{"description":"Documents matching 'care comfort which influence patients'","count":291,"total_pages":15,"next_page_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/documents?conditions%5Bterm%5D=care+comfort+which+influence+patients&format=json&page=2","results":[{"title":"Health Data, Technology, and Interoperability: Patient Engagement, Information Sharing, and Public Health Interoperability","type":"Proposed Rule","abstract":"This proposed rule seeks to advance interoperability, improve transparency, and support the access, exchange, and use of electronic health information through proposals for: standards adoption; adoption of certification criteria to advance public health data exchange; expanded uses of certified application programming interfaces, such as for electronic prior authorization, patient access, care management, and care coordination; and information sharing under the information blocking regulations. It proposes to establish a new baseline version of the United States Core Data for Interoperability. The proposed rule would update the ONC Health IT Certification Program to enhance interoperability and optimize certification processes to reduce burden and costs. The proposed rule would also implement certain provisions related to the Trusted Exchange Framework and Common Agreement (TEFCA), which would support the reliability, privacy, security, and trust within TEFCA.","document_number":"2024-14975","html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2024/08/05/2024-14975/health-data-technology-and-interoperability-patient-engagement-information-sharing-and-public-health","pdf_url":"https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2024-08-05/pdf/2024-14975.pdf","public_inspection_pdf_url":"https://public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2024-14975.pdf?1721825115","publication_date":"2024-08-05","agencies":[{"raw_name":"DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES","name":"Health and Human Services Department","id":221,"url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/health-and-human-services-department","json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/agencies/221","parent_id":null,"slug":"health-and-human-services-department"},{"raw_name":"Office of the Secretary"}],"excerpts":"exchange, and use of EHI would help enable <span class=\"match\">patient</span>-centric <span class=\"match\">care</span>, <span class=\"match\">which</span> is expected to improve equity in health outcomes. This proposed rule further recognizes <span class=\"match\">patient</span> feedback and preferences in their <span class=\"match\">care</span> and how <span class=\"match\">patients</span> and their representatives may want to monitor and share EHI with relevant health <span class=\"match\">care</span> providers and entities. The health IT certification provisions of the proposed rule aim to reduce the burden associated with prior authorization processes, <span class=\"match\">which</span> can ensure that <span class=\"match\">patients</span> receive the <span class=\"match\">care</span> they need in a timely manner, lower administrative"},{"title":"Medicare and Medicaid Programs and the Children's Health Insurance Program; Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems for Acute Care Hospitals and the Long-Term Care Hospital Prospective Payment System and Policy Changes and Fiscal Year 2025 Rates; Quality Programs Requirements; and Other Policy Changes","type":"Rule","abstract":"This final rule revises the Medicare hospital inpatient prospective payment systems (IPPS) for operating and capital-related costs of acute care hospitals; makes changes relating to Medicare graduate medical education (GME) for teaching hospitals; updates 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); and makes other policy- related changes.","document_number":"2024-17021","html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2024/08/28/2024-17021/medicare-and-medicaid-programs-and-the-childrens-health-insurance-program-hospital-inpatient","pdf_url":"https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2024-08-28/pdf/2024-17021.pdf","public_inspection_pdf_url":"https://public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2024-17021.pdf?1722960072","publication_date":"2024-08-28","agencies":[{"raw_name":"DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES","name":"Health and Human Services Department","id":221,"url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/health-and-human-services-department","json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/agencies/221","parent_id":null,"slug":"health-and-human-services-department"},{"raw_name":"Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services","name":"Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services","id":45,"url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/centers-for-medicare-medicaid-services","json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/agencies/45","parent_id":221,"slug":"centers-for-medicare-medicaid-services"}],"excerpts":"of an episode of <span class=\"match\">care</span>. Because providers and suppliers are paid for each individual item or service delivered, providers may not be incentivized to invest in quality improvement and <span class=\"match\">care</span> coordination \n \n activities. As a result, <span class=\"match\">care</span> may be fragmented, unnecessary, or duplicative. By holding hospitals accountable for all items and services provided during an episode, providers would be better incentivized to coordinate <span class=\"match\">patient</span> <span class=\"match\">care</span>, avoid duplicative or unnecessary services, and improve the beneficiary <span class=\"match\">care</span> experience during <span class=\"match\">care</span> transitions.\n \n"},{"title":"Medicare Program; Alternative Payment Model Updates and the Increasing Organ Transplant Access (IOTA) Model","type":"Rule","abstract":"This final rule describes a new mandatory alternative payment model, the Increasing Organ Transplant Access Model (IOTA Model), that will test whether performance-based upside risk payments or downside risk payments paid to or owed by participating kidney transplant hospitals increase access to kidney transplants for patients with end- stage renal disease (ESRD) while preserving or enhancing the quality of care and reducing Medicare expenditures. This final rule also adopts standard provisions that will apply to the Radiation Oncology Model, the End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Treatment Choices Model, and mandatory Innovation Center models, including the IOTA Model, whose first performance period begins on or after January 1, 2025. The finalized standard provisions relate to beneficiary protections; cooperation in model evaluation and monitoring; audits and records retention; rights in data and intellectual property; monitoring and compliance; remedial action; model termination by CMS; limitations on review; miscellaneous provisions on bankruptcy and other notifications; and the reconsideration review process.","document_number":"2024-27841","html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2024/12/04/2024-27841/medicare-program-alternative-payment-model-updates-and-the-increasing-organ-transplant-access-iota","pdf_url":"https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2024-12-04/pdf/2024-27841.pdf","public_inspection_pdf_url":"https://public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2024-27841.pdf?1732655723","publication_date":"2024-12-04","agencies":[{"raw_name":"DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES","name":"Health and Human Services Department","id":221,"url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/health-and-human-services-department","json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/agencies/221","parent_id":null,"slug":"health-and-human-services-department"},{"raw_name":"Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services","name":"Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services","id":45,"url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/centers-for-medicare-medicaid-services","json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/agencies/45","parent_id":221,"slug":"centers-for-medicare-medicaid-services"}],"excerpts":"we published in the \n Federal Register \n a final rule titled “Medicare Program; Specialty <span class=\"match\">Care</span> Models To Improve Quality of <span class=\"match\">Care</span> and Reduce Expenditures” (85 FR 61114) (hereinafter the “Specialty <span class=\"match\">Care</span> Models final rule”), in <span class=\"match\">which</span> we adopted General Provisions Related to Innovation Center models at 42 CFR part 512 subpart A that apply to the End-Stage Renal Disease Treatment Choices (ETC) Model and the Radiation Oncology (RO) Model.\n 9 \n \n The Specialty <span class=\"match\">Care</span> Models final rule codified general provisions regarding beneficiary protections, cooperation"},{"title":"Ophthalmic Practice Rules (Eyeglass Rule)","type":"Rule","abstract":"The Federal Trade Commission (\"FTC\" or \"Commission\") is publishing a final rule to implement amendments to the Ophthalmic Practice Rules (\"Eyeglass Rule\" or \"Rule\"). These amendments require that prescribing eye care practitioners obtain a signed confirmation after releasing an eyeglass prescription to a patient and maintain each such confirmation for a period of not less than three years. The Commission is permitting prescribers to comply with automatic prescription release via electronic delivery if they first obtain verifiable affirmative consent from the patient and maintain a record of such consent for a period of not less than three years. The amendments further clarify that the presentation of proof of insurance coverage shall be deemed to be a payment for the purpose of determining when a prescription must be provided. Finally, the Commission amends the term \"eye examination\" to \"refractive eye examination\" throughout the Rule.","document_number":"2024-15620","html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2024/07/26/2024-15620/ophthalmic-practice-rules-eyeglass-rule","pdf_url":"https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2024-07-26/pdf/2024-15620.pdf","public_inspection_pdf_url":"https://public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2024-15620.pdf?1721911513","publication_date":"2024-07-26","agencies":[{"raw_name":"FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION","name":"Federal Trade Commission","id":192,"url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/federal-trade-commission","json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/agencies/192","parent_id":null,"slug":"federal-trade-commission"}],"excerpts":"sell that <span class=\"match\">patient</span> eyeglasses, the prescriber must release a copy of the prescription to the <span class=\"match\">patient</span> before moving forward with any aspect of the sale. If the prescription is released electronically (with the <span class=\"match\">patient's</span> consent), it must be uploaded to a <span class=\"match\">patient</span> portal or transmitted to the <span class=\"match\">patient</span> via email or text, and thus fully accessible to the <span class=\"match\">patient</span> before that <span class=\"match\">patient</span> is offered an opportunity to purchase eyewear. It also means that if the prescriber makes a medical determination to not write and release a prescription to a <span class=\"match\">patient</span>,\n 182 \n"},{"title":"Calendar Year 2027 Home Health Prospective Payment System (HH PPS) Rate Update; Requirements for the HH Quality Reporting Program and the Expanded HH Value-Based Purchasing Model; Medicare Provider Enrollment, Durable Medical Equipment (DME), and DME, Prosthetics, Orthotics, and Supplies (DMEPOS) Policies","type":"Proposed Rule","abstract":"This proposed rule would set forth routine updates to the Medicare home health payment rates in accordance with existing statutory and regulatory requirements. In addition, this proposed rule discusses the behavior adjustment and proposes a temporary behavior adjustment and proposes to recalibrate the case-mix weights and update the functional impairment levels; comorbidity subgroups; and low- utilization payment adjustment (LUPA) thresholds for CY 2027. Additionally, this proposed rule discusses the provision of home health palliative care services and includes a request for information (RFI) on a home health specific wage index. This rule would also propose changes to the Home Health Quality Reporting Program (HH QRP) and summarizes potential initiatives to improve alignment between the HH QRP and expanded Home Health Value Based Purchasing (HHVBP) Model. Lastly, the rule would--clarify the application of the DMEPOS face-to- face encounter requirements for the replacement of DMEPOS items; make changes to the provider and supplier enrollment requirements; make changes regarding DME benefit expansion for infusion pumps and drugs; and discuss collection of information requirement changes regarding the DMEPOS Competitive Bidding Program (CBP) country of origin.","document_number":"2026-13602","html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/07/06/2026-13602/calendar-year-2027-home-health-prospective-payment-system-hh-pps-rate-update-requirements-for-the-hh","pdf_url":"https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2026-07-06/pdf/2026-13602.pdf","public_inspection_pdf_url":"https://public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2026-13602.pdf?1782936912","publication_date":"2026-07-06","agencies":[{"raw_name":"DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES","name":"Health and Human Services Department","id":221,"url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/health-and-human-services-department","json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/agencies/221","parent_id":null,"slug":"health-and-human-services-department"},{"raw_name":"Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services","name":"Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services","id":45,"url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/centers-for-medicare-medicaid-services","json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/agencies/45","parent_id":221,"slug":"centers-for-medicare-medicaid-services"}],"excerpts":"inpatient acute <span class=\"match\">care</span> hospitalizations, inpatient psychiatric facility (IPF) stays, skilled nursing facility (SNF) stays, inpatient rehabilitation facility (IRF) stays, or long-term <span class=\"match\">care</span> hospital (LTCH) stays within 14-days prior to a home health admission are designated as institutional admissions. The institutional admission source category also includes <span class=\"match\">patients</span> that had an acute <span class=\"match\">care</span> hospital stay during a previous 30-day period of <span class=\"match\">care</span> and within 14 days prior to the subsequent, contiguous 30-day period of <span class=\"match\">care</span> and for <span class=\"match\">which</span> the <span class=\"match\">patient</span> was not discharged"},{"title":"Medicare and Medicaid Programs; CY 2025 Payment Policies Under the Physician Fee Schedule and Other Changes to Part B Payment and Coverage Policies; Medicare Shared Savings Program Requirements; Medicare Prescription Drug Inflation Rebate Program; and Medicare Overpayments","type":"Rule","abstract":"This final rule addresses: changes to the physician fee schedule (PFS); other changes to Medicare Part B payment policies to ensure that payment systems are updated to reflect changes in medical practice, relative value of services, and changes in the statute; codification of establishment of new policies for, the Medicare Prescription Drug Inflation Rebate Program under the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022; updates to the Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program expanded model; payment for dental services inextricably linked to specific covered medical services; updates to drugs and biological products paid under Part B including immunosuppressive drugs and clotting factors; Medicare Shared Savings Program requirements; updates to the Quality Payment Program; Medicare coverage of opioid use disorder services furnished by opioid treatment programs; updates to policies for Rural Health Clinics and Federally Qualified Health Centers; electronic prescribing for controlled substances for a covered Part D drug under a prescription drug plan or a Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug (MA-PD) plan under the Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment for Patients and Communities Act (SUPPORT Act); update to the Ambulance Fee Schedule regulations; codification of the Inflation Reduction Act and Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 provisions; updates to Clinical Laboratory Fee Schedule regulations; updates to the diabetes payment structure and PHE flexibilities; expansion of colorectal cancer screening and Hepatitis B vaccine coverage and payment; establishing payment for drugs covered as additional preventive services; Medicare Parts A and B Overpayment Provisions of the Affordable Care Act and Medicare Parts C and D Overpayment Provisions of the Affordable Care Act.","document_number":"2024-25382","html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2024/12/09/2024-25382/medicare-and-medicaid-programs-cy-2025-payment-policies-under-the-physician-fee-schedule-and-other","pdf_url":"https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2024-12-09/pdf/2024-25382.pdf","public_inspection_pdf_url":"https://public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2024-25382.pdf?1730492138","publication_date":"2024-12-09","agencies":[{"raw_name":"DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES","name":"Health and Human Services Department","id":221,"url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/health-and-human-services-department","json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/agencies/221","parent_id":null,"slug":"health-and-human-services-department"},{"raw_name":"Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services","name":"Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services","id":45,"url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/centers-for-medicare-medicaid-services","json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/agencies/45","parent_id":221,"slug":"centers-for-medicare-medicaid-services"}],"excerpts":"advances Medicare's overall value-based <span class=\"match\">care</span> strategy of growth, alignment, and equity through the Medicare Shared Savings Program (Shared Savings Program) and the Quality Payment Program. The structure of these programs enables us to develop a set of tools for measuring and encouraging improvements in <span class=\"match\">care</span>, <span class=\"match\">which</span> may support a shift to clinician payment over time into Advanced Alternative Payment Models (APMs) and accountable <span class=\"match\">care</span> arrangements <span class=\"match\">which</span> reduce <span class=\"match\">care</span> fragmentation and unnecessary costs for <span class=\"match\">patients</span> and the health system. \n This rulemaking"},{"title":"Special Registrations for Telemedicine and Limited State Telemedicine Registrations","type":"Proposed Rule","abstract":"The Ryan Haight Online Pharmacy Consumer Protection Act of 2008 (the \"Ryan Haight Act\") generally requires an in-person medical evaluation prior to the issuance of a prescription of controlled substances but provides an exception to this in-person medical evaluation requirement where the practitioner is engaged in the \"practice of telemedicine\" within the meaning of the Ryan Haight Act. These proposed regulatory changes would establish a Special Registration framework and authorize three types of Special Registration. This proposed rulemaking also provides for heightened prescription, recordkeeping, and reporting requirements. DEA believes such changes are necessary to effectively expand patient access to controlled substance medications via telemedicine while mitigating the risks of diversion associated with such expansion. A summary of this rule may be found at https://www.regulations.gov/docket/DEA-2023-0029.","document_number":"2025-01099","html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/01/17/2025-01099/special-registrations-for-telemedicine-and-limited-state-telemedicine-registrations","pdf_url":"https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2025-01-17/pdf/2025-01099.pdf","public_inspection_pdf_url":"https://public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2025-01099.pdf?1736948758","publication_date":"2025-01-17","agencies":[{"raw_name":"DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE","name":"Justice Department","id":268,"url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/justice-department","json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/agencies/268","parent_id":null,"slug":"justice-department"},{"raw_name":"Drug Enforcement Administration","name":"Drug Enforcement Administration","id":116,"url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/drug-enforcement-administration","json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/agencies/116","parent_id":268,"slug":"drug-enforcement-administration"}],"excerpts":"practitioners \n treating vulnerable <span class=\"match\">patient</span> populations who have a legitimate need to prescribe Schedule II controlled substances.\n \n \n As discussed above, under the proposed 21 CFR 1301.11(c)(3), only psychiatrists, \n hospice <span class=\"match\">care</span> \n physicians, \n palliative <span class=\"match\">care</span> \n physicians, physicians rendering treatment at \n long term <span class=\"match\">care</span> facilities, \n pediatricians, neurologists, and \n mid-level practitioners \n board certified in the treatment of psychiatric or psychological disorders, \n hospice <span class=\"match\">care</span>, palliative <span class=\"match\">care</span>, \n pediatric <span class=\"match\">care</span>, or neurological disorders unrelated"},{"title":"United States, et al. v. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated, et al.; Proposed Final Judgment and Competitive Impact Statement","type":"Notice","abstract":null,"document_number":"2025-15486","html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/08/14/2025-15486/united-states-et-al-v-unitedhealth-group-incorporated-et-al-proposed-final-judgment-and-competitive","pdf_url":"https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2025-08-14/pdf/2025-15486.pdf","public_inspection_pdf_url":"https://public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2025-15486.pdf?1755089133","publication_date":"2025-08-14","agencies":[{"raw_name":"DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE","name":"Justice Department","id":268,"url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/justice-department","json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/agencies/268","parent_id":null,"slug":"justice-department"},{"raw_name":"Antitrust Division","name":"Antitrust Division","id":23,"url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/antitrust-division","json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/agencies/23","parent_id":268,"slug":"antitrust-division"}],"excerpts":"Home health and hospice nurses develop close and meaningful relationships with <span class=\"match\">patients</span>, <span class=\"match\">which</span> many nurses find particularly fulfilling. These nurses spend hours with <span class=\"match\">patients</span> in their homes to provide <span class=\"match\">care</span> and <span class=\"match\">comfort</span>, <span class=\"match\">which</span> can <span class=\"match\">influence</span> <span class=\"match\">patients</span>' recovery and satisfaction with <span class=\"match\">care</span>. Thus, <span class=\"match\">patients</span> benefit when home health and hospice providers attract high quality, compassionate nurses who can help improve <span class=\"match\">patients</span>' condition or <span class=\"match\">care</span> for them in their final days. \n \n 26. Within home health and hospice, Medicare regulations and state licensure laws"},{"title":"Medicare Program; FY 2025 Hospice Wage Index and Payment Rate Update, Hospice Conditions of Participation Updates, and Hospice Quality Reporting Program Requirements","type":"Rule","abstract":"This final rule updates the hospice wage index, payment rates, and aggregate cap amount for Fiscal Year (FY) 2025. This rule also adopts the most recent Office of Management and Budget statistical area delineations, which will impact the hospice wage index. This rule clarifies current policy related to the \"election statement\" and the \"notice of election\", as well as adds clarifying language regarding hospice certification and includes a technical regulation text change to the Conditions of Participation (CoPs). This rule finalizes changes to the Hospice Quality Reporting Program. Finally, this rule summarizes comments received regarding potential implementation of a separate payment mechanism to account for high intensity palliative care services.","document_number":"2024-16910","html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2024/08/06/2024-16910/medicare-program-fy-2025-hospice-wage-index-and-payment-rate-update-hospice-conditions-of","pdf_url":"https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2024-08-06/pdf/2024-16910.pdf","public_inspection_pdf_url":"https://public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2024-16910.pdf?1722370514","publication_date":"2024-08-06","agencies":[{"raw_name":"DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES","name":"Health and Human Services Department","id":221,"url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/health-and-human-services-department","json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/agencies/221","parent_id":null,"slug":"health-and-human-services-department"},{"raw_name":"Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services","name":"Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services","id":45,"url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/centers-for-medicare-medicaid-services","json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/agencies/45","parent_id":221,"slug":"centers-for-medicare-medicaid-services"}],"excerpts":"Palliative <span class=\"match\">Care</span> Services \n We define hospice <span class=\"match\">care</span> as a set of comprehensive services described in section 1861(dd)(1) of the Act, identified and coordinated by an IDG to provide for the physical, psychosocial, spiritual, and emotional needs of a terminally ill <span class=\"match\">patient</span> and/or family members, as delineated in a specific <span class=\"match\">patient</span> plan of <span class=\"match\">care</span> (§ 418.3). Hospice <span class=\"match\">care</span> changes the focus of a <span class=\"match\">patient's</span> illness to <span class=\"match\">comfort</span> <span class=\"match\">care</span> (palliative <span class=\"match\">care</span>) for pain relief and symptom management from a curative type of <span class=\"match\">care</span>. Under the hospice benefit, palliative <span class=\"match\">care</span> is defined"},{"title":"Medicare Program; CY 2027 Changes to the End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Prospective Payment System, Acute Kidney Injury Dialysis (AKI) Payment, and ESRD Quality Incentive Program","type":"Proposed Rule","abstract":"This proposed rule would update and revise the End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Prospective Payment System for calendar year 2027. This rule also proposes to update the payment rate for renal dialysis services furnished by an ESRD facility to individuals with acute kidney injury. In addition, this rule proposes to update the requirements for the ESRD Quality Incentive Program.","document_number":"2026-12925","html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/06/26/2026-12925/medicare-program-cy-2027-changes-to-the-end-stage-renal-disease-esrd-prospective-payment-system","pdf_url":"https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2026-06-26/pdf/2026-12925.pdf","public_inspection_pdf_url":"https://public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2026-12925.pdf?1782332109","publication_date":"2026-06-26","agencies":[{"raw_name":"DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES","name":"Health and Human Services Department","id":221,"url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/health-and-human-services-department","json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/agencies/221","parent_id":null,"slug":"health-and-human-services-department"},{"raw_name":"Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services","name":"Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services","id":45,"url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/centers-for-medicare-medicaid-services","json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/agencies/45","parent_id":221,"slug":"centers-for-medicare-medicaid-services"}],"excerpts":"estimated wages and salaries for each of the non-direct <span class=\"match\">patient</span> cost centers in step 2 were summed and then added to the direct <span class=\"match\">patient</span> <span class=\"match\">care</span> wages and salaries costs to calculate total Wages and Salaries costs.\n \n \n (ii) Employee Benefits Costs \n We propose to determine the Employee Benefits costs as the sum of direct <span class=\"match\">patient</span> <span class=\"match\">care</span> EH&amp;W benefits (<span class=\"match\">which</span> we will refer to as direct <span class=\"match\">patient</span> <span class=\"match\">care</span> employee benefit costs) and estimated non-direct <span class=\"match\">patient</span> <span class=\"match\">care</span> employee benefit costs. Direct <span class=\"match\">patient</span> <span class=\"match\">care</span> employee benefit costs are reported on Worksheet B,"},{"title":"Medicare and Medicaid Programs; CY 2025 Payment Policies Under the Physician Fee Schedule and Other Changes to Part B Payment and Coverage Policies; Medicare Shared Savings Program Requirements; Medicare Prescription Drug Inflation Rebate Program; and Medicare Overpayments","type":"Proposed Rule","abstract":"This major proposed rule addresses: changes to the physician fee schedule (PFS); other changes to Medicare Part B payment policies to ensure that payment systems are updated to reflect changes in medical practice, relative value of services, and changes in the statute; codification of, and proposing policies for, the Medicare Prescription Drug Inflation Rebate Program under the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022; updates to the Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program expanded model; payment for dental services inextricably linked to specific covered medical services; updates to drugs and biological products paid under Part B including immunosuppressive drugs and clotting factors; Medicare Shared Savings Program requirements; updates to the Quality Payment Program; Medicare coverage of opioid use disorder services furnished by opioid treatment programs; updates to policies for Rural Health Clinics and Federally Qualified Health Centers; electronic prescribing for controlled substances for a covered Part D drug under a prescription drug plan or a Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug (MA-PD) plan under the Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment for Patients and Communities Act (SUPPORT Act); update to the Ambulance Fee Schedule regulations; codification of the Inflation Reduction Act and Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 provisions; updates to Clinical Laboratory Fee Schedule regulations; updates to the diabetes payment structure and PHE flexibilities; expansion of colorectal cancer screening and Hepatitis B vaccine coverage and payment; establishing payment for drugs covered as additional preventive services; Medicare Parts A and B Overpayment Provisions of the Affordable Care Act.","document_number":"2024-14828","html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2024/07/31/2024-14828/medicare-and-medicaid-programs-cy-2025-payment-policies-under-the-physician-fee-schedule-and-other","pdf_url":"https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2024-07-31/pdf/2024-14828.pdf","public_inspection_pdf_url":"https://public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2024-14828.pdf?1720642528","publication_date":"2024-07-31","agencies":[{"raw_name":"DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES","name":"Health and Human Services Department","id":221,"url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/health-and-human-services-department","json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/agencies/221","parent_id":null,"slug":"health-and-human-services-department"},{"raw_name":"Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services","name":"Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services","id":45,"url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/centers-for-medicare-medicaid-services","json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/agencies/45","parent_id":221,"slug":"centers-for-medicare-medicaid-services"}],"excerpts":"advance Medicare's overall value-based <span class=\"match\">care</span> strategy of growth, alignment, and equity through the Medicare Shared Savings Program (Shared Savings Program) and the Quality Payment Program. The structure of the programs enables us to develop a set of tools for measuring and encouraging improvements in <span class=\"match\">care</span>, <span class=\"match\">which</span> may support a shift to clinician payment over time into Advanced Alternative Payment Models (APMs) and accountable <span class=\"match\">care</span> arrangements <span class=\"match\">which</span> reduce <span class=\"match\">care</span> fragmentation and unnecessary costs for <span class=\"match\">patients</span> and the health system. \n This rulemaking"},{"title":"Medicare Program; Changes to the Medicare Advantage and the Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit Program for Contract Year 2024-Remaining Provisions and Contract Year 2025 Policy and Technical Changes to the Medicare Advantage Program, Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit Program, Medicare Cost Plan Program, and Programs of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE)","type":"Rule","abstract":"This final rule will revise the Medicare Advantage (Part C), Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit (Part D), Medicare cost plan, and Programs of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) regulations to implement changes related to Star Ratings, marketing and communications, agent/broker compensation, health equity, dual eligible special needs plans (D-SNPs), utilization management, network adequacy, and other programmatic areas. This final rule also codifies existing sub-regulatory guidance in the Part C and Part D programs.","document_number":"2024-07105","html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2024/04/23/2024-07105/medicare-program-changes-to-the-medicare-advantage-and-the-medicare-prescription-drug-benefit","pdf_url":"https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2024-04-23/pdf/2024-07105.pdf","public_inspection_pdf_url":"https://public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2024-07105.pdf?1712265021","publication_date":"2024-04-23","agencies":[{"raw_name":"DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES","name":"Health and Human Services Department","id":221,"url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/health-and-human-services-department","json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/agencies/221","parent_id":null,"slug":"health-and-human-services-department"},{"raw_name":"Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services","name":"Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services","id":45,"url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/centers-for-medicare-medicaid-services","json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/agencies/45","parent_id":221,"slug":"centers-for-medicare-medicaid-services"},{"raw_name":"Office of the Secretary"}],"excerpts":"systematic process of collecting <span class=\"match\">patient</span>-specific information, assessing medication therapies to identify medication-related problems, developing a prioritized list of medication-related problems, and creating a plan to resolve them with the <span class=\"match\">patient</span>, caregiver, and/or prescriber. The CMR is designed to improve <span class=\"match\">patients</span>' knowledge of their prescriptions, over-the-counter (OTC) medications, herbal therapies and dietary supplements, identify and address problems or concerns that <span class=\"match\">patients</span> may have, and empower <span class=\"match\">patients</span> to self-manage their medications"},{"title":"Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Calendar Year 2026 Home Health Prospective Payment System (HH PPS) Rate Update; Requirements for the HH Quality Reporting Program and the HH Value-Based Purchasing Expanded Model; Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics, and Supplies (DMEPOS) Competitive Bidding Program Updates; DMEPOS Accreditation Requirements; Provider Enrollment; and Other Medicare and Medicaid Policies","type":"Rule","abstract":"This final rule sets forth routine updates to the Medicare home health payment rates in accordance with existing statutory and regulatory requirements. In addition, this final rule finalizes permanent and temporary behavior adjustments and recalibrates the case- mix weights and update the functional impairment levels; comorbidity subgroups; and low-utilization payment adjustment (LUPA) thresholds for CY 2026. This final rule also finalizes changes to the face-to-face encounter policy and changes to the Home Health Quality Reporting Program (HH QRP) and the expanded Health Value-Based Purchasing (HHVBP) Model requirements. In addition, it updates the Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics, and Supplies (DMEPOS) Competitive Bidding Program (CBP). Lastly it finalizes: a technical change to the HH conditions of participation; updates to DMEPOS supplier conditions of payment; updates to provider and supplier enrollment requirements; and changes to DMEPOS accreditation requirements.","document_number":"2025-21767","html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/12/02/2025-21767/medicare-and-medicaid-programs-calendar-year-2026-home-health-prospective-payment-system-hh-pps-rate","pdf_url":"https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2025-12-02/pdf/2025-21767.pdf","public_inspection_pdf_url":"https://public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2025-21767.pdf?1764364516","publication_date":"2025-12-02","agencies":[{"raw_name":"DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES","name":"Health and Human Services Department","id":221,"url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/health-and-human-services-department","json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/agencies/221","parent_id":null,"slug":"health-and-human-services-department"},{"raw_name":"Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services","name":"Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services","id":45,"url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/centers-for-medicare-medicaid-services","json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/agencies/45","parent_id":221,"slug":"centers-for-medicare-medicaid-services"}],"excerpts":"must be billed by the HHA while a <span class=\"match\">patient</span> is under a home health plan of <span class=\"match\">care</span>, as the law requires separate consolidated billing of certain osteoporosis drugs and dNPWT devices.\n \n \n To better align payment with <span class=\"match\">patient</span> <span class=\"match\">care</span> needs and to better ensure that clinically complex and ill beneficiaries have adequate access to home health <span class=\"match\">care</span>, in the CY 2019 HH PPS final rule with comment period (83 FR 56406), we finalized case-mix methodology refinements, including the removal of therapy thresholds, through the <span class=\"match\">Patient</span>-Driven Groupings Model (PDGM) for"},{"title":"Medicare Program; Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems for Acute Care Hospitals and the Long-Term Care Hospital Prospective Payment System and Policy Changes and Fiscal Year 2024 Rates; Quality Programs and Medicare Promoting Interoperability Program Requirements for Eligible Hospitals and Critical Access Hospitals; Rural Emergency Hospital and Physician-Owned Hospital Requirements; and Provider and Supplier Disclosure of Ownership; and Medicare Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) Payments: Counting Certain Days Associated With Section 1115 Demonstrations in the Medicaid Fraction","type":"Rule","abstract":"This final rule will: 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); and make other policy- related changes. This final rule also revises our regulations on the counting of days associated with individuals eligible for certain benefits provided by section 1115 demonstrations in the Medicaid fraction of a hospital's disproportionate patient percentage (DPP) used in the disproportionate share hospital (DSH) calculation.","document_number":"2023-16252","html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2023/08/28/2023-16252/medicare-program-hospital-inpatient-prospective-payment-systems-for-acute-care-hospitals-and-the","pdf_url":"https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2023-08-28/pdf/2023-16252.pdf","public_inspection_pdf_url":"https://public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2023-16252.pdf?1690920924","publication_date":"2023-08-28","agencies":[{"raw_name":"DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES","name":"Health and Human Services Department","id":221,"url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/health-and-human-services-department","json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/agencies/221","parent_id":null,"slug":"health-and-human-services-department"},{"raw_name":"Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services","name":"Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services","id":45,"url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/centers-for-medicare-medicaid-services","json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/agencies/45","parent_id":221,"slug":"centers-for-medicare-medicaid-services"}],"excerpts":"to participate in the Medicare program and <span class=\"match\">which</span> are considered necessary to ensure the health and safety of <span class=\"match\">patients</span> receiving services at these entities. \n • Section 1877(i) of the Act, as added by section 6001(a)(3) of the <span class=\"match\">Patient</span> Protection and Affordable <span class=\"match\">Care</span> Act of 2010 (Affordable <span class=\"match\">Care</span> Act) (Pub. L. 111-148) and amended by section 1106 of the Health <span class=\"match\">Care</span> and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 (HCERA) (Pub. L. 111-152), <span class=\"match\">which</span> requires the Secretary to establish and implement a process under <span class=\"match\">which</span> a hospital that is an “applicable hospital”"},{"title":"Medicare Program; FY 2025 Hospice Wage Index and Payment Rate Update, Hospice Conditions of Participation Updates, and Hospice Quality Reporting Program Requirements","type":"Proposed Rule","abstract":"This proposed rule would update the hospice wage index, payment rates, and aggregate cap amount for Fiscal Year (FY) 2025. This rule proposes changes to the Hospice Quality Reporting Program. This rule also proposes to adopt the most recent Office of Management and Budget statistical area delineations, which would change the hospice wage index. This rule proposes to clarify current policy related to the \"election statement\" and the \"notice of election\", as well as to add clarifying language regarding hospice certification. Finally, this rulemaking solicits comments regarding potential implementation of a separate payment mechanism to account for high intensity palliative care services.","document_number":"2024-06921","html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2024/04/04/2024-06921/medicare-program-fy-2025-hospice-wage-index-and-payment-rate-update-hospice-conditions-of","pdf_url":"https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2024-04-04/pdf/2024-06921.pdf","public_inspection_pdf_url":"https://public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2024-06921.pdf?1711656916","publication_date":"2024-04-04","agencies":[{"raw_name":"DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES","name":"Health and Human Services Department","id":221,"url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/health-and-human-services-department","json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/agencies/221","parent_id":null,"slug":"health-and-human-services-department"},{"raw_name":"Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services","name":"Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services","id":45,"url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/centers-for-medicare-medicaid-services","json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/agencies/45","parent_id":221,"slug":"centers-for-medicare-medicaid-services"}],"excerpts":"Intensity Palliative <span class=\"match\">Care</span> Services \n \n We define hospice <span class=\"match\">care</span> as a set of comprehensive services described in section 1861(dd)(1) of the Act, identified and coordinated by an interdisciplinary group (IDG) to provide for the physical, psychosocial, spiritual, and emotional needs of a terminally ill <span class=\"match\">patient</span> and/or family members, as delineated in a specific <span class=\"match\">patient</span> plan of <span class=\"match\">care</span> (§ 418.3). Hospice <span class=\"match\">care</span> changes the focus of a <span class=\"match\">patient's</span> illness to <span class=\"match\">comfort</span> <span class=\"match\">care</span> (palliative <span class=\"match\">care</span>) for pain relief and symptom management from a curative type of <span class=\"match\">care</span>. Under the hospice"},{"title":"Medicare and Medicaid Programs: Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment and Ambulatory Surgical Center Payment Systems; Quality Reporting Programs, Including the Hospital Inpatient Quality Reporting Program; Health and Safety Standards for Obstetrical Services in Hospitals and Critical Access Hospitals; Prior Authorization; Requests for Information; Medicaid and CHIP Continuous Eligibility; Medicaid Clinic Services Four Walls Exceptions; Individuals Currently or Formerly in Custody of Penal Authorities; Revision to Medicare Special Enrollment Period for Formerly Incarcerated Individuals; and All-Inclusive Rate Add-On Payment for High-Cost Drugs Provided by Indian Health Service and Tribal Facilities","type":"Rule","abstract":"This final rule with comment period revises the Medicare Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) and the Medicare Ambulatory Surgical Center (ASC) payment system for calendar year 2025 based on our continuing experience with these systems. We describe the changes to the amounts and factors used to determine the payment rates for Medicare services paid under the OPPS and those paid under the ASC payment system. Also, this final rule updates the requirements for the Hospital Outpatient Quality Reporting Program, Rural Emergency Hospital Quality Reporting Program, Ambulatory Surgical Center Quality Reporting Program, and Hospital Inpatient Quality Reporting Program. We also summarize information received in response to a Request for Information on potential modifications to the Safety of Care measure group in the Overall Hospital Quality Star Rating methodology. In this final rule, we are also finalizing our proposal to narrow the description of \"custody\" in the Medicare payment exclusion rule and to revise the special enrollment period criteria for formerly incarcerated individuals. We are also finalizing our Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) continuous eligibility provisions. We are also finalizing the proposal to reduce the review timeframe for standard prior authorization requests for certain covered outpatient department services paid under the OPPS from 10-business days to 7-calendar days. Further, this rule finalizes updates to the Conditions of Participation (CoPs) for hospitals and critical access hospitals (CAHs) in an effort to advance the health and safety of pregnant, birthing, and postpartum women. This rule also finalizes our proposed policy to separately pay Indian Health Service (IHS) and Tribal hospitals for high-cost drugs furnished in hospital outpatient departments through an add-on payment in addition to the all-inclusive rate (AIR) under the authorities used to calculate the AIR starting January 1, 2025. Finally, we are finalizing exceptions to the Medicaid clinic services four walls requirement for IHS and Tribal clinics, and, at state option, for behavioral health clinics and clinics located in rural areas.","document_number":"2024-25521","html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2024/11/27/2024-25521/medicare-and-medicaid-programs-hospital-outpatient-prospective-payment-and-ambulatory-surgical","pdf_url":"https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2024-11-27/pdf/2024-25521.pdf","public_inspection_pdf_url":"https://public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2024-25521.pdf?1730492130","publication_date":"2024-11-27","agencies":[{"raw_name":"DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES","name":"Health and Human Services Department","id":221,"url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/health-and-human-services-department","json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/agencies/221","parent_id":null,"slug":"health-and-human-services-department"},{"raw_name":"Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services","name":"Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services","id":45,"url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/centers-for-medicare-medicaid-services","json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/agencies/45","parent_id":221,"slug":"centers-for-medicare-medicaid-services"}],"excerpts":"Act under Division B of Title I of the Tax Relief and Health <span class=\"match\">Care</span> Act of 2006 (MIEA-TRHCA) (Pub. L. 109-432), enacted on December 20, 2006; the Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP Extension Act of 2007 (MMSEA) (Pub. L. 110-173), enacted on December 29, 2007; the Medicare Improvements for <span class=\"match\">Patients</span> and Providers Act of 2008 (MIPPA) (Pub. L. 110-275), enacted on July 15, 2008; the <span class=\"match\">Patient</span> Protection and Affordable <span class=\"match\">Care</span> Act (Pub. L. 111-148), enacted on March 23, 2010, as amended by the Health <span class=\"match\">Care</span> and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 (HCERA, Pub. L. 111-152)"},{"title":"Medicare Program; Contract Year 2027 and Certain Contract Year 2026 Policy and Technical Changes to the Medicare Advantage Program, Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit Program, and Medicare Cost Plan Program","type":"Rule","abstract":"This final rule revises the Medicare Advantage (Part C), Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit (Part D), and Medicare cost plan regulations to implement changes related to Star Ratings, marketing and communications, drug coverage, enrollment processes, special needs plans, and other programmatic areas.","document_number":"2026-06600","html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/04/06/2026-06600/medicare-program-contract-year-2027-and-certain-contract-year-2026-policy-and-technical-changes-to","pdf_url":"https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2026-04-06/pdf/2026-06600.pdf","public_inspection_pdf_url":"https://public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2026-06600.pdf?1775160908","publication_date":"2026-04-06","agencies":[{"raw_name":"DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES","name":"Health and Human Services Department","id":221,"url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/health-and-human-services-department","json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/agencies/221","parent_id":null,"slug":"health-and-human-services-department"},{"raw_name":"Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services","name":"Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services","id":45,"url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/centers-for-medicare-medicaid-services","json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/agencies/45","parent_id":221,"slug":"centers-for-medicare-medicaid-services"}],"excerpts":"Medicare &amp; You Handbook, <span class=\"match\">which</span> provides general information on Medicare benefits, costs, rights, and protections; the Evidence of Coverage document provided by their Part D plan, <span class=\"match\">which</span> provides details on what their plan covers, how much they will pay, how to file a complaint, and more; and Medicare Plan Finder on Medicare.gov <span class=\"match\">which</span> allows users to compare Medicare health and drug plans in their area and compare costs.\n \n \n Comment: \n A commenter requested that CMS establish a formal mechanism for <span class=\"match\">patients</span> and <span class=\"match\">patient</span> advocacy organizations to"},{"title":"Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Calendar Year 2026 Home Health Prospective Payment System (HH PPS) Rate Update; Requirements for the HH Quality Reporting Program and the HH Value-Based Purchasing Expanded Model; Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics, and Supplies (DMEPOS) Competitive Bidding Program Updates; DMEPOS Accreditation Requirements; Provider Enrollment; and Other Medicare and Medicaid Policies","type":"Proposed Rule","abstract":"This proposed rule would set forth routine updates to the Medicare home health payment rates in accordance with existing statutory and regulatory requirements. In addition, this proposed rule proposes permanent and temporary behavior adjustments and proposes to recalibrate the case-mix weights and update the functional impairment levels; comorbidity subgroups; and low-utilization payment adjustment (LUPA) thresholds for CY 2026. Lastly, this proposed rule proposes policy changes to the face-to-face encounter policy. It also proposes changes to the Home Health Quality Reporting Program (HH QRP) and the expanded Health Value-Based Purchasing (HHVBP) Model requirements. In addition, it would update the Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics, and Supplies (DMEPOS) Competitive Bidding Program (CBP). Lastly it proposes: a technical change to the HH conditions of participation; updates to DMEPOS supplier conditions of payment; updates to provider and supplier enrollment requirements; and changes to DMEPOS accreditation requirements.","document_number":"2025-12347","html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/07/02/2025-12347/medicare-and-medicaid-programs-calendar-year-2026-home-health-prospective-payment-system-hh-pps-rate","pdf_url":"https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2025-07-02/pdf/2025-12347.pdf","public_inspection_pdf_url":"https://public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2025-12347.pdf?1751314517","publication_date":"2025-07-02","agencies":[{"raw_name":"DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES","name":"Health and Human Services Department","id":221,"url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/health-and-human-services-department","json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/agencies/221","parent_id":null,"slug":"health-and-human-services-department"},{"raw_name":"Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services","name":"Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services","id":45,"url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/centers-for-medicare-medicaid-services","json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/agencies/45","parent_id":221,"slug":"centers-for-medicare-medicaid-services"}],"excerpts":"inpatient acute <span class=\"match\">care</span> hospitalizations, inpatient psychiatric facility (IPF) stays, skilled nursing facility (SNF) stays, inpatient rehabilitation facility (IRF) stays, or long-term <span class=\"match\">care</span> hospital (LTCH) stays within 14-days prior to a home health admission are designated as institutional admissions. The institutional admission source category also includes <span class=\"match\">patients</span> that had an acute <span class=\"match\">care</span> hospital stay during a previous 30-day period of <span class=\"match\">care</span> and within 14 days prior to the subsequent, contiguous 30-day period of <span class=\"match\">care</span> and for <span class=\"match\">which</span> the <span class=\"match\">patient</span> was not discharged"},{"title":"Nondiscrimination in Health Programs and Activities","type":"Rule","abstract":"The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS or the Department) is issuing this final rule regarding section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) (section 1557). Section 1557 prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability in certain health programs and activities. Section 1557(c) of the ACA authorizes the Secretary of the Department to promulgate regulations to implement the nondiscrimination requirements of section 1557. The Department is also revising its interpretation regarding whether Medicare Part B constitutes Federal financial assistance for purposes of civil rights enforcement. Additionally, the Department is revising provisions prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sex in regulations issued by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) governing Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP); Programs of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE); health insurance issuers and their officials, employees, agents, and representatives; States and the Exchanges carrying out Exchange requirements; agents, brokers, or web-brokers that assist with or facilitate enrollment of qualified individuals, qualified employers, or qualified employees; issuers providing essential health benefits (EHB); and qualified health plan issuers.","document_number":"2024-08711","html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2024/05/06/2024-08711/nondiscrimination-in-health-programs-and-activities","pdf_url":"https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2024-05-06/pdf/2024-08711.pdf","public_inspection_pdf_url":"https://public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2024-08711.pdf?1714162519","publication_date":"2024-05-06","agencies":[{"raw_name":"DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES","name":"Health and Human Services Department","id":221,"url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/health-and-human-services-department","json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/agencies/221","parent_id":null,"slug":"health-and-human-services-department"},{"raw_name":"Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services","name":"Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services","id":45,"url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/centers-for-medicare-medicaid-services","json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/agencies/45","parent_id":221,"slug":"centers-for-medicare-medicaid-services"},{"raw_name":"Office of the Secretary"}],"excerpts":"process by <span class=\"match\">which</span> they may seek assurance of an exemption under § 92.302. \n Again, OCR appreciates that religiously affiliated hospitals and health <span class=\"match\">care</span> facilities play an important role in the health <span class=\"match\">care</span> system and recognizes the critical <span class=\"match\">patient</span> <span class=\"match\">care</span> needs they provide, including in underserved communities and areas <span class=\"match\">which</span> otherwise lack access to quality health <span class=\"match\">care</span>. Any discussion relating to the prevalence of religiously affiliated <span class=\"match\">care</span> is relevant for OCR to evaluate access issues that <span class=\"match\">patients</span> seeking certain procedures or <span class=\"match\">care</span> could potentially"},{"title":"Protection of Federal Property","type":"Rule","abstract":"The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) adopts this regulation to govern the protection of Federal property. DHS developed this regulation in consultation with the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA). Consistent with DHS' statutory authority, these regulations provide charging options for violations occurring on and adjacent to Federal property, update prohibited conduct to incorporate advancing technology, provide clearer public notice, and apply the regulations more uniformly to property owned, operated or secured by the Federal Government. This final rule makes no substantive changes from the proposed rule that was published in the Federal Register on January 15, 2025.","document_number":"2025-10223","html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/06/09/2025-10223/protection-of-federal-property","pdf_url":"https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2025-06-09/pdf/2025-10223.pdf","public_inspection_pdf_url":"https://public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2025-10223.pdf?1749213907","publication_date":"2025-06-09","agencies":[{"raw_name":"DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY","name":"Homeland Security Department","id":227,"url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/homeland-security-department","json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/agencies/227","parent_id":null,"slug":"homeland-security-department"}],"excerpts":"property, provided that the game or drawing does not constitute gambling per se. \n \n \n \n § 139.45 \n \n \n (a) \n Narcotics and other drugs. \n Except when a <span class=\"match\">patient</span> uses a narcotic or drug as prescribed by a licensed health <span class=\"match\">care</span> provider in accordance with Federal law, any person on Federal property is prohibited from being under the <span class=\"match\">influence</span> of, using, possessing, or operating a vehicle while under the <span class=\"match\">influence</span> of any controlled substance as defined in 21 U.S.C. 802, 812, 841.\n \n \n (b) \n Drug paraphernalia. \n Any person on Federal property is prohibited"}]}