Policy

Advance care planning, community-based services and care models are among the key policy priorities that C-TAC outlined in a letter sent to President Joe Biden’s transition team on Jan. 15. In the letter, C-TAC explained that there are two overarching immediate issues which must be considered when developing policies that affect those with serious illness:…

Each week, C-TAC compiles the latest legislative and regulatory updates affecting the serious illness care field, combined with insider analysis from our policy experts. Here’s what you need to know for the week ahead: Biden Administration Names Acting CMS and HHS Heads Congressional Advisory Group Recommends Reducing Hospice Payments CMS Releases Request for Applications (RFA) for…

On Jan. 7, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) extended the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE) to April 22, 2021. This is the fourth time the declaration has been renewed and the first since early October. The extended PHE is important  for the seriously ill population, as regulatory flexibilities such as those…

Note: Due to a technical issue, the first 1-2 minutes of the webinar is not captured in this recording. The video begins during introductory remarks by our moderator, C-TAC Policy & Advocacy Manager Davis Baird. Additionally, this webinar is for educational purposes only and should be considered off the record. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted…

C-TAC has submitted comments in response to the fourth Interim Final Rule, released by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. We expressed support for the overall goal of the rule to clarify policies that are intended to support COVID-19 vaccine reimbursement and distribution, given the great potential a successful national vaccination campaign has to…

Note: While it was expected that President Trump would sign this bill into law as soon as he received it from Congress, late on Dec. 22, he indicated that he was unhappy with the substance of the bill and intimated that he may not make it law unless changes are made. This is an ongoing…

On Dec. 18, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) released information on the Medicaid managed care (MCO)-based Direct Contracting Entity (DCE) track for the Professional and Global Options of the Direct Contracting demonstration. This new MCO track is intended to address the needs of individuals dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid, many of…

Earlier today, the U.S. House of Representatives released the legislative text for the Consolidated Appropriations Act (CRA) of 2021, a massive bill that combines a $1.4 trillion omnibus government spending bill with a $900 billion COVID-19 relief package. Among a large number of provisions impacting nearly every corner of the American economy, the final bill includes…

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has issued two Requests for Information (RFI) that can serve as opportunities for serious illness care providers to share innovative practices with an important policymaking body. The RFI deadlines are both next week. C-TAC encourages members and other serious illness stakeholders to consider responding to these…

Yesterday, a bipartisan group of Senators released the text of the Emergency Coronavirus Relief Act of 2020 (ECRA). A section-by-section summary of the bill was released earlier in the week. A similar group of Senators also released an accompanying bill, The Bipartisan State and Local Support and Small Business Protection Act of 2020. This legislation has been discussed as potentially the most…