CMS Proposes FY 2027 Payment Updates for Hospices
On April 2, 2026, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued the fiscal year (FY) 2027 proposed Medicare Program; FY 2027 Hospice Wage Index and Payment…
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2026 CMS Quality Conference: Prevention, Payment, and a More Proactive Posture
“If you’re focused on what’s wrong, you can always find it. Focus on what’s right,” Tony Robbins told an audience of CMS leaders and quality professionals at the…
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Key Takeaways from the BMA Executive Policy Summit
“We actually read the comments,” Chris Klomp, CMS Deputy Administrator and Director of the Center for Medicare, noted during a fireside chat at the 2026 Better Medicare Alliance…
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MedPAC Releases March 2026 Report to Congress
Each March, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) is required to report to Congress on the Medicare fee-for-service (FFS) payment systems, the Medicare Advantage (MA) program, and the…
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MACPAC Holds March Meeting
On March 5 and 6, 2026, the Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC) held a public meeting, which included the following sessions:…
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MedPAC Holds March Meeting
On March 2 and 3, 2026, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) held a public meeting, which included the following sessions: Access to hospice and certain complex palliative…
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Ambulatory Specialty Model (ASM): A Mandatory, Clinician-Level APM Focused on Chronic Care Quality and Cost
In the CY 2026 Physician Fee Schedule final rule, CMS finalized the Ambulatory Specialty Model (ASM), a new mandatory alternative payment model (APM) under the CMS Innovation Center.…
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What’s in a Name? The Debate Over the Word “Provider”
In February, the American College of Physicians added fresh energy to a long-running debate over how clinicians are described in modern healthcare with the release of a policy…
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Medicare and the Origins of Federal Transplant Coverage
Organ transplantation was an emerging and uncommon medical treatment when Congress enacted Medicare in 1965 to provide hospital and physician coverage for older Americans. Although surgical trials had…
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How CMS is Evolving its Coverage Evidence Strategy: ACCESS vs MAHA ELEVATE
The Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) continues to refine its approach to improving quality and outcomes in healthcare delivery, placing a growing emphasis on supporting innovative…
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CMS Announces DMEPOS Moratorium and CRUSH RFI
On February 25, 2026, the Trump Administration announced several initiatives as part of a broader effort to address health care fraud. This includes a Nationwide Durable Medical Equipment,…
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MACPAC Holds January 2026 Meeting
On January 29 and 30, 2026, the Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC) held a public meeting, which included the following sessions:…
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