The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released the proposed Calendar Year 2024 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule, including coding changes to allow for reimbursement for some patient navigation services and expanded access to telehealth services.
Today, U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) reintroduced S. 2243 Palliative Care and Hospice Education and Training Act (PCHETA). The bipartisan bill would create a national public education and awareness campaign to educate patients and providers about the availability and benefits of palliative care, expand federal research regarding palliative care, including pain and symptom management, and establish palliative care education and training programs for doctors, nurses and other health professionals.
Today the Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Labor and the Treasury Department jointly released a proposed rule that would return the sale of short-term limited duration insurance plans (STLD) to a limit of 90 days. This is similar to rules that were in place prior to 2018, but under the proposed rule would apply to all STLD plans created after the final rule is issued. The proposed rule would also require STLD issuers to comply with new notice requirements to help consumers distinguish between an STLD plan and comprehensive health coverage.
Today, patient groups representing millions of individuals with serious health conditions filed an amicus curiae (or friend-of-the-court) brief in the case of Braidwood v. Becerra in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit in support of the Department of Justice (DOJ)’s defense of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) provisions requiring private insurers provide coverage of certain evidence-based preventive services without cost-sharing. The amicus brief provides extensive scientific data to the appeals court demonstrating that preventive services save lives and are cost-effective, as well as examples of the cost-free services that would be lost for many patients if the lower court’s decision is upheld.
The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) recognizes and applauds Governor Josh Green for signing HB907 into law, Thursday morning. Once enacted, the legislation will improve access to audio-only telehealth to help ensure cancer patients and survivors have access to the appropriate medical specialists they may need.
According to a new survey, half of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer/Questioning (LGBTQ+) cancer patients and survivors report they are concerned they may face discrimination in a health care setting. More than one-third have experienced discrimination in a health care setting due to their sexual orientation or gender identity, and 75% of those who say they experienced discrimination feel it impacted their health care.
The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) submitted comments today supporting the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ proposed rule to expand federal insurance coverage eligibility to Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients.
A bill introduced in the Senate this week aims to improve future equitable access to new and innovative cancer screenings among Medicare beneficiaries in order to increase early detection of more cancers for more individuals.
Today, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit approved an agreement by the parties on a stay of the remedy in the case of Braidwood v. Becerra, pausing the effect of the lower court’s ruling that threatens access to U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommended preventive services without cost sharing as required under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The agreement provides that the government will not take any action to enforce the ACA provision against the plaintiffs while the litigation proceeds.
Today, lawmakers voted to reauthorize Medicaid expansion in New Hampshire, ensuring thousands of Granite Staters have access to the affordable healthcare they need. The vote is particularly poignant for the dozens of cancer patients and survivors who lobbied for passage of this legislation as June marks Cancer Survivors Month.