Category Archives: American Hospital Association (AHA)

Trump says IG report finding hospital shortages is ‘just wrong’

Posted on by • Posted in 2020 Election Issues, American Hospital Association (AHA), Clinical Testing, Communication, Coronavirus, Crisis, Crisis Management, Dept of Health and Human Services (HHS), Health Policy, Healthcare Providers, Nurses, Office of Inspector General (IG), Pandemic, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), Physician, Public Health, Public Safety • Leave a comment

https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/491454-trump-says-ig-report-finding-hospital-shortages-is-just-wrong?utm_source=&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=28856

Hospital Experiences Responding to the COVID-19 Pandemic: Results ...

President Trump on Monday claimed that an inspector general report finding “severe” shortages of supplies at hospitals to fight the novel coronavirus is “just wrong.”

Trump did not provide evidence for why the conclusions of the 34-page report are wrong.

He implied that he is mistrustful of inspectors general more broadly. He recently fired the inspector general of the intelligence community, which has drawn outrage from Democrats.

“Did I hear the word inspector general?” Trump said in response to the reporter’s question about the findings.

“It’s just wrong,” Trump said of the report.

The inspector general report, released earlier Monday, was based on a survey of 323 randomly selected hospitals across the country.

It found “severe” shortages of tests and wait times as long as seven days for hospitals. It also found “widespread” shortfalls of protective equipment such as masks for health workers, something that doctors and nurses have also noted for weeks.

“The level of anxiety among staff is like nothing I’ve ever seen,” one hospital administrator said in the report.

Brett Giroir, an assistant secretary of Health and Human Services, noted that the report’s survey of hospitals was conducted March 23 to March 27. He said testing had improved since then and that it was “quite a long time ago.”

Trump asked who the inspector general of the Department of Health and Human Services is.

“Where did he come from, the inspector general?” Trump said, adding, “What’s his name?”

The office is currently led by Christi Grimm, the principal deputy inspector general.

According to her online biography, Grimm joined the inspector general’s office in 1999. 
Trump said the U.S. has now done more testing than any other country. “We are doing an incredible job on testing,” he said.
He also berated the reporter asking the question, saying testing has been a success.
“You should say, ‘Congratulations. Great job’ instead of being so horrid,” Trump said.
The American Hospital Association (AHA) on Monday said the inspector general report was accurate.

The report “accurately captures the crisis that hospitals and health systems, physicians and nurses on the front lines face of not having enough personal protective equipment (PPE), medical supplies and equipment in their fight against COVID-19,” the AHA said.

https://oig.hhs.gov/oei/reports/oei-06-20-00300.pdf?utm_source=&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=28856

 

 

 

 

How insurers are covering COVID-19

Posted on by • Posted in American Hospital Association (AHA), Clinical Testing, Coronavirus, Health Insurance Coverage Adequacy, Health Insurance Industry, Out of Pocket Expenses, Periodic Interim Payments (PIP), Prior Authorization, Rev Cycle Management, Self Insured Employers, Underinsured • Leave a comment

https://www.healthcaredive.com/news/how-insurers-are-covering-covid-19/575372/

Private Health Coverage of COVID-19: Key Facts and Issues | The ...

Insurers are weighing how best to respond to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus as cases swell in the U.S. Here is a tracker to follow the latest policy and coverage decisions from the nation’s largest insurers.

The nation’s health insurers are responding to the coronavirus pandemic with changes to coverage associated with COVID-19 as the number of cases continues to swell across the U.S.

The biggest payers have said they will waive patient cost-sharing — copays, coinsurance and deductibles — for testing. Although some, such as Cigna and Humana, have gone farther by eliminating cost-sharing for all COVID-19 treatment.

In addition to coverage decisions, insurers are weighing the ways they can reduce administrative barriers to promote quicker access to care for those infected with the novel coronavirus. All are cutting back on prior authorization in various ways to ease access to care.

Hospitals say that’s not enough, and are calling on the biggest payers to follow actions taken by Congress and CMS to help resolve cash flow issues, by accelerating payments or opting into releasing interim periodic payments. The American Hospital Association also is urging payers to eliminate administrative burdens such as prior authorizations.

“This crisis is challenging for all of us, and everyone has a role to play,” AHA said in its letter to the nation’s largest insurers. “You could make a significant difference in whether a hospital or health system keeps their doors open during this critical time.”

Despite the policy changes by payers, employers with self-funded plans can opt out of these policies. A majority of workers are covered by self-insured plans, which essentially allow employers to decide coverage decisions given they’re paying for the claims and having insurers simply perform administrative services.

Below is a tracker with the latest coverage decisions for the nation’s largest insurers.

Blue Cross Blue Shield Association

The BCBSA is eliminating cost-sharing for COVID-19 diagnostic testing. It will also waive cost-sharing for treatment at in-network or Medciare rates through May 31, including inpatient stays.

BCBSA will remove prior authorization requirements for testing and for services that are medically necessary to treat an infected patient. BCBSA also is waiving limits on early refills to make it easier to access medications and expanding access to telehealth services.

Molina

Molina is halting cost-sharing for testing and treatment. That policy applies to Medicare, Medicaid and marketplace members nationwide.

Aetna (CVS)

Aetna will waive cost-sharing for certain members admitted to an in-network hospital with COVID-19 or complications from the disease. The policy applies to all of Aetna’s commercial plans, though self-insured members can opt out. The policy will apply to admissions through June 1. Aetna also is waiving cost-sharing for testing and associated visits, including telehealth.

Aetna also is attempting to make access to hospitalization faster for those with COVID-19 by easing prior authorization requirements, particularly in areas hard hit by the outbreak like New York and Washington.

Anthem

The nation’s second largest commercial insurer will waive cost-sharing for COVID-19 treatment and will reimburse providers at either in-network or Medicare rates through May 31. The policy applies to Anthem’s fully insured, individual, Medicaid and Medicare Advantage members. Self-insured plans can opt out. Anthem also is waiving cost-sharing for COVID-19 testing and in-network visits associated with testing whether it’s conducted at a physician’s office, urgent care or ER.

Anthem also is easing its limits on early refills for 30-day prescriptions. Anthem said it would waive cost sharing for telehealth visits, including those for mental health for a period of 90 days starting March 17. Self-insured plans have the option to opt in the new virtual care policy.

Centene

Centene will waive cost-sharing for COVID-19 related screening, testing and treatment for its Medicaid, Medicare and Marketplace members through June 30.

Centene also will eliminate prior authorization requirements for care for all its Medicare, Medicaid and Marketplace members. The company is also working to supply federally qualified health centers with personal protective equipment and assistance in providing small business loans to behavioral health providers and long-term service support organizations.

Cigna

Cigna will waive cost-sharing for all COVID-19 treatment, including testing and telehealth screenings through May 31. The policy applies to Cigna’s fully-insured group plans, individual coverage and Medicare Advantage plans. Self-insured plans can opt out.

Cigna will reimburse providers either at in-network or Medicare rates depending on the member. Cigna also is easing access to maintenance medication by offering free shipping for a 90-day supply. Cigna is easing prior authorization requirements for patients being discharged from the hospital to post-acure stays.

Humana

Humana is waiving cost-sharing for testing and treatment, including hospital admissions for COVID-19 cases. The policy applies to its Medicare Advantage plans, fully-insured commercial plans, Medicare supplement and its Medicaid plans. The policy is indefinite with no current end date. Cost-sharing will be waived for all telehealth visits and members can opt to refill prescriptions early.

Humana also is easing administrative barriers to allow infected patients to easily move from a hospital to post-acute care settings. It’s suspending prior authorization and referral requirements and requesting notification within 24 hours. It’s also implementing an expedited claims process to reimburse providers faster, Humana said.

UnitedHealthcare

The nation’s largest commercial insurer, will waive cost-sharing for COVID-19 treatment through May 31. The policy applies to its fully-insured commercial, Medicare Advantage and Medicaid plans. United also is waiving cost-sharing for COVID-19 testing at approved locations in accordance with Centers for Disease Control guidelines. There will be no cost-sharing for visits related to testing including at physician offices, urgent care, ERs and telehealth visits. The policy applies to United’s commercial, Medicare Advantage and Medicaid members.

UnitedHealthcare is opening a special enrollment period for some of its commercial members who opted out of coverage during the traditional enrollment period with their employers. This enrollment period will end April 6. The insurer also is easing prior authorization requirements through May 31, suspending prior approval for post-acute care and switching to a new provider.

 

 

 

Hospital leaders plead for financial help, warn of closures, missing payroll

Posted on by • Posted in American Hospital Association (AHA), Cash, Cash Reserves, Coronavirus, Credit Ratings, Creditors, Crisis, Crisis Management, Financially Distressed, Health Policy, Health System, Hospital, Hospital Bankruptcy, Hospital Closure, Hospital Industry, Infection Control, Infectious Virus, Net Income, Operating Expenses, Operating Income, Operating Margin, Operating Performance, Operating Revenue, Pandemic • Leave a comment

https://www.healthcaredive.com/news/hospital-leaders-plead-for-financial-help-warn-of-closures-missing-payrol/574625/

Hospital executives from across the country sounded the alarm Saturday about the dire need for federal financial aid as their cash on hand continues to erode amid the coronavirus pandemic.

“We’ll exhaust all avenues to make payroll in the next few weeks,” Scott Graham, CEO of Three Rivers and North Valley Hospitals in rural Washington said of Three Rivers during a call with reporters Saturday morning.

The American Hospital Association is urging lawmakers on Capitol Hill to consider deploying at least $100 billion to aid hospitals fight against the outbreak of the novel coronavirus. The relief package would fund medical personnel, supplies and infrastructure, and expenses related to COVID-19, Rick Pollack, CEO of AHA, told reporters.

Without a relief package, Pollack warned it “could mean that many hospitals won’t survive.” The pleas came as Congress debates a stimulus package this weekend.

American life has ground to halt as experts urge the public to distance themselves from others in an attempt to slow the spread of the virus. Many states closed bars and restaurants with virtually all group events canceled. Likewise, hospitals have been asked — or required in some locales — to halt all elective procedures to free up resources for an expected surge of patients.

But hospitals rely on those typically lucrative procedures to drive revenue. Some hospitals are starting to wonder how they’ll keep the lights on after facing the reality of canceled procedures and the need to increase staff and supplies to combat the pathogen.

On top of that, hospitals are unable to get much needed supplies as some vendors are requiring payment on delivery, funds they do not have.

There is no time to waste, hospital leaders warned, citing less than two weeks cash on hand.

“We need to get this done now,” Pollack said of an emergency funding package from the federal government.

Despite the dire financial strain, hospitals are still preparing to increase capacity to meet a surge in demand. It’s unclear whether they will be reimbursed for all expenses related to increasing the amount of beds, capacity and supplies.

Some areas were already facing a shortage of nurses and physicians before the outbreak and anticipate that to become worse.

“In spite of our existing financial challenges, we are planning to increase capacity because that is what we must do,” LaRay Brown, CEO of One Brooklyn Health System in New York, said Saturday. One Brooklyn​ operates three hospitals, nursing homes and community health centers in New York, serving about 2 million.

Brown said all hospitals in New York were asked Friday by state health officials to submit plans for the upping of capacity by 50% of existing bed count.

Brown anticipates receiving some support from the state of New York but seemed wary of the state’s future financial footing as it battles the pathogen as well, and with a weakened tax base as businesses have shuttered.

“This is why I’m on this call,” Brown said. “We need immediate cash relief from the federal government.”

 

 

 

Health providers seek at least $1B in next coronavirus stimulus bill

Posted on by • Posted in Hospital, Health System, Health Policy, Hospital Industry, American Hospital Association (AHA), Financially Distressed, American Medical Association (AMA), Financial Pressure, Coronavirus, Economic Stimulus, Elective Surgery, American Nurses Association • Leave a comment

https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/487813-providers-ask-for-at-least-1-billion-for-next-coronavirus-stimulus-bill

Health providers seek at least $1B in next coronavirus stimulus bill

Lawmakers should allocate at least another $1 billion in emergency funding for the coronavirus response, according to a letter from health care provider groups to congressional leaders.

The letter from the American Hospital Association, American Medical Association and American Nurses Association urged lawmakers to ensure that the next economic stimulus package includes funding to ensure that hospitals, health systems, physicians and nurses are “directly supported” for preparedness response.

The groups said the additional funding is needed for specific priorities, including ramping up infection controls, increasing the number of patient beds, building or retrofitting separate areas to screen and treat coronavirus patients and obtaining scarce protection supplies like masks and ventilators.

The groups also said hospitals and nurses need financial support because of the impact of canceling elective surgeries and procedures due to shortages of protective equipment, as well as patient fears.

“Such cancellations could have devastating financial implications for hospitals, physicians and nurses already at financial risk and may limit access to care,” the groups wrote.

The House early Saturday passed legislation aimed at mitigating the economic impact of the coronavirus epidemic, including provisions that would ensure that workers can take paid sick or family leave, bolster unemployment insurance and guarantee that all Americans can get free diagnostic testing for the coronavirus.

The Senate is expected to vote on the bill later this week, as the House still needs to pass “technical” corrections.

 

 

 

Trump Medicaid proposal sparks bipartisan warnings

Posted on by • Posted in 2020 Election Issues, ACA, American Hospital Association (AHA), Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Dept of Health and Human Services (HHS), Health Policy, Health System, Hospital, Hospital Industry, Medicaid, Medicaid Work Requirements, Safety Net Hospitals, Safety-Net Providers, Unintended Consequences, Vulnerable Populations • Leave a comment

Trump Medicaid proposal sparks bipartisan warnings

Image result for Medicaid cuts

Republicans and Democrats alike are warning that a recent proposal from the Trump administration could lead to billions of dollars in cuts to Medicaid, forcing states to eliminate benefits, reduce enrollment or cut payments to health providers.

In a rare sign of unity, hospitals, insurers, patient advocates and members of both political parties are on the same page in their opposition to the Trump administration’s plan, and most have urged the administration to withdraw a proposal they say would “cripple” Medicaid, the federal-state partnership that provides health care for the poor.

The proposal hasn’t received as much attention as the administration’s other efforts to reform Medicaid, such as implementing work requirements, but it could have the most damaging effect because of how far-reaching it is, experts argue.

“This is high stakes,” said Matt Salo, executive director of the National Association of Medicaid Directors, whose board urged the administration to completely withdraw the proposal.

Trump allies have also voiced their concerns.

“The Medicaid fiscal accountability rule is a concern to my governor, and the stakeholders are worried the rule as proposed could lead to hospital closures, problems with access to care and threaten the safety net,” Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) told Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar last week during a hearing on the agency’s fiscal 2021 budget request.

Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) warned during the same hearing that the proposal could “dramatically affect Medicaid eligibility” and “wreak havoc on budgets in red states and blue states all across the country.”

The proposal would overhaul the complex payment arrangements states use to raise money for their Medicaid programs — funding that is then matched by the federal government.

The administration argues some states use questionable methods of raising funds so they can leverage more money from Washington. One approach used by states consists of taxing providers who stand to benefit from more Medicaid funds flowing into the state.

But governors and state Medicaid directors argue those long-standing arrangements are both legal and necessary as states look for ways to keep up with escalating health care costs.

The proposal would allow the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to limit the extra payments from states to providers serving high numbers of uninsured patients or Medicaid patients. Opponents say such changes could result in providers deciding not to accept Medicaid patients.

Dozens of states wrote public comments to CMS Administrator Seema Verma, urging her to withdraw the proposal, including conservative states that are typically supportive of her work.

“If the rule is finalized as proposed, it will immediately disrupt the Medicaid program in Alabama and we believe across the country,” wrote Stephanie McGee Azar, commissioner of the Alabama Medicaid Agency, who is not related to Alex Azar. She added that it would have “unintended consequences that will affect access to care in Alabama to our most vulnerable populations.”

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’s (R) administration warned the effect of the proposal would be “immediate and crippling.”

Meanwhile, a letter signed by state Medicaid officials in Michigan, Missouri, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Illinois, Louisiana, Colorado, Pennsylvania and Washington argued the proposal would likely “force states to cut Medicaid eligibility, benefits and/or provider payments, which would have the effect of decreasing low-income individuals’ access to important health care services.”

The public comment period closed Jan. 31. CMS now needs to go through the 4,000 comments before deciding whether to finalize the rule.

Verma and her supporters argue the proposal is not intended to cut Medicaid but instead aims to improve transparency and accountability in the $600 billion a year program.

“It’s not surprising providers and the states are objecting when they are getting federal money for free,” argued Brian Blase, who previously served on President Trump’s National Economic Council, where he worked on health care issues. “They don’t want transparency and they don’t want their financing gimmicks checked.”

Blase predicted the rule, if implemented as proposed, would reduce Medicaid spending by a “very small amount.”

Verma also pushed back on opponents, criticizing a study commissioned by the American Hospital Association that estimated the rule could reduce Medicaid funding by as much as $49 billion annually.

“This proposed rule is not intended to reduce Medicaid payments, and alarmist estimates that this rule, if finalized, will suddenly remove billions of dollars from the program and threaten beneficiary access are overblown and without credibility,” she wrote in a blog post last week.

Some experts disagree with her, pointing to other actions the administration has taken on Medicaid, including work requirements.

“I think one should view this rule not in isolation, but in combination with the broader agenda of this administration on Medicaid,” said Edwin Park, a research professor at Georgetown University McCourt School of Public Policy. “Their ultimate agenda is about cutting the Medicaid program, changing the Medicaid program as it currently stands.”

State officials have complained that they were not asked for their input before the proposal was released, nor did CMS conduct a regulatory analysis of potential effects.

A nonpartisan agency that advises Congress on Medicaid policy wrote to Alex Azar advising he not implement the rule because CMS has not fully assessed the possible effects.

“The Commission is concerned that the proposed changes could reduce payments to providers in ways that could jeopardize access to care for Medicaid enrollees,” the advisory group wrote.

For example, Maine’s Department of Health and Human Services has planned to make $86 million in supplemental payments to hospitals in fiscal 2020, which began July 1.

The rule “would require significant changes to MaineCare and could force the State to cut back on eligibility or services,” Jeanne Lambrew wrote in the department’s public comment.

The administration hasn’t given any signals that it plans to back down from the proposal, despite considerable pushback from stakeholders, states and bipartisan members of Congress.

“We will work with states to help them recreate their practices in ways that are in conformity with the statute and try to be fair and equitable in all our dealings with states,” Alex Azar told lawmakers last week on Capitol Hill.

 

 

 

 

Budget Cuts Target Medicaid, Medicare

Posted on by • Posted in 2020 Election Issues, ACA, American Hospital Association (AHA), Health Policy, Health System, Hospital, Hospital Industry, Medicaid, Medicaid Work Requirements, Medicare • Leave a comment

https://www.healthcarefinancenews.com/news/president-trumps-budget-cuts-target-medicaid-medicare?mkt_tok=eyJpIjoiTW1JMFptSmhNR1F4WVRNeSIsInQiOiJOK3RWYTlrV0djQ1JEYWcyRlhqZDlHVGF2ejRRWXE3UDdHaGpcL2R5bVwvMHlHOUgyY0V0d1wvUE8rK3pMRlFFSXJsZGEzTVwvRVZRVHh3OGdLT0pOWG5LVDZaNFNadTVmYVFWdkFTamFcL2JhZUpPd3lia1hySCtzVlhROXpmWTh1Zm1mIn0%3D

Image result for medicare and medicaid budget cuts

Blueprint includes cuts for care in hospital outpatient departments, teaching hospitals and post-acute care providers, AHA says.

President Trump’s proposed $4.8 trillion budget slashes billions of dollars from Medicaid, food stamps and other safety net programs in an attempt to shrink the federal deficit.

Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act see about $1 trillion in cuts over the next decade, according to The Hill. The budget eliminates the enhanced federal match for Medicaid expansion enrollees. An additional $150 billion is expected to be shaved off of Medicaid from the implementation of work requirements, which is expected to result in people losing their healthcare coverage.

The “President’s health reform vision” to ax the Affordable Care Act takes $844 billion over 10 years from the ACA, the report said.

The decrease in federal spending on Medicare would total about $750 billion over 10 years, but that includes shifting two programs out of the budget. After accounting for those changes, the reduction is just over $500 billion, according to CNN. Much of that cut comes from reducing payments to providers.

The budget needs Congressional approval and is not expected to get past a Democratic-controlled House without changes.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi tweeted: “The budget is a statement of values. Once again, the #TrumpBudget makes it painfully clear how little the President values the good health, financial security and well-being of America’s hard-working families.”

Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard E. Neal, D-MA, said, “When I saw the President’s proposed budget today, I felt an immense sense of relief – relief that there is absolutely no chance of his ruthless cuts to critical programs ever becoming law. Slashing billions from Medicare and Medicaid will only make it harder for Americans to access the healthcare they need.

Cutting nutrition assistance and Social Security benefits for the disabled won’t enable people to get back on their feet financially.”

Senator Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn said, “Under the Constitution, it is Congress’ job to set spending priorities and pass appropriations bills, and as a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, my priorities will continue to be making sure our national defense, national laboratories, the National Institutes of Health and national parks have the resources they need. I am encouraged to see the president is calling to end surprise medical billing.”

The budget adds money to the National Institutes of Health. The NIH will invest $50 million for new research on chronic diseases, using AI and related approaches, according to the White House briefing. It adds $7 billion over 10 years to fight opioid abuse and for mental health in the Medicaid program.

WHY THIS MATTERS

Cuts to Medicare and Medicaid mean uncompensated care to providers, or a reduction in the government payments.

The American Hospital Association said, “The budget request, which is not binding, proposes hundreds of billions of dollars in reductions to Medicare and Medicaid over 10 years.”

AHA President and CEO Rick Pollack said, “Every year, we adapt to a constantly changing environment, but every year, the Administration aims to gut our nation’s healthcare infrastructure. The proposals in this budget would result in hundreds of billions of dollars in cuts that sacrifice the health of seniors, the uninsured and low-income individuals. This includes the one in five Americans who depend on Medicaid, of which 43% of enrollees are children.

“In addition to the hundreds of billions in proposed reductions to Medicare, the blueprint includes cuts we strongly oppose for care in hospital outpatient departments, teaching hospitals and post-acute care providers.

These cuts fail to recognize the crucial role hospitals serve for their communities, such as providing 24/7 emergency services. Post-acute cuts threaten care for patients with the most medically complex conditions.”

 

 

President Trump’s budget cuts target Medicaid, Medicare

Posted on by • Posted in 2020 Election Issues, ACA, American Hospital Association (AHA), Health Insurance Coverage Adequacy, Health Policy, Health System, Hospital, Hospital Industry, Medicaid, Medicaid Expansion, Physician, Physician Practice Management, Uncompensated Care • Leave a comment

https://www.healthcarefinancenews.com/news/president-trumps-budget-cuts-target-medicaid-medicare?mkt_tok=eyJpIjoiWVRnM01UZzNaR0V6TTJFNSIsInQiOiJ6aXpsQnNCRjhHdCs4SnN0UytlZnJVUlZUeFdreEZyQ2V6RWE0YklvYmFMOGJnbWpXT3ZHeG0rOHMwNkJPcE9rMUlGb3NzVkpId3NrZHNkZmR2VlZISXZCVGgrbU94cFV3aVlNR1NYamlhazF1R1kzaXd3RXVISm9OSGJoYmVrVCJ9

Image result for medicaid cuts

Blueprint includes cuts for care in hospital outpatient departments, teaching hospitals and post-acute care providers, AHA says.

President Trump’s proposed $4.8 trillion budget slashes billions of dollars from Medicaid, food stamps and other safety net programs in an attempt to shrink the federal deficit.

Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act see about $1 trillion in cuts over the next decade, according to The Hill. The budget eliminates the enhanced federal match for Medicaid expansion enrollees. An additional $150 billion is expected to be shaved off of Medicaid from the implementation of work requirements, which is expected to result in people losing their healthcare coverage.

The “President’s health reform vision” to ax the Affordable Care Act takes $844 billion over 10 years from the ACA, the report said.

The decrease in federal spending on Medicare would total about $750 billion over 10 years, but that includes shifting two programs out of the budget. After accounting for those changes, the reduction is just over $500 billion, according to CNN. Much of that cut comes from reducing payments to providers.

The budget needs Congressional approval and is not expected to get past a Democratic-controlled House without changes.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi tweeted: “The budget is a statement of values. Once again, the #TrumpBudget makes it painfully clear how little the President values the good health, financial security and well-being of America’s hard-working families.”

Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard E. Neal, D-MA, said, “When I saw the President’s proposed budget today, I felt an immense sense of relief – relief that there is absolutely no chance of his ruthless cuts to critical programs ever becoming law. Slashing billions from Medicare and Medicaid will only make it harder for Americans to access the healthcare they need.

Cutting nutrition assistance and Social Security benefits for the disabled won’t enable people to get back on their feet financially.”

Senator Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn said, “Under the Constitution, it is Congress’ job to set spending priorities and pass appropriations bills, and as a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, my priorities will continue to be making sure our national defense, national laboratories, the National Institutes of Health and national parks have the resources they need. I am encouraged to see the president is calling to end surprise medical billing.”

The budget adds money to the National Institutes of Health. The NIH will invest $50 million for new research on chronic diseases, using AI and related approaches, according to the White House briefing. It adds $7 billion over 10 years to fight opioid abuse and for mental health in the Medicaid program.

WHY THIS MATTERS

Cuts to Medicare and Medicaid mean uncompensated care to providers, or a reduction in the government payments.

The American Hospital Association said, “The budget request, which is not binding, proposes hundreds of billions of dollars in reductions to Medicare and Medicaid over 10 years.”

AHA President and CEO Rick Pollack said, “Every year, we adapt to a constantly changing environment, but every year, the Administration aims to gut our nation’s healthcare infrastructure. The proposals in this budget would result in hundreds of billions of dollars in cuts that sacrifice the health of seniors, the uninsured and low-income individuals. This includes the one in five Americans who depend on Medicaid, of which 43% of enrollees are children.

“In addition to the hundreds of billions in proposed reductions to Medicare, the blueprint includes cuts we strongly oppose for care in hospital outpatient departments, teaching hospitals and post-acute care providers. These cuts fail to recognize the crucial role hospitals serve for their communities, such as providing 24/7 emergency services. Post-acute cuts threaten care for patients with the most medically complex conditions.”

 

Hospital M&A spurs rising healthcare costs, MedPAC finds

Posted on by • Posted in 2020 Election Issues, American Hospital Association (AHA), Antitrust, Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Health Insurance Industry, Health Policy, Health System, High Deductible Health Plans, High Premiums, Horizontal Consolidation, Horizontal Integration, Hospital, Hospital Industry, Market Consolidation, Market Power, Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC), Mergers & Acquisitions, Monopoly, Monopoly Behavior, Mortality, Out of Pocket Expenses, Quality, Quality of Care, Readmission, Vertical Consolidation, Vertical Integration • Leave a comment

https://www.healthcaredive.com/news/hospital-ma-spurs-rising-healthcare-costs-medpac-finds/566858/

Dive Brief:

  • Both vertical and horizontal hospital consolidation is correlated with higher healthcare costs, according to a congressional advisory committee on Medicare, in yet another study finding rampant mergers and acquisitions drive up prices for consumers.
  • The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission found providers with greater market share see higher commercial profit margins, leading to higher costs per discharge, though the direct relationship between market share and cost per discharge was not statistically meaningful itself.
  • MedPAC also found vertical integration between health systems and physician practices increases prices and spending for consumers. The top-down consolidation leads to higher prices for commercial payers and Medicare alike, as hospitals have more bargaining heft and benefit from Medicare’s payment hikes for hospital outpatient departments.

Dive Insight:

Hospital consolidation has become a major point of concern for policymakers, antitrust regulators and patient advocacy groups. A slew of prior studies have found unchecked provider M&A contributes to higher healthcare costs, with the brunt often borne by consumers in the form of higher premiums and out-of-pocket costs.

Since 2003, the number of “super-concentrated” markets has increased from 47% to 57%, according to the MedPAC analysis of CMS and American Hospital Association data. Those markets, with a high amount of consolidation, rarely see new providers enter, which stifles competition, and are rarely reviewed by the government.

There’s been little change in antitrust regulation since the 1980s and, though the Federal Trade Commission has won several challenges to hospital consolidation in the 2010s, the agency only challenges 2% to 3% of mergers annually.

MedPAC also found super-concentrated insurance markets actually led to lower costs per discharge compared to lower levels of payer concentration, deflating somewhat hospital lobbies’ arguments that payer consolidation is driving prices higher.

Committee members called for more analysis of how macro trends like an aging population and federal policy could be driving consolidation and impacting prices, leading some to call for a revamp of the hospital payment framework itself.

“We have to change the way hospitals are paid. I don’t see another solution,” said Brian DeBusk, CEO of Tennesse-based DeRoyal Industries, a medical manufacturer. “Are you going to undo a thousand hospital mergers? Are you going to enact rate setting? I don’t see another way.”

MedPAC also looked at vertical integration, where hospitals snap up physicians practices downstream. According to the Physician Advocacy Institute, only 26% of physician practices were owned by hospitals in 2012, but by last year that number had spiked to 44%.

Since 2012, billing has shifted from physician offices to hospital outpatient departments, especially in specialty practices. In chemotherapy administration, for example, physician offices saw almost 17% less volume between 2012 and 2018, while outpatient centers saw a 53% increase in volume, according to MedPAC.

Physicians in hospital-owned practices also refer more patients to the hospital’s facilities and, despite a common stumping point that integration improves quality through care coordination, its effect on quality is “ambiguous,” MedPAC analyst Dan Zabinski said Thursday at the committee’s November meeting.

Despite the mountain of evidence, the AHA published a widely-decried study in September claiming acquired hospitals see a reduction in operating expenses and a statistically significant drop in readmission and mortality rates. The study was criticized for not using actual claims data in its analysis among other methodological and conflict of interest concerns.

Republican leaders in the House Energy and Commerce Committee asked MedPAC to study provider consolidation in August, and the body’s full findings will be included in its March report to Congress.​

 

 

 

 

 

CMS pitches ramped up oversight of Medicaid payments, promises block grant guidance

Posted on by • Posted in 2020 Election Issues, America's Essential Hospitals, American Hospital Association (AHA), Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Health Policy, Health System, Hospital, Hospital Industry, Medicaid, Medicaid Block Grants, Safety Net Hospitals, Safety-Net Providers • Leave a comment

https://www.healthcaredive.com/news/cms-pitches-ramped-up-oversight-of-medicaid-payments-promises-block-grant/567135/

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UPDATE: Nov. 13, 2019: This brief has been updated to include comments from provider groups.

Dive Brief:

  • CMS proposed a new rule Tuesday that would establish stricter requirements for states to report information on supplemental Medicaid payments to providers in a bid to clamp down on spending and promote transparency.
  • The agency will also soon release guidance on how states can test alternative financing approaches in the safety net program like block grant and per-capita cap proposals for “certain optional adult populations,” CMS Administrator Seema Verma said Tuesday at the National Association of Medicaid Director’s annual conference in Washington, D.C.
  • Later this year, CMS will also issue guidance on how states can promote value-based payments and social determinants of health factors in Medicaid, Verma said. The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation is currently developing several new payment models to push providers to take on more risk for their patient populations in those programs.

Dive Insight:

The moves are in line with sweeping changes from the Trump administration moving more power to the states and asking more from recipients. The CMS administrator teased late last month the agency would soon release new guidance for states to inject flexibility into their Medicaid programs.

“We shouldn’t ration care but instead make how we pay for care more rational,” Verma said Tuesday. “Medicaid must move toward value-based care.”

Speaking to the Medicaid directors Tuesday, Verma said the changes are aimed preserving Medicaid for future generations.

“Going forward there will be no new [State Innovation Model] grants, no more open-ended one-off district waivers,” she said. “We must move forward with a more unified, cohesive approach across payers, across CMS, across states.”

The proposed rule, called Medicaid Fiscal Accountability (MFAR), will add more scrutiny to supplemental payments, which are Medicaid payments to providers in addition to medical services rendered to Medicaid beneficiaries, such as payments supporting quality initiatives or bolstering rural or safety net providers.

Some states rely heavily on these additional payments to offset low Medicaid reimbursement or support struggling hospitals. Provider lobbies did not take kindly to the new rule.

“We share the government’s desire to protect patients and taxpayers with transparency in federal programs, but today’s proposal oversteps this goal with deeply damaging policies that would harm the healthcare safety net and erode state flexibility,” Beth Fledpush, SVP of policy and advocacy for America’s Essential Hospitals, said in a statement.

AEH, which includes more than 300 member hospital and health systems, many of which are safety net providers, asked CMS to withdraw the proposal. The American Hospital Association told Healthcare Dive it was still reviewing the rule and declined comment.

However, government oversight agencies like the Government Accountability Office and the Office of Inspector General have recommended changes to these payments, which have increased from 9.4% of Medicaid payments in 2010 to 17.5% in 2017, according to CMS.

MFAR would also propose new definitions for “base” and “supplemental” payments in order to better enforce statutory requirements around and eliminate vulnerabilities in program spending.

Verma has long teased CMS support of block grants, an idea popular with conservatives, but Tuesday’s speech solidifies the agency’s support of such proposals. A handful of red states have been mulling over capped spending to gain more clarity around budgets.

In September, Tennessee unveiled its plan to move to a block grant system that would set a floor for federal contributions adjusted on a per capita basis if enrollment grows. Any savings would be shared between the state and the government.

Tennessee must submit a formal application to CMS to later than Nov. 20. If approved, it would become the first state to use a block grant funding mechanism in Medicaid. Additionally, Utah submitted a waiver application seeking per-capita Medicaid caps in June; Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt, a Republican, is reportedly considering such a program; and Alaska and Texas have both commissioned block grant studies.

 

 

 

CMS retains 340B, site-neutral payment cuts in final hospital payment rule

Posted on by • Posted in American Hospital Association (AHA), Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), District Court, District Court of Appeals, Health Policy, Health System, Hospital, Hospital Industry, Medicaid, Medicare, Medicare 340B Drug Discount Program, Medicare Site Neutral Payment, Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS), Safety Net Hospitals, Safety-Net Providers • Leave a comment

https://www.fiercehealthcare.com/hospitals-health-systems/cms-retains-340b-site-neutral-payment-cuts-final-hospital-payment-rule?utm_medium=nl&utm_source=internal&mrkid=959610&mkt_tok=eyJpIjoiWTJZd1pqWXpZbVUwWTJKbSIsInQiOiJLV2JJQWM1clQ3OVBiaURjdFVUUUg2K093U21XZm0zVHNPa1hTUjdTWEdxSWZpYklsako0TVMrZFYxazVGZHFkOHJ3M1pWNlwvYW5pVWpPcjM1TEtVRnErOWgxU3NKc1dcLzk3TnZTc1pLZVI0Ymcrb0V1ZEZ2eDh1djFwa1FlaW50In0%3D

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The Trump administration finalized a hospital payment rule Friday that retains proposed cuts to off-campus clinics and the 340B drug discount program. 

The changes outlined in the hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) rule come despite both cuts being struck down in legal challenges and amid major pushback from providers.

Site-neutral payments

The agency decided to move ahead with the two-year phase-in of the cuts to outpatient services for clinic visits furnished in an off-campus hospital outpatient setting. The goal is to bring payments to off-campus clinics in line with standalone physicians’ offices.

“With the completion of the two-year phase-in, the cost sharing will be reduced to $9, saving beneficiaries an average of $14 each time they visit an off-campus department for a clinic visit in [calendar year] 2020,” the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) said in a fact sheet.

However, the two-year project that was supposed to start in 2019 has been halted because of a federal court ruling.

CMS decided to move forward with the cuts for off-campus clinics.

“The government has appeal rights, and is still evaluating the rulings and considering, at the time of this writing, whether to appeal the final judgment,” the agency said.

The American Hospital Association (AHA) said that the site-neutral payment rule was misguided and that CMS ignored the recent court ruling. 

“There are many real and crucial differences between hospital outpatient departments and the patient populations they serve and other sites of care,” said Tom Nickels, executive vice president of the AHA, in a statement.

CMS also finalized a proposed cut for the 340B program that cuts payments by 22.5% in 2020.

CMS has installed prior cuts in 2018 and 2019 to the program that requires drug companies to provide discounts to safety-net hospitals in exchange for getting their products covered on Medicaid.

However, a court ruling has struck down the cuts, and CMS is currently appealing the decision.

CMS said that it hopes to conduct a 340B hospital survey to collect drug acquisition cost data for 2018 and 2019, and the survey will craft a remedy if the appeal doesn’t go their way.

“In the event the 340B hospital survey data are not used to devise a remedy, we intend to consider the public input to inform the steps we would take to propose a remedy for CYs 2018 and 2019 in the CY 2021 rulemaking,” the agency said.

Hospital groups commented that CMS should drop both the 340B and site-neutral cuts because of the legal challenges.

Several groups weren’t happy that the cuts were still there.

“The agency also prolongs confusion and uncertainty for hospitals by maintaining unlawful policies it has been told to abandon in clear judicial directives,” said Beth Feldpush, senior vice president of policy and advocacy for America’s Essential Hospitals, in a statement Friday.

The hospital-backed group 340B Health added that CMS needs to stop this “unfunny version of ‘Groundhog Day’ and restore Medicare payments for 340B hospitals to their legal, statutory level.”