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CMS Proposes List of No-Payment Conditions AHRQ Launches
Online Compendium of Health Care Report Cards HHS Opens Pandemic Blog,
Requests Public Comment HHS Provides Additional $195 Million in Grants
for Gulf Coast Region AHRQ Accepting Nominations for New Members of National
Advisory Council The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) suggests eliminating
hospital reimbursement for a select group of preventable complications
in a proposed rule published in the May 3 Federal Register. Under Section 5001(c) of Public Law 109-171 (the Deficit Reduction Act
of 2005), the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services
must select by October 1, 2007, at least two hospital-acquired medical
conditions for which hospitals will not be paid. The selection criteria
set out in the law include: conditions that are high cost or high volume
or both; conditions that “result in the assignment of a case to
a DRG that has a higher payment when present as a secondary diagnosis;” and
conditions that could be reasonably prevented by using readily available
evidence-based guidelines. In the proposed rule, CMS identified 13 conditions that it considered
for inclusion on the non-payment list: The first six conditions are being considered by CMS for “initial” implementation,
which is set to begin October 1, 2008; the other seven conditions were
deemed to be worthwhile future candidates that merit further development
and research before final approval. Comments are requested on clinical
aspects of all 13 conditions and the appropriateness of inclusion on
the “initial” list. The conditions eventually selected for
initial implementation will no longer be covered by Medicare. In order to determine that the condition is truly hospital-acquired,
each hospital will begin reporting “present on admission” or
POA data on claims for discharges occurring on or after October 1, 2007
(the information will not be used by claims processing systems until
January 1, 2008). According to CMS, all six conditions identified as eligible for initial
implementation are either high volume, high cost, or both; largely preventable
by following established guidelines; and identifiable using ICD-9 codes. Urinary Catheter Infections Pressure Ulcers Staphylococcus aureus septicemia Object left in surgery, pulmonary embolism, blood incompatibility Comments must be submitted by 5 p.m. June 12, 2007. To submit comments
electronically, visit: http://www.cms.hhs.gov/erulemaking. AHRQ Launches Online Compendium of Health Care Report Cards As part of Health and Human Services Secretary Michael Leavitt’s
Value-Driven Health Care initiative, the Agency for Healthcare Research
and Quality (AHRQ) recently launched a compendium of health care report
cards this week. The resource is designed to provide health care report
card developers and researchers, who seek to give consumers information
about health care cost and quality, a broad range of models on which
to base future work. More than 200 report cards that were developed over the last ten years
by various sponsors are in the searchable directory. Included are reports
on these providers: dialysis centers, health plans, home health providers,
hospitals, physicians, behavioral health, medical groups, and nursing
homes in diverse parts of the country. Both print and web-based report
cards are available. The compendium is meant to serve as a collection of models, not a data
resource, so the data in each report card is not considered up to date
(links are provided for online report cards if current data is desired).
The oldest report card in the compendium is dated 1996, so some report
cards may have been created by an entity that no longer exists. Also,
more than one report card format might be available from the same entity
because the reporting strategy changed over time. Any organization that produces report cards is able to submit its model
to AHRQ for inclusion in the compendium. Health care report cards can
be submitted at: http://www.talkingquality.gov/compendium/index.asp?mode=submit All the report cards must be designed for consumer use, but do not to
be available to all consumers or for free. Additionally, the report cards
must provide consumer-oriented comparative data on quality for more than
one health care organization and give information on at least one of
the providers mentioned above. “The demand for information about health care quality is rising
rapidly, and it will be increasingly important for this information to
be presented clearly and effectively,” said AHRQ Director Carolyn
M. Clancy, MD. “Report card developers can use the examples from
the Health Care Report Card Compendium to explore the scope and information
they might want to cover, as well as various approaches to presenting
their own organization's comparative data.” The compendium is available as part of AHRQ’s TalkingQuality Web
site, which provides resources on how to talk to consumers about health
care quality: http://www.talkingquality.gov. In a press release, AHRQ offered the disclaimer that it “makes
no judgment concerning the effectiveness or value of reports in the compendium
but offers them to users for their consideration. Inclusion of a report
in the compendium does not constitute an endorsement of the report in
its entirety, or of any element in the report.” Visit the compendium
at: http://www.talkingquality.gov/compendium/ HHS Opens Pandemic Blog, Requests Public Comment The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is hosting a five-week-long
Internet leadership blog to foster a national conversation about pandemic
preparedness. The blog, which is open to the public, was launched on
May 24 and continues through June 27th; HHS will hold a Pandemic Influenza
Leadership Forum on June 13 in Washington, DC. Participants of the blog
will interact with about 16 national leaders, including representatives
from Homeland Security, HHS, the Catholic Healthcare Association, the
National Center for Disaster Preparedness, American Nurses Association,
American Public Health Association, physicians, social marketing experts,
and other health care leaders. Bloggers will be asked questions related
to the threat of a pandemic in the U.S. and will collaborate on ideas
about what might be done to help employees, constituents, customers,
congregations, and clients prepare for that event. “The conversation about individual preparedness for pandemic flu
must extend nationwide through all possible channels, including social
media and the Internet,” HHS Secretary Michael Leavitt said. “The
blog summit is an innovative and efficient forum for bringing together
leaders for a lively discussion on the pandemic preparedness movement.” Ideas
and dialogue generated during the leadership blog will contribute to
the HHS pandemic influenza leadership forum in June, which will bring
together approximately 80 U.S. leaders representing the business, faith,
civic and health care communities. Forum participants will be expected
to use their influence and expertise in their communities to actively
promote individual pandemic preparedness. “We are the first generation
ever to have an opportunity to prepare in advance of a pandemic. Government
alone can’t prepare the nation
for a pandemic,” commented Secretary Leavitt. “This is a
shared responsibility and the challenge requires leadership from those
most trusted and respected in their communities.” To visit the blog
go to: http://blog.pandemicflu.gov. International Sharing on Pandemic
Flu Secretary Leavitt applauded the Assembly’s resolution in a May
23rd statement, “The open and rapid sharing of influenza samples
ensures that the global public health community maintains critical pandemic
influenza preparedness and response activities, including the development
and production of pandemic influenza vaccines.” “The United States works with the WHO and international partners
throughout the world to enhance global surveillance and pandemic preparedness.
This collaboration is based on four important principles: (1) transparency;
(2) rapid reporting; (3) sharing of data; and (4) scientific cooperation.
In that spirit, we continue to call on countries everywhere to share
influenza samples openly and rapidly, without preconditions,” he
continued. CDC Pandemic Preparedness Plan HHS Provides Additional $195 Million in Grants for Gulf Coast Region HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt recently announced the availability of additional
grant funds to improve health care in areas affected by Hurricane Katrina. Of the $195 million in grants, $100 million will be allocated to Louisiana
for public and not-for-profit clinics that provide primary care to low-income
and uninsured residents in the Greater New Orleans area. An additional
$60 million will go to the states of Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi
to be directed to acute care hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, inpatient
psychiatric facilities and community mental health centers. The remaining
$35 million will go to Louisiana for further assisting the Greater New
Orleans area in recruiting and retaining health care workers. To date, HHS has provided the region with more than $2.5 billion in
funding for social services, health care and efforts to rebuild the health
care system in the Gulf Coast region. “This is emergency funding
and these grants should be viewed as a bridge to a long-term solution,” said
Secretary Leavitt. “During my 13 visits to the region, I have seen health care providers
doing all they can to provide people with care,” Secretary Leavitt
said. “I applaud their determination and good work. It’s
important that we support these neighborhood efforts in the short-term,
so these organizations survive in the long-term.” Secretary Leavitt
most recently visited four clinics in Greater New Orleans on April 5. AHRQ Accepting Nominations for New Members of National Advisory Council The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) is currently seeking
nominations for seven new public members of its National Advisory Council
for Healthcare Research and Quality, which broadly advises the Secretary
of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Director of AHRQ on actions
of the agency. The council, which was created through the Public Health Service Act,
consists of 21 public members appointed by the Secretary of HHS. Appropriate
government agency representative are also members of the council in an
ex officio capacity. The current members’ terms will expire in November 2007 and newly
appointed members will begin their three-year service in the spring of
2008. Council members meet in the Washington, DC, area approximately
three times a year. AHRQ is seeking to fill these positions with individuals who are distinguished
in the conduct of research, demonstration projects, and evaluations with
respect to health care; in the fields of health care quality research
or health care improvement; in the practice of medicine or other health
professions; in the private health care sector (including health plans,
providers, purchasers) or administrators of health care delivery systems;
in the fields of health care economics, information systems, law, ethics,
business, or public policy; and in representing the interests of patients
and consumers of health care. Diversity of Council members is sought;
women, minorities, and/or physically handicapped individuals are encouraged
to apply. An individual or organization may nominate one or more qualified persons.
Self-nominations are also accepted. Nominations are due June 15 and should
be mailed to Deborah Queenan, AHRQ, 540 Gaither Road, Room 3238, Rockville,
MD 20850 or faxed to (301) 427-1341. The Federal Register notice is available at: http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/07-2239.htm Early Bird Discount Extended for The LTC HIT Summit brings together stakeholders and thought
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Speakers and Product Showcase Participants Register
By June 19th and Save $50 Interested
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