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What We’re Reading: CMS Hospice Payment Rate Rule; COVID-19 Funding; FDA Votes on ALS Treatment
CMS-1773-P will establish a budget-neutral payment policy to smooth year-to-year changes in the hospice wage index; President Joe Biden pushes for $22 billion in COVID-19 funding from Congress; an FDA advisory panel said there is not enough evidence supporting the efficacy of the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) treatment AMX0035.
CMS Proposes Hospice Payment Rate Rule for 2023 Fiscal Year
CMS proposed a new rule Wednesday that would provide routine adjustments to hospice-based payments and the aggregate cap amount for the 2023 fiscal year, according to a CMS news release. The rule, CMS-1773-P, will establish a permanent, budget-neutral payment policy to smooth year-to-year changes in the hospice wage index, including a permanent cap on negative wage indexes greater than 5%, and make these updates based on existing statutory and regulatory requirements. Additionally, CMS-1773-P gives an update on HOPE, a patient assessment tool that would contribute to a patient’s plan of care.
President Biden Fights for More COVID-19 Funding
As part of his announcement of COVID.gov, President Joe Biden also pushed for more COVID-19 funding from Congress, The Washington Post reported. In his appeal for at least $22 billion, Biden argued that the United States cannot wait until another wave of the virus to fight for more funding. This news comes after the FDA approval of a second COVID-19 booster for older adults, although officials said there is not enough funding to place advance orders to supply these additional doses for all older Americans unless Congress approves the funding request.
FDA Panel Says New ALS Treatment Is Not Yet Proven Effective
An FDA advisory panel said there is not enough evidence supporting the efficacy of the new amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) treatment AMX0035, which was developed by Amylyx Pharmaceuticals, The New York Times reported. The panel voted 6 to 4 that currently available scientific data collected from a small, mid-stage study on the 2-drug combination was insufficient to demonstrate that it could slow the progression of ALS. Still, the FDA will decide in the coming months whether to approve the ALS drug.
LLMs Show Promise, But Challenges Remain in Improving Inefficient Clinical Trial Screening
July 31st 2025Large language models (LLMs) such as GPT-3.5 and GPT-4 may offer a solution to the costly and inefficient process of manual clinical trial screening, which is often hindered by the inability of structured electronic health record data to capture all necessary criteria.
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Trends in Insulin Out-of-Pocket Costs and Use Disparities, 2008-2021
July 31st 2025Given trends in cost and use, insulin out-of-pocket cost reduction policies would be more efficient if they targeted members in high-deductible health plans with savings options and low-income patients.
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Laundromats as a New Frontier in Community Health, Medicaid Outreach
May 29th 2025Lindsey Leininger, PhD, and Allister Chang, MPA, highlight the potential of laundromats as accessible, community-based settings to support Medicaid outreach, foster trust, and connect families with essential health and social services.
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Specialty Drug Costs Drive Medicare Part D Dermatology Expenditures
July 22nd 2025The rapidly increasing prescriptions for expensive specialty medications, rather than their price growth, are the primary driver of escalating dermatology Medicare Part D expenditures, necessitating policies that balance innovation, access, and affordability.
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