Proposed Payment Systems and Fee Schedules in 2023

Proposed rules revising the Medicare Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) and the Medicare Ambulatory Surgical Center (ASC) services, along with new physician fee schedule (PFS) rule sets will significantly impact providers in 2023.
HHS Awards $1.5 Billion Grant to Combat Opioid Addiction

HHS (through SAMHSA) announced a State Opioid Response (SOR) grant funding of nearly $1.5 billion to help address the nation’s opioid addiction and overdose epidemic.
HHS Launches the Inaugural PandemicX 2022 Cohort

HHS has launched the PandemicX 2022 cohort, a program to accelerate private-public collaboration of 15 health tech startups.
NIH Establishes Antiviral Drug Discover Centers

NIH has awarded approximately $577 million to establish nine Antiviral Drug Discovery Centers for Pathogens of Pandemic Concern.
HHS and ED Launch Joint-Department Effort to Expand School-Based Health Services

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Education Department have launched a joint-department effort to expand school-based health services.
New Test Detects and Measures Biomarkers in Blood Plasma to Earlier Diagnose Alzheimer’s

FDA has granted breakthrough device designation to Roche’s Elecsys Amyloid Plasma Panel, a new solution to enable Alzheimer’s disease to be detected earlier.
High-Dose IVIG Effective in Painful Diabetic Polyneuropathy Resistant to Conventional Treatments

Italian investigators conducted a trial to assess the safety and efficacy of IVIG in treatment-resistant painful diabetic polyneuropathy (DPN).
HHS Expands Funding for Mental Health and Substance Use Services

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) announced two Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs) funding opportunities to expand and increase access to evidence-based mental health and substance use services for Americans.
HHS Provides More COVID-19 Relief Funds to Healthcare Providers

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced more than $413 million in Provider Relief Fund (PRF) payments to more than 3,600 providers across the country.
How the No Surprises Act Protects Consumers

New federal protections shield millions of consumers from surprise medical bills, which are unexpected bills from out-of-network providers, out-of-network facilities or out-of-network air ambulance providers.