Billy Wynne

Agency Releases Final Part One Guidance for Medicare Prescription Payment Plan; Establishes $600 POS Threshold The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued final part one guidance on a select set of topics for the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan (MPPP), which requires all Medicare prescription drug plans to offer their Part D enrollees the option to pay…

EHC Program Requesting Public Comment on Evidence Map on Home and Community-Based Services The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality’s (AHRQ’s) Effective Health Care (EHC) Program has an opportunity to support the development of a review entitled, “Evidence Map on Home and Community-Based Services.” This technical brief aims to survey the current body of literature…

President Biden Issues Executive Order to Protect Sensitive Personal Data from Countries of Concern; Forthcoming NPRM Will Outline Regulatory Framework and Exemptions President Biden issued an Executive Order (EO) aimed at safeguarding Americans’ sensitive personal data from exploitation by countries of concern. This order represents a significant step to enhance data security and prevent large-scale…

NIST Releases Version 2.0 of Cybersecurity Framework; Update Includes Expanded Scope and New Cybersecurity Function The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) released version 2.0 of its Cybersecurity Framework (CSF), marking a significant update since its inception in 2014. The new version expands the framework’s applicability to all organizations, irrespective of their industry or…

Aspen Health Strategy Group Releases Report with Bipartisan Input Advancing Five Ideas to Reduce the Health Harms Associated with Firearm Violence The nonpartisan Aspen Health Strategy Group (AHSG), part of the Aspen Institute, released a new report examining the pressing need to reduce firearm injury and offering strategies for the health sector to mitigate its…

Administration Officials Describe IRA Clean Energy Investment Tax Credits for Tax-Exempt Entities The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Climate Change and Health Equity (OCCHE) held a presentation to discuss the Office’s Catalytic Program on Utilizing the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). The catalytic program is intended to support health care providers in taking advantage of…

HHS Releases Multiple Notice of Funding Opportunity Announcements for Behavioral Health Initiatives Highlights of recent federal funding announcements for behavioral health initiatives can be found below.  New Behavioral Health Notice of Funding Opportunity Announcements: Provider’s Clinical Support System – Universities NOFO, Applications Due April 15th The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) announced…

GAO Calls on HHS to Improve Efforts to Address Worsening Maternal Health Disparities The Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report investigating the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on maternal health outcomes in the United States and evaluating the efficacy of federal measures in addressing maternal health disparities. This comprehensive study assesses data provided by…

Sen. Cassidy Releases Report Outlining Proposals for Strengthening Health Data Privacy Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA), the ranking member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, released a comprehensive report outlining proposals aimed at enhancing privacy protections for health data.  The report follows Sen. Cassidy’s request for information (RFI) in September 2023 seeking input on health…

Agency Finds that Providers Generally Met Medicare Requirements when Billing for E/M Services via Telehealth. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of the Inspector General (OIG) released an audit of Evaluation and Management (E/M) services provided via telehealth during the first 9 months of the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE). Several COVID-19…