The Georgia hospital industry has predicted more red ink and even possible closures under the new Medicaid payment cuts proposed by Gov. Sonny Perdue. In response, Perdue's office said hospitals could avoid cuts if the governor's original plan to tax their revenues was enacted. Hospitals have opposed the tax, which also has met strong resistance from state legislators.
The proposed partnership between the University of Connecticut Health Center and Hartford Hospital could generate 18,200 jobs and $3.28 billion in new individual income by 2040, according to a study by the Connecticut Center for Economic Analysis at UConn. The findings will be presented during a public hearing as lawmakers consider the proposal, which is intended to stabilize the financially troubled Health Center and is expected to cost the state $605 million over 10 years.
Cleveland-based University Hospitals and the Sisters of Charity Health System have announced plans to revamp their partnership in a deal that affects the future of three of the region's hospitals and their patients. University Hospitals will take over business operations at St. John West Shore Hospital while keeping its 50% ownership stake. University Hospitals will also manage up to a $100 million investment in St. John over six years, with $50 million coming from each system.
A plan by the Caritas Christi Health Care network to join forces with a nonreligious health organization that would cover abortions and other family planning services for low-income residents is now drawing fire. Several abortion rights and civil rights groups urged Massachusetts regulators to postpone approving the proposal by Caritas, an affiliate of the Catholic Archdiocese of Boston, to offer insurance in the state's subsidized health program. At the heart of the controversy is a proposed venture by Caritas and the Centene Corp., a St. Louis-based company, that would include the six Caritas hospitals and approximately 33 other hospitals and 66 community health centers.
High-ranking Maryland lawmakers and CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield, have outlined a $1.6 billion proposal for near-universal healthcare coverage that would require state residents to have insurance and employers to provide it. The legislation is the latest attempt to help a large segment of Marylanders who don't have health insurance—more than 760,000, or 14% of the population.
During the Ohio Healthcare Annual Legislative Conference yesterday, the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) informed an audience of 180 people that the implementation of the MDS 3.0, originally set for October 1, 2009, has been delayed for one year. An official announcement regarding the delay is expected to be made during today's open door forum, which will take place at 2 p.m. EST.
The implementation delay stems from concerns that the original start date did not provide enough time for software vendors, state agencies, and other systems to properly prepare for the MDS 3.0. The MDS is a tool used by skilled nursing facilities to assess residents and determine Medicare payments.
"The delay until October 2010 is a positive thing – this gives the states, software vendors, and other stakeholders the time they need to prepare for implementation," says Rena R. Shephard, MHA, RN, RAC-MT, C-NE, founding chair and executive editor of the American Association of Nurse Assessment Coordinators and president of RRS Healthcare Consulting Services in San Diego. "But this is also a positive for providers–it gives them they time they will need to develop and carry out a plan for training and implementation. I hope they will use it well–this advance preparation can be very important to successful implementation."
Although professionally disappointed by the delay, Maureen Wern, president of Wern and Associates in Warren, OH and participant in yesterday's call, believes CMS' decision was very responsible.
"I feel that many in the industry, particularly the frontline people, were prepared to move forward. However, I certainly understand the need for the delay. If everyone isn't prepared to do something right it's appropriate to delay it. It was a very thoughtful decision on the part of CMS, and I'm sure it'll prove to be the right one," Wern says.
Long-term care professionals across the nation consider CMS' decision to delay the implementation of the MDS 3.0 to be positive news.
"When an overhaul of such an instrumental document is being performed, it is best to ensure that it is as complete and tested as possible. This delay shows CMS is taking the process seriously and making the time to fine tune the instrument prior to implementation," says Kate Brewer, PT, MBA, GCS, vice president of Greenfield Rehabilitation Agency, Inc., in Greenfield, WI.
This story first appeared as a breaking news item from the editors ofPPS Alert for Long-Term Care, a monthly publication from HCPro, Inc.
When The Washington (PA) Hospital opens its new critical care unit, emergency department and surgical services center, patients will be greeted by state-of-the-art technology and decreased wait times, as well as larger operating rooms, patient rooms, and family waiting areas. The three-year, $69 million project is adding 135,000 square feet and two new wings to the hospital's main campus in Washington, according to hospital spokeswoman Jamie Ivanac.
A new health clinic will open soon in west Pasco County, FL, thanks to a $1.2 million piece of the federal stimulus pie. Premier Community HealthCare Group officials are searching for property in the New Port Richey area to set up a primary care clinic. The nonprofit company, which has clinics in Dade City and Zephyrhills, receives federal subsidies to provide healthcare to the uninsured on a sliding fee scale. It also accepts Medicare, Medicaid and private insurance plans.
Lawmakers in two states, outraged by California's "Octomom," are seeking to limit the number of embryos that may be implanted by fertility clinics. The legislation in Missouri and Georgia is intended to spare taxpayers from footing the bill for women having more children than they can afford. But infertility doctors argue that decisions on how many embryos to transfer should be left up to medical experts familiar with a patient's individual circumstances.
North Dakota's House voted down a proposed constitutional amendment on healthcare rights, concluding it may not accomplish its purpose of assuring the availability of private medical services. The proposal sought to prevent restrictions on North Dakotans' ability to buy medical treatment or enroll in a health insurance plan.
