Experts say Medicare's new $35 copay cap for insulin is hardly a win as it applies only to insulin, doesn't change actual prices, and will drive premiums up, all while giving drug companies political cover
Relaxed regulations and improved payments lead to Medicare telehealth visits exploding from 11,000 per week in March to 1.3M in a week in April
CMS announces 1,750 insurance plans have agreed to cap insulin costs for Medicare Advantage and Part D members at $35/month; Drugmakers have also agreed to the plan
CMS expands Medicare Advantage telehealth rules to allow plans to include more specialists to meet network adequacy standards; Also allows ESRD patients to enroll in MA plans
CMS says nursing homes should stay closed to visitors until they have no new COVID-19 cases for 28 days and should test workers weekly
Analysis: As of May 2, 27 million have lost employer sponsored insurance; 79% of those are eligible for subsidized coverage through Medicaid or subsidized exchange plans
Doctor on Demand to start offering services to Medicare Part B FFS beneficiaries; Assuming telehealth regulations will remain loosened post-pandemic
CMS circulates draft guidelines for reopening nursing homes; Industry says they're too vague, while experts say it's too soon to reopen
CMS issues interim rule to remove spending associated with COVID patients from performance calculations for ACOs
CMS announces new rules to extend telehealth coverage & boost payment rates; Also relaxing rules to make it easier to get coronavirus testing