DOJ won’t defend latest ACA challenge
The Department of Justice (DOJ) in a brief filed in federal court last week said it will not defend the Affordable Care Act (ACA)...
CMS postpones hospital star ratings update
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) earlier this week announced that the overall hospital quality star ratings on Hospital Compare will not...
Thune bills to target substance use disorder pass Finance Committee
Sen. John Thune (R-SD) shared that the bipartisan legislative proposal, Helping to End Addiction and Lessen (HEAL) Substance Use Disorder Act, has passed out...
The farm bill: What does it have to do with health care?
The passage of the next five-year farm bill, set to expire this fall, is one of the top agenda items for both the Senate...
FCC chairman proposes significant funding increase for Rural Health Care Program
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Ajit Pai announced the circulation of a draft order that would increase the annual funding cap for the Rural...
Senate urged to support CREATES Act
More than 45 organizations, including the American Hospital Association, last week sent a letter to members of the Senate Judiciary Committee to support the...
CMS releases Medicaid scorecard
This week, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released a Medicaid scorecard intended to show how the nation’s largest health program is...
Farm bill faces another round of action
With the current farm bill scheduled to end in September, both House and Senate members are trying to find common ground. After a failed...
Tribal organizations eligible for HHS opioid treatment grants
Although all tribes and tribal associations nationwide are eligible, South Dakota recently learned that it was not selected as one of 35 states to...
MIPS exceeds first year participation goal
In 2015, Congress passed the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA), which changed the way that Medicare pays clinicians by establishing two new...
