HEALTH e-NEWS+

Ohio’s temporary high risk pool for those without insurance or with pre-existing conditions will begin taking applications Aug. 1. The new federal health care reform law requires the U.S. Department of Health and Human services to set up a temporary health insurance program—or “high-risk pool”—in each state for uninsured people with preexisting health conditions. Ohio established a high-risk pool that will last until 2014, when full federal reforms will take effect.

Medical Mutual of Ohio will administer the program, with coverage effective for the first enrollees on Sept. 1. It will offer two benefit plans, one with a $1,500 deductible and another with a $2,500 deductible. Coverage will have no pre-existing conditions exclusions or waiting periods. Resources and information available include:

• A list of FAQs
• An application checklist
• An Ohio High Risk Pool brochure
• A health care provider certification form

Consumers can also call 1.877.730.1117 beginning Aug. 2 to learn about the program and request a written application form and instructions. (Berna Bell)

OHA’s Quality Institute now provides posters for health care facilities illustrating the importance of hand hygiene and sanitized injection ports. Both of these measures help to prevent health care-associated infections and save lives.

All health care workers require comprehensive education on the importance of hand hygiene. This Hand Hygiene poster demonstrates the significance of the recommended 15 seconds of hand washing. The Scrub the Hub poster reminds Intensive Care Unit staff to scrub the hub of a central line prior to using the line to draw blood or infuse medications. By properly sanitizing the central line, potential central line-associated bloodstream infections can be avoided.

These posters can be placed around health care facilities to reinforce the importance of these life-saving measures. Posters are sold in bundles of 25 for $50 and can be ordered at the links above. (Jennifer Edse)

A Sept. 28 webinar will offer information on the Emergency Water Supply Planning Guide for Hospitals and Health Care Facilities for hospital emergency preparedness coordinators and engineering staff. The guide was developed by the American Water Works Association and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A key topic to be covered is water audits for hospitals to understand how water use can be reduced during emergencies. The session will also help participants to develop Emergency Water Supply Plans for their facilities.

The webinar, co-hosted by the Nebraska Hospital Association, will be held from 2:30 – 4 p.m. and will feature speaker J. Alan Roberson, P.E. View this and other OHA educational programming at www.ohanet.org/Events

Hospitals participating in the pay-for-reporting program under Medicare’s inpatient prospective payment system must submit information to www.qualitynet.org by Aug. 15. Hospitals must indicate whether they participate in systematic databases for cardiac surgery, stroke or nursing-sensitive care, and acknowledge the accuracy and completeness of their quality data to receive their full annual payment update for fiscal year 2011.

The reporting period began July 1, but as of July 27, more than one-third of hospitals had not completed the reporting. Data must be submitted by the Aug. 15 deadline in order to qualify for its full update. (Rosalie Weakland)

OHA submitted a comment letter last week to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) regarding the new requirements for tax-exempt hospitals enacted in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA). In general, OHA encourages the IRS to develop rules that allow reasonable flexibility for tax-exempt hospitals to meet the additional requirements. Issues that affect hospital compliance include the availability of hospital resources, the economic and health status of the community, the array of services provided and the availability of physicians and other personnel.

OHA also supports the American Hospital Association’s (AHA) comments regarding the PPACA tax-exempt hospital requirements. AHA believes the IRS can revise Form 990 instructions for certain questions in a way to allow compliance for information collection. In a separate letter to follow, AHA will urge the IRS to improve the requirements to allow hospital systems the option of reporting on a consolidated basis to fully and accurately reflect a hospital system’s community benefit activities. (Mary Gallagher)

The American Hospital Association (AHA) issued a letter to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicating strong support for revisions made to the updated flu prevention guidance for health care settings, especially its emphasis on annual flu vaccination.

AHA also supports the return to standard and droplet precautions for both seasonal and H1N1 flu, including the use of facemasks for direct patient contact. The letter also urges the CDC to direct additional funding to research on the dynamics of flu transmission and developing improved fitting respirators. (Carol Jacobson)

OHA received word that the Jurisdiction 15 (J15) Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC) award to CIGNA Government Services is again on hold. A protest was filed July 23, which means the U.S. Government Accountability Office may not issue a decision until mid-fall.

CMS posted a brief overview of its decision to award the J15 MAC to CIGNA Government Services, LLC last week. The MAC contract includes nearly all Medicare parts A and B, provider and beneficiary operations in Ohio and Kentucky, and was initially awarded to Highmark Medicare Services in January 2009. Two firms protested, the award, and CMS re-bid the contract. Earlier this month CMS announced a reversal of its initial decision and gave the job to CIGNA. Now that award has been officially protested, so the process is once again on hold.

It is likely any MAC transition will run well into 2011, so it is Medicare business usual for Ohio hospitals and doctors. Visit OHA’s finance Web page for updates. (Charles Cataline)