On May 22, 2014, CMS published a proposed rule entitled “Medicare Program; Prior Authorization Process for Certain Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics, and Supplies (DMEPOS) Items.” The purpose of this rule is to establish a prior authorization process for DMEPOS
May 2014
HHS proposed rule would extend time to meet next phase of E-Record meaningful use criteria
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The US Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”) published a proposed rule last week that would give eligible healthcare providers more time to meet meaningful use standards for electronic health record technology (“CEHRT”).
The proposed rule would formalize CMS’…
CMS Office of Hearings issues alert regarding Medicaid disproportionate share hospital payments
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On May 23, 2014, CMS issued an alert regarding Medicaid disproportionate share hospital payments. This alert is reprinted below.
Danbury Hospital v. Blue Cross Blue Shield Ass’n, DSH Medicaid Eligible Days documentation
The Provider Reimbursement Review Board (“Board”) recently…
CMS publishes memorandum providing instructions regarding long-term care hospital moratorium
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CMS has published a memorandum including instructions regarding application of the long-term care hospital (“LTCH”) moratorium, effective April 1, 2014 to September 30, 2017.
During the moratorium, new LTCHs, new LTCH satellites of existing LTCHs, and increases in the number…
Congressional subcommittee revisits Medicare payment policy on short hospital stays, the two-midnight rule, and observation care
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On May 20, 2014, the US House of Representatives’ Committee on Ways and Means, Subcommittee on Health, held a hearing on “Current Hospital Issues in the Medicare Program.”
Topics discussed included short hospital stays, the two-midnight rule and observation care. …
Medicare graduate medical education affiliated group agreements have July 1 deadline
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Teaching hospitals that wish to be part of a Medicare Graduate Medical Education (“GME”) Affiliated Group for the purpose of aggregating Indirect Medical Education (“IME”) and direct GME full-time equivalent (“FTE”) caps for the July 1, 2014 through June 30,…
Recovery Audit Contractor activities are the subject of a Congressional hearing
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The US House of Representatives’ Committee on Oversight & Government Reform, Subcommittee on Energy Policy, Health Care & Entitlements, on May 20, 2014 held a hearing entitled “Medicare Mismanagement: Oversight of the Federal Government Effort to Recapture Funds.” Witnesses were:…
Potential site-neutral Medicare payment policy addressed by US House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee
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On May 21, 2014, the US House of Representatives’ Committee on Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee held a hearing entitled “Keeping the Promise: Site of Service Medicare Payment Reforms.” Subcommittee members and witnesses discussed the merits of various site-neutral payment…
FDA addresses questions to proposed rule for preventive controls for animal food
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On October 29, 2013, the FDA proposed an animal feed rule pursuant to the Food Safety Modernization Act (“FSMA”) entitled “Current Good Manufacturing Practice and Hazard Analysis and Risk-Based Preventive Controls for Food for Animals.” The purpose of…
FDA reinventing itself, beginning with release of Operational Strategy for Implementing FSMA
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Earlier this month, the FDA issued its plan for implementing the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), which was signed into law by President Obama in January 2011.
FSMA gives the FDA a “new public health mandate” and responds to the…