AHA Seeks to Educate Members on RACs
The AHA today sent members the first in a series of advisories on the Medicare Recovery Audit Contractor program. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services plans to expand the demonstration program from 5 states today to all 50 by
March 2008. “It is critical that hospitals be prepared if CMS proceeds with its RAC rollout as planned,” the advisory notes, adding that AHA has serious concerns with the demonstration and “will continue to urge CMS to make changes before rolling out a permanent RAC program.” AHA members should watch for additional AHA outreach and educational strategies on the RAC
issue in coming weeks, including member conference calls. They can access today’s advisory online.
NIH Program Helps Nurses Communicate with Parents about SIDS
The National Institutes of Health has created a continuing education program to help nurses communicate the risk factors for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome to parents and child caregivers. "Nurses who care for infants and families in the hospital are in a unique position to educate parents and influence health and safety practices," said Duane Alexander, M.D., director of NIH’s
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. The program reviews the most current research on SIDS and provides answers to the most common questions new parents ask about safe sleeping.
CBO: $1.4 Billion Needed to Maintain SCHIP Enrollment Levels for 2008
Congress would need to provide an additional $1.4 billion in funding to maintain projected 2008 enrollment levels in the State Children’s Health Insurance Program, the Congressional Budget Office estimated yesterday. However, the net federal cost of that funding would be just $800 million, because it would keep states from expanding Medicaid eligibility, CBO said. “Under current law,
we expect that states that exhaust their SCHIP funds will respond in part by expanding Medicaid eligibility,” CBO said. “…The provision of additional SCHIP funding would keep states from expanding Medicaid eligibility, and thus generate about $600 million in savings in the Medicaid program.”
Study: Few RHIOs Exchanging Clinical Data
A study reported online today by Health Affairs raises concerns about the ability of
regional health information organizations to achieve widespread electronic clinical data exchange. Harvard researchers surveyed 145 RHIOs early this year and found only 15 were exchanging clinical data across a range of patient populations.
