Medicare

Since 1965, Medicare has been highly successful in achieving affordable health coverage for hundreds of millions of elderly and disabled Americans. Today Medicare covers 50 million Americans, including 41 million individuals age 65 and older, and nine million younger adults with permanent disabilities. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, approximately half of Medicare beneficiaries have incomes below 200 percent of the federal poverty level.

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) included Medicare payment and delivery system reforms, such as value based purchasing, excess readmission penalties, accountable care organizations, payment bundling, and medical homes, which will help to reduce costs and improve the quality of care Medicare patients receive. Implementing these changes will present both opportunities and challenges for the Catholic health ministry. For more information about CHA's position and activities on this issue, see the related documents under Medicare Communications and the policy brief Strengthening Medicare.

119th Congress

Member Exclusive

CHA Summary of 2026 PFS Part III

Member Exclusive

CHA Summary of Proposed 2026 OPPS

Member Exclusive

CHA Summary of 2026 Physician Fee Schedule Part II

Member Exclusive

CHA Summary of 2026 Physician Fee Schedule Part I

CHA Comment Letter on Healthcare-Related Taxes Regulation

CHA Comments on FY2026 IPPS

Member Exclusive

CHA Summary of Proposed FY2026 IRF PPS

Member Exclusive

CHA Summary of Proposed FY2026 SNF

Member Exclusive

CHA Summary of Proposed FY2026 Hospice Rule

Member Exclusive

CHA Summary of Proposed FY2026 MA Part D Rule

Member Exclusive

CHA Summary of Proposed FY2026 IPPS LTCH

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118th Congress

CHA Summary of Proposed 2024 PFS Part II

CHA Summary of Proposed 2024 PFS Part III

CHA Summary of Proposed 2024 PFS Part I

CHA Summary of Proposed 2024 OPPS

CHA Comments on FY2024 IPPS

Joint Letter on Site Neutral Payments

CHA Summary of FY2024 IPPS LTCH

CHA Summary of Proposed 2024 IRF PPS

CHA Summary of Medicare DSH Rule

CHA Summary of Consolidated Appropriations Act

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117th Congress

CHA Comments on Proposed 2022 Medicare IPPS

Joint Letter on Medicare GME Funding

CHA Summary of Proposed FY2022 IPPS-LTCH

CHA Supports Medicare Sequester Relief Act

Joint Letter - Medicare Sequester Moratorium

Joint Letter on Medicare Sequester Moratorium

Joint Letter on Preventing Medicare Cuts

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116th Congress

CHA Summary of Proposed FY2020 Hospice Rule

CHA Summary of Proposed FY2020 IPPS and LTCH PPS

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115th Congress

CHA Summary of Final Home Health Rule

CHA Summary of Final PFS-QPP Rule Part III

CHA Summary of Final 2019 Physician Fee Schedule Part II

CHA Summary of Final 2019 Physician Fee Schedule Part I

CHA Summary of Final 2019 OPPS-ASC Rule

CHA Comments on Proposed ACO Rule

CHA Comments on Proposed FY19 OPPS

CHA Comments on Proposed 2019 Physician Fee Schedule

CHA Summary of Proposed Medicare Shared Savings Program Rule

CHA Summary of Final FY19 IPPS-LTCH Rule

CHA Summary of Final FY19 Hospice Rule

CHA Summary of Final FY19 SNF PPS Rule

CHA Summary of Proposed CY19 OPPS

CHA Summary of Proposed Physician Fee Schedule

CHA Comment Letter on Proposed FY2019 IPPS

CHA Summary of Proposed FY19 IRF PPS

CHA Summary of FY19 Proposed IPPS-LTCH Rule

CHA Joint Hospital Letter on CR to Congress

CHA Summary of EPM/CR Cancellation and CJR Changes Final Rule

CHA Summary of Final Quality Payment Program Rule

CHA Summary of Final CY18 OPPS Rule

CHA Comments on 2018 Physician Fee Schedule

CHA Comments on FY18 Proposed OPPS

CHA Summary of EPM Cancellation and CJR Revision

CHA Summary of Final FY18 IPPS-LTCH Rule

CHA Summary of FY2018 SNF PPS Final Rule

CHA Summary of the CY 2018 Medicare proposed rule for the Home Health Prospective Payment System Rate Update

CHA Summary the FY 2018 Medicare final rule for Hospice Wage Index and Payment Rate Update and Hospice Quality Reporting Requirements

CHA Summary of the Final Rule for FY 2018 Payment Under the Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility Prospective Payment System (IRF PPS)

CHA Summary of Proposed OPPS Rule

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114th Congress

CHA Summary of Final FY2016 Hospice Rule

CHA Summary of Final FY2016 IPPS Rule

Summary of CY2016 Home Health PPS

CHA Comments on Proposed Medicare IPPS Rule

Joint Letter on Meaningful Use Rule

CHA Summary of Proposed FY2016 Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility PPS

CHA Summary of Proposed FY2016 IPPS

Joint Letter Opposing Medicare Sequestration Offset

CHA Summary of Doc Fix/CHIP Legislation

CHA Supports Medicare SGR Fix/CHIP Legislation

Joint Letter on Medicare SGR Fix/CHIP Bill

Comments on Proposed Medicare Shared Savings Program Rule

Joint Letter Opposing Hospital Cuts for SGR Fix

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113th Congress

Joint Hospital Letter Supporting H.R. 1920

CHA Comments on Proposed FY2014 IPPS Rule

CHA Supports DSH Reduction Relief Act

Summary of Proposed FY14 SNF PPS

Summary of Proposed FY14 Hospice Payment System Rule

Summary of IPPS Rule

Support for the Improving Access to Medicare Coverage Act

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112th Congress

Overview of Recent ACO Proposals

Summary of Proposed ACO Regulation

CHA Letter on FY2012 Budget Resolution

CHA Comments on VBP Rule

Joint Letter on Children’s Hospitals GME

CHA Summary of Quality Improvement Organization Contact Information Rule

CHA Summary of Enrollment Screening Requirements Rule

Analysis of VBP Rule

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111th Congress

CHA Analysis of Final 2011 OPPS Rule

CHA Analysis of CY2011 Home Health PPS Final Rule

CHA Summary of Physician Fee Schedule Final Rule CY2011

Analysis of CMS Program Integrity Regulation

Joint Letter Supporting the Improving Medicare Coverage Act

Analysis of Final FY2011 IPPS Rule

CHA Comments on Proposed Changes to FY2011 OPPS

CHA Summary of Proposed CY2011 OPPS

CHA Letter on Proposed FY2011 IPPS

CHA Analysis of FY2010 IPPS and RY2010 LTCHPPS Provisions in the PPACA

Analysis of FY2011 IPPS Proposed Rule

CRS Analysis of Medicare Provisions in HR 3962

Analysis of Final CY2010 OPPS Rule

CRS Analysis of Medicare Physician Payment Updates

Summary of the CY 2010 Final Rule for the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule

CHA Summary of OPPS 2010 Proposed Rule

CHA Summary of Proposed FY2010 IPPS

Joint Hospital Letter Supporting Continued DSH Payments

Joint Letter to CMS on Physician Supervision for Outpatient Therapeutic Services

Financial Summary of FY 2010 Proposed Budget

110th Congress

Summary of FY08 Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility PPS Proposed Rule

Analysis of Medicare Long-term Care Hospital PPS Final Rule

Analysis of Proposed Changes to the Medicare Inpatient Prospective Payment System

Analysis of 75 Percent Rule Legislation

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109th Congress

Summary of Final Medicare Outpatient Prospective Payment System Rule

Letter from the Leadership Council of Aging Organizations Urging Improvements to the Medicare Prescription Drug Program

CHA Comments to CMS on Reporting Hospital Quality Data Update

CHA OPPS Rule Comments

Summary of Proposed Rules - Medicare Hospital OPPS for CY 2007 and Ambulatory Service Centers for CY 2008

Summary of Medicare Hospital Inpatient Operating and Capital Payment Fiscal Year 2007 Final Rule

Joint Letter to Congress Regarding Medicare Outpatient Therapy Caps

CHA IPPS Comments

Grassley-Part D

Joint Letter to the Leadership Council of Aging Organizations Regarding Medicare Part D Enrollment

Summary of Proposed IPPS Rule

Part D Transition Appeals

Part D Fact Sheet

Joint Letter on Medicare Part D Transition Extension

CHA Comments on Proposed Rule Change for LTCH

S. 1932, Deficit Reduction Act of 2005

Comments on Electronic Prescribing Arrangements

Joint Letter on Therapy Cap Moratorium Extension

Comments on Stark Exceptions

Letter - Budget Reconciliation

Joint Letter Supporting Legislation to Remove the Exclusion of Benzodiazepines from Coverage under the Medicare Drug Benefit

CHA Endorses Reauthorization of QI-1 Program

Comments on Proposed OPPS Rule

CHA Comments on Changes to Hospital OPPS

Summary of 1011 Medicare Modernization Act of 2003

Summary SNF PPS Final Regulation

CHA Comments on FY2006 IPPS Rule

CHA Endorses Preserving Patient Access to Inpatient Rehabilitation Care Legislation

Support Diabetic Retinopathy Act of 2005

Analysis of Medicare Drug Benefit on Nursing Facilities

108th Congress

Comments on Medicare Drug Benefit

Comments on Proposed OPPS Changes

Medicare Program Changes to IPPS

Medicare-Medicaid Spending Caps