CMS Proposes Pay Bump For Both Psychiatric, Rehabilitation Facilities In Fiscal 2026

Inpatient psychiatric facilities’ reimbursements would increase by 2.4% in fiscal 2026, and inpatient rehabilitation facilities would see a bump of 2.6% under proposed pay rules CMS unveiled that all contain a request for information on how to streamline regulations and reduce administrative burdens in Medicare. The unique part of the proposed IRF pay rule addresses COVID-19 vaccination mandates within rehabilitation facilities with CMS proposing to remove the IRF quality reporting program’s measure on vaccinated health care personnel and another on...
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CMS Issue: 
Inside CMS - 04/17/2025
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Vol. 28, No. 16

Anti-Reg EO Puts Biden-Era NIH ‘Patient Access’ Plan In Crosshairs

New calls by the Trump administration for agencies and industry to target regulations that aren’t dictated by statute puts a controversial Biden-era accessibility plan for products developed with NIH-funded research in the crosshairs, pharmaceutical intellectual property proponents say. At issue is a yet-to-be implemented National Institutes of Health policy that would require anyone seeking to license certain NIH-owned patents to submit an “access plan” detailing how they will ensure their products are available to underserved patient populations. While President Donald...
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CMS Asks Groups About Aligning Medicare Rules With Digital Health Industry Practices, Standards

CMS is asking stakeholders how it can align Medicare regulations with digital health best practices and standards without creating new burdensome requirements -- something groups like the Digital Therapeutics Alliance and Connected Health Initiative have previously contemplated. “How can Medicare better align its requirements with best practices and industry standards without imposing additional regulatory requirements, particularly in areas such as telemedicine, transparency, digital health, and integrated care systems,” inquires CMS in a new Medicare request for information (RFI) on deregulation...
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State Lawmakers Oppose Preemption On Privacy, AI; But Health Groups Urge It

The bipartisan National Conference of State Legislatures says Congress must not preempt states’ authority to enact artificial intelligence-related laws as federal lawmakers begin another run at passing a national privacy standard. That is at odds with the position of major health care groups like ATA Action, which want Congress to supersede state laws affecting both data privacy and artificial intelligence out of concerns a patchwork of state regulations burdens various health care stakeholders. “A federal data privacy law should not...
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Nursing Homes Cheer Proposed 2.8% Pay Bump, But Caution Policymakers Against Medicaid Cuts

Nursing homes would see a 2.8% increase in Medicare pay in fiscal 2026 under the proposal CMS released Friday (April 11) -- welcome news to an industry heavily reliant on Medicaid, which is being threatened by the recent budget resolution Congress passed that tasks the committee overseeing Medicaid with making $880 billion in cuts . “While today’s proposed payment update focuses on Medicare fee-for-service rates, let’s remember that nearly two-thirds of nursing home residents rely on Medicaid, and an increasing...
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CMS Issue: 
Inside CMS - 04/17/2025
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Vol. 28, No. 16

Kennedy Calls For FDA To Tackle ‘Deep State’ Amid Growing Concerns About His Anti-Vaccine Messaging

HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. doubled down on his calls for a radical transformation of government health agencies, telling FDA staff Friday ( April 11) the agency has become a “sock puppet” of the industries it regulates and urging them to resist the “deep state,” according to a recording obtained by media outlets, capping off a tumultuous week that included a key public health group’s call for Kennedy’s resignation and a duo of Journal of the American Medical Association...
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FDA Issue: 
FDA Week - 04/18/2025
FDA Volume: 
Vol. 31, No. 16
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Inside CMS - 04/17/2025
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FDA’s Plan To Reorganize, Replace Fired Workers With Contractors Sparks Concerns

Stakeholders are raising strong concerns about FDA’s reported plan to hire contractors to replace thousands of laid-off employees as it simultaneously looks to merge its review centers, coming as employee morale continues to fall after HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. gave a politically charged speech to FDA workers Friday (April 11) that linked the agency to the “deep state.” Former FDA officials say the proposed reorganization plan for FDA, first reported by Inside Health Policy , could severely limit...
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FDA Week - 04/18/2025
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CMS Draft IPPS Boosts Pay By 2.4%, Seeks Comments On MAHA Reporting Measures

CMS is proposing to increase hospital pay by 2.4% or about $4 billion for fiscal 2026 in a draft rule that also proposes to tweak several quality programs by adding Medicare Advantage data and removing measures that refer to health equity or social drivers of health. To advance HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr’s Make American Healthy Again agenda, the rule also seeks comments on quality measures for well-being and optimal nutrition; and the draft rule includes requests for information...
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