Rural Medicare resources related to rural health and human services, with information provided by the Rural Assistance Center Copyright 2010 Rural Assistance Center http://www.raconline.org/info_guides/medicare/ AHA News reports that in a letteryesterday, 249 members of the U.S. House of Representatives strongly urged the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to revise its proposed definition and requirements for hospitals to qualify for Medicare and Medicaid incentive payments as "meaningful users" of certified electronic health record technology. http://www.ahanews.com/ahanews_app/jsp/display.jsp?dcrpath=AHANEWS/AHANewsNowArticle/data/ann_031610_MU&domain=AHANEWS Wed, 17 Mar 2010 11:15:29 CST http://www.ahanews.com/ahanews_app/jsp/display.jsp?dcrpath=AHANEWS/AHANewsNowArticle/data/ann_031610_MU&domain=AHANEWS Washington DC April 15, 2010 -- Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services http://medicareupdate.typepad.com/medicare_update/2010/03/hospitalopendoorforum.html Tue, 16 Mar 2010 13:08:12 CST http://medicareupdate.typepad.com/medicare_update/2010/03/hospitalopendoorforum.html Washington DC April 22, 2010 -- Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services http://www.cms.hhs.gov/OpenDoorForums/Downloads/SNFLTC042210.pdf Tue, 16 Mar 2010 12:22:19 CST http://www.cms.hhs.gov/OpenDoorForums/Downloads/SNFLTC042210.pdf Rural Health Voices article reports that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will instruct all of its Medicare contractors not to evaluate or enforce the supervision requirements for therapeutic services provided to outpatients in Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) for the duration of calendar year (CY) 2010. http://h184435wp.setupmyblog.com/ Tue, 16 Mar 2010 10:46:17 CST http://h184435wp.setupmyblog.com/ The National Rural Health Association, (NRHA) has submitted comments to CMS regarding its proposed guidelines for the first stage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) electronic health record (EHR) incentive payment program. http://www.ruralhealthweb.org/go/rural-health-news/nrha-submits-comment-letter-on-cms-first-stage-meaningful-use-guidelines Tue, 16 Mar 2010 10:38:37 CST http://www.ruralhealthweb.org/go/rural-health-news/nrha-submits-comment-letter-on-cms-first-stage-meaningful-use-guidelines Medicare Update reports that as previously reported, the Final Rule updating the Medicare home health prospective payment system for calendar year 2010 modified the Medicare regulations regarding ownership changes. http://medicareupdate.typepad.com/medicare_update/2010/03/homehealthagencyownershipchanges.html Tue, 16 Mar 2010 10:22:13 CST http://medicareupdate.typepad.com/medicare_update/2010/03/homehealthagencyownershipchanges.html Washington DC March 23, 2010 -- Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services http://www.cms.hhs.gov/OpenDoorForums/Downloads/LIHA032310.pdf Fri, 12 Mar 2010 13:17:11 CST http://www.cms.hhs.gov/OpenDoorForums/Downloads/LIHA032310.pdf Washington DC April 14, 2010 -- Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services http://www.cms.hhs.gov/OpenDoorForums/Downloads/H3DME041410.pdf Fri, 12 Mar 2010 13:13:29 CST http://www.cms.hhs.gov/OpenDoorForums/Downloads/H3DME041410.pdf Washington DC April 13, 2010 -- Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services http://www.cms.hhs.gov/OpenDoorForums/Downloads/Physicians041310.pdf Fri, 12 Mar 2010 11:28:47 CST http://www.cms.hhs.gov/OpenDoorForums/Downloads/Physicians041310.pdf Channel 10 News, (TX) article tells why rural health clinics are not being affected by the impending Medicare cuts and why they receive extra money from the government to take Medicare patients. http://www.newschannel10.com/global/story.asp?s=12113051 Thu, 11 Mar 2010 11:05:50 CST http://www.newschannel10.com/global/story.asp?s=12113051 Medicare Update reports that on March 10, 2010, the U.S. Senate passed legislation (H.R.4213) on a 62-36 vote, which would reportedly delay a scheduled 21.2 percent Medicare payment reduction for physician services until October 1, 2010. http://medicareupdate.typepad.com/medicare_update/2010/03/sustainablegrowthratephysicians.html Thu, 11 Mar 2010 10:55:29 CST http://medicareupdate.typepad.com/medicare_update/2010/03/sustainablegrowthratephysicians.html Kaiser Health News reports that President Barack Obama took his closing arguments for health care reform to the St. Louis area Wednesday, promoting "a new initiative to reduce waste in Medicare, Medicaid and other government programs." http://www.kaiserhealthnews.org/Daily-Reports/2010/March/11/Missouri-obama-health-reform-Fraud.aspx Thu, 11 Mar 2010 09:42:36 CST http://www.kaiserhealthnews.org/Daily-Reports/2010/March/11/Missouri-obama-health-reform-Fraud.aspx Kaiser Health News reports that the Senate is poised to consider a measure today that would include extending subsidies for COBRA benefits and unemployment insurance, prevent the Medicare payment cut for doctors and provide additional funding to state Medicaid programs. http://www.kaiserhealthnews.org/Daily-Reports/2010/March/09/COBRA-and-Pay-Fix.aspx Tue, 09 Mar 2010 10:36:42 CST http://www.kaiserhealthnews.org/Daily-Reports/2010/March/09/COBRA-and-Pay-Fix.aspx In a Statement, the White House Press Secretary announced that the President signed the Temporary Extension Act of 2010 (H.R.4691) into law on March 2, 2010. Passage of the bill will extend COBRA health care premium assistance, the Satellite Home Viewer Act, surface transportation funding and small business lending through March 31. It would extend payment rates to Medicare providers through April 1, 2010, and would extend unemployment insurance through April 5. http://medicareupdate.typepad.com/medicare_update/2010/03/temporaryextensionact2010.html Thu, 04 Mar 2010 11:01:26 CST http://medicareupdate.typepad.com/medicare_update/2010/03/temporaryextensionact2010.html Medicare Update reports that on March 3, 2010, the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released display copy of a Proposed Rule outlining a proposed approach for establishing a certification program to test and certify electronic health records (EHR). http://medicareupdate.typepad.com/medicare_update/2010/03/electronichealthrecords.html Thu, 04 Mar 2010 10:20:52 CST http://medicareupdate.typepad.com/medicare_update/2010/03/electronichealthrecords.html Seattle Times, (WA) article reports that on Tuesday night Kentucky Sen. Bunning ended his one-man blockade against unemployment benefits, Medicare payments to doctors, satellite TV to rural Americans and paychecks to highway workers. http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2011238128_impasse031.html?syndication=rss Wed, 03 Mar 2010 10:47:25 CST http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2011238128_impasse031.html?syndication=rss HometownSource.com article reports that on Monday the Minnesota Congressional delegation jointly called for Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius to reverse new interpretation of Medicare rules that disadvantage rural hospitals in Minnesota by changing the requirements for physician supervision. http://www.hometownsource.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=12669:minnesota-delegation-seeks-help-to-protect-states-rural-hospitals&catid=13:capitol-news&Itemid=29 Tue, 02 Mar 2010 11:03:06 CST http://www.hometownsource.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=12669:minnesota-delegation-seeks-help-to-protect-states-rural-hospitals&catid=13:capitol-news&Itemid=29 Medicare Update tells how a number of news organizations (including American Medical News) report that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has instructed Medicare contractors to hold physician claims for 10 business days to give Congress time to address the 21.2 percent Medicare payment reduction for physician services. http://medicareupdate.typepad.com/medicare_update/2010/03/sustainablegrowthrate.html Tue, 02 Mar 2010 10:19:54 CST http://medicareupdate.typepad.com/medicare_update/2010/03/sustainablegrowthrate.html Medicare Updated reports that in a newly released Report, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) makes payment update and policy recommendations for certain Medicare fee-for-service payment systems and the Medicare Advantage program. http://medicareupdate.typepad.com/medicare_update/2010/03/medpacreporttocongress.html Tue, 02 Mar 2010 10:14:00 CST http://medicareupdate.typepad.com/medicare_update/2010/03/medpacreporttocongress.html Heart disease hospitalization rates among Americans aged 65 years and older vary substantially depending on where they live, according to a report released today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/media/pressrel/2010/r100301.htm Tue, 02 Mar 2010 09:47:05 CST http://www.cdc.gov/media/pressrel/2010/r100301.htm Washington DC April 1, 2010 -- Medicare Payment Advisory Commission http://www.medpac.gov/meeting_search.cfm?SelectedDate=2010-04-01%2000:00:00.0 Mon, 01 Mar 2010 14:07:46 CST http://www.medpac.gov/meeting_search.cfm?SelectedDate=2010-04-01%2000:00:00.0 The AHA has released a model comment letterthat hospitals can use to help draft their own comments on the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services' proposed rule on the electronic health records incentive program for Medicare and Medicaid. http://www.ahanews.com/ahanews_app/jsp/display.jsp?dcrpath=AHANEWS/AHANewsNowArticle/data/ann_022610_EHR&domain=AHANEWS Mon, 01 Mar 2010 11:23:45 CST http://www.ahanews.com/ahanews_app/jsp/display.jsp?dcrpath=AHANEWS/AHANewsNowArticle/data/ann_022610_EHR&domain=AHANEWS Kaiser Health News article reports that starting today, doctors face a 21 percent cut in their reimbursements from Medicare based on a federal budget law that sets physician payments based on other economic factors. http://www.kaiserhealthnews.org/Daily-Reports/2010/March/01/Docs-Face-Cuts.aspx Mon, 01 Mar 2010 10:34:49 CST http://www.kaiserhealthnews.org/Daily-Reports/2010/March/01/Docs-Face-Cuts.aspx AAFP article reports that the Senate has failed to pass a short-term payment patch for the Medicare physician payment rate, thus allowing a 21.2 percent payment cut to take effect on March 1 based on the sustainable growth rate, or SGR, formula. http://www.aafp.org/online/en/home/publications/news/news-now/government-medicine/20100226pay-cut-updt.html Mon, 01 Mar 2010 10:17:09 CST http://www.aafp.org/online/en/home/publications/news/news-now/government-medicine/20100226pay-cut-updt.html Kaiser Health News article reports that with a 21 percent Medicare reimbursement rate cut set for Monday, unless Congress acts to block it, some doctors are threatening to refuse new Medicare patients in their practices. http://www.kaiserhealthnews.org/Daily-Reports/2010/February/26/Medicare-Cuts-and-Other-Payment-Issues.aspx Fri, 26 Feb 2010 11:08:26 CST http://www.kaiserhealthnews.org/Daily-Reports/2010/February/26/Medicare-Cuts-and-Other-Payment-Issues.aspx AHA News reports that thirty-five organizations, including the AHA, this week voiced support for the Medicare Mental Health Inpatient Equity Act, with legislation that would eliminate the 190-day lifetime limit for Medicare beneficiaries receiving care in a psychiatric hospital. http://www.ahanews.com/ahanews_app/jsp/display.jsp?dcrpath=AHANEWS/AHANewsNowArticle/data/ann_022510_parity&domain=AHANEWS Fri, 26 Feb 2010 11:06:28 CST http://www.ahanews.com/ahanews_app/jsp/display.jsp?dcrpath=AHANEWS/AHANewsNowArticle/data/ann_022510_parity&domain=AHANEWS Associated Press article via WBTV Charlotte, (NC) reports that the Senate failed Friday to extend programs for laid-off workers, jeopardizing unemployment benefits scheduled to expire over the weekend. http://www.wbtv.com/global/story.asp?s=12048562 Fri, 26 Feb 2010 10:40:51 CST http://www.wbtv.com/global/story.asp?s=12048562 AAFP News reports that although the federal government and other health care stakeholders have expressed interest in moving the nation's health care system toward a value-based system that relies on measuring the quality of health care delivered against the dollars spent to provide that care, new research suggests that this may not work well for primary care practices. http://www.aafp.org/online/en/home/publications/news/news-now/practice-management/20100223measure-qual-cost.html Wed, 24 Feb 2010 09:46:51 CST http://www.aafp.org/online/en/home/publications/news/news-now/practice-management/20100223measure-qual-cost.html The latest Kaiser Tracking Poll finds the public still split on health care reform legislation, with 43 percent in favor and 43 percent opposed, however, the poll also finds that majorities of Americans of all political leanings support several provisions in the health reform proposals in Congress and most attribute delays in passing the legislation to political gamesmanship rather than policy disagreements. http://www.kff.org/kaiserpolls/posr022310nr.cfm Tue, 23 Feb 2010 10:15:58 CST http://www.kff.org/kaiserpolls/posr022310nr.cfm Los Angeles Times, (CA) article reports that four days before his planned health summit with congressional leaders, President Obama on Monday morning unveiled his proposal to overhaul the nation's healthcare system, building on the gargantuan legislation developed by Senate Democrats last year. http://www.latimes.com/business/la-na-obama-healthcare23-2010feb23,0,6084606.story Mon, 22 Feb 2010 10:54:55 CST http://www.latimes.com/business/la-na-obama-healthcare23-2010feb23,0,6084606.story