On November 15, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) finalized policy changes to the CY 2020 Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) on price transparency requirements for hospitals. This final rule establishes requirements for hospitals, including Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) and other rural hospitals, to make public a machine-readable file online that includes all standard charges along with discounted cash prices, payer-specific negotiated charges, and de-identified minimum and maximum negotiated charges for a set of “shoppable services.” CMS is finalizing that the effective date of the final rule will be January 1, 2021, to ensure that hospitals have the time to be compliant with these policies.

Full article: https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-sheets/cy-2020-hospital-outpatient-prospective-payment-system-opps-policy-changes-hospital-price

Last week,  the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) proposed changes to state Medicaid reporting and clarifications of key definitions in order to improve payment transparency and program integrity.  Proposals in this rule focus on four payment areas: fee-for-service (FFS) supplemental provider payments; disproportionate share hospital (DSH) payments; financing for the non-Federal share of payments; and health care-related taxes and provider-related donations.  CMS seeks comment on all elements of this proposal, including whether supplemental provider payments should be capped, if there should be a separate cap for rural areas and/or HRSA-designated geographic health professional shortage areas, and whether there should be other special considerations for providers in underserved areas.

Comments are due January 17th.

For more information, visit: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2019/11/18/2019-24763/medicaid-program-medicaid-fiscal-accountability-regulation

On November 15, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Department of Labor, and the Department of the Treasury proposed requirements for group health plans and health insurance issuers in the individual and group markets to disclose cost-sharing information upon request, to a participant, beneficiary, or enrollee (or his or her authorized representative), including an estimate of such individual’s cost-sharing liability for covered items or services furnished by a particular provider. If you are looking for information on health insurance in rural areas, you can find resources on RHIhub.

Comments are due by January 14th.

For more information, visit: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2019/11/27/2019-25011/transparency-in-coverage

Provides an overview of social and economic factors affecting rural America, with a focus on trends impacting rural areas after the end of the 2009 recession. Includes data on population, employment and labor force participation, poverty, and income.

Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service

Read it here: https://www.ers.usda.gov/webdocs/publications/95341/eib-212.pdf?v=5832

A new Agency for Healthcare Quality and Research (AHRQ) interactive resource provides the latest guidance, tools, and resources for organizations implementing medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for opioid use disorder. It addresses the growing need for guidance as more primary care practices and health systems begin to implement MAT.

Apple and the Department of Veterans Affairs have completed the rollout of Apple Health Records to any iOS users among the more than 9 million veterans in the US and surrounding territories. Veterans will have secure access to a portable aggregated record of their allergies, immunizations, lab results, procedures and other health measures through the health records feature in Apple’s health app.The rollout includes 1,243 facilities across all 50 states as well as Cuba, Guam, Philippines, Puerto Rico and US Virgin Islands. Data will be encrypted and secured with passwords, TouchID or FaceID. Earlier this year, the VA rolled out its LaunchPad app, designed as a one-stop shop to help veterans manage care across the VA system; view and share electronic health records; share other health information with care providers; more easily book appointments; and refill prescriptions.  The VA also announced a partnership with Verizon, offering veterans who are Verizon customers unlimited access to the VA Video Connect telehealth app with no data charges.

More than 177,000 people signed up for Health Insurance Marketplace plans during the first two days of open enrollment, according to numbers released by the Trump administration. Nov. 1 marked the first day of open enrollment on HealthCare.gov, the federal government’s enrollment platform used by 38 states. Of the 177,082 people who selected plans, nearly 49,000 were new customers.

• Third party liability (TPL) & Coordination of Benefits Fact Sheet
• 30-minute online CHC training
• Comprehensive question and answer document
• Question portal
• CHC website
• CHC listserv for ongoing updates

Over the next few weeks, the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) will launch a redesigned website. The homepage will still be accessible at www.dhs.pa.gov, but existing hyperlinks will change under the new structure. If you have bookmarked pages, they may no longer work. If you are trying to access a page and the link no longer works, go to the DHS homepage and use the search function to find the page you are looking for. All pages and content will still be available with the migration even if the old link is no longer functional. If you identify a problem following the transition, contact DHS’ Communications Office at RA-PWDHSPRESSOFFICE@pa.gov.