Updates & Analysis

On November 2nd, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) finalized a rule that will update the Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) and Ambulatory Surgical Centers (ASCs) Payment System for 2019. The rule will increase OPPS rates by 1.35% and ASC payment rates by 2.1%. Notable rule changes will affect off-campus provider-based department…

On November 1st, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) finalized the 2019 Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) and Quality Payment Program (QPP) rule. In addition to updating the PFS and QPP for 2019, the rule will: implement provisions of the Bipartisan Budget Act (BBA) of 2018, update Evaluation and Management (E/M) billing practices, finalize…

On October 31st, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a final rule that will update Medicare payment rates for home health agencies (HHAs) in CY 2019. The rule will implement a new case-mix methodology, allow for the payment of remote patient monitoring, ease certain regulatory burdens, and update the Home Health Quality…

On October 23rd, multiple agencies released a coordinated proposed rule to expand the use of Health Reimbursement Accounts (HRAs). The rule would allow employers to fund HRAs to make tax-preferred contributions toward the purchase of individual-market insurance. This change would make it easier for employers to take a defined-contribution approach to their health benefits and…

On October 22nd, the New York State Department of Health (DOH) released a Request for Applications (RFA) for the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP). CSFP works to improve the health of low-income residents 60 years of age and older who are at risk for food insecurity and nutrition-related diseases by supplementing their diets with nutritious…

On October 15th, the New York State Office for People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) released a Request for Applications (RFA) for the 2018 Integrated Supportive Housing (ISH) program. The ISH program encourages and supports the development of new housing opportunities for people with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (I/DD) who can benefit from an independent, non-certified…

On October 18th, the New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS) released a Request for Applications (RFA) to support agencies that qualify as Vital Access Providers to recruit and retain Nurse Practitioners (NPs) and/or Certified Recovery Peer Advocates (CRPAs) for their outpatient and opioid treatment programs. OASAS will provide a total…

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) released a Request for Applications (RFA) to fund projects that use evidence-based approaches to disseminate and implement patient-centered outcomes research (PCOR) findings to improve identification and management of unhealthy alcohol use among adults in primary care practices. Projects funded through this RFA will aim to improve screening…

On October 1st, the New York State Department of Health released a Request for Applications (RFA) for community-based projects that implement the Sexual Risk Avoidance Education initiative. This initiative will fund between 12 and 16 awards to programs for early adolescent youth ages 10-13, including those in foster care, with the goal of delaying or…

On October 2nd, the New York State Office of Mental Health released two Requests for Proposals (RFPs) for not-for-profit organizations to operate transitional residences in the Bronx. The first RFP seeks an appropriate organization to operate a 20-bed Intensive Transitional Living Residence (ITLR) for individuals with a serious mental illness in an existing facility located…

On September 12th, the New York State Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) Division of Child Welfare and Community Services released a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the establishment of Public Private Partnership (PPP) programs for at-risk children, youth, and families. These programs are intended to prevent involvement with the child welfare or juvenile…

On August 23rd, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation announced a new 1115A Medicaid demonstration, the Integrated Care for Kids (InCK) Model. This new payment and local service delivery model will focus on early identification and treatment of behavioral and physical health needs to reduce spending and improve the quality of care for children…