Medicare

Post-acute care trade organizations have come together in support of legislation that would reset the implementation timeline for the development of a unified post-acute care payment system so the system prototype can reflect recent payment changes for post-acute providers and the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Senate voted 51 to 48 Wednesday (May 12) to advance the nomination of Chiquita Brooks-LaSure for CMS administrator after Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) made a motion to discharge her nomination from the Finance Committee, with Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) and Sen. Jerry Moran (R-KS) joining Democrats to vote in favor of the motion.

More than 12,000 Medicare Part D beneficiaries aged 65 and older who were long-stay nursing home residents had a Part D claim for an antipsychotic drug but were not reported as having received the drug in CMS’ dataset in 2018, according to an HHS Office of Inspector General report that says CMS data on antipsychotic drug use in nursing homes is incomplete.

The America’s Physician Groups Direct Contracting Coalition is recommending ways to improve the direct contracting model in its first year and in future years, saying CMS’ decision to stop accepting additional applications and related issues are raising concerns.

The White House Office of Management and Budget is reviewing this administration’s version of a final rule to establish instant Medicare coverage of FDA breakthrough devices for four years and define the so-called reasonable and necessary criteria for Medicare coverage.

Long term care hospitals are pleased to see a provision in CMS’ fiscal 2022 proposed inpatient hospital pay rule that would require state Medicaid programs allow all Medicare providers to enroll in Medicaid, so long as they meet that program’s federal requirements.

Accountable care organizations are asking CMS to walk back its quality reporting revamp that is set to be fully implemented next year, with multiple groups saying the planned move to electronic quality reporting measures will create more work for ACOs, will cost ACOs a large amount of money upfront and won’t necessarily help with care.

CMS issued an interim final rule Tuesday (April 27) that would let urban hospitals be treated as rural hospitals throughout the entire process of seeking a higher Medicare wage reimbursement rate.

Nursing homes say $400 billion -- which President Joe Biden has targeted at home and community care in his infrastructure proposal -- is large enough to include investments in their facilities as well as care in individuals’ homes, but other long-term care stakeholders say home- and community-based services have long been underfunded and should be prioritized.