Frontrunner emerges for Biden’s Medicare and Medicaid chief

Frontrunner emerges for Biden’s Medicare and Medicaid chief-politico:  Chiquita Brooks-LaSure, a longtime Democratic health policy expert, has emerged as the leading candidate to run President Joe Biden’s Medicare and Medicaid agency, according to three sources familiar with the Biden team’s discussions.

Inspector general: Medicare chief broke rules on her publicity contracts

Inspector general: Medicare chief broke rules on her publicity contracts-politics:  A top Trump administration health official violated federal contracting rules by steering millions of taxpayer dollars in contracts that ultimately benefited GOP-aligned communications consultants, according to an inspector general report set to be released today.

Verma-Azar feud extends into coronavirus era

Verma-Azar feud extends into coronavirus era-politico: Even in the midst of coronavirus, the Trump administration's top health officials are competing for attention. Medicare administrator Seema Verma announced on Tuesday night that hospitals could tap $30 billion in “no-strings-attached” coronavirus grants — a move that won her plaudits from health care providers but also one that her rival, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, had planned to make, according to three people close to the situation. Azar, however, was away from Washington because of the death of his father, and two of his advocates in the agency insist Verma should have waited for his return the next day.

White House prepared short list to shake up HHS leadership

White House prepared short list to shake up HHS leadership-politico: White House officials drew up a short list of potential replacements for Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar and Medicare chief Seema Verma at the height of their contentious feud in case either was forced out late last year, three people with knowledge of the exercise told Politico.

Trump pulled into feud between top health officials

Trump pulled into feud between top health officials-politico: President Donald Trump has personally tried to settle the long-running feud between his two top health appointees, telling his health secretary to fix the relationship with his Medicare chief, said three individuals with knowledge of the situation.

Healthcare spending will hit 19.4% of GDP in the next decade, CMS projects

Healthcare spending will hit 19.4% of GDP in thenext decade, CMS projects-modernhealthcare:
Healthcare spending growth will rise at an annual average of 5.5% over the next decade, slightly faster than in the past few years, due to the aging of the baby boomers and healthcare price growth, the CMS Office of the Actuary projects.

CMS overhauls Medicare billing standards, telehealth standards

CMS overhauls Medicare billing standards, telehealth standards-modernhealthcare: The CMS on Thursday finalized a rule that will pay doctors for virtual visits and overhaul Medicare billing standards for office visits that haven't changed since the 1990s.The agency will now pay doctors for telehealth visits and communication with patients, acknowledging the time those efforts take.

CMS eases approval of medical devices

CMS eases approval of medical devices-modernhealthcare: The CMS has tweaked one of its coverage processes to ease access to medical devices.

CMS proposes change in the drug payment amount under Medicare Part B

CMS proposes change in the drug payment amount under Medicare Part B - The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services on Thursday proposed a change in the payment amount for new drugs under its Part B program, amid the Trump administration’s attempts to tackle escalating prices of drugs.

CMS seeks information to reduce stark law burden

CMS seeks information to reduce stark law burden

Large health systems say they need MACRA relief just as much as small providers

Large health systems say they need MACRA relief just as much as small providers-modernhealthcare: Large health systems say the CMS's efforts to make MACRA less burdensome on small providers leaves them behind and they're suggesting the agency overhaul how the new payment model tracks physician performance to make it easier.

CMS wants docs to spend more time on patients, less on paperwork

CMS wants docs to spend more time on patients, less on paperwork-modernhealthcare: The CMS launched an initiative Thursday to help it determine what provider regulations it should junk or revamp, citing growing concerns that its regulations are reducing the time providers spend with patients.As part of the Patient over Paperwork initiative, CMS officials will travel the country to gather information on the impact their regulations have on physicians.

The key states that would lose funding under Graham-Cassidy

The key states that would lose funding under Graham-Cassidy-axios: A new estimate obtained by Axios from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) projects that Alaska, home to key swing vote Sen. Lisa Murkowski, would lose 38% of federal funding for premium subsidies and Medicaid by 2026 under the Graham-Cassidy proposal. John McCain's home state of Arizona would also lose funding (-9% in 2026).

Provider groups mostly approve of latest MACRA proposals

Provider groups mostly approve of latest MACRA proposals-healthcaredive: Several healthcare advocacy organizations submitted comments on a recent proposed rule for the CMS Quality Payment Program (QPP), which implements MACRA, by Monday's deadline.

CMS delays expansion of bundled payment programs

CMS delays expansion of bundled payment programs-modernhealthcare: The CMS has delayed the expansion of a major bundled payment pilot, Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement, and the implementation of its bundled payment initiatives for cardiac care from July 1 to Oct. 1, 2017, according to an interim final rule posted to the Federal Register. It also delayed, for a second time, the effective date of a final rule laying out the implementation of CJR and other bundled payment programs, from March 21 to May 20, 2017.

Trump CMS Nominee Gets Second Vote After Tie in Senate Committee

Trump CMS Nominee Gets Second Vote After Tie in Senate Committee-bloomberg: The Senate Finance Committee will vote again Thursday on President Donald Trump’s nominee to head U.S. health programs for the elderly, poor, and disabled after an initial tally resulted in a tie.

Hatch: CMS Nominee to Get Confirmation Hearing Next Week

Hatch: CMS Nominee to Get Confirmation Hearing Next Week-mordernhealtchare: The Senate Finance Committee is expected to hold a confirmation hearing next week for Seema Verma, President Donald Trump’s pick to head the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Chairman Orrin Hatch told Morning Consult on Thursday.

Republicans Press CMS on Medicaid Expansion Policies

Republicans Press CMS on Medicaid Expansion Policies-morningconsult: Congressional Republicans are pressing Obama administration officials for details on the Affordable Care Act’s Medicaid expansion before they leave office next month.

Mandatory participation killed the Part B demo

Mandatory participation killed the Part B demo-modernhealthcare: Experts say the cancellation of a pilot program whose goal was to drop drug prices doesn't mean the fight is over, and future efforts should simply take lessons from the experience.

Maintain and improve Medicare Innovation

Maintain and improve Medicare Innovation-thehill: As Congress and the new administration prepare to embark on significant changes to federal healthcare policy, we should not lose sight of an important goal: making Medicare and Medicaid, which serve the health needs of tens of millions of Americans, more value-driven by enhancing patient quality and controlling costs.