Saturday, July 31, 2004

Patient Safety Bill Passes Senate Patient Safety bill passes Senate. In a show of last minute bipartisanship, the Senate passed its patient safety bill by unanimous consent last night before adjourning for the August recess. [Government/ Industry Regulation News from myHealthcareNews.com] 7:02:04 AM    comment [] On site health care lowers costs, improves health Former hospital CEO is building on a new model. With health-care costs rising rapidly, many employers and insurers look to health assessments and disease mgmt to help control costs. [Insurance/ Managed Care News from myHealthcareNews.com] 7:00:30 AM    comment [] Windfall for Medicaid MI Atty Gen Mike Cox: MI's Medicaid Program to Receive $2.6 mln for Prescription Drug Underpayment. MI Atty Gen Mike Cox announced a settlement with pharmaceutical manufacturer Schering Plough over its underpayment of Medicaid Drug Rebates on the antihistamine drug Claritin, netting more than $2.6 mln for MI's Medicaid program. [Government/ Industry Regulation News from myHealthcareNews.com] 6:57:36 AM    comment [] Advocacy with HMOs Seeking Relief From HMOs. Patients still have some help available when fighting their HMO, even though a Supreme Court ruling stops people from using state laws to sue their managed-care provider for damages should it refuse to cover care that a doctor deems necessary. [Insurance/ Managed Care News from myHealthcareNews.com] 6:56:01 AM    comment [] Consumer Protection in Assisted Living AARP Members Travel to Capitol to Press Senate for Consumer Protections in All Assisted Living Facilities. , AARP members from Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island will board buses for the State Capitol in Albany where they will call on the Senate to pass legislation finally protecting seniors living in all assisted living facilities. [Government/ Industry Regulation News from myHealthcareNews.com] 6:52:09 AM    comment [] People want to get out! Below find the specific number in your state who said YES and have expressed/indicated a preference to return to the community. MDS Active Resident Information Report:  June 30, 2004 Q1a:  Discharge Potential and Overall Status Resident Expresses/Indicates Preference to Return to the Community (Q1a) Total Number Nursing Home Residents Who Responded:     1,409,862 Total Number Who Responded YES to Q1a:       276,333    (19.6%) The ADAPT Community STATE BY STATE BREAKDOWN OF THOSE WHO SAID YES TO Q1a Alabama                                              3,393 Alaska                                                     154 Arizona                                                3,309 Arkansas                                             2,727 California                                         23,071 Colorado                                              3,382 Connecticut                                        5,815 Delaware                                               784 DC                                                            441 Florida                                               17,058 Georgia                                                5,052 Hawaii                                                    597 Idaho                                                    1,118 Illinois                                               15,359 Indiana                                                7,155 Iowa                                                      4,790 Kansas                                                 3,468 Kentucky                                             3,851 Louisiana                                            2,927 Maine                                                   1,426 Maryland                                            5,537 Massachusetts                                   8,273 Michigan                                             9,664 Minnesota                                           6,698 Mississippi                                         1,669 Missouri                                              7,726 Montana                                              1,235 Nebraska                                            2,428 Nevada                                                   942 New Hampshire                               1,148 New Jersey                                         8,445 New Mexico                                       1,347 New York                                         20,953 North Carolina                                  6,899 North Dakota                                         880 Ohio                                                   17,405 Oklahoma                                           3,408 Oregon                                                 2,345 Pennsylvania                                  13,564 Puerto  Rico                                          166 Rhode Island                                     1,394 South Carolina                                  2,861 South Dakota                                     1,011 Tennessee                                          6,451 Texas                                                 14,735 US Virgin Islands                                1 Utah                                                      1,725 Vermont                                                 684 Virginia                                                5,736 Washington                                        5,000 West Virginia                                     1,993 Wisconsin                                           6,965 Wyoming                                                 521 6:34:34 AM    comment [] Inpatient Rehab Payments Up Hospitals that serve Medicare beneficiaries who require intensive inpatient rehabilitation are slated to receive a 3.1 percent increase in their payment rates for fiscal year 2005, beginning October 1, 2004, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced today.   Aggregate payments to these facilities in fiscal year 2005 are projected to be $5.7 billion, up 5.6 percent from a projected $5.4 billion in FY 2004. The notice of the payment increase will be published in the July 30 Federal Register. 6:28:37 AM    comment [] Skilled Nursing Payment Increase The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) today announced an update to the Medicare payment rates for skilled nursing facilities that will result in an estimated $440 million increase in Medicare payments in fiscal year 2005.   The increase reflects a 2.8 percent annual update in payment rates. The payment updates are included in a notice that was published in the July 30 Federal Register. You can compare nursing home inspection reports. 6:26:03 AM    comment []

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