US Healthcare Policy Digest

Home-based hospice providers hit hard by CMS's proposed 2.4% payment increase for 2027, adding $785M but barely matching inflation.

• Ongoing...

Skewed PAMA data collection drives severe reimbursement cuts, disproportionately hitting smaller, innovative labs.

• 2026 deadline risks market...

Medicare Advantage 2027 Final Rule

• Contract Year 2027 Revisions: This final rule revises the Medicare Advantage (Part C), Medicare Prescription...

Key angles on CMS 2027 Medicare Advantage Final Rule:

• Policy Overhaul: Trump admin slashes star ratings quality measures; rule revises MA Part C,...

CMS's updated Medicare policies reduce administrative barriers and expand billing flexibility for remote patient monitoring (RPM) services, driving providers to realign billing practices swiftly.

CMS Regulatory Updates

• 🔥 FY2027 SNF PPS Proposal: CMS released the FY2027 SNF PPS proposed rule with a 2.4% payment update and proposes removal...

Florida's bill tightening certification rules for public sector unions awaits the governor's signature, sparking debate between state officials and...

• New CMS ruling adds ostomy supplies and catheters to Medicare’s Competitive Bidding Program.
• Webinar details potential impacts on beneficiaries’...

Essential compliance updates for MA plans and Part D sponsors:

• Star Ratings overhaul: Updated measures, removing Health Equity Index reward
• Admin...

Trend alert: Federal Medicaid reductions threaten rural hospitals in multiple states, with impacts delayed but looming.

• Mid-South vulnerability:...

• IPO window closed, but private markets surged with strategic M&A like Hims & Hers' $1.15B Eucalyptus buy for Asia-Pacific expansion and Sword...

Key SNF reimbursement shift: CMS proposes 2.4% payment update for FY2027 (3.2% market basket minus 0.8% productivity adjustment), but LeadingAge flags...

Nebraska DHHS reforms Aged/Disabled (AD) Waiver to enhance access for families caring for disabled individuals:

• Cost limit exceptions (150% nursing...

Federal enforcement surges with arrests of 8 defendants in $50M sham hospice scheme enrolling non-terminally ill patients.

• Hundreds of questionable...

Key MedPAC recommendation: 0.5% payment increase for 2027 physicians, intended as permanent baseline adjustment to curb volatility.

• Net effect...

Major regulatory shift: All US hospitals received notices yesterday to align food purchases with new federal dietary guidelines, or risk losing...

Frontline advocacy intensifies at Minnesota Capitol:

• Nurses, paramedics hold press conference pleading HCMC's case amid financial challenges
• Ties...

End-of-session crunch hits SC healthcare with ~15 days left:

• Medicaid budget at risk: Stagnant revenues make full funding unlikely; SCHA launches...

• Interoperability hurdles hit mid-market and enterprise healthcare orgs hard
• Margin compression rising: lowest cost ≠ best value; prioritize ROI...

Radiology practices face Medicare Part B payment denials without system updates for new CMS NCCI PTP edits effective July 1, 2026.

Key actions:
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