From CMS moves to a new dominant coronavirus variant, here are five federal updates Becker's has reported on since July 13:
1. A variant the World Health Organization and CDC began tracking in mid-July, XBB-offshoot EG.5, became the dominant COVID-19 variant in the first week of August, according to CDC data.
2. CMS plans to boost inpatient hospital pay 3.1 percent in 2024, which the American Hospital Association called "inadequate" to keep up with inflation.
3. The U.S. is eliminating $39 billion in federal student debt for more than 804,000 borrowers, meaning physicians and other healthcare workers enrolled in income-driven repayment plans may see their loans adjusted in the coming weeks.
4. CMS is floating a 3.34 percent conversion factor decrease in its proposed Medicare physician fee schedule for 2024 released July 13.
5. CMS pitched a 2.8 percent average rate increase for ASCs next year in the 2024 hospital outpatient prospective payment system, released July 13.