MHA Today is provided as a service to members of the Missouri Hospital Association.

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In This Issue

CMS Issues Final Guidance On Medicare Prescription Payment Plan
DHSS Files Emergency EMS Transport Rule
CDC Shortens Isolation Period For COVID-19
TJC Reminds Hospitals Of CY 2023 Reporting Deadlines
Nominate #MoHospitals Champions of Care
Cyberattack On Change Healthcare

Regulatory

CMS Issues Final Guidance On Medicare Prescription Payment Plan

Staff Contact: Andrew Wheeler

CMS released a final part one guidance for the new Medicare Prescription Payment Plan. The guidance addresses topics such as identifying Medicare Part D enrollees who are likely to benefit from the program, the opt-in process, program participant protections and the data collection needed to evaluate the program. The guidance requires pharmacies to provide information about the program for anyone who meets a $600 out-of-pocket threshold based on a single prescription at the point-of-sale. Medicare Part D enrollees will be able to opt into the new program for the 2025 plan year. MHA published an issue brief with details.

DHSS Files Emergency EMS Transport Rule

Staff Contact: Sarah Willson

DHSS published an emergency rule allowing Emergency Medical Services to transport patients to non-hospital locations. The emergency rule is in effect from March 11 to Sept. 6. A proposed rule will be published in the Missouri Register. Hospitals are encouraged to review the emergency rule and prepare to provide comment on the proposed rule when published.

Quality & Safety

CDC Shortens Isolation Period For COVID-19

Staff Contact: Jaclyn Gatz

The CDC announced that a five-day isolation period is no longer needed for people who test positive for COVID-19. As part of the guidance, the CDC continues to recommend staying up to date with vaccinations, practicing good hygiene and taking steps for cleaner air. This recent update is for community settings and there are no changes to respiratory virus guidance for health care settings.

TJC Reminds Hospitals Of CY 2023 Reporting Deadlines

Staff Contact: Jaclyn Gatz

The deadlines for accredited acute care, critical access and freestanding psychiatric hospitals to submit CY 2023 ORYX^® performance measure data via The Joint Commission’s Direct Data Submission Platform are as follows.

Friday, March 15 – Organizations required or electing to submit eCQMs must upload, verify and submit all four quarters of CY 2023.
Sunday, March 31 – Organizations required or electing to submit chart-abstracted measure data must enter and submit fourth quarter 2023 data.

Additional information is available.

Membership

Nominate #MoHospitals Champions of Care

Staff Contact: Summer Wilson or Kendra Hanauer

Shot of a cheerful group of doctors standing with their arms around each other inside of a hospital during the day

In celebration of National Nurses Week (May 6-12) and National Hospital Week (May 12-18), MHA is searching for 2024 Champions of Care. Nominate an individual or a team who goes above and beyond to care for their community and tell us why they are a champion of care! Winners will be featured in MHA newsletters, website and social media, and will receive a ‘Champions of Care’ package.

Last year, more than 90 individuals and teams were nominated by their peers; you can read their stories here. We can’t wait to learn about this year’s deserving health care champions.

The nomination period closes Friday, March 29, and winners will be announced in May throughout Nurses and Hospital Week. Learn more and nominate a Champion of Care on MHA’s website.

Noteworthy

Cyberattack On Change Healthcare

Staff Contact: Andrew Wheeler

Change Healthcare began notifying clients on Feb. 21 of network interruptions followed by an announcement on Feb. 22 that the interruption was caused by a cyberattack. The attack caused disruptions in e-prescribing and claims processing. AHA and MHA are in contact with United Healthcare, CMS and the MO HealthNet Division voicing concerns and seeking remedy guidance to issues such as prior authorization processes, claim submissions, and interruptions in cash transactions. MHA will provide updates as additional information surfaces.

Before You Go

ACCESS: Online health care and IT certification training programs now are available through careLearning. Additional information is available.

ATTEND:

Critical Insight is hosting an urgent panel discussion regarding the recent Change Healthcare cyberattack at 1 p.m. Tuesday, March 5. Registration is required.
The Region VII Disaster Health Response Ecosystem is hosting a webinar, “Climate And Health In Region VII – Understanding The Impacts And Preparing For The Future,” at 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 6. Registration is required.
Boston Medical Center’s Grayken Center for Addiction is hosting a webinar to discuss the research article, “Buprenorphine Dose and Time to Discontinuation Among Patients With Opioid Use Disorder in the Era of Fentanyl,” at noon Thursday, March 7. Registration is required.
CMS is hosting a webinar for hospitals participating in the IQR program at 1 p.m. Tuesday, March 12. Registration is required.
Registration is open for the 2024 Missouri Preceptor Academy and the 2024 Clinical Faculty Academy. For more information, contact Jean Klindt.

READ: CMS issued updates to MLN Connects Provider eNews.

MHA Today | March 1, 2024

MHA Today is provided as a service to members of the Missouri Hospital Association.

In This Issue

Before You Go