Tag: Alex Azar

HHS Extends Application Deadline for Medicaid Providers, Will Reopen Portal to Certain Medicare Providers

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced an application deadline extension for the Phase 2 general distribution to Medicaid, Medicaid managed care, Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and dental providers, as part of an effort to provide financial relief to health care providers affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. HHS also plans to allow…

COVID-19 Public Health Emergency Extended

Alex Azar, the Secretar of the Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) signed a 90-day extension of the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) on Thursday, July 23, extending enforcement and payment flexibilities affecting home health, hospice, and other health care stakeholders. The PHE was set to expire on Saturday, July 25. “Today I signed…

NAHC: Include Medicaid HCBS Providers in COVID Relief Funds

The National Association for Home Care & Hospice and the Partnership for Medicaid Home-Based Care have written to Secretary Alex Azar of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to ask the Department to include Medicaid home and community-based services (HCBS) providers in the next round of funding from the Public Health and Social…

HHS Begins Release of Additional Funds to Providers

The Department of Health & Human Services has begun releasing additional funds to health care providers impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The CARES Act legislation provides relief to American families, workers, and the healthcare providers on the frontline of the COVID-19 outbreak. Among its provisions, the Act appropriated $100 billion for distribution to health care…

NAHC to HHS: Do More to Help People Sign Up for Medicare

The National Association for Home Care and Hospice (NAHC) has joined with 75 other groups in sending a letter to Alex Azar, the Secretary for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), urging the Department to help people sign up for Medicare coverage amidst the COVID-19 outbreak. With all Social Security Administration offices closing…

CMS Issues Regulatory Waivers in Response to COVID-19

On March 13, 2020, President Trump declared a national emergency related to the COVID-19 pandemic. On January 31, 2020, Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar declared a national public heath emergency. These  two declaration  permit the  Secretary of HHS to invoke the 1135 waiver authority for  certain federal  regulations  in order…

HHS Secretary Declares Public Health Emergency

Health and Human Services Secretary Alex M. Azar today declared public health emergencies in North Carolina and South Carolina, as Hurricane Florence continues its track toward the southeastern seaboard of the United States. The declarations give HHS’ Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) beneficiaries and their healthcare providers and suppliers greater flexibility in meeting…

NAHC Urges Administration to Implement New Law on Family Caregivers

The National Association for Home Care & Hospice (NAHC) has joined with a group of likeminded organization to write to Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar to urge him to swiftly and effectively implement the bipartisan Recognize, Assist, Include, Support, and Engage (RAISE) Family Caregiver Act (P.L. 115-119) to offer better support for…

Adam Boehler is the New Head of the CMMI

Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar has named Adam Boehler as the new director of the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI), as well as a deputy administrator at the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Boehler, the former CEO of Landmark Health, has been rumored to be the Trump administration’s…

Members of Congress Ask CMS to Test New Models of Care

The authors of the Patient Choice and Quality Care Act (H.R. 2797/S. 1334) have written a letter to Seema Verma, the Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), asking her to test some of the new models of care for patients with advanced illnesses that are outlined in their legislation. As you…