MHA Today | June 16, 2021

Staff Contact: Andrew Wheeler

MHA released an analysis of the hospital wage index and occupational mix data that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will use to develop the federal fiscal year 2023 Medicare hospital wage index. Hospitals can review their hospital-specific data and submit correction requests until Thursday, Sept. 2. Requests and supporting documentation for revisions should be directed to the Medicare Administrative Contractor. This is the only opportunity to request revisions to your data. Subsequent requests for revisions are limited to mishandling of the data. MHA posted the files to HIDI Analytic Advantage for review.

Staff Contact: Brian Kinkade

The MO HealthNet Division will impose clinical edits to deny the prescription of montelukast products (i.e., Singulair) for patients with history of suicidality or neuropsychiatric events. MHD will approve exceptions if requested by the provider. The edit is being imposed in response to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s black box warning issued earlier this year.

Staff Contact: Andrew Wheeler

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced that since the beginning of the 2021 Marketplace Special Enrollment Period, 1.2 million Americans have signed up for health insurance through Healthcare.gov. In Missouri, 30,733 consumers signed up during the Marketplace SEP. CMS also reports that after the application of the advance payments of premium tax credits, 43% of new consumers, 30% of returning consumers and 34% of all consumers selected a plan of $10 or less per month.

Staff Contact: Brian Kinkade

The Missouri Medicaid caseload grew by 9,500 in May to a record 1,080,000 participants. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Missouri’s Medicaid caseload has grown nearly 234,000, or 27.7%. The number of children covered has increased by 145,000 during this time.

The record growth in the caseload is expected and will continue throughout calendar year 2021. To qualify for a 6.2% increase in federal matching funds under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, states may not end a participant’s Medicaid coverage unless the participant moves to another state, dies or requests that their coverage end while the COVID-19 public health emergency is in effect. The Biden administration has signaled its intention to continue the COVID-19 emergency declaration through the end of the calendar year, thus extending the conditions leading to the unprecedented growth in Medicaid coverage.

Staff Contact: Shawn Billings or Sarah Willson

MHA, Missouri Department of Mental Health and Missouri Behavioral Health Council have partnered to provide complimentary Collaborative Assessment and Management of Suicidality training on Thursday, July 22, and Wednesday, Aug. 18. This day-long online role-play training offers participants the chance to see CAMS procedures demonstrated live by a CAMS-care Consultant, Dr. Melinda Moore. Hospital staff, including physicians, nurses, social workers and counselors, are encouraged to attend. Registration is required.

Staff Contact: Sherry Buschjost

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is exploring a potential transition to the Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources-based quality measurement standard and how it can support the sharing of standardized data electronically in clinical settings. FHIR is the next generation for exchanging health care information electronically. A technical, advanced-level webinar for health information technology professionals supporting eligible clinicians and hospitals in reporting CMS electronic clinical quality measures is scheduled at 2 p.m. Thursday, July 1. Additional information, including a registration link, is available.