Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch (R-UT) and House Ways and Means Chairman Kevin Brady (R-TX) yesterday introduced the Healthcare Market Certainty and Mandate Relief Act of 2017 that would fund cost-sharing reduction payments to health insurers for two years and eliminate temporarily certain Affordable Care Act mandates. The leaders said the proposal would fund the CSRs through 2019. For 2018, carriers would have to meet certain conditions that would be determined in consultation with the secretaries of the departments of Health and Human Services and Treasury. The proposal also would eliminate the ACA’s individual mandate from 2017-2021; eliminate the ACA’s employer mandate from 2015-2017; and expand the use of health savings accounts.

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The Department of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service Oct. 14 released proposed regulations implementing several premium tax credit provisions…
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A new AHA report warns that access to care is increasingly at risk in rural communities as workforce shortages, financial pressures and policy changes threaten…
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The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Sept. 30 finalized its Global Benchmark for Efficient Drug Pricing Model, also known as the GLOBE Model. The…
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The Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights released new guidance on statutory and regulatory requirements under 42 CFR Part 2, which…
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The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Sept. 25 announced the launch of a new initiative measuring quality in Medicaid and the Children’s Health…
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The AHA commented Sept. 21 on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ proposed rule to implement the changes to Medicaid provider tax policies that…