McDermott+

Deb Godes and Rachel Stauffer join the Breakroom to discuss the newly released FDA proposed rule on laboratory developed tests (LDTs), stakeholder input the agency is seeking and how Congress may react to the rulemaking. For more information on the LDT proposed rule, read our +Insight and Regs&Eggs blog.

Debbie Curtis and Rodney Whitlock explore how we avoided a shutdown and what comes next.

As momentum builds in Congress to expand site-neutral payment policies, Eric Zimmerman joins Julia Grabo in the Breakroom to discuss what site-neutral payments are, what previous reform efforts looked like and what to expect going forward.

Debbie Curtis and Rodney Whitlock recap the crazy week that was for healthcare on Capitol Hill and explore the likelihood of the federal government shutting down this coming weekend.

Deborah Godes and Rachel Hollander join the Breakroom to provide an informative overview of CPT, why it matters to the world of health policy and what to expect at the upcoming CPT Editorial Panel meeting this week.

As the threat of a government shutdown looms large, Debbie Curtis and Rodney Whitlock join Julia Grabo to discuss what's on tap for a busy week in Congress, including numerous healthcare-focused committee hearings and a House vote on the Lower Costs, More Transparency Act.

Rachel Stauffer joins the Breakroom to discuss the impact of artificial intelligence on healthcare—which areas are seeing the most innovation, privacy and consent concerns and the legislative role of Congress in the AI space.

Debbie Curtis and Rodney Whitlock explore the implications of the new Lower Costs, More Transparency Act introduced by the House, and predict how Congress might address the drug shortage issue this year.

As the days in the fiscal year wind down, Debbie Curtis and Rodney Whitlock discuss what legislators on Capitol Hill must accomplish and would like to accomplish in healthcare before the end of the year, and address the elephant in the room: a potential government shutdown.

With the August recess over and the Senate back in session, Debbie Curtis and Rodney Whitlock explore congressional priorities for September and their impact on health policy.

Policymakers are leaning into prescription drug pricing reform with the consumer in mind, aiming to lower costs and provide more payment options and transparency. Rachel Stauffer and Jeffrey Davis join the Breakroom to explore these recent efforts in both the legislative and regulatory arenas.

The implementation of the No Surprises Act hit another snag with the Texas Medical Association IV decision, which vacated two policies in the federal independent dispute resolution (IDR) process. Jeffrey Davis joins the Breakroom to provide the latest on the federal IDR process.

Jeffrey Davis and Katie Waldo discuss a key policy in the IPPS final rule that will alter how Medicare disproportionate share hospital (DSH) payments are calculated, which may have negative financial implications on hospitals and physicians alike.

Rachel Stauffer and Rachel Hollander explore the telehealth policies in the CY 2024 Physician Fee Schedule Proposed Rule and highlight key areas stakeholders should pay attention to during the comment period.

CMS recently released the CY 2024 Physician Fee Schedule Proposed Rule, which includes proposals related to Medicare physician payment and the Quality Payment Program (QPP). Jeffrey Davis and Rachel Hollander join the Breakroom to explore key takeaways of the proposed rule, including the conversion factor, the new add-on code for complexity and several delayed policies.

As Congress enters its final week in session before the August recess, Debbie Curtis and Rodney Whitlock explore the healthcare-related committee markups expected this week and what to look for when Congress is back in September. UPDATE: The Senate HELP Committee's expected markup on the Primary Care and Health Workforce Expansion Act has been postponed until September.

CMS last week released the Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment and Ambulatory Surgical Center Payment Systems Proposed Rule, which includes proposals to update payment rates and regulations affecting Medicare services furnished in hospital outpatient and ambulatory surgical center (ASC) settings beginning in CY 2024. Deb Godes and Leigh Feldman join the Breakroom to explore key takeaways from...

With the August recess approaching, Debbie Curtis and Rodney Whitlock explore the state of healthcare in Congress at the committee level and on the floor.

Jeffrey Davis discusses the Biden Administration's recent initiatives to crack down on "junk fees" in health plans, and explores potential solutions for protecting patients as well as what's on the horizon for the No Surprises Act.

Debbie Curtis and Rodney Whitlock explore the status of the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act's reauthorization in the House and Senate.

Jeffrey Davis joined McDermott+Consulting last month as a Health Policy Director, bringing our clients substantial knowledge of regulatory advocacy and healthcare policies. Today, Jeffrey chats about his interest in health policy, his career path and McDermottPlus' newest blog, Regs & Eggs.

Debbie Curtis and Rodney Whitlock count the days Congress will be in session for the rest of the fiscal year, and explore whether there will be room for healthcare legislation on the House floor.

Leigh Feldman joined McDermott+Consulting last week as a Health Policy Director, bringing our clients nuanced health policy and legislative affairs insights informed by more than a decade of experience at CMS and on Capitol Hill. Today, Leigh chats about her background, her interest in healthcare and what she's most excited about in health policy.

Debbie Curtis and Rodney Whitlock explore the ongoing appropriations process in the House and Senate and how it will impact health policy in the 118th Congress.

Kayla Holgash joins the Breakroom to discuss her time at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' inaugural Health Equity Conference, and explores what's being done to advance equity in healthcare and why it's such an important initiative.