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

The Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) released a report on household food security in 2022. FNS collects this data to analyze the level of food security and inform its nutrition assistance programs. The report found that in 2022, an estimated 87.2 percent of U.S. households were food secure, meaning that all household members had access at all… (McClurg, October 25, 2023) #Nutrition

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of the Inspector General (OIG) released a report to determine whether the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) was effective in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. The SNS is a repository of vaccines, antibiotics, antidotes, antitoxins, medical devices, supplies, and medications to supplement and resupply public… (McClurg, October 23, 2023) #COVID-19, #Public Health

The House Energy & Commerce (E&C) Health Subcommittee convened a hearing to discuss a wide array of proposals to increase physician payment, increase access to care, and reduce administrative burden. Members spoke with two panels which included representatives from the Administration, physicians, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC), and think tanks. This hearing was the first to examine physician payment… (McClurg, October 20, 2023) #Costs, #Delivery Reform, #Geographic Variation, #Health Information Technology, #Medicare Access and Chip Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA), #Physicians, #Quality

The Senate Budget Committee convened a hearing to examine ways to improve health care delivery and reduce federal health care spending in the budget. Chairman Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) intended for the hearing to set the foundation to move bipartisan legislation. Members discussed primary care and accountable care organizations, prior authorization, transparency requirements, all-payers claims database, and other topics. The witness… (Llamas, October 18, 2023) #Hospitals, #Physicians

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) released two patient resources to explain the privacy and security risks to patient’s protected health information (PHI) when using telehealth services and strategies to mitigate potential risks. The first resource, “Educating Patients about Privacy and Security Risks Related to Protected Health Information when Using Remote Communication Technologies… (Marceno, October 18, 2023) #Privacy, #Telehealth

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently announced 2024 premiums, deductibles, and coinsurance amounts for Medicare Parts A and B in the Federal Register. The announcement came ahead of Medicare Open Enrollment, which began Sunday, October 15 and will end on Thursday, December 7, 2023. Medicare Part A Per this notice, the Medicare Part A deductible for inpatient services furnished to beneficiaries admitted to… (Testa, October 16, 2023) #Cost-Sharing, #Hospitals, #Physicians, #Skilled Nursing Facilities

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of the Inspector General (OIG) released a report describing potential Medicare savings from hospital transfers to post acute care (PAC) if the transfer policy were extended to all Medicare Severity Diagnosis-Related Groups (MS-DRGs). Background: The hospital transfer policy reduces hospital payments for discharges from hospitals to PAC settings that are made… (McClurg, October 13, 2023) #Hospitals, #Post-Acute Care

The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) provided a one-year update on President Biden’s Executive Order on Lowering Prescription Drug Costs for Americans, which includes new details on the three selected models aimed at improving prescription drug affordability and access. CMMI notes that since the release of the three models the Innovation Center has been focusing on further developing the models by: 1) conducting… (Slifer, October 12, 2023) #Demonstration Programs, #Drug Pricing, #Medicare Part D, #Prescription Drugs

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) urged the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to implement strong rules against digital discrimination. These rules are intended to prevent Internet service providers (ISPs) from engaging in discriminatory practices that harm vulnerable communities. The Biden Administration is focused on closing the digital divide in America, and strong rules are seen as essential for achieving… (Colocho, October 11, 2023) #Health Equity, #Health Information Technology