04.20.18
MHA Today | April 20, 2018
Actions
Type
|
|
MHA Today is provided as a service to members of the Missouri Hospital Association. Additional information is available online at MHAnet. |
|
Insights |
|
Last November, Shelly Simonds went to bed on election night thinking she had narrowly lost a race for a seat in the Virginia House of Delegates. During a recount, her opponent’s 10-vote margin shrunk by 11 votes, leaving Simonds the victor by a single vote. Later, a judicial panel reviewed the ballots and determined the race was a tie — 11,608 each. In January, the race was decided by lottery. Simonds lost when her opponent’s name was pulled from a bowl. I can’t help but think that Simonds asks herself whether she could have gone to one more event, walked through one more neighborhood or spent more time getting out the vote. These are “what if…” moments. Wednesday night, after a major push by our hospital-community team — in the Capitol and by hospital leaders and grassroots advocates from throughout the state — members of the Senate Appropriations Committee modified the House’s cuts to hospital Medicaid payments. This is exceptionally good news. Under the leadership of Chairman Dan Brown, the Senate committee’s version of the state fiscal year 2019 budget restores $49 million of the Medicaid cuts included in the House-approved version. More importantly, the committee added a directive that caps hospitals’ cuts at $20.8 million. The cap will act as a bulwark against any effort by the Department of Social Services to pursue further unbudgeted cuts, block the spill-over effect of cuts to Medicaid managed care and ensure that cuts are proportional to hospitals’ share of Medicaid General Revenue spending. The goal now is to hold the language. The Senate is expected to take up the budget next week. The differences between the House and Senate versions will be resolved by conference committee negotiations to produce a final version to send to the governor. Throughout the budget process, we’ve done everything possible to maintain fairness and equity in Medicaid funding. Certainly, there continues to be emphasis on the long-term partnership between hospitals and the state to fund the program. But, we’re also committed to ensuring the program is modeled to best serve Medicaid recipients. It’s time to make that extra call to lawmakers — and encourage members of your team to do the same. Although tradition would indicate that Senate changes to the Appropriations Committee’s proposal are unlikely, they are possible. We know that changes certainly will occur in the House-Senate conference as legislators juggle priorities in creating a $28 billion budget, so advocacy with both House and Senate members is essential. To eliminate chance, we need a strong get-out-the-vote effort now. There’s too much at stake for a “what if…” moment. I have one more good news item this week. Corizon Correctional Healthcare has been working with a House committee to require hospitals to contract with them for reimbursement at Medicaid rates. Proponents tried to get the language amended to the Senate’s budget on Wednesday. MHA and its members were able to block the amendment. Look for more information about how to weigh in with lawmakers in the days ahead. And, as always, let me know what you’re thinking.
Herb B. Kuhn |
|
Spotlight |
MHA Celebrates National Healthcare Volunteer Week Highlight your hospital’s auxiliary or an auxilian during National Healthcare Volunteer Week by submitting an Auxiliary of the Year Award or Outstanding Auxilian Award nomination form by Monday, July 16.
|
|
Advocate |
U.S. Senate Committee Considers Opioid Policy RecommendationsStaff Contacts: Daniel Landon or Leslie Porth The U.S. Senate Finance Committee held a hearing on opioid policy, featuring testimony from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and an Assistant Secretary for Health in the Department of Health and Human Services. Legislators Review Mammography LegislationStaff Contacts: Daniel Landon or Rob Monsees A state Senate committee reviewed House Bill 1252. The legislation would add digital mammography and breast tomosynthesis to the definition of low-dose screening mammography in a state law requiring insurance coverage of mammography. It also would require coverage of annual mammograms for women age 40 and older. Currently, coverage of annual examinations begins at age 50.
|
|
Regulatory News |
MO HealthNet Division Issues Guidelines For School-Based Behavioral Health ServicesStaff Contact: Brian Kinkade The MO HealthNet Division issued a bulletin with guidelines for providers billing behavioral health services in school settings. MHD and its managed care plans will reimburse eligible behavioral health services delivered in schools that are not included in a student’s individualized education plan. IEP-defined services are paid for by the school. MLN Connects Provider eNews AvailableStaff Contact: Andrew Wheeler Updates to MLN Connects Provider eNews were issued by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. eNews includes information about national provider calls, meetings, events, announcements and other MLN educational product updates. The latest issue provides updates and summaries of the following.
|
|
Quality and Population Health |
Report Highlights Medicaid Spending On Medications To Treat OUD And OverdoseStaff Contacts: Leslie Porth or Shawn Billings The Urban Institute issued a brief titled, “Rapid Growth in Medicaid Spending on Medications to Treat Opioid Use Disorder and Overdose.” The brief presents new spending data and analysis to give policymakers and the public perspective on the scope of Medicaid spending increases that states could face in the coming years addressing the opioid crisis. Between 2011 and 2016, spending on Medicaid-covered prescriptions used to treat OUD (i.e. buprenorphine, naltrexone and Naloxone) increased from $394.2 million to $929.9 million, suggesting a large, rapid and ongoing expansion in treatment. These figures underestimate the total spending on OUD prescriptions in Medicaid since they do not include spending on methadone, a highly effective treatment that was not included in the analysis. CMS Seeking Feedback From QualityNet UsersStaff Contact: Sherry Buschjost The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services seeks feedback from users of the QualityNet Secure Portal. Interested individuals are asked to submit the 2018 HQR sign up form.
|
|
Noteworthy |
Missouri Telehealth Network Hosts Webinar On MO HealthNet Telehealth Provider BulletinStaff Contact: Jim Mikes The Missouri Telehealth Network will host an upcoming webinar, “MO HealthNet Telehealth Provider Bulletin…Explained,” on Wednesday, May 16. The webinar will address the new MO HealthNet guidance on the use of telehealth and telemedicine released on Feb. 1. FAQs surrounding this new guidance are available. To register, contact Wendy Hough.
|
|
Did You Miss An Issue Of MHA Today? |
|
April 16, 2018 April 17, 2018 April 18, 2018 April 19, 2018 |
|
In honor of National Healthcare Volunteer Week, MHA is featuring the 2017 hospital auxiliaries and auxilian of the year award winners. Today, we recognize Phyllis Cottrell of Mercy Hospital Joplin Auxiliary, recipient of the 2017 Auxilian of the Year Award. Throughout 30 years of service to the auxiliary, Phyllis has donated 32,000 hours of service. During her tenure, she has served as a member of the board for 24 years, as auxiliary president twice and within the gift shop for 20 years. In addition, she’s served on or led countless auxiliary committees and spearheaded hospital and auxiliary projects. As a retiree from a corporate position, she brings an eye for management of auxiliary projects, and encourages other volunteers to help them be the best at the services they provide when volunteering their time.
MHA also recognizes the volunteer services of the Citizens Memorial Hospital’s “Ice Cream Cart.” Citizens Memorial Hospital earned the Award for Excellence from the Midwest Association for Healthcare Volunteer Resource Professionals at MHA’s annual convention. The original ice cream cart concept was developed by a volunteer who desired to be the “ice cream man” for one of CMH’s facilities. Volunteers use the carts to distribute ice cream among the residents at CMH long-term care facilities, ringing a bell as they proceed through the halls. The initial idea proved so popular and successful that an additional five carts were purchased. The two-fold goal is to bring joy to the residents while increasing the calorie intake of patients who often lack a desire to eat. Thirty volunteers have been trained to serve as ice cream cart vendors, and the program is so popular that volunteers take turns.