Category: CMS

Unwitting Patients, Copycat Comments Play Hidden Role In Federal Rule-Making

As HHS decided to cut $1.6 billion in drug payments to hospitals, it weighed thousands of comments generated by a pharmaceutical-funded advocacy group.

HHS Watchdog To Probe Enforcement Of Nursing Home Staffing Standards

The study follows a Kaiser Health News and New York Times investigation that found nearly 1,400 nursing homes have reported fewer registered nurses on duty than Medicare requires or failed to provide reliable staffing information to the government.

HHS Watchdog To Probe Enforcement Of Nursing Home Staffing Standards

The study follows a Kaiser Health News and New York Times investigation that found nearly 1,400 nursing homes have reported fewer registered nurses on duty than Medicare requires or failed to provide reliable staffing information to the government.

Feds Urge States To Encourage Cheaper Plans Off The Exchanges

Many insurers added surcharges to policies they sold to individuals last year to make up for a cut in federal funding. Now, federal officials suggest that states encourage insurers to sell policies without those surcharges outside of the marketplace to help people who don’t get a premium subsidy.

Medicaid Officials Target Home Health Aides’ Union Dues

Federal officials are proposing a rule to prohibit home health aides paid directly by Medicaid from having their dues for the powerful Service Employees International Union automatically deducted from their paychecks. The effort would likely mean those workers are far less likely to pay dues and could diminish the union’s influence.

Trump Administration Sinks Teeth Into Paring Down Drug Prices, On 5 Key Points

Instead of waiting for congressional action, federal regulators are looking at a series of actions to spur competition and drive down the cost of medicines.

Trump Administration Sinks Teeth Into Paring Down Drug Prices, On 5 Key Points

Instead of waiting for congressional action, federal regulators are looking at a series of actions to spur competition and drive down the cost of medicines.

Medicare To Overhaul ACOs But Critics Fear Fewer Participants

The moves could lead to a dramatic decrease in hospitals and doctors participating in the program, industry officials said.

Podcast: KHN’s ‘What The Health?’ Coming Soon: ‘Long-Term Short-Term’ Plans

In this episode of KHN’s “What the Health?” Julie Rovner of Kaiser Health News, Anna Edney of Bloomberg News, Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times and Kimberly Leonard of the Washington Examiner talk about the latest Trump administration efforts to address high drug prices, what’s next for short-term health insurance plans and insider trading charges against a New York GOP congressman.

Some Doctors, Patients Balk At Medicare’s ‘Flat Fee’ Payment Proposal

The Trump administration says its plan to overhaul the way Medicare pays doctors will save physicians time and paperwork. But critics worry the changes will hurt patients’ care and doctors’ income.