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Monday,
February 7, 2005
Bush Presents 2006 Budget Proposal
President George W. Bush today released his proposed budget for federal
fiscal year 2006, attaching dollar signs to many of the issues he raised
in last week’s state of the union address. He is calling on Congress to
maintain domestic spending programs below inflation, eliminate programs
that are either wasteful or are not yielding results, and decrease the
discretionary spending of most federal agencies, including the U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services.
Within the Medicaid program, the budget proposal targets some states’ improper use of “loopholes” to draw down additional federal funding, seeks to give states more extensive control over which individuals and services are covered, and reduces difficulties states face in purchasing drugs for beneficiaries. The budget proposal offers a modest increase in funding to enroll more eligible children in the Medicaid/SCHIP program, but includes a drastic cut for nurse and health professional training and a significant cut in children’s Graduate Medical Education. Bush’s proposal retains the tie between provider reimbursement and the submission of quality data under Medicare, and it recognizes the need to reduce limited service hospital “incentives” within the inpatient Medicaid payment structure, consistent with Medicare Payment Advisory Commission suggestions. The proposed budget also would increase funding for vaccine stockpiles, but cut other public bioterrorism prevention funds.
For more information on last week’s state of the union address, visit www.ohanet.org/healthenews/archives/2005/020405.htm#Thursday. OHA will continue to follow the federal agenda this year, providing updates and advisories on federal advocacy efforts. (Jonathan Archey, jonathana@ohanet.org)
Hospital Comments Needed on Error Reduction Strategies Hospitals are encouraged to review the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organization’s (JCAHO) draft strategies for reducing errors involved in medical abbreviations. Hospital can complete a review questionnaire online at www.jcaho.org/accredited+organizations/field_reviews.htm with their thoughts on a “universal list” of prohibited abbreviations, acronyms, and symbols and possible implementation and exemptions for the items on such a list. The proposed strategies are the result of feedback from a recent national summit on medical abbreviations put on by JCAHO and several other organizations. JCAHO will use the hospital and health care organization feedback through the online questionnaire to refine the recommendations and then seek endorsements from summit participants following review by JCAHO’s board of commissioners. (Rosalie Weakland, rosaliew@ohanet.org)
Tuesday, February 8, 2005
On the heels of yesterday’s proposed federal reductions in Medicaid, Ohio hospitals were dealt another significant blow in today’s State of the State address in which Gov. Bob Taft proposed state level cuts to the safety net program.
To balance the state’s projected $4-5 billion budget deficit in the next biennium, Taft today called on Ohioans to “tame the Medicaid monster.” Taft’s budget expected out this week will likely propose a freeze on reimbursements to hospitals and a reduction in Medicaid eligibility for low-income, working parents. The reduction in eligibility would result in approximately 25,000 working Ohioans completely losing Medicaid coverage.
View a news release outlining the impact of Medicaid reductions on hospitals at www.ohanet.org/media/news_release/2005/medicaid020805.htm. For more information about Medicaid, visit www.ohanet.org/medicaid/.
OHA President Tapped to Chair AHA’s JCAHO Delegation
Announced this week by the American Hospital Association (AHA), OHA
President and CEO James Castle will chair the AHA Committee of
Commissioners to the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare
Associations (JCAHO). Castle has served on the JCAHO Board of
Commissioners since 1999, and as chair will lead the seven
representatives nominated by AHA to serve on the JCAHO board. “Every
hospital in America owes Jim Castle a debt of gratitude for his
Joint Commission leadership,” said AHA President Dick Davidson,
noting Castle has consistently labored on the commission for “solid
standards, a better survey process to accredit hospitals and
stronger accountability by both hospitals and the Joint Commission
to enhance public trust.”
Wednesday,
February 9, 2005
Last Chance for
Award Nominations
Don’t forget, award nominations for all OHA awards are due Friday.
Nomination forms and the required digital photographs must be submitted
ELECTRONICALLY to Tiffany Himmelreich by Feb. 11 at
tiffanyh@ohanetorg. Download
nomination forms at
www.ohanet.org/annualmeeting/Awards/. (Tiffany Himmelreich,
tiffanyh@ohanet.org)
Hospital
Registration Form Now Online
The Ohio Department of Health’s (ODH) 2004 Annual Hospital
Registration and Planning Report is now available to hospitals
online. Hospitals should visit
www.odh.ohio.gov/Forms/Formquery.asp
and select “hospital registration” from the
program/area menu. The form can be completed online, printed, signed
and mailed to ODH. Required of all Ohio hospitals by the Ohio
Revised Code, the reporting form must be completed, notarized and
submitted to ODH by March 1.
The report requests hospital data such as location, corporate owner, classification and size. It also gathers statistical data on surgical, neonatal and emergency room services, magnetic resonance imaging and bed utilization. Used by ODH for registration purposes, the information is also available to other groups for planning, comparative studies and trend analyses. For more information on hospital registration, visit www.odh.ohio.gov/odhprograms/hospreg/hosp1.htm. (Rick Sites, ricks@ohanet.org)
Hospitals Have a
Calling to Care
National Hospital Week, slated for May 8-14, will celebrate the more
than 230,000 Ohio health care workers and 4.5 million nationwide who
touch the lives of patients every day. This year’s theme,
A Calling to Care, leads
hospitals to a week of recognition for the valuable contributions of
their many associates.
Ohio’ hospitals
are encouraged to incorporate recognition for their employees into
this year’s National Hospital Week, and the American Hospital
Association provides a planning guide and product information to
help with the planning of related events. The guide urges hospitals
to use February to look over their event package, or request a
planning guide and other materials by calling 1.800.822.1923 or
downloading the materials at
www.imprintmall.com/hospitals/. Consider forming a committee to
plan activities and contact local radio and television stations
about producing public service announcements for the event. As
National Hospital Week draws closer, OHA will continue to provide
helpful tips and updates on local events. (Mary Sterenberg,
marys@ohanet.org) Thursday,
February 10, 2005
The proposal would
impose a freeze on reimbursements to hospitals at 2005 rates through
state fiscal years 2006 and 2007. It would also reduce eligibility
for low-income, working parents, resulting in approximately 25,000
working Ohioans completely losing Medicaid coverage. Taft’s plan
would cut vision and dental coverage for adults, but preserves those
benefits for children. Also of concern, the proposed budget would
eliminate the Disability Medical Assistance program, dropping 15,000
non-Medicaid eligible adults who are medication dependant with an
income of $115 or less per month. Increasing fees to beneficiaries,
the budget proposal calls for an increase in co-payments on
prescriptions under Medicaid to require up to a $3 co-pay.
Taft also
recommends Ohio provide mandatory managed care for covered families
and children. OHA opposes state mandated participation in Medicaid
managed care for hospitals that do not have a contract with a
managed care entity.
The proposal would build a new Medicaid information management
system, and expand the PASSPORT and Choices waivers, allowing
additional seniors to receive health services at their homes.
OHA is also
analyzing implications for hospitals in the tax reform proposal. The
budget proposal is available online at
www.obm.ohio.gov/budget/executive/0607/. The recommended changes
to the Medicaid program are listed in Executive Budget – Complete,
section D-65 to D-68. Find an OHA news release outlining hospital
concerns at
www.ohanet.org/media/news_release/2005/medicaid020805.htm.
(Bridget Gargan,
bridgetg@ohanet.org)
State Budget Cuts Medicaid
Payments, Eligibility
Gov. Bob Taft today released the
proposed state budget, which cuts Medicaid payments to providers,
eligibility for adults and some optional programs.
Nurses
Foundation Awards to Honor RNs, Students
Hospitals are invited to help celebrate nursing and nurses at the
Ohio Nurses Foundation (ONF) 2005 Nurses Choice Awards and
Scholarship Luncheon. The foundation will distribute five
scholarships to nursing students and RNs, along with awards for an
individual, organization and media personality that have
consistently portrayed nursing in a positive way. The Feb. 25
luncheon is at the University Plaza Hotel in Columbus. To register
for the event, visit
www.ohnurses.org or contact Carrie Calvert at
ccalvert@ohnurses.org. All proceeds of the event benefit the ONF
General Scholarship Fund.
Ohio Safety
Congress & Expo on the Horizon
The Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation is gearing up for the 2005
Ohio Safety Congress & Expo March 29-31 at the Greater Columbus
Convention Center, the second-largest occupational health and safety
event in the U.S. Celebrating its 75 year anniversary, the safety
congress brings together occupational and safety health associates
and provides a forum for innovative workplace safety initiatives.
This year’s speakers will include Johnny Bench, former Cincinnati
Red and Baseball Hall of Famer, speaking on the definition of
success, and Charlie Morecraft talking about his near-fatal
workplace injury.
Vendors can sell
their products on the showroom floor for the first time this year,
and the safety congress will also feature new sessions regarding
wellness, disaster management, aging workforce, small businesses and
workforce diversity. For more information and registration, visit
www.ohiobwc.com/employer/programs/safety/SafetyCongress.asp.
Friday,
February 11, 2005
HHS
Releases Plan to Reform Medicare Contracting
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Mike
Leavitt this week presented U.S. Congress with the HHS plan for
implementing Medicare contracting reforms mandated by the Medicare
Modernization Act. By 2011, the plan would replace the 51 fiscal
intermediaries and carriers currently processing Medicare
fee-for-service claims with 23 Medicare administrative contractors
(MAC), of which 15 would serve most health care providers through
claims processing. The MACs would operate in a single region and
process both Part A and Part B claims, giving health care providers
and Medicare beneficiaries a single contact for claims-related
questions. HHS also plans to expand the use of functional
contractors, which work on specific Medicare functions. OHA will
follow the implementation of this plan, and provide updates on how
this may affect Ohio’s hospitals. (Charles Cataline,
charlesc@ohanet.org)
CMS
Proposes Payment Update for LTCHs
Earlier this month, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
(CMS) issued a proposed rule that would increase payments to long
term care hospitals (LTCH) by 3.1 percent for the 2005-2006 rate
year, which begins July 1. CMS estimates the annual update would
increase payments to these facilities by $2.96 billion.
The proposed rule would also implement new labor market areas, and lower the LTCH outlier threshold from $17,864 to $11,544, meaning more cases would qualify for outlier payments. Find a copy of the proposed rule at www.cms.hhs.gov/providers/longterm/frnotices.asp. It will be published in the Feb. 3 Federal Register. (Charles Cataline, charlesc@ohanet.org)
OHA Mourns Loss
of Former Board Chair
Edward A. Roberto, past chair of OHA’s Board of Trustees and former
CEO of Brown County General Hospital, Georgetown, passed away this
week. OHA’s staff sends its deepest condolences to the family.