EMPHASIS ON INFRASTRUCTURE
INFRASTRUCTURE IS TOP OF MIND. This week, lawmakers are continuing discussions internally and with the White House on the next big legislative package, which is expected to focus on infrastructure. Since President Biden outlined his American Jobs Plan, infrastructure has been the focus in Congress, the Administration and among stakeholders across all sectors. However, there are still a lot of unanswered questions regarding where the Biden Administration and Congress go next with the proposal. There is still no legislative text on the infrastructure proposal, and it is not clear when or how Congress will act on healthcare measures. Until we start seeing actual text of the proposal the details on what’s next, what is possible remains unclear.
CMS REVERSES TEXAS MEDICAID WAIVER. Late last week, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) revoked Texas’ 10-year 1115 Medicaid waiver, Texas Healthcare Transformation and Quality Improvement Program. This waiver was initially approved in the final month of the Trump Administration. In the letter, CMS states that Texas did not provide an adequate notice and comment process or a sufficient basis for an exemption to the public notice and comment process. This waiver would have provided federal funding for the state’s uncompensated care funding pool that reimburses hospitals for caring for the uninsured. In addition to the Texas waiver, the Trump Administration approved a 10-year uncompensated care pool 1115 waiver in Florida, and a 10-year 1115 waiver to implement an aggregate cap on federal Medicaid spending in Tennessee, two other non-expansion states. CMS under the Biden Administration has yet to issue any letters to revoke these waivers; however, we will be watching closely for any action in these two states as the Biden Administration continues to make its Medicaid priorities known.
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