(June 21, 2024) – CMS to Close Medicare Advance Payments Resulting from Change Health Care Cyberattack
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced Medicare will no longer accept new Medicare Accelerated and Advance Payment applications after Friday, July 12, to assist providers experiencing payment disruptions caused by the Change Healthcare cybersecurity attack. More than 4,200 Part A providers received advance payments, totaling more than $2.55 billion. According to CMS, "providers of services and suppliers are now successfully billing Medicare, and to date, CMS has already recovered over 96 percent of the advance payments."
CMS Releases 2023-2032 National Health Expenditure Projections
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Office of the Actuary released updated projections of the National Health Expenditure and health insurance enrollment for 2023 through 2032. The agency projects the average NHE will increase by 5.6 percent during this time frame, outpacing the annual increases in the gross domestic product. The new NHE projections are lower than the previous results of 7.5 percent.
MedPAC Releases Report to Congress
The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission released the June 2024 report to Congress. The report includes information about updating the Medicare physician fee schedule, Medicare Advantage provider network adequacy, MA prior authorization practices and alternative approaches to lower Medicare's payment rates to inpatient rehabilitation facilities. The report also contains a summary of the current statutorily specified updates to the PFS payment rates as well as potential bonuses and penalties tied to the Merit-based Incentive Payment System and Advanced Alternative Payment Model participants.
CMS Publishes Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit and Health IT Standards Final Rule
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services released a final rule revising the Medicare prescription drug benefit and implementing changes related to electronic prescribing. The rule also finalizes regulation regarding the adoption of health information technology standards.
CMS Directs State Medicaid Programs to Be More Diligent in Managed Care Oversight
State Medicaid agencies should effectively monitor managed care plans' performance to ensure individuals enrolled in these plans are provided access to care without undue delay, according to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' deputy administrator and director of Center for Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Program Services Daniel Tsai in a June 12 CMCS Informational Bulletin. The CMS directive identifies mental health care parity and managed care plan prior authorization practices as areas of particular concern.
CDC Issues Health Advisory Regarding Diamond Brand Shruumz Products
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a health advisory, amidst reports of severe acute illnesses potentially associated with consuming Diamond ShruumzTM brand chocolate bars, cones and gummies. As of June 11, a total of 12 illnesses and 10 hospitalizations have been reported in eight U.S. states. The cause of the reported illnesses is not known at this time. Individuals should not eat, sell or serve any flavors of Diamond ShruumzTM brand chocolate bars, cones or gummies, and should discard products that have been purchased.
Clinicians Can Apply for Pediatric Specialty Loan Repayment Program
The Health Resources and Services Administration's 2024 Pediatric Specialty Loan Repayment Program is open to eligible clinicians who provide pediatric specialty care or mental health treatment and support to children and adolescents. Clinicians who commit to serving for three years at an approved site in a health professional shortage area or medically underserved area, or to providing care to a medically underserved population can receive up to $100,000 in loan repayment support. Applications will be accepted through 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, July 9.
MLN Connects Provider eNews Available
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services issued the following updates to MLN Connects Provider eNews:
Before You Go ...
Applications are open through Wednesday, July 24, for the American Hospital Association's 2025 Circle of Life Award. This award recognizes hospitals and health systems that advance safe, timely, efficient, effective and equitable end-of-life and hospice care. As many as three recipients will be given awards, and citations of honor may also be presented to other noteworthy programs. The awards will be presented at the 2025 AHA Leadership Summit in Nashville, TN.