Senate votes to repeal much of ACA, defund Planned Parenthood
The Washington Post (12/4, Snell) reports that the Senate recently voted 52-47 to repeal “large portions” of the Affordable Care Act and defund Planned Parenthood. The budget reconciliation package, which needed only a simple 51-vote majority to pass, “make[s] good on a longstanding” GOP promise to voters but…
AMA Summary of the 2016 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Final Rule
On October 30, 2015, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released the (1,358 page) 2016 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) Final Rule with comment period. CMS has issued a general fact sheet and a PQRS payment adjustment fact sheet. The AMA submitted detailed comments on the…
CDC Health Advisory: Increases in Fentanyl Drug Confiscations
Increases in Fentanyl Drug Confiscations and Fentanyl-related Overdose Fatalities Summary The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) are investigating recent increases in fentanyl-related unintentional overdose fatalities in multiple states across the U.S. The purpose of this HAN advisory is to: (1)…
HHS issues new meaningful use regulations despite calls for reassessment
Late in the afternoon of Oct. 6, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued two major regulations pertaining to the electronic health record (EHR) meaningful use program. “The Medicare and Medicaid Programs Electronic Health Record Incentive Program–Stage 3 and Modifications to Meaningful Use in 2015 through…
Obama signs ACA small-business legislation
The AP (10/8) reports that President Obama yesterday signed legislation “aimed at preventing premium increases that some smaller businesses were expecting next year under his signature health care law.” The new law keeps the ACA’s definition of small business at one to 50 workers but allows states to…
Bipartisan push to halt ACA small business rules gains momentum
Modern Healthcare (9/30, Subscription Publication) reports on the momentum building in Congress “to halt an Affordable Care Act mandate requiring employers with 51 to 100 employees to offer plans on the small-group market.” The House on Monday unanimously passed the Protecting Affordable Coverage for Employees (PACE) Act, which…
Fewer Americans skipping care because of cost, survey finds
The Huffington Post (9/1) reports that during the first quarter of this year, “4.4 percent of Americans surveyed said they went without health care at some point in the past 12 months because they couldn’t afford it, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention research released on…
1st drug in the world manufactured by 3-D printing wins FDA approval
In a world first, the US Food and Drug Administration has given the go-ahead for a 3D-printed pill to be produced: a dissolvable tablet that treats seizures.” Aprecia Pharmaceuticals announced on Monday that the FDA approved Spritam (levetiracetam), a tablet “manufactured through a layered process via 3-D printing”…
Physician Groups Band Together to Address America’s Opioid Crisis
AMA convened task force engages physicians to curb opioid abuse CHICAGO — Opioid abuse is a serious public health problem that has reached crisis levels across the United States, with 44 people dying each day from overdose of opioids, and many more becoming addicted. Recognizing the urgency and…
How the SGR repeal law ensures access to care for kids
The law that repealed the sustainable growth rate (SGR) formula also included important provisions to help maintain the health and well-being of American children. The Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA) addresses a variety of issues, including extending funding to the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), which provides low-cost…
CMS Agrees to ICD-10 Grace Period
CMS Agrees to ICD-10 Grace Period - The American Medical Association and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) jointly announced that an agreement has been reached on important elements of a "grace period" for the October 1, 2015, implementation of the ICD-10 diagnosis code set. In guidance…