On April 10 and 11, 2025, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) and the Medicaid and CHIP Payment Commission (MACPAC) held virtual public meetings, which included the following sessions: MedPAC Reforming Physician Fee Schedule Updates and Improving the Accuracy of Relative Payment Rates (Vote on March 2025 Recommendations) (Pg. 2) Structural Differences between the Part […]
Read MoreOn February 27 and 28, the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC) held a virtual public meeting, which included the following sessions: Hospital Non-DSH Supplemental Payment and Directed Payment Targeting Analyses, Overview of the Self-Directed Model Design, Interview Findings on Self-Direction Program Design and Administration, and Automation in the Prior Authorization Process. The […]
Read MoreApplied Policy regularly reports on the meetings and recommendations of the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) and the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC). Herein, we explore how these commissions are structured, their roles, and their influence on policy. Origins and Statutory Authority MedPAC provides guidance on Medicare policy. It was established through […]
Read MoreOn January 23 and 24, the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC) held a virtual public meeting, which included the following sessions: Timely Access to Home-and Community-Based Services, Home- and Community-Based Services Payment Policy Option, and Vote on Recommendations for the March Report to Congress. The full agenda and presentations for the sessions […]
Read MoreIn its May 2023 Medicaid Program; Misclassification of Drugs, Program Administration and Program Integrity Updates Under the Medicaid Drug Rebate Program (MDRP) proposed rule[1], the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) proposed a significant shift in its approach to calculating the “Best Price” under the MDRP. The proposal would require cumulative discounts and rebates […]
Read MoreOn September 19 and 20, 2024, the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC) held a virtual public meeting, which included the following sessions: The full agenda and presentations for the sessions are available here. MACPAC REVIEWS RECENTLY PUBLISHED FINAL RULES MACPAC provided a summary of recent CMS rulemaking and its connection to MACPAC’s […]
Read MoreOn September 20, 2024, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released the Misclassification of Drugs, Program Administration and Program Integrity Updates Under the Medicaid Drug Rebate Program final rule, which finalizes policies that aim to promote efficient operation of the Medicaid Drug Rebate Program (MDRP). See the fact sheet here. In this rule, […]
Read MoreEach June, the Medicaid and CHIP (Children’s Health Insurance Program) Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC) is required to report to Congress on the Medicaid program. This report includes chapters on: Improving the transparency of Medicaid and CHIP financing; Optimizing State Medicaid Agency Contracts; Medicare Savings Programs: enrollment trends; and Medicaid demographic data collection. The report […]
Read MoreOn April 22, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released two final rules: Ensuring Access to Medicaid Services and Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Managed Care Access, Finance, and Quality. These rules aim to improve care access, promote transparency and accountability, streamline data collection and monitoring, and increase opportunities to promote [...] Read More
On April 11 and 12, 2024, the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC) held a virtual public meeting, which included the following sessions: Improving the Transparency of Medicaid and CHIP Financing, and Update on Hospital Supplemental Payment Analyses. The full agenda for the meeting and the presentations for the sessions are available here. [...] Read More