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Rural Health Information Hub
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Rural Health
News by Topic: Medicare

Apr 15, 2025 - Notice of final rule from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) revising the Medicare Advantage (Part C), Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit (Part D), Medicare cost plan, and Programs of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) regulations to implement changes related to prescription drug coverage, the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan, dual eligible special needs plans (D-SNPs), Part C and Part D Star Ratings, and other programmatic areas, including the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program. This final rule also codifies existing sub-regulatory guidance in the Part C and Part D programs. These regulations are effective June 3, 2025.
Source: Federal Register
Apr 14, 2025 - Pre-publication notice of a proposed rule from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) updating the hospice wage index, payment rates, and aggregate cap amount for fiscal year 2026. Includes proposals related to admission to hospice regulations and the hospice face-to-face attestation requirements under the certification of terminal illness regulations. This proposed rule also includes a technical correction to the regulatory text and provides updates to the Hospice Quality Reporting Program requirements. Among other things, this rule seeks comments regarding requests for information surrounding future measure concepts for Hospice Quality Reporting Program. Includes rural references and considerations throughout. Comments are due within 60 days of the publication of this notice, which is scheduled for April 30, 2025.
Source: Federal Register
Apr 14, 2025 - Pre-publication notice of a proposed rule from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) updating the FY 2026 prospective payment rates, outlier threshold, and wage index for Medicare inpatient hospital services provided by inpatient psychiatric facilities (IPF), including psychiatric hospitals and excluded psychiatric units of an acute care hospital or Critical Access Hospital. Includes a proposed revision to the payment adjustment factors for teaching status and for IPFs in rural areas. This proposed rule also proposes changes to measures used in the Inpatient Psychiatric Facilities Quality Reporting (IPFQR) Program and changes to update and codify the Extraordinary Circumstances Exception policy. Among other things, this rule seeks comments regarding potential future revisions to the IPFQR Program. Comments are due by June 10, 2025.
Source: Federal Register
Apr 14, 2025 - Pre-publication notice of a proposed rule from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) regarding changes to the hospital inpatient prospective payment system (IPPS) for operating and capital-related costs of acute care hospitals for fiscal year 2026. Contains details of proposed changes related to Medicare graduate medical education (GME) for teaching hospitals; payment policies and the annual payment rates for the Medicare prospective payment system (PPS) for inpatient hospital services provided by long-term care hospitals; and certain quality programs, among other things. Comments are due by June 10, 2025.
Source: Federal Register
Apr 14, 2025 - Pre-publication notice of a proposed rule from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) seeking comments on updates to the prospective payment system for inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs) for fiscal year 2026. Among other things, this rule proposes classification and weighting factors for the IRF prospective payment system's case-mix groups, continues the second year of the 3-year phase-out of the rural adjustments, and includes proposals for the IRF Quality Reporting Program. Comments are due by June 10, 2025.
Source: Federal Register
Apr 14, 2025 - Pre-publication notice of a proposed rule from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) that would update the skilled nursing facility (SNF) prospective payment system (PPS) payment rates for fiscal year 2026. Among other things, this rule includes proposals to update the requirements for the SNF Quality Reporting Program and the SNF Value-Based Purchasing Program. Comments are due by May 28, 2024. Comments are due within 60 days of the publication of this notice, which is scheduled for April 30, 2025.
Source: Federal Register
Apr 14, 2025 -

Requests feedback from healthcare providers, researchers, stakeholders, health and drug plans, and the public on potential changes to Medicare regulations in line with Executive Order 14192 "Unleashing Prosperity Through Deregulation" issued on January 31, 2025, which requires agencies proposing new legislation to identify at least 10 existing regulations to be repealed. Comments are due June 10, 2025.

Source: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
Apr 10, 2025 -

Highlights the priorities for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid (CMS) and new Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz. Provides information on how the priorities will align with the President's Make America Healthy Again initiative.

Source: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
Apr 1, 2025 - Notice from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) seeking comments on an information collection Medicare Transaction Facilitator (MTF) for 2026 and 2027 under Sections 11001 and 11002 of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). The MTF will collect information from manufacturers of drugs covered under Medicare Part D selected will be used for negotiation under the Inflation Reduction Act for the initial price applicability years 2026 and 2027 and the dispensing entities that dispense the selected drugs to MFP-eligible individuals. Comments are due by May 1, 2025.
Source: Federal Register
Mar 21, 2025 - The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is seeking comments on the following information collections: 1) Application for Enrollment in Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance); 2) Application for Medicare Part A and Part B Special Enrollment Period (Exceptional Circumstances); 3) Request for Enrollment in Supplementary Medical Insurance (SMI); 4) CMS Plan Benefit Package (PBP) and Formulary CY 2026; and 5) Dual Eligible Special Needs Plan Contract with the State Medicaid Agency. Comments are due by April 21, 2025.
Source: Federal Register