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All posts tagged with “Regulatory News | HHS.”
HHS proposal slashes Medicare SHIP funds
04/23/25 at 03:00 AMHHS proposal slashes Medicare SHIP funds MSN; by Mary Helen Gillespie; 4/22/25 The Trump administration is proposing federal budget cuts to Medicare State Health Insurance Assistance Programs (SHIP) and seven additional elder health care safety net programs that assist older Americans. ... SHIP programs have been under the umbrella of the Health and Human Services agency Administration for Community Living. The pre-decisional budget lists funds for seven other ACL programs that would be eliminated are:
What's at stake if CDC's Infection Control Practices Committee is cut
04/21/25 at 03:00 AMWhat's at stake if CDC's Infection Control Practices Committee is cut MedPage Today; by Alexander Sundermann, DrPH; 4/17/25 Whether you are placing a central line, managing a Clostridioides difficile case, or keeping a surgical field sterile, you're likely following standards influenced by the Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee (HICPAC). While it may not be widely known outside of infection prevention circles, HICPAC plays a central role in shaping the evidence-based guidelines that frontline clinicians use every day to protect both patients and healthcare workers. ... Frontline clinicians ... rely on HICPAC guidance every day. Its recommendations shape the protocols used to prevent device-related infections, respond to emerging outbreaks, and meet regulatory and accreditation requirements. ...Eliminating HICPAC wouldn't just slow progress -- it would erode the foundation of infection prevention in U.S. healthcare.
Regulatory leaked HHS budget signals $40B in cuts, assumes ACA subsidies expire
04/18/25 at 03:00 AMRegulatory leaked HHS budget signals $40B in cuts, assumes ACA subsidies expire Fierce Healthcare; by Noah Tong; 4/17/25 Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) reorganization plans appear to have been revealed through a leaked Office of Management and Budget (OMB) document. The 64-page PDF with HHS’ plans were first reported by Inside Medicine and later reported by The Washington Post and other news publications. In an update, Inside Medicine said the entire document was authenticated by The Washington Post. ... While the restructuring was broadly announced, and individual offices have been reportedly axed in recent weeks, the leak provides greater insight into how the reorganization, firings, reductions in force and office eliminations and consolidations will fundamentally alter the agency.
HHS cuts pose threat to older Americans' health and safety
04/18/25 at 03:00 AMHHS cuts pose threat to older Americans' health and safety Newsweek; by Kristin Lees Haggerty and Scott Bane - The National Collaboratory to Address Elder Mistreatment at Education Development Center (EDC); The John A. Hartford Foundation; 4/17/2 On March 27, 2025, the federal government announced major cuts to the department of Health and Human Services (HHS). ... Sounding the Alarm for Elder Justice: The population of older adults is rapidly growing, and one in 10 experience abuse, neglect, and/or exploitation—a risk that is even higher for those living with dementia. ... Cutting services to older adults will increase these risks and costs. Moreover, ... 11.5 million family and friend caregivers provide over 80 percent of help needed for people living with dementia in the U.S. Without access to services like Meal on Wheels, adult day care, and respite care, we can expect caregiver burden and strain to increase significantly and with it, rates of elder abuse, emergency department visits, hospitalizations, and nursing home placements. We know this because of the abuse spike seen clearly during the COVID-19 pandemic, which doubled to over 20 percent of older adults, as services were limited, and older adults were socially isolated. HHS cuts are also likely to result in loss of specialized expertise in identifying and addressing elder mistreatment, so that when elder abuse does occur, we won't have the services to stop it and make sure it won't happen again.
Cybersecurity contracts at risk as HHS cuts 150 IT workers: Report
04/18/25 at 03:00 AMCybersecurity contracts at risk as HHS cuts 150 IT workers: Report Becker's Health IT; by Naomi Diaz; 4/15/25 The Department of Health and Human Services could face a critical breakdown in its IT and cybersecurity systems after a sweeping reduction in force that eliminated key staff and leadership, Wired reported April 14, citing four current and former agency employees. More than 150 workers in HHS’ Office of the Chief Information Officer were among hundreds of administrative staff laid off April 1, according to the report. These employees were responsible for contract renewals and cybersecurity licenses and oversaw operations at the department’s Computer Security Incident Response Center — the hub for detecting and responding to cyberthreats across the department. Sources told Wired the cuts left no one in place to renew critical cybersecurity contracts, some of which are set to expire as soon as June.
CMS to withdraw federal Medicaid match for workforce, social needs, and infrastructure: What states, health care providers and community organizations need to know
04/17/25 at 03:00 AMCMS to withdraw federal Medicaid match for workforce, social needs, and infrastructure: What states, health care providers and community organizations need to know The National Law Review; by Margia Corner, Adam Herbst of Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP; 4/16/25 In a move signaling a major shift in federal priorities, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (“CMS”) recently announced it will limit federal funding for state Medicaid initiatives that support services beyond direct medical care. ... On April 10, CMS notified states that it will no longer approve new, or renew existing, state proposals for Section 1115(a) Demonstration Project expenditure authority to provide federal matching funds for state expenditures for designated state health programs (“DSHP”) and designated state investment programs (“DSIP”).
HHS restructuring and workforce reductions – key implications for the health care industry
04/17/25 at 02:00 AMHHS restructuring and workforce reductions – key implications for the health care industry JD Supra; by Mintz.com; 4/15/25 ... As part of the department-wide restructuring plan, HHS is in the process of consolidating 28 different divisions into 15 divisions. As of April 4, 2025, it had also reduced the number of Regional Offices from ten to five. ...
NABIP responds to HHS Proposed Rule on Marketplace Integrity
04/16/25 at 03:10 AMNABIP responds to HHS Proposed Rule on Marketplace Integrity National Association of Benefits and Insurance Professionals; by Kelly Lousedes; 4/14/25 The National Association of Benefits and Insurance Professionals (NABIP) submitted formal comments to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) proposed rule, CMS-9884-P: Marketplace Integrity and Affordability. While NABIP strongly supports efforts to enhance program integrity, it strongly objects to elements that could lead to unfair treatment of licensed health insurance professionals. ...
PACE growth expected to continue amid HHS reorganization, provider uncertainty
04/16/25 at 03:00 AMPACE growth expected to continue amid HHS reorganization, provider uncertainty McKnights Long-Term Care News; by Zee Johnson; 4/15/25 ... Coordination for the PACE program is moving to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Center for Innovation, the National PACE Association said. That shake up, HHS officials have said, should make management of the PACE program more productive. The White House, however, is also seeking $800 million in budget cuts at CMMI. ... A white paper published in January by Health Dimensions Group showed 33 states and the District of Columbia had implemented 180 PACE programs, accounting for more than 79,000 enrollees. The 25 programs that were added in 2024 quadrupled the model’s average growth since 2005.
Statement by the American Nurses Association on organizational restructuring within the US Department of Health and Human Services
04/10/25 at 03:00 AMStatement by the American Nurses Association on organizational restructuring within the US Department of Health and Human Services American Nurses Association (ANA); Press Release; 4/8/25 The American Nurses Association is aware of the recent personnel changes and organizational restructuring within the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). These developments have sparked concerns among nurses nationwide regarding the potential impact on essential programs and services delivered by HHS in collaboration with nurses, patient advocates, and other healthcare providers. ... The association will monitor that re-structured capacity and promptly report any gaps we identify to the Administration and Congress to ensure the needs of nurses, and the public are met by our federal partners. It is imperative that Secretary Kennedy and Administration leaders ensure the uninterrupted continuation of the vital work of these agencies. Federal agencies must have the necessary staff to carry out the public health, research, quality, and operational work that the American people rely on for their health and well-being. [Continue reading ...]
Executive orders and policy updates
04/07/25 at 03:00 AMExecutive orders and policy updates JD Supra; by Jones Day; 4/3/25 Since President Trump's inauguration, the Trump administration has issued a number of executive orders and policy actions ... Notable actions include rescinding Biden-era initiatives on health care access and equity, withdrawing from the World Health Organization, reducing indirect costs for NIH grants, and suspending foreign aid. While many of these actions may be subject to ongoing litigation, which is not addressed here, summaries of certain of these executive orders and policy actions are included below. ...
AGG talks: Home health & hospice podcast - Episode 10: Anti-Kickback Compliance for hospice and skilled nursing providers
04/07/25 at 03:00 AMAGG talks: Home health & hospice podcast - Episode 10: Anti-Kickback Compliance for hospice and skilled nursing providers JD Supra; by Arnall Golden Gregory, LLP; 4/3/25 In this episode, AGG Healthcare attorneys Bill Dombi and Jason Bring discuss recent OIG guidance on hospice and skilled nursing facility relationships, focusing on anti-kickback risks and fraud concerns. They cover key issues such as the importance of documenting fair market value for any services or space provided, being cautious of payments exceeding Medicaid room and board rates, and avoiding arrangements that appear to be made solely to secure referrals. Bill and Jason also touch on increased oversight and enforcement in the healthcare sector under a new presidential administration.
New administration’s appointees confirmed to lead key health agencies
04/07/25 at 03:00 AMNew administration’s appointees confirmed to lead key health agencies Association for Clinical Oncology (ASCO); Press Release; 4/3/25 Several presidential appointees have been confirmed to lead key health agencies that the Association for Clinical Oncology (ASCO) will work with during the new administration. These include:
HHS restructures duals, PACE offices amid department overhaul
04/04/25 at 03:00 AMHHS restructures duals, PACE offices amid department overhaul Modern Healthcare; by Bridget Early; 4/3/25 The Health and Human Services Department is reorganizing a handful of key programs for dually eligible enrollees and older adults, including laying off numerous staffers. HHS is shuffling how it manages care coordination for people dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid under the Medicare-Medicaid Coordination Office and the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly. PACE, which had been poised for growth, offers home and center-based care mostly to dual-eligible Medicare and Medicaid enrollees who qualify for skilled nursing but can still live in their communities. A spokesperson for HHS said the department has “planned productivity enhancements for the PACE management department.” HHS did not elaborate on what management changes for the PACE program might look like.
Senate confirms Oz as head of agency that runs Medicare, Medicaid
04/04/25 at 03:00 AMDr. Oz nomination to lead CMS advances in Senate vote Modern Healthcare; by Michael McAuliff; 4/3/25 The Senate on Thursday advanced the confirmation of former television host Dr. Mehmet Oz to lead the nation's largest healthcare agencies by serving as administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Lawmakers voted 50 to 45 to advance the nomination to a final vote, which is expected Thursday afternoon. ... He will assume control of an agency in flux that impacts some 160 million Americans and with a budget of around $1.7 trillion. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is attempting to cut some 20,000 employees across the the Health and Human Services Department while Congress is weighing budget proposals that are likely to require deep cuts in Medicaid. [Continue reading ...]
Medicare Administrative Contractors [MACs] did not consistently meet Medicare Cost Report Oversight Requirements
04/02/25 at 03:00 AMMedicare Administrative Contractors [MACs] did not consistently meet Medicare Cost Report Oversight Requirements HHS-OIG; Issued on 3/18/25, posted on 3/19/25 ... What OIG Found: MACs did not consistently meet Medicare cost report oversight requirements.
Mass layoffs hit workers at HHS; sweeping cuts extend to CDC, NIH, FDA: Recap
04/02/25 at 03:00 AMMass layoffs hit workers at HHS; sweeping cuts extend to CDC, NIH, FDA: Recap USA Today; by Sarah D. Wire, Josh Meyer, Bart Jansen, Ken Alltucker, Cybele Mayes-Osterman, Eduardo Cuevas, Sudiksha Kochi, Adrianna Rodriguez and Terry Collins; 4/1/25Mass layoffs began Tuesday at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and at the Food and Drug Administration, the first steps in a plan to cut 10,000 jobs at the Department of Health and Human Services. The department responsible for overseeing protection for Americans' health, food and drug supplies and Medicare and Medicaid is also closing its internal agencies that are focused on older adults and people with disabilities. It's also getting rid of its offices tackling HIV and improving minority health. Staff had to present their badges at the building entrance and those who had been fired were given a ticket and told to return home. More than 100,000 federal workers have already lost their jobs in the last two months as part of President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk's efforts to shrink staffing levels in federal departments and agencies. Tens of thousands more are expected as more agencies implement their reduction in force, or RIF, plans in the coming weeks.
White House cuts $12B in health funds: 5 updates
04/01/25 at 02:00 AMWhite House cuts $12B in health funds: 5 updates Becker's Hospital Review; by Madeline Ashley and Kristin Kuchno; 3/26/25 HHS has abruptly canceled more than $12 billion in grants to state health departments that supported efforts to track infectious diseases, expand mental health services and modernize outdated systems, according to The New York Times. Late March 25, state health departments started receiving notices that $11.4 billion in grants from the CDC and roughly $1 billion in funds from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration were being canceled immediately. “No additional activities can be conducted, and no additional costs may be incurred, as it relates to these funds,” the notices said, according to the Times. [Continue reading ...]
Five key CDC leaders abruptly retire amid agency shakeup: What to know
03/28/25 at 03:00 AMFive key CDC leaders abruptly retire amid agency shakeup: What to know Newsweek; by Gabe Whisnant; 3/25/25 The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is facing a major leadership shakeup, with five high-level officials stepping down in what marks the latest wave of internal turmoil for the nation's premier public health agency. According to the Associated Press, which confirmed the resignations through two CDC officials who requested anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly, the resignations were revealed during a senior leadership meeting on Tuesday. The announcement follows three other recent departures, and together, these changes amount to nearly a third of the CDC's top management either having already left or planning to do so. ... Why It Matters: The CDC, headquartered in Atlanta, operates more than two dozen centers and offices. The five latest officials to exit lead critical divisions, and while their departures have been described internally as retirements, they were not publicly announced.
Kennedy slashing 10,000 jobs in health department overhaul
03/28/25 at 03:00 AMKennedy slashing 10,000 jobs in health department overhaul USA Today, Washington, DC; by Joey Garrison; 3/27/25 Health and Human Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said Thursday he will cut about 10,000 full-time jobs from the Cabinet department in a dramatic reduction that includes closing half its regional offices as part of a wider Trump administration overhaul of the federal government. Combined with HHS employees who previously accepted buyouts and others who were already fired, the agency's workforce will be sliced by one-quarter from 82,000 full-time employees to 62,000 since President Donald Trump returned to the White House. The Department of Health and Human Services ‒ which oversees the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services ‒ will consolidate the agency's 28 divisions into 15 new divisions in Kennedy's shakeup. ... Among the cuts in key divisions:
RFK Jr. continues Opioid Crisis PHE into its eighth year
03/21/25 at 03:00 AMRFK Jr. continues pioid Crisis PHE into its eighth year Inside Health Policy; by Dorothy Mills-Gregg; 3/19/25 HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. recently renewed the department’s longest ongoing public health emergency (PHE) first declared under the first Trump administration: the opioid abuse crisis. While the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found a 25.5% decrease in overdose deaths in 2024 compared to the previous year, HHS says the opioid PHE needs to be renewed for another 90 days so federal coordination efforts can continue and key flexibilities for HHS will be preserved.Editor's note: How recently have you reviewed your Policies & Procedures for destroying drugs in the patient's home, upon death--in accordance with state laws? For staff education and accountability? For communicating this with family? For assessing possible drug diversion of opioids, with appropriate follow-up actions? Additionally, numerous hospice bereavement programs have been flooded with grief needs of bereaved family members from opioid deaths. Click here for the U.S. Department of Justice's Drug Enforcement Administration - Diversion Control Divsion; more focused, scroll down to their "Home Disposal Methods."
What Trump has done with Medicare so far
03/18/25 at 03:00 AMWhat Trump has done with Medicare so far Kiplinger; by Kathryn Pomroy; 3/17/25 Since President Trump was sworn into office on January 20, he has proposed or initiated changes impacting Medicare. Here's a roundup. ...
OIG Nursing Facility Compliance Program Guidance: Renewed focus on fraud and abuse
03/13/25 at 03:00 AMOIG Nursing Facility Compliance Program Guidance: Renewed focus on fraud and abuse McDermott Will & Emery, Chicago, IL; by Gregory E. Fosheim, Monica Wallace, Dexter Golinghorst, and Brigit Dunne; 3/11/25 The US Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General’s (OIG’s) release of Nursing Facility Industry Segment-Specific Compliance Program Guidance (ICPG) for the first time since 2008 reemphasizes the importance of billing and coding and fraud and abuse compliance for nursing facilities and skilled nursing facilities (SNFs). This On the Subject is the second in a two-part series summarizing highlights of the Nursing Facility ICPG. This installment focuses on OIG’s recommendation that nursing facilities comply with existing billing rules and analyze referral source arrangements for compliance with fraud and abuse laws. [Click on the title's link for this significant information.]
An opportunity to advance cannabis science—DEA rescheduling
03/08/25 at 03:20 AMAn opportunity to advance cannabis science—DEA reschedulingJAMA Psychiatry; Kevin P. Hill, MD, MHS; Anshul V. Puli, BS; 2/25In 1970, the US Congress enacted the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), establishing a scheduling system for drugs based on their medical use, abuse potential, and safety. The most restrictive classification is Schedule I; cannabis along with other drugs, such as heroin and lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), have this classification. May 13, 2024, the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), the agency regulating substance scheduling, issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to investigate rescheduling cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III. This was due to a recommendation from the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to reschedule based on its review of the medical and scientific cannabis research. Still, the FDA investigated HHS’ CAMU [cannabis’ current accepted medical use] claim and found some credible scientific support for treating “anorexia related to a medical condition, nausea and vomiting (eg, chemotherapy-induced), and pain.”
HHS scraps transparency practices for policymaking
03/07/25 at 03:00 AMHHS scraps transparency practices for policymaking Modern Healthcare; by Bridget Early; 2/28/25The Health and Human Services Department is abandoning a Nixon-era practice that offered transparency into federal policymaking in a move that limits the public and the healthcare sector's ability to influence government actions. Instead, HHS intends to comply with the bare-minimum requirements of the Administrative Procedures Act of 1946, or APA, and only engage in the traditional notice-and-comment process as expressly dictated by that law, Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. wrote in a policy statement published Friday [2/27]. HHS had followed the now-defunct guidelines for 54 years.