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All U.S. states except for Alaska use provider taxes to finance some of their share of Medicaid spending, most commonly taxes on nursing facilities and hospitals, according to health policy research group the KFF. The tax arrangements are largely supported by providers, as they result in higher Medicaid reimbursements. However, opponents of the policies argue the arrangements allow states to shift more costs back onto the federal government.
The Senate package to reopen the government places a caveat on funding for the Department of Veterans Affairs’ Electronic Health Record system, putting new pressure on the agency to resolve its yearslong challenges with the rollout.
he AHA commented Nov. 3 on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ calendar year 2026 final rule for the physician fee schedule. The rule, released Oct. 31, increases the qualifying alternative payment model participant conversion factor by 3.77% in CY 2026 as compared to CY 2025.
DEA to publish 4th extension of telehealth prescribing rule in wave of relief for virtual care providers
As the government reopens its doors, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) also appears ready to issue another temporary extension of pandemic-era prescribing flexibilities. Medicare telehealth providers will soon start to receive back pay for the last 42 days of the government shutdown. Many Medicare doctors have continued seeing patients via telehealth since Congress let the clock run out on government funding.
The state of rural primary care
Nearly 40% of adults living in rural areas have turned to emergency departments for care that could have been handled in a primary care setting, pointing to persistent issues rural residents face when trying to access routine healthcare services, according to a Commonwealth Fund report published Nov. 17.
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