Medicare & Medicaid
CMS expects the changes to improve beneficiaries' experiences with MA and Part D, calling it a "higher standard" of benefits and health equity.
Aside from COVID-19 tests, spending for all other tests as a group decreased by about $1.2 billion in 2020, a 15.9% dip from 2019.
COVID-19 continued to affect the industry, which has plowed forward with expanded offerings, digital transformation and other bold moves.
The rule establishes DMEPOS fee schedule amounts and procedures for making benefit categories and payment determinations for new items and services.
The public health emergency needs to be extended past its current mid-January deadline for millions to keep their Medicaid coverage.
OIG found gaps between the number of providers authorized to treat patients with medication and the number of those who need care.
Priority will be given to hospitals with training programs in areas demonstrating the greatest need for providers.
The rule requires all healthcare workers in facilities that participate in the Medicare and Medicaid program to get vaccinated.
Over 700,000 more consumers have signed up for coverage this year than last year.
The uninsured rate dropped slightly as enrollment increases in Medicaid and the ACA offset losses in employer-sponsored coverage.