CMS

On May 31, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released the latest enrollment figures for Medicare, Medicaid, and CHIP. As of February 2024, over 67 million people are enrolled in Medicare; more than 33.3 million are enrolled in fee-for-service Medicare, and over 33.7 million are enrolled in Medicare Advantage or other health plans. Over 83.3 million enrollees have Medicaid and CHIP. More than 76.2 million individuals have Medicaid, and nearly 7.1 million have coverage through CHIP. Over 12 million individuals are dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid and are counted in the enrollment figures for both programs.

On April 22, 2024, CMS released the a new set of final regulations related to ensuring access to Medicaid home and community-based services (HCBS). The regulations are collectively referred to as the Access Rule. The Access Rule adds new requirements for states in both managed care and fee-for-service (FFS) delivery systems related to: • Payment adequacy and transparency of Medicaid payment rates to direct care workers; • Critical incident management; • Timeliness of access to services; • Person-centered service planning; • Establishing a grievance system in fee-for-service (FFS) programs; and • Quality measures.

On April 30, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released the latest enrollment figures for Medicare, Medicaid, and CHIP. As of January 2024, over 66.9 million people are enrolled in Medicare; more than 33.3 million are enrolled in fee-for-service Medicare, and over 33.6 million are enrolled in Medicare Advantage or other health plans. Over 84 million enrollees have Medicaid and CHIP. More than 76.9 million individuals have Medicaid, and over 7.1 million have coverage through CHIP. Over 12 million individuals are dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid and are counted in the enrollment figures for both programs.

On April 22, 2024, CMS released a new set of final regulations related to ensuring access to Medicaid home and community-based services (HCBS). The regulations are collectively referred to as the Access Rule. The Access Rule adds new requirements for states in both managed care and fee-for-service (FFS) delivery systems related to: • Payment adequacy and transparency of Medicaid payment rates to direct care workers; • Critical incident management; • Timeliness of access to services; • Person-centered service planning; • Establishing a grievance system in fee-for-service (FFS) programs; and • Quality measures.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) implemented new regulations to improve care for nursing home residents. The regulations include mandated minimum staffing levels to ensure sufficient qualified personnel, increased transparency of how Medicaid payments are used by facilities, and more thorough inspections to hold nursing homes accountable. Additionally, all facilities must now have a registered nurse on-site 24/7 to provide care. These standards aim to enhance the overall quality of life for residents in long-term care facilities.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), is finalizing policies that strengthen enrollee protections to ensure Medicare Advantage and Medicare Part D prescription drug plans meet the needs of people with Medicare. The final rule builds on existing CMS policies to promote competition, increase access to care, and protect individuals from inappropriate marketing and prior authorization. CMS is taking bold steps to address predatory marketing strategies to help individuals find the plan that best suits their needs.

The Center for Medicare and Medicaid published a paper examining how the integration of a new Quality Pathway will positively impact overall patient experience in CMS Innovation Center models. The Quality Pathway aims to align quality goals within CMS alternative payment models, elevate outcomes and experience measures, and ensure that evaluations are better designed to assess the impact of models on patient-centered goals. These determinations will help the CMS Innovation Center make critical decisions about which models to expand in the pursuit of improving the quality of care for people with Medicare and Medicaid.

On March 28, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released the latest enrollment figures for Medicare, Medicaid, and CHIP. As of December 2023, over 66.8 million people are enrolled in Medicare; more than 34.2 million are enrolled in fee-for-service Medicare, and over 32.6 million are enrolled in Medicare Advantage or other health plans. Over 85 million enrollees have Medicaid and CHIP. More than 77.9 million individuals have Medicaid, and over 7.1 million have coverage through CHIP. Over 12 million individuals are dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid and are counted in the enrollment figures for both programs.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Office of Minority Health recognizes National Minority Health Month during the month of April. CMS OMH raises awareness about health disparities that disproportionately impact people from historically marginalized communities. CMS is committed to identifying where health care disparities exist and works to improve health equity across their programs and policies. CMS focuses on incorporating the perspective of lived experiences and integrating safety net providers and community-based organizations into their programs to eradicate differences in health outcomes experienced by people who are disadvantaged or underserved. This article includes a list of resources to be shared to spread awareness.

The CMS National Training Program provides save the dates for their Medicare Program basics webinars. These webinars help those who assist people with Medicare make informed decisions about their 2024 health care coverage. The webinars will include different topics each day. Participants can attend one or both days, and space is limited. The webinars will be held on Tuesday, April 16 from 1:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. E.T and Wednesday, April 17 from 1:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. E.T.