CHA News

CMS Responds to Congressional Letter Urging Adequate IRF Access

What’s happening: The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Chiquita Brooks-Lasure has responded to a Congressional letter, signed by several members of the California delegation, that urged CMS to take steps that will ensure Medicare Advantage (MA) plan beneficiaries have access to medically necessary inpatient rehabilitation facility (IRF) care.  

What else to know: In the letter, Ms. Brooks-Lasure notes several recent rules issued by CMS that seek to ensure that MA plans adhere to CMS requirements, including network adequacy, prior authorization, and data collection. Ms. Brooks-Lasure also agrees to take the writers’ comments into consideration for future policy development.   

Contact Pat Blaisdell, vice president, policy, at pblaisdell@calhospital.org with any questions.