|
| Hot Issues |
| Publications |
| Advocacy Center |
| Research & Data |
| Education |
| News Media Center |
| Find a Hospital Job |
| Membership |
| Corporate Partners |
| Home |
Search:
 |
Monday, February 2, 2004
President George W. Bush today proposed budgeting $274 million in fiscal year 2005 for a Bio-Surveillance Program Initiative designed to protect the nation against bioterrorism in addition to other hospital-related proposals. The initiative would enhance and integrate existing surveillance programs in areas such as hospital and local preparedness, vaccine research and procurement, food safety and environmental monitoring. The plan would allocate $130 million to improve linkages between public health laboratories and border health and quarantine stations, and $129 million to enhance bio-surveillance efforts.
Bush’s proposed budget does not recommend changes to the Medicare program beyond what was contained in the recently passed Medicare reform bill. That legislation provides some increased funding to providers. Bush also calls for methods to address the growing number of uninsured Americans through health savings accounts and health care tax credits.
The proposal is the first step in the budget process and Congress will likely continue discussions on the budget into the fall. OHA will monitor the process and keep members apprised of its impact on providers. (Carol Jacobson, carolj@ohanet.org; Jonathan Archey, jonathana@ohanet.org)
Tuesday, February 3, 2004
For the first time, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will accept comments via its Web site beginning with the rule proposing changes to the prospective payment system for long-term care hospitals, published in the Jan. 30 Federal Register. Private citizens, companies and others, including hospitals, can submit electronic comments on all CMS proposed or final regulations through www.regulations.gov. By early 2005, CMS plans to post all electronic comments to the Web site for public review after the comment period closes. OHA encourages member hospitals to copy OHA on any comments sent to CMS.
CMS’ new system will also be open for comments on other documents and information, such as policy notices or nominations for advisory committees. Those submitting comments before the end of the comment period will receive an automatic reply confirming their comments were received. CMS will continue to consider written comments delivered by hand or through the mail. For more, visit www.cms.gov. (Charles Cataline, charlesc@ohanet.org)
Med Mal Insurer Downgraded
Illustrating the continuing turbulent medical liability insurance
market, the financial strength rating of one of the largest medical
malpractice insurance companies doing business in Ohio has been
downgraded. A.M. Best Co. announced the downgrade of American Physicians
Assurance Corporation, a subsidiary of American Physicians Capital Inc.,
to B+ (very good) from B++ (very good). Additionally, A.M. Best
downgraded two other subsidiaries of APCapital, and also assigned
APCapital to a nonrated category
for reasons unrelated to financial strength.
APCapital is headquartered in East Lansing, Michigan, but does
significant business in Ohio. APCapital was previously downgraded from
A- (excellent) to B++ (very good) in November.
An A.M. Best news release is available at www.ambest.com. For more information about Ohio’s medical malpractice insurance market, including links to the state’s largest insurers, visit www.ohanet.org/med-mal/. (Rick Sites, ricks@ohanet.org)
Wednesday,
February 4, 2004
Proposed Sales Tax Repeal Threatens Medicaid Funding
The OHA Board voted to oppose a proposed
repeal of the temporary sales tax increase in Ohio, with more than $650
million in Medicaid funding on the line if the short-term one percent
tax hike is revoked. Gov. Taft and the Ohio General Assembly instituted
the temporary tax increase to eliminate a budget deficit without
slashing funding for crucial Ohio programs such as Medicaid, which
supplies health care to more than 1.5 million low-income Ohioans each
year.
Citizens for Tax Repeal and Ohio Secretary of State J. Kenneth Blackwell submitted a petition in December in favor of a repeal of the tax increase, which is in effect until June 30, 2005. If the petitions are valid, the statute gives the General Assembly four months to review the proposed law. If no action is taken, supporters can collect more signatures to force a ballot issue. (Bridget Gargan, bridgetg@ohanet.org)
JCAHO Seeking Codman Award Applicants
The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations
(JCAHO) is now accepting nominations for the 2004 Ernest A. Codman
Award. The award is presented annually to both an individual and to
health care organizations for exemplary accomplishments in the use of
performance measurement to achieve improvements in the quality of health
care services. The deadline to submit nominations for the organization
award is April 5. Individual nomination forms are due July 1. Awards
will be presented in December at the Joint Commission National
Conference in Chicago. More information and nomination forms are
available on JCAHO’s Web site at
www.jcaho.org/accredited+organizations/codman+award/codman+award.htm.
Thursday,
February 5, 2004
Efforts to restrict the credentialing authority of hospital governing boards were sidelined, at least temporarily, Wednesday in the Ohio Senate. Sen. Lynn Wachtmann (R-Napoleon), chair of the Senate Health, Human Services and Aging Committee, announced he was not offering an amendment he had drafted for House Bill 67 but he still took two hours of testimony on it. “We're going to continue to work on that issue," Wachtmann said.
Wachtmann’s proposal, as revealed late last week, would have prohibited hospital boards from denying staff privileges to physicians who are owners or investors in another hospital. Wachtmann decided not to offer the amendment as planned after hospital executives and board members across the state raised concerns with Senate health committee members and Senate leaders. He told OHA that hospital executives were "extremely effective" in halting the vote.
HB 67 would eliminate a credit limit ceiling for the state’s four joint township district hospitals. Chip Hubbs, CEO of Community Memorial Hospital in Hicksville, testified his joint township hospital would oppose the legislation if the credentialing restriction were added.
Also opposing the amendment was Michael Curtin, Mount Carmel Health System board chairman and associate publisher of the Columbus Dispatch. Testifying in favor were two physician founders of the New Albany Surgical Hospital as well as a representative of the Ohio State Medical Association. (Jeff Klingler, jeffk@ohanet.org; Bridget Gargan, bridgetg@ohanet.org)
Hospitals Answer Governor’s Call
A stable and growing source of quality employment, Ohio’s hospitals
remain strongholds in the state’s effort to create jobs. During last
week’s State of the State Address, Gov. Bob Taft focused on the
importance of retaining jobs and increasing employment, saying Ohio
needs to focus on growing sectors of the economy and jobs that pay a
good wage-including jobs in health care. As the baby boomer generation
ages and technology allows hospitals to offer more treatments, the
health care industry continues to grow as an employer and a source of
economic benefit to the state.
In addition, biomedical research and other advances hold potential for the creation of future jobs. Taft recognized efforts underway at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center and collaboration between Case Western Reserve University, The Cleveland Clinic and University Hospital Health System that are attracting research and development funding and creating and aiding companies that provide jobs to Ohioans.
Hospital jobs are stable, well-paying and continue to increase in number, without the threat of being exported, because health care is, and always must be, provided locally. To read the governor’s full address, visit www.gongwer-oh.com/blic/sos04.pdf.
Friday, February 6, 2004
Hospitals Can Access Concealed Carry Info
OHA added a section to its Web site to assist hospitals in understanding and implementing the recently passed concealed carry legislation. The legislation permits hospitals and other private entities to determine whether to allow concealed handguns in their facilities.
OHA’s site, www.ohanet.org/advocacy/state/issues/concealed.htm, contains a message board to help hospitals share tips and strategies used in banning weapons in their facilities. The Web site also includes a link to the bill and its analysis, an OHA bulletin distributed to hospitals last week with information on prohibiting weapons at their facilities and information on other states’ concealed carry laws. (Bridget Gargan, bridgetg@ohanet.org)
Committee on Privacy Seeks Experts
Privacy officers at Ohio hospitals and health care organizations looking
for leadership roles are invited to apply for a position on the Full
Committee on Privacy of the Ohio HIPAA Implementation Organization for
Electronic Data Interchange (OHIO For EDI). The committee includes
experts on privacy regarding health plans, physicians, long-term care,
health care clearinghouses and consumers. It works toward OHIO For EDI’s
mission to provide a HIPAA forum for education, exchange of ideas and
resources throughout the state.
Applications for Round 1 of the selection process must be submitted no later than Feb. 27, 2004. OHIO For EDI will choose a panel expert to represent each the areas outlined above in Round 1, and will select experts for different areas (medical transportation, special populations, business associates, governmental agencies/political subdivisions) during Round II. For more information, contact James V. Schuster, Esq., at jschuster@cfra.us.