Legislative Activity
This Week’s Hearings:
- Tuesday, May 20: The House Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health will hold a hearing titled “21st Century Cures: The President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) Report on Drug Innovation.” The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Subcommittee on Government Operations has scheduled a hearing titled “Examining the Federal Response to Autism Spectrum Disorders.” The Subcommittee on Energy Policy, Health Care and Entitlements will also hold a hearing on “Medicare Mismanagement: Oversight of the Federal Government Effort to Recapture Misspent Funds.” The House Committee on Ways and Means Health Subcommittee will hold a hearing on Current Hospital Issues in the Medicare Program focusing on the two-midnight rule, short inpatient stays, outpatient observation stays, auditing and appeals.
- Wednesday, May 21: The House Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health has scheduled a hearing titled “Keeping the Promise: Site of Service Medicare Payment Reforms.” The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation will hold a hearing titled “Delivering Better Health Care Value to Consumers: The First Three Years of the Medical Loss Ratio.”
Regulatory Activity
CMS Releases ACA Exchange Final Rule
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released the “Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act; Exchange and Insurance Market Standards for 2015 and Beyond” Final Rule. The rule provides guidance regarding requirements for plans, Exchanges, and Navigators. The rule addresses plan renewals and discontinuation, quality reporting, non-discrimination standards, qualified health plan requirements, Small Business Health Options Program (SHOP) exchanges, and enforcement remedies in Federally-facilitated Exchanges.
