CMS announced January 9 the launch of Bundled Payments for Care Improvement Advanced from the agency’s Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation. This is the first Advanced Alternative Payment Model introduced by the Trump administration.
CMS published Special Edition MLN Matters 17033 on December 6 as a reminder that it will not pay acute care hospitals for outpatient services provided to beneficiaries who are covered under a Part A inpatient stay at a separate facility.
CMS announced December 14 that it added quality information to its Physician Compare website. The website is designed to help providers and caregivers make educated decisions about Medicare patient care.
The 2018 OPPS final rule, published in the Federal Register on November 13, has two changes that could affect case managers—the removal of the total knee replacement from the inpatient-only list and cuts to payments for drugs purchased through the 340B drug discount program.
For the first time in over a decade, CMS has posted a decision memo with a 30-day public comment period for the National Coverage Determination on implantable cardioverter defibrillators.
CMS announced November 30 through a final rule and interim final rule that it plans to cancel the Episode Payment Models and Cardiac Rehabilitation Incentive Payment Model, as well as make changes to the Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement Model.
CMS is moving forward with its plan to drastically cut payments for drugs acquired through the 340B drug discount program, according to the 2018 OPPS final rule, released in November.
Effective January 1, 2018, Medicare payments for X-rays taken using computed radiography will be reduced by 7%, according to a policy CMS finalized in the 2018 OPPS final rule. This reduction will remain effective until 2022, and increase to 10% beginning in 2023, as required by paragraph 1848 (b)(9) of the Social Security Act.
U.S. District Court Judge Rudolph Contreras will hold a hearing December 21 for a lawsuit aimed at halting the CMS payment reduction for hospital outpatient drugs acquired through the 340B program, a policy set to go into effect January 1.
