Small and Rural
Medicare and other federal programs must account for the special circumstances of rural communities.
The AHA last week criticized as 鈥渕isdirected鈥 and a blow to patient care the Medicare Payment Assessment Commission鈥檚 (MedPAC) recommendation that Congress reduce Part B drug payment rates to hospitals participating in the 340B Drug Pricing Program.
At its Jan. 14 meeting, the commission voted 14鈥
The AHA today urged the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission to withdraw its draft recommendation to reduce Part B drug payment rates to hospitals participating in the 340B Drug Pricing Program. 鈥淭his recommendation is outside of the scope of MedPAC鈥檚 mission, lacks a clear purpose and penalizes鈥
AHA letter to Representatives Ron Kind and Greg Walden expressings appreciation for their ongoing commitment to America's rural hospitals and the communities and patients they serve.
The AHA today urged the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to allow a wider variety of documentation to support a critical access hospital鈥檚 necessary provider designation, consistent with its past policies. 鈥淲e are concerned that CMS鈥檚 recently articulated requirements around the鈥
This infographic PDF urges Congress to preserve the 340B program to protect access to care.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will host an Oct. 27 webinar on the Physician Quality Reporting System for physicians and other eligible professionals who bill for outpatient services provided in critical access hospitals using CAH Method II. During the 60-minute webinar, which鈥
Passage of the Protecting Access to Rural Therapy Services Act, or PARTS Act, H.R. 1611/S. 257, the Critical Access Hospital Relief Act, H.R. 169/S. 258, and the Rural Community Hospital (RCH) Demonstration Extension Act, H.R. 672/S. 607, are key parts of the AHA鈥檚 rural hospital advocacy agenda.鈥