A lawsuit accuses President Donald Trump's Treasury, Labor and HHS secretaries of weakening Americans' access to life-saving medical care by letting the rule regarding short-term plans bypass the ACA's essential health benefit and pre-existing condition requirements, according to reports. According to the Trump Administration: This final rule amends the definition of short-term, limited-duration insurance for purposes of its exclusion from the definition of individual health insurance … [Read more...] about Trump Administration Sued Over Short-Term Health Plans Offering Limited Benefits
CMS Announces Option to Claim Hardship Exemption from the Individual Healthcare Mandate
In a press release revealed today, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced its efforts to provides American consumers with the ability to claim a hardship exemption from the tax penalty imposed by the ACA (Obamacare) for not maintaining health coverage for 2018 on their federal income tax returns, making it easier for taxpayers across the nation to claim their exemption. According to this excerpt from the press release: This new option to claim a hardship exemption … [Read more...] about CMS Announces Option to Claim Hardship Exemption from the Individual Healthcare Mandate
In The News: 5 Healthcare Legal Battles That Could Head To The Supreme Court
Changes to the healthcare market nationwide could manifest if these 5 lawsuits make it to the highest court in the nation. According to news reports, there are several significant pieces of healthcare legislation that could result from multiple major healthcare cases going through the federal courts. The consequential healthcare cases include: Texas vs Alex Azar - Re: ACA is unlawful and the Court should enjoin its operation. Therefore, Plaintiffs seek declaratory and injunctive relief … [Read more...] about In The News: 5 Healthcare Legal Battles That Could Head To The Supreme Court
$8.6 Million in State Flexibility Grants Awarded by CMS to 30 States For Obamacare
The $8.6 million in State Flexibility Grants announced by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) that would be allocated to 30 states and the District of Columbia comes with the Trump Administration' approval despite recent attempts to disassemble the ACA. The funding from Obamacare, which is part of $250 million for State Rate Review Grants provided by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) to improve the process for how States review proposed health … [Read more...] about $8.6 Million in State Flexibility Grants Awarded by CMS to 30 States For Obamacare
$434 Million in Financial Payments Improperly Issued by CMS to Insurers
In a new report by The HHS Office of Inspector General, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) was found to have wrongly funded $434.4 million in financial assistance payments to qualified health plan (QHPs) issuers for 461,127 policies. The audit revealed that the improperly authorized funding occurred in 2014, the first year the ACA law’s health insurance marketplaces went online. According to the report, CMS relied on insurers to verify that their enrollees were confirmed and … [Read more...] about $434 Million in Financial Payments Improperly Issued by CMS to Insurers
Proposed Rule for Permanent Risk Adjustment Program for 2018
A new Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Press release details the proposed additional rule to address risk adjustment program for the 2018 benefit year. The rule would give payers the ability to receive 2018 risk adjustment payments by resolving legal contentions of the program’s operation and give CMS the ability to issue risk adjustment payments without interruptions for the current plan year. According to reports the risk adjustment payments also reimburse health insurers … [Read more...] about Proposed Rule for Permanent Risk Adjustment Program for 2018
Texas, and 19 other states battle Affordable Care Act as “unconstitutional” in Federal Court
More than 8.8 million Americans are enrolled in the Affordable Care Act healthcare law spearheaded by President Barack Obama. An unpopular mandate of the Affordable Care Act, a tax penalty for the uninsured was repealed by a bill passed by Congress and signed by President Trump in December. Now, Texas is among 20 states where 20 Republican state attorneys general are suing to overturn the law, asking a federal court to hold the Affordable Care Act's individual mandate and the … [Read more...] about Texas, and 19 other states battle Affordable Care Act as “unconstitutional” in Federal Court
Enforcement of Obama-era nursing home standards and enforcement remedies halted by CMS
CMS halts enforcement of some standards required by nursing homes that would enhance safety procedures for patients. In this notice: Temporary Enforcement Delays for Certain Phase 2 F-Tags and Changes to Nursing Home Compare posted late last month, the CMS announced an 18-month moratorium on enforcement remedies in some nursing home regulation that was finalized last year.Memorandum Summary from CMS Inlcuded:Temporary moratorium on imposing certain enforcement remedies for specific Phase 2 … [Read more...] about Enforcement of Obama-era nursing home standards and enforcement remedies halted by CMS
CMS cancels planned Home Health Groupings Payment Model, announces new rule
CMS announced in a rule that it would not move forward with the Home Health Groupings Model. These regulations are effective on January 1, 2018. According to CMS, this final rule updates the home health prospective payment system (HH PPS) payment rates, including the national, standardized 60-day episode payment rates, the national per-visit rates, and the non-routine medical supply (NRS) conversion factor, effective for home health episodes of care ending on or after January 1, 2018. The … [Read more...] about CMS cancels planned Home Health Groupings Payment Model, announces new rule
Texans to face new obstacles as Obamacare open enrollment nears with government cuts
On November 1st, the open enrollment period for the Affordable Healthcare Act (ACA) begins. The 2018 open enrollment runs from November 1st to December 15th and is a crucial time to reach a critical number of under and uninsured individuals in order to get them covered. With enrollment during that period coverage would start on January 1, 2018. This years period is shorter than the 3-month period last year and has been reduced to 6 weeks. According to reports, government cutbacks in the form of … [Read more...] about Texans to face new obstacles as Obamacare open enrollment nears with government cuts
