We urge Congress to protect access to care for the most vulnerable communities and not enact further hospital site-neutral payment proposals, which would disproportionately and negatively impact essential hospitals.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is exploring a new model to promote health equity, with the goal of enhancing access to patient-centered care for underserved groups and including them in value-based care systems.

The agency encourages states to leverage a new Section 1115 demonstration to implement a service delivery system that facilitates reentry transitions for Medicaid-eligible individuals leaving prisons and jails.

The rule would allow DACA recipients to be eligible for health care coverage through the Affordable Care Act marketplace, Medicaid, and the Children's Health Insurance Program.

The proposed fiscal year 2024 Inpatient Prospective Payment System rule includes a request for feedback on defining safety net hospitals; CMS will accept comments until June 9.

America's Essential Hospitals has responded to a request for information (RFI) on health care workforce shortages by the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. The association also plans to respond to an RFI on reauthorizing the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act.

Our proposal would codify a designation of essential hospitals in statute, allowing lawmakers to better target support to improve access to care and public health.

Following the agenda's release, HHS on Feb. 10 requested information on promising practices for advancing health equity for intersex individuals.

Prioritizing hospitals in health professional shortage areas, CMS awarded residency slots to 100 hospitals, including 27 essential hospitals.

Medicaid and CHIP coverage of interprofessional consultation is permissible as long as the consultation is for the beneficiary's direct benefit.

The final rule for calendar year 2023 continues certain flexible telehealth policies, overhauls the Medicare Shared Savings Program, and revises the Quality Payment Program.

The rule finalizes the conversion factor and includes reimbursement provisions for telehealth and behavioral health services, the Quality Payment Program, and the Medicare Shared Savings Program.

America's Essential Hospitals urges HHS to codify a nondiscrimination standard and establish nondiscrimination training for all health care workers.

HHS releases two new reports on long COVID-19 research and support, while the Administration for Strategic Preparedness & Response shares guidance on Paxlovid efficacy and eligibility.

The proposed rule expands the definition of discrimination "on the basis of sex" and explicitly includes telehealth services in nondiscrimination policies.

A proposed rule for the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule for calendar year 2023 would extend telehealth regulatory flexibility, make changes to the Medicare Shared Savings Program, and revise the Quality Payment Program.

CMS proposes to decrease the conversion factor determining physician payment rates for specific services by $1.53. The proposed rule also includes provisions related to Medicare reimbursement of telehealth services, vaccine administration, and the Medicare Shared Savings Program.

The document outlines five priority goals to improve maternal health and outcomes and, for each, actions the federal government will take.

The HHS Office of Climate Change and Health Equity announced a climate change webinar series, beginning July 14, and shared a companion resource compendium.

The order instructs the HHS Secretary to use the agency's authorities to protect LGBTQI+ individuals' access to medically necessary care.

America's Essential Hospitals commented on several policy proposals of interest to essential hospitals and responded to requests for information on maternal health, equity, and climate change.

The proposed rule includes numerous policy and payment changes for Medicare’s Inpatient Prospective Payment System for fiscal year 2023, including a 3.2 percent increase in inpatient payment rates.

The final rule raises the essential community provider threshold from 20 to 35 percent and uses wait time standards to evaluate qualified health plans for network adequacy.

In a white paper, the association encourages CMS to develop policies that reduce disparities and incorporate equity into waiver approval and evaluation processes.

The action plan includes goals to close gaps in health care access, quality, and outcomes through data collection, outreach, and community engagement.

The proposed fiscal year 2023 Inpatient Prospective Payment System rule would increase operating payment rates by 3.2 percent and make other changes to Medicare payment and quality reporting policies. CMS is accepting comments on the proposed rule until June 17.

The ability to provide hospital-level care at home has been essential to managing case surges during the COVID-19 pandemic and can improve access and equity outside of a public health crisis.

Recommendations for Medicare and Medicaid equity measures under development focus on standardized data collection and opportunities for testing and feedback.

The Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation will release a request for applications for the Realizing Equity, Access, and Community Health accountable care organization model, which will focus on promoting health equity and mitigating health disparities for underserved communities.

In response to the proposed rule for the 2023 plan year, the association urged the Department of Health and Human Services to ensure equitable access, finalize nondiscrimination policies, standardize collection of Z codes, and prorate premiums and advanced premium tax credits.