The transition period was created by the legislature when it deregulated electricity to give electric utilities time to recover the costs of previous investments. OHA supports DP&L’s effort provided its rates remain frozen and the “shopping credit,” the amount of DP&L's rate charged only for the electricity it produces, is increased to improve opportunities for Dayton-area hospitals to buy cheaper electricity from another supplier. For hospitals that eventually buy electricity from another supplier, DP&L would continue to be paid to maintain its distribution system and transmission lines. PUCO will hold a hearing on May 15. To see OHA’s comments, visit http://dis.puc.state.oh.us/ and, in the “case lookup” search box type 02-2779. (Rick Sites, ricks@ohanet.org)

Thursday, April 3, 2003
J-1 Visa Waiver Policy Revised
The policy regarding the Ohio J-1 Visa Waiver Program, a program to allow foreign medical graduates to remain in the United States for three years to provide care in medically underserved areas, has been revised. The J-1 Visa Waiver Program is open to primary care providers, specifically obstetrics and gynecology, family practice, pediatrics, internal medicine and psychiatry. If any of Ohio’s 30 slots remain available by April 15, the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) is authorized to consider the placement of other sub specialty trained physicians. All other aspects of the policy remain unchanged.

Hospital Needs Assessment Due April 11
This week Ohio hospitals were sent hospital-specific passwords to begin entering data into the online Hospital Assessment Survey for Bioterrorism and Mass Casualty Emergencies developed by the regional allied hospital associations and OHA. Hospitals can access the assessment at www.ohanet.org/terrorism_preparedness/assessment/toc.asp and it must be completed by April 11.

Completion of the needs assessment is a requirement of the Health Resource Service Administration (HRSA) and identified by the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) as one of the criteria to be completed by Ohio hospitals to obtain HRSA funding. Information from the needs assessments will be utilized to identify "gaps" in hospital bioterrorism preparedness, assist ODH in completion of HRSA grant application for federal fiscal year 2003 funds, and in the determination of distribution for fiscal year 2002 HRSA funds. Direct content questions to your regional allied association or Carol Jacobson (carolj@ohanet.org). Direct technical questions to Tim Sisson (tims@ohanet.org).

Friday, April 4, 2003
Smallpox Vaccine Linked to Cardiac Problems
New evidence suggests that smallpox vaccinations may be a contributing factor in cases of heart inflammation (myocarditis), inflammation of the membrane covering the heart (pericarditis) and a combination of the two (myopericarditis). Cardiac problems have been reported in both civilian and military personnel who received the vaccine.

In light of the discovery, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reviewed and accepted emergency recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices regarding smallpox vaccination and cardiac events. The committee recommends that individuals be excluded from the pre-event smallpox vaccination program if: 1) the person has been diagnosed with a heart condition or ischemic cardiovascular condition, with or without symptoms, 2) the person has had three or more known major cardiac risk factors including hypertension, diabetes, hypercholesterolemia, and smoking, and 3) the person has an immediate family member who had onset of a heart condition before the age of 50. The committee did not recommend special medical follow-up for persons with cardiovascular risk factors who had been vaccinated.

CDC has revised and distributed fact sheets and pre-vaccination clinic education and screening materials that reflect the new exclusion criteria. The materials are available at http://www.cdc.gov/smallpox. Additionally, all vaccinated persons in Ohio will receive updated educational information from Ohio Department of Health Director Nick Baird to ensure they are aware of the signs and symptoms of cardiac reactions. This information is online at www.ohanet.org/smallpox/ under Resources. (Carol Jacobson, carolj@ohanet.org)

Legislation Takes Effect
Several health care-related bills followed by OHA recently became effective:

• House Bill 474 to declare that assisted suicide is against the public policy of the state and to create the Compassionate Care Task Force to study and make recommendations on the treatment of intractable pain became effective March 24.
• House Bill 496 to create the Chemical Dependency Professionals Board, to require licensure or certification of chemical dependency counselors and certification of alcohol and other drug prevention specialists and to make an appropriation became fully effective March 24.
• Senate Bill 245 to provide that certain medical physical examinations required by statute may be performed by clinical nurse specialists, certified nurse practitioners and certified nurse-midwives became effective March 31.

For more information on OHA’s advocacy efforts and current legislation, visit the OHA Advocacy Center at www.ohanet.org/advocacy/.

CMS Broadcasts HIPAA Help
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services will present a satellite broadcast on HIPAA for health care providers Wednesday, April 16, from 2-3 p.m. and a rebroadcast from 4-5 p.m. The broadcast, HIPAA 101: The Basics of HIPAA Administrative Simplification, is designed to inform the health care provider community about the administrative simplification provisions of HIPAA.

Available free of charge to anyone with an analog satellite dish, the program will cover the history of HIPAA, how to tell if you are a ‘covered entity’ under HIPAA, the standards for electronic transactions and code sets, why the Designated Standards Maintenance Organization may be important to you, how to comply with HIPAA’s administrative simplification provisions and how HIPAA’s rules and deadlines will be enforced.

For more information visit www.cms.hhs.gov/medlearn/hipaabroadcast.asp or direct questions to askhipaa@cms.hhs.gov and add “Satellite Broadcast” to the subject line.