Insights: Healthcare

Medicare Hospice Reimbursement

As part of the FY26 hospice final rule, CMS will increase hospice payments by 2.6% ($750m) relative to FY25 levels and set the annual per beneficiary payment cap at $35,361.44 (increased from $34,465.34 in FY25).

Medicare Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) Reimbursement

As part of the FY26 SNF final rule, CMS will increase SNF payments by 3.2% ($1.16b) relative to FY25.

Medicare Inpatient Hospital (IPPS) Reimbursement

As part of the FY26 IPPS final rule, CMS will increase inpatient hospital payments by 2.8% ($4b) relative to FY25.

Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs)

The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas has granted a preliminary injunction preventing implementation of a first-of-its-kind AR law (Act 624) that prohibits PBMs from owning or operating pharmacies in the state. In his ruling, Judge Miller found that CVS Health, Cigna’s Express Scripts, and the Pharmaceutical Care Management...

Medicare Part D

As part of preliminary technical Medicare Part D bid information for CY26, CMS has announced modifications to the Voluntary Part D Premium Stabilization Demonstration.

Vaccine Injury Program

This week, HHS Secretary Kennedy issued a statement on Twitter/X indicating – with limited detail – that he intends to begin the process of “fixing” the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP).