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.
Two Major Changes in Medicare in 2022
The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted gaps the healthcare system. Two improvements to Medicare in 2022 seek to give people greater access to telehealth and other care delivery options.
Researchers at Emory University Awarded Grant to Pursue a Cure for HIV
An Emory University-led research collaboration has been awarded a five-year $23.8 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to fast-track research to cure HIV infection or put it in permanent remission.
HHS Study Shows 63-Fold Increase in Medicare Telehealth Utilization During the Pandemic
A report from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has found that considerable increases in the use of telehealth helped maintain some healthcare access during the COVID- 19 pandemic,
CMS Launches New Medicare.gov Tool to Compare Nursing Home Vaccination Rates
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is making it easier to check COVID-19 vaccination rates for nursing home staff and residents by making vaccination data available in a user-friendly format.
Interim Rule Advances Key Protections Against Surprise Medical Bills
An interim final rule with comment period to further implement the No Surprises Act details a process that will take patients out of the middle of payment disputes, provides a transparent process to settle out-of-network (OON) rates between providers and payers, and outlines requirements for healthcare cost estimates for uninsured (or self-pay) individuals.
HHS Announces the Availability of $25.5 Billion in COVID-19 Provider Funding
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is making $25.5 billion in new funding available for healthcare providers affected by the COVID- 19 pandemic.
OCR Issues Guidance on HIPAA, COVID-19 Vaccinations and the Workplace
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office for Civil Rights (OCR) issued guidance to help the public understand when the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) Privacy Rule applies to disclosures and requests for information about whether a person has received a COVID-19 vaccine.