Federal Watch
August 3rd, 2012
AGS is tracking developments of interest to geriatrics health professionals in order to provide weekly updates for our readers via our List Serv, americangeriatrics.org, our Facebook page, and our Twitter feed. This week, we share news regarding funding to keep the government operating in FY 2013, share the latest announcement by the CMS Innovation Center, and update you on a new report highlighting payment policies for nursing homes. We additionally remind you of two upcoming National Provider Calls and a CER-related funding opportunity through the NIA. Finally, we share our latest efforts, and encourage you to take action by contacting your legislators, and urging them to fully address and put an end to the flawed SGR formula.
Agreement Reached to Keep Government Operating through March 2013
Earlier this week, House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) “reached an agreement by which the House and Senate will approve a six-month continuing resolution in September to keep the government operating into next year.” There will be no threat of a government shutdown when the fiscal year ends September 30 and the deal would keep the government running under current spending levels through March 2013. The House and Senate are expected to vote on the resolution in September. There had been concerns that Congress would not be able to agree on a budget prior to the August recess.
CMS Announces Five Hospitals Selected for Graduate Nurse Education Demonstration
This week, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced the names of five hospitals that will be participating in the Graduate Nurse Education Demonstration. Under the demo, CMS will be providing these hospitals with payments of up to $50 million annually over four years to cover the clinical training of advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs). As part of the demonstration, the hospitals were required to partner with accredited schools of nursing and non-hospital community-based care settings. The five sites include the:
- Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, PA)
- Duke University Hospital (Durham, NC)
- Scottsdale Healthcare Medical Center (Scottsdale, AZ)
- Rush University Medical Center (Chicago, IL)
- Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center Hospital (Houston, TX)
Nursing Homes to lose $65 billion Over Next Decade, according to Study
A new report shows that nursing homes across the U.S. will lose about $65 billion in Medicare reimbursement over the next decade. The report, conducted by Avalere Health and sponsored by the Alliance for Quality Nursing Home Care, highlights the regulatory and legislative changes affecting the payment policies for skilled nursing facilities. "Sequestration and the reduction in reimbursement for bad debt, scheduled to take effect next year, are the latest in a series of legislative and regulatory cuts in Medicare payments to SNFs," said Avalere Chief Executive Dan Mendelson. The total cost could reach about $4 billion a year.
REMINDER
National Provider Call: Physician Quality Reporting System and Electronic Prescribing (eRx) Incentive Program — Registration Now Open - Tuesday, August 7 1:30-3:00 pm ET
This call is intended to provide an overview of the proposed changes to the 2013 Physician Quality Reporting System & Electronic Prescribing Incentive Program as outlined in the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Proposed Rule. The presentation for the call be found here: 2013 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Proposed Rule presentation for the August 7, 2012 National Provider Call.
In order to receive call-in information, you must register for the call on the CMS Upcoming National Provider Calls registration website. Registration will close at 12pm on the day of the call or when available space has been filled.
National Provider Call: New Medicare Preventive Services — Registration Now Open - Wednesday, August 15 2-3:30 pm ET
This call is intended to inform healthcare providers on the five new preventive services that are now covered by Medicare. CMS experts will provide an overview of these new services, when to perform them, who can perform each service, who is eligible, and how to code and bill for each service, followed by a question and answer session.
- Screening and Behavioral Counseling Interventions in Primary Care to Reduce Alcohol Misuse – Effective 10/14/11
- Screening for Depression in Adults – Effective 10/14/11
- Intensive Behavioral Therapy for Cardiovascular Disease – Effective 11/8/11
- Screening for Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) and High-Intensity Behavioral Counseling (HIBC) to Prevent STIs – Effective 11/8/11
- Intensive Behavioral Therapy for Obesity– Effective 11/29/11
In order to receive call-in information, you must register for the call on the CMS Upcoming National Provider Calls registration website. Registration will close at 12pm on the day of the call or when available space has been filled.
The National Institute on Aging Invites Applicants to Help Continue CER Research
The National Institute on Aging (NIA) has announced a new grant opportunity titled “Secondary Analyses of Comparative Effectiveness, Health Outcomes and Costs in Persons with Multiple Chronic Conditions (R21”). This federal grant is the next step in NIA’s continued work to advance the research agenda for multiple chronic conditions. For information on the new grant, you may visit: grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-AG-13-003.html. The application deadline is October 11, 2013. Any questions can go to:
Marcel Salive, MD, MPH
Division of Geriatrics and Clinical Gerontology
Phone: 301-496-6761
Email: marcel.salive@nih.gov
What AGS Did This Week
AGS endorsed Senator Kerry’s (D- MA) Care Coordination for Older Americans Act. The bill will aim to strengthen the Older Americans Act role in care coordination by better integrating the work of the Assistant Secretary, state units on aging, and area agencies on aging with the work of other federal and state programs that have an active role in care coordination efforts. For more information, see AGS’ letter of support here.
How You Can Help
AGS encourages you to Take Action by visiting AGS’ Health in Aging Advocacy Center. Contact your members of Congress today, and urge them to call for both the repeal of the SGR and comprehensive Medicare payment and delivery reform. Should you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact Susie Sherman, Senior Coordinator of Public Affairs & Advocacy, ssherman@americangeriatrics.org.
Modified On: August 3rd, 2012
