Debra Curtis
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Debbie is a highly respected health policy authority who helps clients advance their missions in Congress and beyond. With more than three decades of experience working both on the Hill and with the health insurance exchange marketplace, she helps clients execute payment strategy, see around the corner on policy and regulatory changes, and pursue effective advocacy. In addition, Debbie has deep experience working closely with payers, industry stakeholders and government officials at the federal, state and local levels. Read Debbie Curtis's full bio.
White House Launches ‘Time Is Money’ Initiative
By Debra Curtis, Kristen O'Brien, Julia Grabo and Erica Stocker on Sep 17, 2024
Posted In Employee Benefits, Health and Welfare Plans
On August 12, 2024, the Biden administration launched a new “Time Is Money” initiative, seeking to crack down on time-consuming and burdensome business processes. The initiative includes a requirement for federal employee health plans to provide an online opportunity to submit claims. It also features an accompanying letter to health insurance CEOs from the heads...
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McDermott+ Check-Up: July 2024
By Debra Curtis, Kristen O'Brien, Julia Grabo, Priya Rathakrishnan and Erica Stocker on Jul 31, 2024
Posted In Employee Benefits, Health and Welfare Plans
The McDermott+ Check-Up features updates on healthcare legislative and regulatory activities that could impact health insurers, group health plan sponsors, healthcare providers and others in the health benefits industry. This post covers a recent Federal Trade Commission report on anticompetitive behaviors by pharmacy benefit managers as well as recent Senate hearings on medical debt and...
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Finalized Nursing Staff Standards Will Impact Most Long-Term Care Facilities
By Gregory Fosheim, Debra Curtis and Monica Wallace on May 28, 2024
Posted In Employee Benefits, Health and Welfare Plans
On April 22, 2024, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released a final rule that will require long-term care facilities (LTCFs) to satisfy minimum nurse staffing standards with the goal of addressing patient quality of care and safety concerns. The final rule is anticipated to result in approximately 80% of LTCFs needing to...
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Congress Likely to Kick the Can on COVID-Era Telehealth Policies
By Debra Curtis on May 8, 2024
Posted In Employee Benefits, Health and Welfare Plans
Congressional lawmakers must soon decide to continue or end payment changes for telehealth services enacted during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, according to this KFF Health News article, Congress will likely “kick the can” past the November election. Access the article.
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2024: The Year of the Telehealth Cliff
By Lisa Schmitz Mazur, Rachel Stauffer, Debra Curtis and Leigh Feldman on Feb 5, 2024
Posted In Digital Health, Employee Benefits, Health and Welfare Plans
What does December 31, 2024, mean to you? New Year’s Eve? Post-2024 election? Too far away to know? Our answer: December 31, 2024, is when we will go over a “telehealth cliff” if Congress fails to act before that date, directly impacting care and access for Medicare beneficiaries. What is this telehealth cliff? Read more...
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Texas District Court Overturns Portions of the IDR Process
By Debra Curtis, Kristen O'Brien, Priya Rathakrishnan and Erica Stocker on Sep 14, 2023
Posted In Employee Benefits, Health and Welfare Plans
On August 3, 2023, the US District Court for the Eastern District of Texas ruled on the implementation of the No Surprises Act in Texas Medical Association, et al. v. US Department of Health and Human Services, et al. (TMA IV). In TMA IV, the plaintiffs challenged two things: The increased administrative fee to participate...
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Congress Advances Four Bipartisan Healthcare Bills
By Debra Curtis, Kristen O'Brien, Priya Rathakrishnan and Erica Stocker on Jul 24, 2023
Posted In Employee Benefits, Health and Welfare Plans
The US House and Senate returned from recess, beginning a three-week sprint toward the August break. The bipartisan healthcare legislation on pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) and healthcare transparency is moving through both the House and Senate. The House Education and the Workforce Committee held a markup of a bipartisan healthcare package of four bills. The...
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Analyzing the House Energy & Commerce Committee Health Bill Markup
By Debra Curtis and Rodney Whitlock on Jun 21, 2023
Posted In Employee Benefits, Health and Welfare Plans
US lawmakers recently advanced a broad healthcare bill during a US House Energy & Commerce Health Subcommittee markup. In this Health Policy Breakroom podcast episode, McDermott+Consulting’s Debra Curtis and Rodney Whitlock break down the markup and address extenders, PBMs, site-neutral policies and the timing of this bill. Listen here.
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CMS Releases Proposed Rule: Medicaid Program; Ensuring Access to Medicaid Services
By Katie Waldo, Kayla Holgash, Rodney Whitlock and Debra Curtis on May 30, 2023
Posted In Employee Benefits, Health and Welfare Plans
On May 3, 2023, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) published the proposed rule Medicaid Program; Ensuring Access to Medicaid Services. The aim of the proposed rule is to enhance transparency in payment rates, establish uniformity in data and monitoring and provide states with fresh avenues to encourage the active involvement of beneficiaries...
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Healthcare Preview for the Week of May 1, 2023
By Debra Curtis, Katie Waldo, Kayla Holgash and Rodney Whitlock on May 4, 2023
Posted In Digital Health, Employee Benefits, Health and Welfare Plans
There has been a flurry of activity in Congress focused on healthcare issues over the last two weeks. Committees in both the US House and Senate held hearings on legislation focused on increasing transparency and competition in the healthcare system that could have significant impacts for certain healthcare providers, healthcare plans and pharmacy benefit managers....
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