The Departments of Health and Human Services, Labor, and Treasury released Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) explaining how the batching requirements of the No Surprises Act (NSA) apply to the Federal Independent Dispute Resolution (IDR) process, in light of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas decision in TMA IV and TMA III. The District Court invalidated the… (Llamas, November 28, 2023) #Hospitals, #Physicians

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a final rule to amend its regulations regarding direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertisements for prescription drugs presented in television or radio format to ensure that the major statement relating to side effects and contraindications are be presented in a clear, conspicuous, and neutral manner. What is it. The final rule implements a requirement of the… (Slifer, November 27, 2023) #Food and Drug Administration, #Prescription Drugs

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released the Medicare Part D Manufacturer Program final guidance, pursuant to the Inflation Reduction Act, that becomes effective beginning January 1, 2025. CMS also released the Manufacturer Discount Program Manufacturer Agreement, and the Manufacturer Discount Program Third Party Administrator (TPA) Agreement. Additional details from the final guidance follow: What is it. The… (Slifer, November 17, 2023) #Medicare Part D, #Prescription Drugs

The Biden-Harris Administration, in collaboration with the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), released several resources aimed at improving health and well-being by addressing social determinants of health (SDOH). HHS acknowledged the significant impact of social and economic conditions on an individual’s health outcomes and aims to coordinate efforts among federal agencies, states, local, and tribal governments to bridge… (Colocho, November 17, 2023) #Health Equity, #Public Health, #Social Determinants of Health

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced the establishment of the  Secretary’s Advisory Committee on Long COVID to advise on research and innovation in the comprehensive government response to the lasting effects of COVID-19 and invites nominations for the Committee. The committee, as outlined in the National Research Action Plan on Long COVID, aims to provide recommendations and… (Colocho, November 17, 2023) #COVID-19, #Health Equity, #Public Health

Today, the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation (CMMI/Innovation Center) released a notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) for the AHEAD Model (IHPP summary). The Innovation Center also hosted a webinar to discuss the new model, which followed a previous webinar in September (IHPP summary). During today’s webinar on the NOFO, the model Co-Leads and a Grants Management Officer went over… (Testa, McClurg, November 16, 2023) #Delivery Reform, #Demonstration Programs, #Health Equity, #Hospitals, #Primary Care

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) unveiled a comprehensive Language Access Plan aimed at enhancing access to health care and services for individuals with Limited English Proficiency (LEP) and disabilities. This initiative aligns with President Biden’s executive orders promoting equity and inclusion across federal services, addressing barriers to accessing critical information and care. What it is. The HHS… (Colocho, November 16, 2023) #Health Equity, #Public Health, #Social Determinants of Health

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released the HHS Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters for 2025 proposed rule (fact sheet) – a wide-ranging rule affecting Marketplaces and qualified health plans in the individual and small group markets, as well as requirements for agents, brokers, web-brokers, direct enrollment entities, and assisters. The proposed rule also includes proposals impact… (Llamas, McClurg, Marceno, Colocho, November 15, 2023) #Affordable Care Act, #Health Insurance Exchanges, #Insurance Reform

The Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced an investment of more than $52 million to improve dietary health and access to fresh fruits and vegetables through the Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program (GusNIP). GusNIP funds various projects that work with other USDA nutrition programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to increase the purchase of fruits and vegetables or provide… (McClurg, November 14, 2023) #Nutrition

The US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) released two final recommendation statements concluding that evidence is insufficient to assess the balance of benefits and harms of routine screening and preventive interventions performed by primary care clinicians for oral health conditions, including dental caries, in asymptomatic adults and asymptomatic children and adolescents aged 5 to 17 years. For both of the… (Colocho, November 13, 2023) #Coverage Decisions, #Dental Health, #Insurance Coverage, #Prevention, #Primary Care