Topic: Healthcare

SEQUESTER TO SQUEEZE MEDICARE PAYMENTS
The automatic spending cuts that went into effect on March 1 under the Budget Control Act, also known as the sequester, included 2% cuts to provider payments under the Medicare program. While cuts to other federal agencies were more substantial – an average of 8% – the new Medicare cuts would nonetheless amount to $11 billion over one year, according to the White House, if the sequester lasts that long. 

HHS RELEASES “MARKET REFORM” RULE AND REPORT
On February 22, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released a final rule to implement several key provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), including a prohibition against denying health insurance or charging “discriminatory” premiums to enrollees who have pre-existing medical conditions. 

GRASSLEY URGES ACTION ON SUNSHINE ACT
In a January 22 letter to the White House, Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) bemoaned the administration’s continued delay in implementing the Physician Payments Sunshine Act, part of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA). The Sunshine Act requires that physicians report to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) their ownership and investment interests in, and payments or gifts that they receive from, manufacturers of drugs, devices and supplies.

NEW ACOs APPROVED
On January 10, the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) announced that it had approved 106 new accountable care organizations (ACOs), bringing the total approved to 259 thus far. An HHS official had predicted in November that the number of ACOs might double in January. 

As all are aware, on New Year’s Day, the Senate and the House of Representatives approved a bill to avert the so-called fiscal cliff. The “American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012” includes the latest in a series of one-year patches to prevent major cuts in physician Medicare fees. 

“SAVE AND STRENGTHEN MEDICARE ACT” INTRODUCED
On December 11, the outgoing chairman of the House Ways and Means Health Subcommittee introduced a bill (the “Save and Strengthen Medicare Act,” H.R. 6645) that proposes major changes to the Medicare program. Rep. Wally Herger (R-CA), who is retiring from Congress at the end of this year, said that the bill “embrace[s] the best ideas that have been put on the table to date, from any political or ideological quarter.” 

HHS RELEASES PROPOSED RULES TO IMPLEMENT PPACA REFORMS
On November 20, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued three proposed rules to implement core provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA). All of the proposed rules were published in the Federal Register on November 26.