Senate Moving Major House-Passed Health Bill
The Senate will take up legislation today that passed the House of Representatives last week called the 21st Century Cures Act, which is a revised version of the medical innovation package passed in the House last year. The bill increases opioid funding, overhauls mental health programs, and adjusts Medicare provider payments. The bill is expected to pass the Senate and the President is likely to sign it. Among the specific issues in the bill:
- Continues Medicare payment under HOPD prospective payment system for services furnished by mid-build off-campus outpatient departments of hospitals;
- $1 billion in grant funding for opioid abuse response projects and a separate legislative package seeking to overhaul mental health policies and boost treatment programs;
- Retains and adds various telehealth, health information technology, and Medicare service delivery provisions; and
- Extends the 25% rule waiver for long-term care hospitals through fiscal year 2017.
- Forces more EHR interoperability (click here.)
To review the full summary of the bill click here, the full bill language is available here.