The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) issued a notice of inquiry (NOI) soliciting input on ways to enhance its “Mapping Broadband Health in America” platform to leverage digital health tools for maternal care improvement. The platform facilitates data-driven decision-making at the intersection of broadband and health, with a focus on maternal health. The platform allows for customized maps and analysis of… (Colocho, November 2, 2023) #Health Equity, #Health Information Technology, #Public Health, #Rural Health, #Women’s Health

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued the cycle year (CY) 2024 home health prospective payment and rate update final rule (fact sheet). What it is. The final rule updates Medicare payment policies and rates applying to home health agencies (HHAs) beginning January 1, 2024. Why it is important for you. CMS finalized a -2.890 percent permanent adjustment… (Colocho, November 2, 2023) #Costs, #COVID-19, #Durable Medical Equipment, #Health Equity, #Home Health

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality’s (AHRQ’s) Effective Health Care (EHC) Program is requesting public comments on challenges and barriers for people with disabilities to receive clinical preventative services. The review seeks to: (1) compile and summarize the key obstacles and facilitators for individuals with disabilities accessing clinical preventive services, and (2) collect the existing literature on the efficacy… (Marceno, October 31, 2023) #Health Equity, #Prevention, #Primary Care

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of the Inspector General (OIG) released a report on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) initial COVID-19 test kit failure. After researchers in China posted the genome sequence for COVID-19, CDC began the creation of a test kit on January 10th, 2020. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued… (McClurg, October 31, 2023) #COVID-19

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of the Inspector General (OIG) released a report on challenges meeting the Medicaid payer of last resort requirement. In general, if a Medicaid enrollee has another source of health care coverage, that source should pay the full extent of its liability before Medicaid pays, which is referred to as third-party liability (TPL)…. (McClurg, October 31, 2023) #Program Integrity

The Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee convened a ‘field hearing’ to examine the issue of nurse staffing ratios. Senate HELP Chair, Bernie Sanders, visited New Jersey to address the labor dispute involving approximately 1,700 striking nurses at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, one of the state’s largest health systems. Chair Sanders, the only senator in attendance, reiterated… (Colocho, October 30, 2023) #Hospitals, #Workforce

Today, the Departments of Health and Human Services, Labor, and the Treasury (the Departments) and the Office of Personnel Management issued a proposed rule on regulations governing the Federal Independent Dispute Resolution (IDR) process under the No Surprises Act (fact sheet).   What it is. The Departments propose an array of changes to improve communication and information exchange and promote… (Llamas, Slifer, Colocho, October 27, 2023) #Hospitals, #Insurance Reform, #Physicians

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released its calendar year (CY) 2024 end-stage renal disease (ESRD) prospective payment system (PPS) final rule (fact sheet). Details follow. What it is. This final rule outlines ESRD PPS payment policies applying to dialysis facilities beginning on or after Jan. 1, 2024. The rule also includes an update to acute kidney injury… (Marceno, October 27, 2023) #Coverage Decisions, #End-Stage Renal Disease

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) jointly released a cybersecurity toolkit tailored for the U.S. health care and public health (HPH) sector to address the growing cybersecurity challenges faced by health care organizations. CISA noted that health care organizations are increasingly vulnerable to cyberattacks as they rely on digital technologies… (Colocho, October 26, 2023) #Health Information Technology, #Hospitals

Through the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced almost $3.7 billion in funding for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) to provide financial assistance to help cover the cost of energy for homes. Through the LIHEAP program, the federal government disburses financial resources to states, tribes, and territories to… (Gravesande, Marceno, October 25, 2023) #Health Equity, #Prevention, #Public Health