Quality Programs Archives - Applied Policy

CMS Proposes FY 2024 Inpatient Payment Policies for Hospitals, Increasing Payment Rates, Advancing Equity, and Proposing Quality Reporting Changes (CMS-1785-P)

On April 10th, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued the fiscal year (FY) 2024 Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems (IPPS) for Acute Care Hospitals and the Long-Term Care Hospital (LTCH) Prospective Payment System proposed rule. See the press release here. CMS released a fact sheetaccompanying the rule. The rule proposes to: increase [...] Read More

CMS Proposes FY 2023 Payment Update for Hospices, Requests Feedback on Health Equity

On March 30th, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued the fiscal year (FY) 2023 proposed Hospice Wage Index, Payment Rate Update, and Quality Reporting Requirements rule. See the fact sheet here. This proposed rule includes the annual payment and quality measure updates, and a request for feedback on health equity activities. This [...] Read More

MACPAC Reviews Medicaid Formularies; Reviews Successful Programs for Integrated Care for Dual-Eligibles in September 2019 Meeting

Applied Policy in the News x Meet the Team x Philanthropy x On September 26 and 27, 2019, MACPAC held the first meeting of their new 2019-2020 term. This meeting covered several sessions on topics of importance to the Medicaid program, including discussion on integrated care for dual-eligibles, Medicaid formularies, and oversight of directed payments. [...] Read More

HHS Identifies Goals and Strategies to Reduce Administrative Burden Associated with Health IT Use, Improve EHR Usability, and Increase Clinical Workflow

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has released a Draft Strategy titled “Reducing Regulatory and Administrative Burden Relating to the Use of Health IT and EHRs.” As required by the 21st Century Cures Act, the draft strategy identifies an overall goal of reducing burden related to the use of EHRs and Health IT [...] Read More

Physician Office Visit Payment Changes Delayed Until 2021, New Drug Payment Policy Finalized

With the release of the final 2019 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) payment rule, CMS is touting program changes that aim to promote beneficiary access to virtual care and refine Medicare quality reporting requirements to emphasize reporting on measures linked to patient outcomes. Major initiatives are focused on: Proposed changes to the payment structure for [...] Read More

Significant Changes to ESRD Drug Add-On Pricing and Quality Measures

This evening, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released the CY 2019 final payment rule for the End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) program. The rule contains a payment update for the ESRD Prospective Payment System, changes to the ESRD quality program, and an expansion of the ESRD Transitional Drug Add-on Payment Adjustment (TDAPA). Additionally, the [...] Read More

CMS Finalizes Slightly Lower Hospice Rate Increase; but Overall Effects Remain the Same

This evening, CMS released its final FY 2019 Hospice Wage Index and Payment Rate Update and Hospice Quality Reporting Requirements. The final rule updates hospice payment rates for FY 2019 and finalizes CMS’ proposal to allow physician assistants as designated hospice attending physicians effective January 1, 2019. The rule also includes changes to the Hospice Quality [...] Read More

Medicare Blunts Incentives & Consequences of its Quality Payment Program

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has released its much-anticipated Calendar Year (CY) 2018 Quality Payment Program (QPP) Final Rule. In this final rule, CMS details changes to both the Advanced Alternative Payment Models (APMs) track and the Merit-Based Incentives Payment System (MIPS) track of the QPP. CMS says it expects this program to, “Modernize […]

CMS Proposes a Slight Increase to ESRD Rates and Asks for Ideas on Medicare Flexibility and Efficiency

This afternoon, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services released its CY 2018 End Stage Renal Disease Prospective Payment System, Payment for Renal Dialysis Services Furnished to Individuals with Acute Kidney Injury, and End-Stage Renal Disease Quality Incentive Program proposed rule. Besides setting a slightly increased end stage renal disease (ESRD) prospective payment system (PPS) base rate […]

HHS Finalizes Market Stabilization Rule, but is it Too Little Too Late?

On Thursday, April 13, 2017, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released a final rule aimed at shoring up the Marketplaces created under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). HHS released a proposed rule in February 2017 that included several provisions generally supported by health insurers that participated in the Marketplaces. One open question […]

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