Health Care Industry Events

On May 10, 2021, the Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”) announced that— consistent with the Supreme Court’s decision in Bostock v. Clayton County, 140 S. Ct. 1731 (2020), and Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972—HHS’s Office of Civil Rights (“OCR”) will interpret and enforce the prohibition on discrimination on the

CMS is hosting three listening sessions in January 2020 on how to “improve processes and enhance interactions” between the Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs) and providers and suppliers, particularly with regard to operations, technology, and business functions.  CMS also seeks ideas for ways to enhance beneficiary quality of care and the beneficiary customer service experience with

Reed Smith is hosting its 6th Annual Washington Health Care Conference on December 4, 2019 at The Almas Center in Washington, D.C., and is pleased to welcome another impressive line-up of speakers this year.

Our keynote speaker is Dr. John Whyte, Chief Medical Officer of WebMD, who will be discussing “Artificial Intelligence in Health Care: Disrupt but Don’t Be Disruptive.”

The conference also includes a particularly timely panel on the proposed rules to modernize Stark Law and the Anti-Kickback Statute. Our presenters include: Lisa Wilson, Senior Technical Advisor to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services; David Gregory, Principal, Healthcare Practice, Baker Tilly Virchow Krause; Nancy Bonifant Halstead, Partner, Reed Smith; and moderator Nicole Aiken-Shaban, Senior Associate, Reed Smith.

We’re also pleased to be offering a session with representatives from major associations on how the industry is preparing for the next major shift in the health delivery continuum. Our presenters include: Terry Chang, MD, JD, Vice President, Assistant General Counsel, and Director, Legal & Medical Affairs, AdvaMed; Clif Porter, Senior Vice President, Government Relations, AHCA; Julie Wagner, Senior Assistant General Counsel, PhRMA; Katie Mahoney, Vice President, Health Policy at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce; and moderator Elizabeth Carder-Thompson, Senior Counsel, Reed Smith.

Additional conference sessions include:
Continue Reading Speakers from WebMD, CMS, PhRMA, AdvaMed, AHCA, and More to Present at Reed Smith’s Dec. 4 Washington Health Care Conference

Fiscal year (FY) 2021 applications for Medicare inpatient prospective payment system (IPPS) new technology add-on payments will be discussed at a December 16, 2019 Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) town hall meeting.  Depending on the number of applications, a second day of meetings may be held on December 17.  The meetings provide an

CMS has scheduled a June 27, 2019 listening session to get public feedback on its recent draft guidance on how state surveyors should evaluate hospital co-location arrangements for compliance with the Medicare hospital conditions of participation (COPs).  In particular, CMS is looking for input on how the guidance addresses staffing, contracted services, emergency services,

The annual Advisory Panel on Hospital Outpatient Payment meeting will be held on August 19-20, 2019, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has announced.  The Panel is charged with advising CMS on outpatient prospective payment system (OPPS) ambulatory payment classification clinical integrity and weights, along with hospital outpatient therapeutic services supervision issues. 

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has scheduled a June 24, 2019 public meeting on calendar year (CY) 2020 Medicare Clinical Laboratory Fee Schedule (CLFS) payments for new or substantially revised clinical lab codes.  Specifically, the June meeting will provide an opportunity for the public to submit comments on the appropriate basis —

CMS has announced the schedule for public meetings on pending applications for new or revised HCPCS codes for calendar year 2020:

May 13-15, 2019 — Drugs/Biologicals/ Radiopharmaceuticals/Radiologic Imaging Agents.

June 11-12, 2019 — Durable Medical Equipment and Accessories, Orthotics and Prosthetics and Supplies, and Other

CMS intends to release the agenda and preliminary coding determinations

On February 14, 2019, CMS is hosting an educational call on new opioid policies for Medicare drug plans.  The call will focus on improved safety alerts when opioid prescriptions are dispensed at the pharmacy, and drug management programs for individuals at-risk for misusing or abusing “frequently abused drugs” (opioids and benzodiazepines).  The target audience for

On January 22, 2019, CMS is hosting a “refresher call” on Medicare requirements for certain clinical laboratories to report private payor rates and volume data for clinical diagnostic laboratory tests paid under the Clinical Laboratory Fee Schedule (CLFS).  Data collected during the period of January 1, 2019 and June 30, 2019 will be used to

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is holding a Town Hall Meeting on December 4, 2018 to discuss fiscal year (FY) 2020 applications for add-on payments for new medical services and technologies under the Medicare inpatient prospective payment system (IPPS).  Interested parties will have an opportunity to present recommendations and data regarding whether

CMS is hosting an October 5, 2018 “Provider Compliance Focus Group” meeting to address several Medicare fee-for-service compliance topics, including the Recovery Audit Contractor (RAC) and targeted probe and educate programs.  The intended audience for the meeting is physicians, non-physician practitioners, billing specialists, suppliers, and associations.  Registration is required; attendees can choose to participate by

CMS is inviting stakeholders to participate an August 22, 2019 listening session on the CY 2019 proposed Medicare physician fee schedule rule.  The call will focus on three aspects of the proposed rule:

  • Streamlining Evaluation and Management (E/M) payment policies
  • Advancing virtual care
  • Changes to the Quality Payment Program intended to reduce clinician burden,

On August 15, 2018, CMS is convening a Special Open Door Forum on “Sharing Federal Strategies to Address the Opioid Epidemic.”  The conference call, which will feature representatives from several Department of Health and Human Services agencies, is intended to educate opioid prescribers on federal resources and strategies for safe prescribing as well

Citing an interest in improving its processes and eliminating unnecessary requirements, CMS is hosting July 13, 2018 “Provider Compliance Focus Group” meeting regarding Medicare fee-for-service compliance topics, including medical review, targeted probe and educate, and Recovery Audit Contractors.  CMS states that it wants “to ensure claims are paid appropriately and preserve the Medicare Trust Fund

CMS is holding its annual Advisory Panel on Hospital Outpatient Payment meeting on August 20-21 2018.  The Panel advises CMS on ambulatory payment classification clinical integrity and weights, along with hospital outpatient therapeutic services supervision issues.  The deadline for presentations and comments is July 23, and registration runs through July 30.

On June 25, 2018, CMS is holding its annual public meeting to consider the appropriate basis (crosswalking or gapfilling) for establishing payment amounts for new or substantially revised HCPCS codes being considered for payment under the 2019 Medicare clinical laboratory fee schedule (CLFS). The meeting will also address reconsideration requests regarding final determinations made last