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Rural Health
News by Topic: Medicare

Dec 20, 2024 - Notice from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) making technical corrections to the November 7, 2024, final rule. This correction is effective January 1, 2025.
Source: Federal Register
Dec 17, 2024 - Notice from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) making corrections to the December 9, 2024, notice regarding an information collection titled "Community Mental Health Center Cost Report."
Source: Federal Register
Dec 16, 2024 - Notice from the Indian Health Service (IHS) announcing the calendar year 2025 reimbursement rates for inpatient and outpatient medical care provided by IHS facilities to Medicare, Medicaid, and other federal program beneficiaries. The updated rates apply to all qualifying services provided on or after January 1, 2025.
Source: Federal Register
Dec 12, 2024 - Announcement from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) of the approval of the American Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Healthcare for continued recognition as a national accrediting organization for Ambulatory Surgical Centers that wish to participate in the Medicare or Medicaid programs. This approval is applicable from November 20, 2024, through November 20, 2029.
Source: Federal Register
Dec 11, 2024 - Notice from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) seeking comments on the following information collections: 1) Payment Collections Operations Contingency Plan; and 2) Requirements Related to Surprise Billing: Qualifying Payment Amount, Notice and Consent, Disclosure on Patient Protections Against Balance Billing, and State Law Opt-in. Comments are due by February 10, 2025.
Source: Federal Register
Dec 11, 2024 - Announcement from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) of the approval of DNV Healthcare USA, Inc. (DNV) as a national accrediting organization for Critical Access Hospitals that wish to participate in the Medicare or Medicaid programs. This approval is applicable from December 23, 2024, through December 23, 2028.
Source: Federal Register
Dec 10, 2024 - Notice of a proposed rule from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) revising the Medicare Advantage (Part C), Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit (Part D), Medicaid, Medicare cost plan, and Programs of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) regulations to implement changes related to Star Ratings, marketing and communications, agent/broker compensation, health equity, drug coverage, dual eligible special needs plans (D-SNPs), utilization management, network adequacy, and other programmatic areas, including the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program. This proposed rule also includes proposals to codify existing subregulatory guidance in the Part C and Part D programs. Comments are due by January 27, 2025.
Source: Federal Register
Dec 9, 2024 - Notice from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) seeking comments on the following information collections: 1) Community Mental Health Center Cost Report; 2) Federally Qualified Health Center Cost Report Form; and 3) Medicare Request for Employment Information. Comments are due by January 8, 2025.
Source: Federal Register
Dec 9, 2024 - Notice of final rule from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) addressing: 1) changes to the Physician Fee Schedule and Medicare Part B payment policies; 2) policies for the Medicare Prescription Drug Inflation Rebate program under the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022; 3) updates to the Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program expanded model; 4) payment for dental services inextricably linked to specific covered medical services; 5) updates to drugs and biological products paid under Part B including immunosuppressive drugs and clotting factors; 6) Medicare Shared Savings Program requirements; 7) updates to the Quality Payment Program; 8) Medicare coverage of opioid use disorder services furnished by opioid treatment programs; 9) updates to policies for Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs); 10) electronic prescribing for controlled substances for a covered Part D drug under a prescription drug plan or an MA-PD plan; 11) updates to the Ambulance Fee Schedule regulations; 12) updates to Clinical Laboratory Fee Schedule regulations; 13) updates to the diabetes payment structure and COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) flexibilities; 14) expansion of colorectal cancer screening and Hepatitis B vaccine coverage and payment; 15) establishing payment for drugs covered as additional preventive services; and 16) Medicare Parts A and B Overpayment Provisions of the Affordable Care Act and Medicare Parts C and D Overpayment Provisions of the Affordable Care Act. These regulations are effective January 1, 2025.
Source: Federal Register
Dec 4, 2024 - Notice of a final rule from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) describing a new mandatory Medicare payment model, the Increasing Organ Transplant Access Model (IOTA Model). The IOTA Model would test whether performance-based upside risk payments or downside risk payments paid to or owed by participating kidney transplant hospitals increase access to kidney transplants for patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) while preserving or enhancing the quality of care and reducing Medicare expenditures. This proposed rule also describes standard provisions for the Radiation Oncology Model, the End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Treatment Choices Model, and mandatory Innovation Center models, including the IOTA Model, whose first performance period begins on or after January 1, 2025. Includes comments regarding rural-specific concerns. This rule is effective January 3, 2025.
Source: Federal Register