Tuesday, September 14, 2021: Payers

The CMS is proposing to pull a Trump era regulation that would have required Medicare to pay for any “breakthrough” (i.e., new technologies that attempt to improve care for people with life-threatening conditions) medical device. After receiving public feedback,...

Tuesday, September 14, 2021: Providers

A study published in Health Affairs found that the majority of high-price hospitals are active in markets that meet federal definitions of low or moderate concentration. The researchers found that more than a quarter of all hospitals they deemed to be charging high...

Monday, September 13, 2021: D.C. News

The House Ways and Means Committee advanced its proposal for the $3.5 trillion budget bill. The legislation would make permanent enhanced ACA subsidies that give people greater help in affording their premiums and expand Medicare to cover dental (in 2028), hearing (in...

Monday, September 13, 2021: Life Sciences

Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy defended the Biden administration’s new COVID-19 vaccination mandates, calling them “an appropriate legal measure” akin to other safety requirements for schools and workplaces. Republican governors and other critics...

Monday, September 13, 2021: Payers

CMS announced $20 million in American Rescue Plan grant funding to 21 State-based Marketplaces (SBMs). The grants are intended to increase consumer access to affordable, comprehensive health insurance coverage, modernize IT systems, and/or conduct targeted consumer...

Monday, September 13, 2021: Providers

The Biden administration on Friday announced plans to release more than $25 billion to health care providers to help with costs related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The funds, which come 11 months after the last major round of funding, will be the latest tranche from the...