CMS Beyond the Policy Podcast: New Episode on Value-Based Care. The episode features a discussion on the direction of the CMS Innovation Center with the CMS Administrator, Seema Verma and the CMS Innovation Center Director, Adam Boehler, that was moderated by Tom Corry, the CMS Director of the Office of Communications. This includes a mention of new models for rural health care.

 CMS Publishes PACE Final Rule– The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) finalized a rule updating and modernizing the Programs of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE), which provides comprehensive medical and social services to certain frail, elderly individuals (many of whom are “dually eligible” for both Medicare and Medicaid) who qualify for nursing home care but can still live safely in the community.  This rule strengthens protections for PACE participants,  provides administrative flexibility  for PACE organizations, and reduces administrative burden for  clinicians. The  RHI Hub provides examples of PACE programs in rural areas as well as toolkits on how to get started. 

New Opportunity to Apply to be a Medicare Shared Savings Program ACO—Notice of Intent June 28.  For provider groups interested in becoming a Medicare Shared Savings Program Accountable Care Organization (ACO) in 2020, CMS will accept Notices of Intent Apply (NOIA) between June 11 and June 28, 2019.  An NOIA is required in order to submit an application, which will be due by July 29.  The ACO Program was restructured for 2019 and offers rural providers a path to take on financial risk for shared savings and losses.   Email questions to SSPACO_Applications@cms.hhs.gov. 

Meeting Summary – HHS and HRSA Rural Summit. Earlier this year, HHS and HRSA convened a forum of rural health care stakeholders to discuss challenges rural communities face in providing and accessing health care and how HRSA and HHS can address these challenges in the course of program and policy development. The summary from this discussion is now available online at the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy’s Rural Health Resource Guide.

AHA Rural Report Podcast Series.  The American Hospital Association (AHA) has a podcast built around their recently published “Rural Report: Challenges Facing Rural Communities and the Roadmap to Ensure Local Access and High-quality, Affordable Care.” The first episode, 14 minutes in duration, features experts discussing current approaches to mental and behavioral health.

The Pennsylvania House of Representatives Insurance Committee unanimously adopted House Bill 3, a bi-partisan bill sponsored by House Majority Leader Bryan Cutler (R-Lancaster) and Minority Leader Frank Dermody (D-Allegheny) to create a state-based insurance exchange. This exchange would supersede Pennsylvania’s current participation in the Federally Facilitated Marketplace via healthcare.gov by creating state-level infrastructure to replace the current enrollment process and its oversight. The transition is intended to create a health insurance marketplace comparable to the federal marketplace originally created by the Affordable Care Act rather than the continually volatile marketplace that exists today. It will also establish a reinsurance program that aims to lower premium costs of plans offered and helps sustain the program. HB 3 has been fast-tracked by the administration and legislature with the current expectation that it will be enacted along with the state budget later in June.