Tag: Biden Administration

Hospital Price Transparency Compliance

Hospital Price Transparency Compliance Drops Significantly

Compliance with federal price transparency rules among hospitals dropped significantly, from 34.5% in February to 21.1% in November 2024, per a report by Patient Rights Advocate (PRA). This decline highlights the challenges in achieving full Hospital Price Transparency Compliance. The drop is attributed to weak federal enforcement, which has allowed hospitals to obscure pricing information […]
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Prior Authorization Reform: Progress and Positive Steps

Prior Authorization Reform: AMA’s Impact on Doctors, Patients

 Prior Authorization Reform, a lengthy and often frustrating process for payers to control costs, remains a major challenge for doctors. A recent AMA survey of 1,001 physicians found that 89% of physicians believe prior licensure hurts clinical practice. A surprising 33% said the worst things, such as death or hospitalization, were rights-related.  The AMA recognized […]
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NSA Implementation

Congressional Concerns: Lawmakers Challenge CMS on NSA Implementation

NSA Implementation Shortly before Congress adjourns for 2023; lawmakers sent another in a series of letters to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) expressing “serious concerns” about the implementation of the No Surprises Act (NSA). The letter accused CMS of failing to properly implement key portions of the law and suggested that the […]
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Surprise Medical Billing

President’s Efforts to Limit Surprise Medical Bills and Reduce Health Care Expenses

The President administration has announced its intention to restrict the sale of “junk” insurance policies, including short-term plans that may not provide adequate coverage for individuals who are in-between jobs and require temporary health care coverage. These policies have been known to deny basic coverage to policyholders. On Friday, President announced a set of fresh […]
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Medicare-Advantage-Bill-Response-To-Complaints

The Medicare Advantage Bill Was Crafted In Response To Complaints

The bill was crafted partly in response to rising complaints among seniors over aggressive marketing practices for Medicare Advantage plans. U.S. Sens. Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., and Dr. Roger Marshall, R-Kansas, have introduced the bipartisan Medicare & You Handbook Improvement Act, which is meant to ensure that when seniors assess their Medicare coverage options, they have the necessary […]
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No-Surprises-Act-More-to-Come

More Versions to Come: No Surprises Act

Although the Biden Administration claims this is the final regulation, there is evidence more is yet to come. The Biden administration released the final No Surprises Act regulation recently but advised healthcare professionals that this final version is not the final one and promised more to come. The latest final rule was narrowly focused on […]
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Final Surprise Billing Rules QPA

Biden Administration Releases Final Surprise Billing Rules

The final surprise billing rules downgrade the weight the QPA has on out-of-network payment determinations and establishes documentation requirements for down coding situations. The Biden Administration has released final surprise billing rules implementing the No Surprises Act, a federal law enacted in January 2021 that protects patients from out-of-network medical bills when they seek care […]
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Biden Appoints HHS Staff

Biden Administration Shares Latest Round of HHS Staff Appointments

Today the Biden Administration announced its latest group of appointments to the Department of Health and Human Services. The new appointees join tens of thousands of career officials throughout the agency at a time when expertise is critical to tackling the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. WHAT’S THE IMPACT? Kristina Schake will serve as HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra’s […]
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