposed several important changes for the Medicare Advantage ("MA") program that relate to payment, benefit design, and new actions to combat the opioid crisis. These changes, among others, were proposed in...more
Earlier this week, CMS released both the Contract Year 2019 Final Rules for Medicare Advantage and Part D (Final Rules) and the 2019 Call Letter. CMS also released fact sheets for the Final Rule and the Call Letter. The Final...more
CMS has slowly but surely been providing additional guidance to Medicare Plans (Medicare Advantage and Part D plans) regarding steps they can and should take to address the opioid epidemic as it relates to their...more
On November 15, 2017, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a draft guidance entitled, Assessing User Fees Under the Biosimilar User Fee Amendments of 2017. The Biosimilar User Fee Amendments of 2017 (BsUFA II)...more
On Friday, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (“CMS”) issued a long-awaited proposed rule that would drastically change the payment rates for clinical laboratory services beginning January 1, 2017 (the “Proposed...more
On September 10-11, 2015, MedPAC held a meeting to discuss several issues related to the Medicare program, including (1) improving the Open Payments program, which makes public the payments from drug and device manufacturers...more
On September 1, 2015, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (“CMS”) announced[1] the opportunity for plan sponsors to test value-based insurance design (“VBID”) in the Medicare Advantage (“MA”) market. VBID refers to...more
As you get ready to turn 65, you may be inundated with information about Medicare. All this information is confusing, but it is important to do your research before choosing your plan. If you aren’t fully informed, you could...more
On April 30, 2015, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) made available a dataset that provides detailed information on medications that physicians and other healthcare providers prescribed under the Medicare...more
On April 6, 2015, CMS released final updates to the Medicare Advantage and Part D programs through its 2016 Rate Announcement and Call Letter. CMS estimates an expected average change in revenue of 1.25 percent with respect...more
This Week: Montana Legislature Reverses Course, Endorses Medicaid Expansion... Final 2016 Medicare Advantage and Part D Rate Announcement and Call Letter... Upcoming: Energy and Commerce Subcommittee Hearing on Post-Acute...more