The Medicare Shared Savings Program final rule creates a pathway for accountable care organizations to transition more rapidly to performance-based risk.

In a letter to state Medicaid directors, the agency shared 10 opportunities to improve service to individuals dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid.

The waiver permits federal reimbursement for short-term stays in institutions for mental disease for individuals with substance use disorders.

The new guidance recommends that clinicians consider prescribing or coprescribing naloxone to individuals with a high risk of opioid overdose.

House and Senate Democratic leaders vowed to pursue legislation to intervene after a judge ruled the Affordable Care Act unconstitutional; negotiations continue on a spending package to fund portions of the federal government before current funding expires on Dec. 21.

A new association tracker lists grants and demonstration projects available under H.R. 6, the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act, that will be available to essential hospitals.

The Department of Health and Human Services released a request for information on ways to modify the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act to improve care coordination, promote value-based care, and reduce regulatory burden on providers.

Ahead of the holiday recess, the Senate needs to approve the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness and Advancing Innovations Act, while both chambers work to finalize a year-end spending bill to avoid a partial government shutdown.

Recent policy changes have drained vital funding and threaten a financial crisis at essential hospitals. Without action by Congress, communities nationwide will lose access to care and vital support services.

The state’s waiver initially was approved in May, but required a second approval to extend beyond Dec. 31.

The association urged the Department of Homeland Security to exclude nonemergency Medicaid benefits and low-income subsidies for Medicare Part D beneficiaries from the list of programs considered in public charge determinations.

The frequently asked questions are about a new requirement, under the fiscal year 2019 Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment System final rule, that hospitals make public a list of their standard charges via the internet.

Seven new requirements under the National Patient Safety Goals program require hospitals to screen for suicide risk and standardize treatment procedures.

Hospitals have until Dec. 30 to preview their quality data before it is published on the Hospital Compare website in February 2019.

The U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia vacated the previous approval, saying the administration failed to adequately assess the waiver's impact on Medicaid’s core objective: to provide health care coverage for beneficiaries.

President Trump has agreed to sign a short-term extension of government funding for many federal agencies to avoid a partial government shutdown; House Democratic Caucus last week elected leadership for the next session of Congress.

The association expressed concerns about two disparity methods developed to report readmission rates among patients with social risk factors; the deadline for comments has been extended to Dec. 14.

The final rule and advanced effective date represent a significant victory for essential hospitals.

More than 1 million eligible clinicians received a neutral or better payment adjustment in the first year of the Merit-based Incentive Payment System, one of two tracks in the Quality Payment Program.

The agency will hold educational webinars to help health care providers understand the new user interface for Hospital Compare preview reports.

The House Democratic Caucus on Wednesday will hold closed-door votes to elect its leadership team for the next session of Congress; Congress faces several deadlines as lawmakers return from the holiday weekend.

The proposed rule reflects the agency’s broader strategy to relieve regulatory burden, support state flexibility, and promote transparency and innovation in the delivery of care. We encourage all members to review the proposed rule, give us feedback, and submit your own comments to CMS.

America’s Essential Hospitals urged the agency to promptly finalize its proposal to move up to Jan. 1, 2019, the effective and implementation date for a final rule on the calculation of ceiling prices for drugs purchased through the 340B Drug Pricing Program.

America’s Essential Hospitals highlighted the unique role essential hospitals play in treating individuals with social risk factors.

America’s Essential Hospitals encouraged the agency to continue its efforts to reduce regulatory burden at essential hospitals, including through refining Medicare and Medicaid conditions of participation.

Senators of both parties and House Republicans last week began elections for leadership positions in the 116th session of Congress; after the Thanksgiving holiday, lawmakers will continue work to approve a spending bill by Dec. 7.