Administration Boosts Funding to Increase Access to Care, Cybersecurity
The Biden Administration bolsters funding to increase access to care through American Rescue Plan funding and asserts its commitment to cybersecurity following its May executive order.
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By - As the holiday weekend comes to a close, the Biden Administration did not slow its commitment to increasing access to care for patients. Through American Rescue Plan funding, CMS allocates funding to states expanding section 1332 waivers and announces flexibilities in the aftermath of Hurricane Ida.
President Biden and other White House staff also met with several cybersecurity leaders to discuss next steps to live up to the promises of the Administration’s May executive order. And partners at Sidley give advice on how providers can prepare for the implementation of the No Surprises Act.
Continued Funding from the American Rescue Plan Supports Lower Healthcare Costs
Over $450 million from the American Rescue Plan was announced by CMS to fund continued access to high quality, affordable care. The funds will be distributed across 13 states to expand subsidies provided through the American Rescue Plan to lower premiums for consumers leveraging the individual health insurance exchange and will cover a portion of the states’ cost for the section 1332 state-based reinsurance waivers. READ MORE
CMS Announces Flexibilities for States in Aftermath of Ida
HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra declared a Public Health Emergency in New York and New Jersey on September 3. The announcement follows a previous state of emergency in Louisiana and Mississippi following Hurricane Ida. In support, CMS notified all four states of available waivers to ensure hospitals and other organizations can continue to provide services to patients in need. The agencies also list further resources, including the Disaster Toolkit and Support for State Medicaid and CHIP Agencies, all intended to ensure access to essential healthcare services throughout the emergency. READ MORE
Biden Administration Outlines Cybersecurity Initiatives
President Biden and other White House officials met with leaders from Apple, Google, Amazon, JPMorgan and Chase to discuss national cybersecurity initiatives. The meeting was prompted by the Administration’s May executive order. Several cybersecurity leaders present outlined their efforts to bolster the country’s cybersecurity infrastructure including Apple CEO Tim Cook who said his company will establish a program to improve security across the technology supply chain and work with suppliers toward adoption of multi-factor authentication and other security best practices. READ MORE
Providers Prepare for the No Surprises Act
Partners at Sidley sat down with RevCycleIntelligence to discuss how provider organizations should begin preparing for the implementation of the No Surprises Act. The Act targets emergency and non-emergency situations where patients are balance billed for out-of-network services, providers, and care locations. To prepare for the January 1, 2022 effective date, provider organizations must begin reimagining processes to work with traditionally out-of-network payers. READ MORE
