This month, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) finalized the CY2025 Physician Fee Schedule and other Medicare-related regulations. This annual process impacts the more than 61.2 million beneficiaries enrolled in the Medicare program and the family caregivers who support them. For this year, CMS expanded many training incentives and options for caregivers, often in line with the public comments made by NAC and our partners.
For those living outside the DC Beltway, regulatory commenting and rulemaking may seem disconnected from our community’s broader efforts to elevate the family caregiver’s role in healthcare and social systems. Yet when we say we want caregiving to be more sustainable, dignified, and equitable, part of that call is to recognize caregivers’ contributions in formal delivery systems such as a doctor’s office, a successful transition from a hospital back home, or in helping someone managing chronic healthcare needs.
For the second year in a row, CMS has formally recognized this contribution during its annual planning for the Medicare program, largely thanks to the community’s voice. The Act on RAISE Campaign and the Cancer Caregiving Collaborative, convened by the National Alliance for Caregiving, participated in the rulemaking process this fall by providing public comments.
