The Senate has joined the House in a pre-election recess. Both chambers will return to DC on November 13. Meanwhile, the administration has been very active in the health care sphere.  During the past two weeks, the administration appointed a new head of the Center...

 NEW SERIES 2019 Assister Readiness Webinars, from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).  To receive invitations to the live webinars and notifications when new material is posted, email ASSISTERLISTSERV@cms.hhs.gov with “Add to listserv” as the...

New administrator for the Center for Medicaid and CHIP Services The Trump administration has appointed Mary Mayhew to be the new head of the Center for Medicaid and CHIP Services (CMCS), which is within the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (administered by...

Congress is in recess until after the elections. This is a good time to visit your Senators and Representatives in their local offices to educate them about children with special health care needs, the needs of their families, and your state’s Family-to-Family Health...

OIG signs off on Medicaid plan’s preventive screening incentive payments (FierceHealthcare, 10/19/18) Last week, the HHS Office of Inspector General (OIG) signed off on a Medicaid insurer's plan to make incentive payments to providers that increased preventive...

New guidance on state innovation waivers under the Affordable Care Act The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the U.S. Department of the Treasury (collectively, the Departments) have issued new guidance (press release; fact sheet) on waivers...

TRICARE open season runs from November 12 through December 10. Compare 2019 FEDVIP Dental, Vision Plans Ahead of Open Season (TRICARE Benefits Update, 10/4/18) Together We Can Prevent Suicide (TRICARE Benefits Update, 9/27/18) Make Small Changes to Reduce the Risk of...

Guidance on Bullying  On October 21, the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights in the U.S. Department of Education issued a 13-page letter outlining the obligations of a school when a student with an IEP or 504 Plan is bullied. Social Security Administration announces...

Down Syndrome Association steps up efforts to reach minority families in central Ohio (Columbus Post Dispatch, 10/16/18) Study: High-deductible employer plans contribute to financial burden for low-income patients (FierceHealthcare, 10/9/18)

MCHB Grand Challenges – deadline extended to Nov. 9 for CYSHCN Challenge As reported earlier, the Maternal and Child Health Bureau will award four prizes in a Grand Challenges competition to develop innovative, low-cost, and scalable solutions to improve the health of...