Washington Update: Monday, April 24, 2023
Proposed LTCH policy re High-Cost Outliers remains our highest priority.
As we detailed last week, CMS has proposed a significant and potentially disruptive change to the high-cost outlier (HCO) policy. It would inadvertently discourage LTCHs from taking the sickest patients – which is contrary to what CMS has been trying to accomplish over the past twenty years. We believe this is a case of CMS using inaccurate COVID-era data which has skewed the threshold calculation. We are working with our trade associations to make our case.
This week, House Republicans will try to pass their debt ceiling plan.
House Republicans will attempt to pass a budget plan which would reduce federal spending by $130 billion and curtail some of President Biden’s plans like student debt relief and climate spending. The plan will not be accepted by the Democratic-controlled Senate or the White House. President Biden says Congress should raise the debt ceiling without conditions on cutting spending. A failure to raise the limit could cause the government to default and tip the economy into recession.
Study: Nursing shortage is going to get much worse in near future.
A comprehensive study done by two national organizations predicts about 800,000 nurses say they intend to leave the workforce by 2027. To put this number in perspective, consider that approximately 100,000 nurses left the workforce during the pandemic — a fact that has already sounded alarm bells throughout U.S. healthcare. These numbers equate to 20% of the 4.5 million nurses in today’s workforce. Click here to read the study. https://www.journalofnursingregulation.com/action/showPdf?pii=S2155-8256%2823%2900047-9
Post-Acute expert David Grabowski of Harvard to leave MedPAC.
At a recent MedPAC meeting, Harvard professor David Grabowski, Ph.D., discussed his impending departure from MedPAC where he now serves as a commissioner and as MedPAC’s leading post-acute expert. Ten years ago, Dr. Grabowski championed the cause of unified post-acute payment, but he was also objective and admitted that, while technically feasible, the idea might not be worth pursing due to complications of aligning cost-sharing and other policies.
Mastriano considers run for Pennsylvania’s Senate seat.
With Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA) running for reelection, Republicans are trying to decide who would be their strongest candidate: party establishment David McCormick or MAGA firebrand Doug Mastriano. McCormick would do better in the general election, but Mastriano might still beat McCormick in the Republican primary – even though Mastriano lost the Governor’s race to Josh Shapiro by 15%. If Mastriano wins the nomination, he could be a drag on the Republican presidential nominee in a must-win state.
Rep. Vern Buchanan endorses Donald Trump for the Republican nomination.
Last week, Rep. Buchanan (R-FL) and other House Republicans from Florida endorsed Donald Trump over Florida governor Ron DeSantis. Nine of twenty members of Florida’s congressional Republican delegation have now endorsed Trump. Congressman Buchanan now chairs the House Ways & Means health subcommittee. His district is centered on the Sarasota and Tampa area.
What are Donald Trump’s odds of being the next President?
It’s the question I get asked the most. Trump seems to be the odds-on favorite to again win the Republican nomination – especially after the rocky rollout for Florida governor Ron DeSantis. Trump’s command of his hardcore base – about 30% of the party – will make it very hard to beat him for the Republican nomination. And, in the general election, Trump would have, at least, a 45% chance of beating Biden, maybe higher depending on circumstances.
Nicole Stallings will become new president of HAP state association.
The Hospital and Health system Association of Pennsylvania (HAP) has named Nicole Stallings as its next president. Stallings will succeed Andy Carter, who is retiring in June after more than a decade leading the organization. Stallings most recently served as chief external affairs officer for the Maryland Hospital Association (MHA). Select Medical is pleased to be a HAP member and John Duggan serves as Select Medical’s representative on the HAP board of directors.
Seema Verma to join Oracle Life Sciences as SVP.
Former Trump Administration CMS leader Seema Verma has accepted an offer to join Oracle Life Sciences as an SVP. Oracle Life Sciences helps pharmaceutical companies conduct clinical trials to bring new drugs to market. She will report to Oracle’s David Feinberg, M.D., the former CEO of UCLA Health & Geisinger.
Oracle is currently integrating EHR vendor Cerner which it bought for $28 billion last year. Prior to CMS, she was a healthcare consultant based in Indiana.