August 31, 2007
CRS Report on SCHIP
A six-page report was
released earlier this week by the Congressional Research Service (CRS)
discussing the potential programmatic and financial ramifications
of failure to reauthorize SCHIP in a timely manner.
August 24, 2007
FY 2007 Title I Allocations Published at
The Department of Education has published FY 2007 Title I allocations by school district. Under the No Child Left Behind Act, districts must use up to 20% of their Title I, Part A allocation to cover school choice-related transportation costs and pay for supplemental educational services. Districts have some discretion to determine the allocation of funds between the activities, but they must use at least one-quarter (5%) of the 20% on each activity if there is demand for both. Also, for supplemental services, districts are required to pay the lesser of the actual cost of the services or an amount equal to the district's Title I, Part A allocation divided by the number of poor students in the district, as determined by Census Bureau estimates. More information is available here. (Due to state-level adjustments of allocations, the actual amounts received by districts will be smaller than shown.)
August 21, 2007
CMS Issues Guidance on Extending SCHIP
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released guidance to state Medicaid agencies clarifying the application of current requirements in state requests to extend eligibility under the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) to children in families with incomes above 250% of the federal poverty level.
Further details are contained here.
August 20, 2007
CMS
Guidance on Tamper-Resistant Prescription Pads
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has issued guidance, through a State Medicaid Director Letter, concerning section 7002(b) of the U.S. Troop Readiness, Veterans' Care, Katrina Recovery, and Iraq Accountability Appropriations Act of 2007, which requires that all written, non-electronic prescriptions for Medicaid outpatient drugs must be executed on tamper-resistant pads in order for them to be reimbursable by the federal government.
Attached are copies of the letter and a background document that includes a checklist of questions to ask to begin implementation.
August 3, 2007
House,
Earlier this week, the House voted to reauthorize the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). H.R. 3162 provides more than $47 billion in increased funding financed by a 45-cent increase in the federal cigarette tax and reductions in payments to Medicare Advantage plans.
The Senate also has passed its SCHIP reauthorization bill. S. 1893 expands SCHIP by $35 billion over five years, financed by a 61-cent federal cigarette tax increase. The president has threatened to veto either proposal.
Conferees Agree on Competitiveness Bill
House and Senate conferees completed work on the 21st Century Competitiveness Act of 2007 (H.R. 2272). It combines six individual bills aimed at strengthening innovation through research and development and improving national competitiveness. Among its many provisions, the bill would reauthorize the National Science Foundation and the National Institute of Standards and Technology from FY 2008 through FY 2010, and increase federal funding for math and science research and education.
House, Senate Clear Lobbying/Ethics Reform Package
The House and Senate have passed a lobbying and ethics reform package. Among its many provisions, S. 1 requires that all earmarks included in bills and conference reports, along with their sponsors, be identified on the Internet at least 48 hours before Senate votes and limits secret "holds" on Senate floor action.