What We’re Reading: CMS Hospice Payment Rate Rule; COVID-19 Funding; FDA Votes on ALS Treatment

CMS Proposes Hospice Payment Rate Rule for 2023 Fiscal Year

CMS proposed a new rule Wednesday that would provide routine adjustments to hospice-based payments and the aggregate cap amount for the 2023 fiscal year, according to a CMS news release. The rule, CMS-1773-P, will establish a permanent, budget-neutral payment policy to smooth year-to-year changes in the hospice wage index, including a permanent cap on negative wage indexes greater than 5%, and make these updates based on existing statutory and regulatory requirements. Additionally, CMS-1773-P gives an update on HOPE, a patient assessment tool that would contribute to a patient’s plan of care.

President Biden Fights for More COVID-19 Funding

As part of his announcement of COVID.gov, President Joe Biden also pushed for more COVID-19 funding from Congress, The Washington Post reported. In his appeal for at least $22 billion, Biden argued that the United States cannot wait until another wave of the virus to fight for more funding. This news comes after the FDA approval of a second COVID-19 booster for older adults, although officials said there is not enough funding to place advance orders to supply these additional doses for all older Americans unless Congress approves the funding request.

FDA Panel Says New ALS Treatment Is Not Yet Proven Effective

An FDA advisory panel said there is not enough evidence supporting the efficacy of the new amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) treatment AMX0035, which was developed by Amylyx Pharmaceuticals, The New York Times reported. The panel voted 6 to 4 that currently available scientific data collected from a small, mid-stage study on the 2-drug combination was insufficient to demonstrate that it could slow the progression of ALS. Still, the FDA will decide in the coming months whether to approve the ALS drug.