Summary
Last Friday, the Senate passed a five-bill funding package and a separate two-week Department of Homeland Security (DHS) stopgap measure that funds the department through February 13th. Attention now turns to the House and whether Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) can pass the package along party lines, as House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) has indicated that he will not generate the Democrat support needed to pass the bill under suspension of the rules. As such, the House Rules Committee will meet today at 4 p.m., with plans to bring the package to the floor for a vote by tomorrow. As a reminder, here is Impact Health’s summary of the health care extenders package that is included in the five-bill funding package.
RFI on Diagnostic Imaging Technical Standards
The Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy (ASTP)/Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) recently issued a request for information (RFI) on the potential adoption of diagnostic imaging technical standards and certification criteria for health information technology (IT) under the ONC Health IT Certification Program (Certification Program) to better enable the access, exchange, and use of diagnostic images by health care providers and patients. Responses are due March 15.
Reg Update
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) completed its review of the following:
- Emergency Medical Services and Controlled Substances. A final rule modifying the regulations related to the registration requirements of DEA registrants to allow emergency medical services (EMS) registrants to transport controlled substances for the purpose of dispensing under certain circumstances.
OMB is also reviewing the following.
- ACA Marketplace. The HHS Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters for 2027 proposed rule
- Medicaid:
- State Directed Payments. A proposed rule titled, “Medicaid Managed Care-State Directed Payments.” The proposed rule appears intended to advance a presidential memorandum released on June 6, which directs HHS to “eliminate waste, fraud, and abuse in Medicaid, including by ensuring Medicaid payments rates are not higher than Medicare, to the extent permitted by applicable law.”
- Medicaid Tax Waivers. A proposed rule titled, “Amending the Indirect Hold Harmless Threshold of Health Care-Related Taxes.”
- Medicare. The FY 2027 Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment System and Long-Term Care Hospital Prospective Payment System proposed rule
- Fraud and Abuse
- Regulations. A proposed rule titled, “Comprehensive Regulations to Uncover Suspicious Healthcare (CRUSH).”
- Prescription Drugs. A proposed rule on interoperability standards and prior authorization for drugs.
- Health Technology. A final rule titled, “Administrative Simplification: Adoption of Standards for Health Care Attachment Transactions and Electronic Signatures.”
- No Surprises Act. A final rule titled, “Independent Dispute Resolution Operations.” Thing long-awaited rule was proposed in November 2023 by the Biden Administration.
- Immigration. An interim final rule titled, “Unaccompanied Children Program Foundational Rule; Update to Include Proof of Identity and Income Verification Standards.”
- Nutrition Assistance. A proposed rule titled, “Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program: Reforming Categorical Eligibility.”
- Medication-Assisted Treatment. A final rule titled, “Implementation of the SUPPORT Act: Dispensing and Administering Controlled Substances for Medication-Assisted Treatment.”