On September 20, 2024, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) met in their first meeting of the 2024-2025 cycle. The September MedPAC meeting is usually filled with aspirational directions for the year or follow-up from last year. The Commission discussed three topics: beneficiary cost sharing in critical access hospitals (CAHs), rural provider quality, and an overview of the Medicare context chapter.
On September 19, 2024, the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC) met to discuss recent Medicaid rules, Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) recommendations, and the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) program.
On September 18, 2024, the House Energy and Commerce Committee held a markup of 16 bills, including 10 health care bills. The health care bills focused on a variety of topics, including telehealth permanency, Medicaid eligibility for military members and seniors, and nursing home issues such as hiring and a resolution condemning the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ (CMS) rule on nursing home staffing.
On September 18, 2024, the House Ways and Means Health Subcommittee held a hearing on chronic disease prevention and management. Representatives and witnesses expressed concerns that rates of chronic disease are skyrocketing, and not enough is being done in the way of prevention and promotion of healthy nutrition.
On August 1, 2024, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released the Inpatient Hospital payment final rule for FY 2025. Under the final rule, the hospital market basket percentage will increase by 2.9% (a 0.1% drop from the proposed rule).
