Policy and Regulatory Issues

The AAMC tracks and analyzes a variety of regulatory rules and changes, primarily related to the Medicare and Medicaid programs, and advocates on topics that impact its member institutions.

The Featured Topics section includes AAMC resources and work on ad hoc issues that impact our member institutions.

Unwinding of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (2023)

• End of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE)
  • Webinar recording (Sign-in required)
  • Webinar Q&A (PDF)
  • PowerPoint slides (PDF)
• AAMC Resources
  • COVID-19 PHE Waivers and Flexibilities Chart (PDF)
  • COVID-19 Vaccines, Testing, and Therapeutics Chart (PDF)

Post-Dobbs Resources (2022)

• Legal Actions
  • AAMC, AHA Amicus Brief Supports U.S. Challenge to Idaho Abortion Law (PDF)
  • U.S. District Court enjoins Idaho abortion law
  • Texas Court Blocks HHS EMTALA Guidance
• President Biden Executive Orders Regarding Reproductive Care
  • Executive Order 14076, Protecting Access to Reproductive Health Care
  • Executive Order 14079,  Securing Access to Reproductive Health Care
• HHS Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA) Guidance
  • Reinforcement of EMTALA obligations specific to patients who are pregnant or are experiencing pregnancy loss
  • Emergency Medical Care Letter to Health Care Providers
• HHS Privacy Guidance
  • HIPAA Privacy Rule and Disclosures of Information Relating to Reproductive Health Care
  • Protecting the Privacy and Security of Your Health Information When Using Your Personal Cell Phone or Tablet
  • HHS Secretary Action Plan to Protect and Strengthen Reproductive Care

No Surprises Act/Surprise Billing (2021)

• AAMC Amicus Brief Submitted to U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia on No Surprises Act (PDF)
• AAMC Comment Letter on Surprise Billing Regulations Part II (Independent Dispute Resolution Process, Good Faith Estimates, Patient-Provider Dispute Resolution) (PDF)
• AAMC Comment Letter on No Surprises Act Provider Enforcement (PDF)
• AAMC Comment Letter on Surprise Billing Regulations Part I (Qualifying Payment Amount, Notice and Consent) (PDF)
• AAMC Comments on Implementation of No Surprises Act (PDF)
• AAMC Submits Comments in Response to RFI on Advanced Explanation of Benefits - 2022 (PDF)

Information Blocking and Interoperability (2023)

• AAMC Comments to ONC and CMS on Proposed Information Blocking Disincentives for Health Care Providers (Dec.2023)
• AAMC Comments to ONC on Proposals to amend policies for health data, technology, and interoperability (Jun.2023)

Graduate Medical Education (GME)

Explore the latest provisions affecting Medicare direct graduate medical education and indirect medical education payments, which are often included in the annual Medicare Inpatient Prospective Payment System regulation.

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Hospital Payment and Quality

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) annually publishes hospital inpatient and outpatient regulations that address payment updates and other issues in each payment system, including Medicare’s portfolio of quality reporting and performance programs impacting payment and public reporting.

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Physician Payment and Quality

The CMS annually issues the physician fee schedule/Quality Payment Program rules that update payment amounts and sets forth payment policies for physicians and other health care professionals for the calendar year.

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Prescription Drugs and 340B Drug Pricing Program

Explore analyses about updates to payment and coverage policies for prescription drugs and the 340B Drug Pricing Program.

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Telehealth: Digital Health

Explore updates related to Medicare telehealth payments and coverage.

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