The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services on Thursday released a 26-page proposed rule that would open up healthcare visitation and decision-making rights for same-sex couples. The rule, if finalized, would require that Medicare and Medicaid providers and suppliers recognize same-sex spouses as a condition for participation in the programs, and would apply to hospitals, long-term care facilities, ambulatory surgical centers, community mental health centers and hospice providers.
The proposed rule comes in response to the 2013 Supreme Court decision abrogating a ban on federal benefits for same-sex couples.
"We propose to revise the definition of 'representative' to provide that a same-sex spouse in a marriage that was valid in the jurisdiction in which it was celebrated must be treated as a 'spouse,'" the rule reads.
This is one more stepping-stone on the path to equality in response to the Court's decision in United States v. Windsor. It follows similar action by CMS in April, when the agency announced that it would begin accepting Medicare enrollment requests from same-sex spouses.
CMS will accept comments for 60 days before finalizing the rule.
Here are the biggest stories in the healthcare industry this week:
The mansion and the jail cell: A tale of two CEOs
Both ran healthcare companies brought down by accusations of massive financial fraud, but only one ended up taking any blame for the mess.
Hospital advocacy groups appear to have gotten their way.
5 key changes providers can expect from the new ACO rule proposal
Is the proposal, which calls for big changes to the Medicare Shared Savings Program, going to win over healthcare providers?
Should bodycams be used in hospital EDs?
Could implementing bodycams help reduce the practice of "defensive medicine"?
Outdated software leads to $150K fine for HIPAA breach
Something as little as outdated software caused big data problems for one Alaska provider.
And here's what we were reading:
- Vox took a look at how residency programs might be training physicians to waste money.
- Modern Healthcare interviewed departing Partners CEO Dr. Gary Gottlieb.
- Nicholas Bagley takes on CMS over the withholding of certain claims data on The Incidental Economist.