🏥Proposed Medicare Payment System Updates for Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities
This proposed rule would update the prospective payment rates for inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs) for Federal fiscal year (FY) 2026. As required by statute, this proposed rule includes the proposed classification and weighting factors for the IRF prospective payment system's case-mix groups and a description of the methodologies and data used in computing the prospective payment rates for FY 2026. It also continues the second year of the 3-year phaseout of the rural adjustment, which began in FY 2025. Additionally, the proposed rule includes updates to the IRF Quality Reporting Program (QRP).
Learn More💵Proposed Medicare Payment Updates for Inpatient Psychiatric Facilities
This rulemaking proposes to update the prospective payment rates, the outlier threshold, and the wage index for Medicare inpatient hospital services provided by Inpatient Psychiatric Facilities (IPFs), which include psychiatric hospitals and excluded psychiatric units of an acute care hospital or critical access hospital. This rulemaking also proposes to revise the payment adjustment factors for teaching status and for IPFs located in rural areas. These proposed changes would be effective for IPF discharges occurring during the fiscal year beginning October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. We are proposing to make changes to measures used in the Inpatient Psychiatric Facilities Quality Reporting (IPFQR) Program, to update and codify the Extraordinary Circumstances Exception policy, and to solicit feedback through requests for information on future changes to the IPFQR Program.
Learn More🏥Proposed FY 2026 Medicare Hospice Wage Index and Payment Rate Update
This proposed rule would update the hospice wage index, payment rates, and aggregate cap amount for Fiscal Year (FY) 2026. This rule also proposes changes to the admission to hospice regulations and the hospice face-to-face attestation requirements under the certification of terminal illness regulations. This proposed rule also includes a technical correction to the regulatory text and provides updates to the Hospice Quality Reporting Program requirements. Finally, this proposed rule solicits comments regarding requests for information surrounding future measure concepts for Hospice Quality Reporting Program.
Learn More🏥Proposed Changes to Medicare Hospital Payment Systems for 2026
This proposed rule would revise the Medicare hospital inpatient prospective payment systems (IPPS) for operating and capital- related costs of acute care hospitals; make changes relating to Medicare graduate medical education (GME) for teaching hospitals; update the payment policies and the annual payment rates for the Medicare prospective payment system (PPS) for inpatient hospital services provided by long-term care hospitals (LTCHs); update and make changes to requirements for certain quality programs; and make other policy-related changes.
Learn More🏥Public Meeting on Health Care Access for Incarcerated Individuals
Notice is hereby given, pursuant to the provisions of the rules and regulations of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights (Commission) and the Federal Advisory Committee Act, that the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands Advisory Committee (Committee) to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights will hold a public meeting via Zoom at 9:30 a.m. ChST on Wednesday, May 14, 2025 (7:30 p.m. ET on Tuesday, May 13, 2025). The purpose of this meeting is to discuss the Committee's report on the topic, Access to Adequate Health Care for Incarcerated Individuals in the CNMI Judicial System.
Learn More📄HIPAA Exceptions for Da Vinci Project and Alternative Standards Report
This notice provides the public with information about the availability and location of the Health Level Seven (HL7) International Da Vinci Project (Da Vinci) Report, which includes test results from the use of alternative standards for Referral Certification and Authorization and Eligibility for Health Plan transactions approved under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) exceptions process.
Learn More🏥Draft Environmental Assessment for VA Build-To-Suit Lease Program
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announces the availability of the Draft Programmatic Environmental Assessment (PEA) for the Build-to-Suit Lease Program. The Draft PEA analyzes lease actions which include construction, renovation, repair, and operation of outpatient clinics, community living centers, and other similar leased medical facilities identified under the VA Office of Real Property build-to-suit program. VA is requesting comments on the Draft PEA.
Learn More🏥Medicare Rescission of Hospital Expansion Exception Request
This document rescinds a notice with request for comment that appeared in the Federal Register on February 11, 2025, regarding a request from a hospital with physician ownership for an exception to the physician self-referral law's prohibition against expansion of facility capacity. The purpose of the notice was to solicit comments on the request from individuals and entities in the community in which the hospital is located.
Learn More💊Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics Applies for Controlled Substances Registration
Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics, Inc. has applied to be registered as a bulk manufacturer of basic class(es) of controlled substance(s). Refer to Supplementary Information listed below for further drug information.
Learn More🧬NIH Meeting Notice
The Department of Health and Human Services announces a closed meeting for the Scientific & Technical Review Board on Biomedical & Behavioral Research Facilities. The board will evaluate grant applications which include confidential discussions on potential funding for research facilities, highlighting critical support for advancements in healthcare research.
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