Federal Watch

September 28th, 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 provide you with updates on a new CMS initiative to improve quality in nursing facilities, and an HHS program which will boost the number of mental health specialists who work with Americans in rural areas, veterans, and their families.  We also share news of a new report released by the National Research Council that pertains to America’s aging population.  We remind you of the CER research opportunity through the NIA, as well as PCORI’s new funding announcements related to comparative clinical effectiveness research.  Finally, we encourage you to take action by contacting your legislators, and urging them to fully address and put an end to the flawed SGR formula. 

New CMS Program to Increase Quality in Nursing Facilities
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently announced seven cooperative agreement awards partnering with 145 nursing facilities to implement the Initiative to Reduce Avoidable Hospitalizations among Nursing Facility Residents.  The initiative will test models to improve the quality of care and help reduce avoidable hospitalizations among nursing facility residents by funding organizations that provide enhanced on-site services and supports to nursing facility residents.  Research found that approximately 45 percent of hospitalizations among Medicare-Medicaid enrollees receiving either Medicare skilled nursing facility services or Medicaid nursing facility services could have been avoided.  Total costs for these potentially avoidable hospitalizations for Medicare-Medicaid enrollees for 2011 were estimated to be between $7 and 8 billion.

Through the Initiative, CMS will partner with the below seven organizations to improve care for long-stay nursing facility residents. They will collaborate with nursing facilities and State Medicaid programs to provide better quality of care in nursing facilities. Implementation will begin later this year at 145 nursing facilities in seven states in partnership with the following organizations. More information is available at: http://innovations.cms.gov/initiatives/rahnfr/.  

• Alabama Quality Assurance Foundation (Alabama)
• Alegent Health (Nebraska)
• The Curators of the University of Missouri (Missouri)
• Greater New York Hospital Foundation, Inc. (New York)
• HealthInsight of Nevada (Nevada)
• Indiana University (Indiana)
• UPMC Community Provider Services (Pennsylvania) 

Affordable Care Act Increases Number of Mental and Behavioral Health Providers
This week, Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced a new program, made possible by the Affordable Care Act, which will boost the number of social workers and psychologists who work with Americans in rural areas, veterans, and their families, and military personnel. Through the Mental and Behavioral Health Education and Training grant program, $9.8 million is being awarded to 24 graduate social work and psychology schools and programs for three-year grants. The grants will help eligible institutions of higher education to recruit students and provide support for clinical training in mental and behavioral health. For more information, please visit here.

National Research Council Confronts Problems Posed by Aging U.S. Population

A congressionally mandated report released by the National Research Council underscores the urgency of the actions needed to deal with the economic impact of the aging of the U.S. population. While members of the committee that prepared the report didn’t make any specific policy recommendations, they said policy makers must very soon confront a major demographic shift that will put enormous stress on Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security. They also made a strong push for Americans to consider working beyond the traditional retirement age of 65, and said they believe there would be little effect on job prospects for younger workers. The report is titled “Aging and the Macroeconomy:Long-Term Implications of an Older Population.” 

REMINDERS: 

DEADLINE: OCT. 11 - 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 

PCORI Announces New Funding Opportunities
The Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) launched its second cycle of funding requests to support $96 million in comparative clinical effectiveness research that will assist patients and those who care for them with making better-informed health care decisions. These PCORI Funding Announcements (PFAs) correspond to four of the five areas of focus outlined in its National Priorities for Research and Research Agenda: (1) Assessment of Prevention, Diagnosis, and Treatment Options, (2) Improving Healthcare Systems, (3) Communication and Dissemination, and (4) Addressing Disparities.  PCORI will host three workshops in Washington, D.C. this fall to obtain input from patients, caregivers and other stakeholders on PCORI's draft process for generating and selecting specific research topics. Each workshop will be accompanied by a public, interactive webcast. Learn more on the following workshops: 

• Transforming Patient-Centered Research: Building Partnerships and Promising Models
  October 27-28
  This workshop will focus on the patient's role and perspective in PCORI's work, and provide an opportunity for patients, caregivers, researchers and other stakeholders to start working together as a community to discuss potential ideas for future research. 

• What Should PCORI Study? A Call for Topics from Patients and Stakeholders
  December 4
  This workshop will solicit recommendations for specific research topics and test PCORI's draft process for determining which could be the basis of future funding announcements.

• PCORI Research Prioritization Methods Workshop 
  December 5
  Research methodologists, patients and other stakeholders will further test the process for selecting research questions and address a number of methodological issues that will help PCORI ensure that it addresses the needs of patients and caregivers. 

 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: September 28th, 2012