VIZIENT, INC. for VIZIENT INC

Taxation/Internal Revenue Code TAX

Not-For-Profit Hospital Tax Exemption - Monitored effort to expand hospital reporting obligations as required under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Tracked efforts to expand the IRS Form 990 Schedule H reporting requirements for hospitals. Advocated for policies that would not substantially increase reporting burden for hospitals.

Contacted: Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS); Internal Revenue Service (IRS); SENATE; Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Health Issues HCR

Hospital Group Purchasing - Conducted outreach and education efforts on the value of group purchasing organizations for hospitals. Monitored and expressed support for draft proposals to create greater transparency in the pricing of medical devices. H.R. 5 - Monitored the legislative movement of Medical Liability reform legislation. Advocated for policies that would ease the burden of liability costs on health care providers and promote competition in the insurance marketplace. Unique Device Identification - Advocated for the release of FDA regulations to establish a unique device identification system for medical devices as required by the Food and Drug Administration Amendments Act of 2007. H.R. 2 - Monitored efforts to repeal the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Advocated against eliminating expanded insurance coverage and wholesale changes, while encouraging an approach that would allow fixing pieces of the law while maintaining any improvements. S. 296 - Monitored legislation that would require drug manufacturers to report to the FDA on potential drug shortages. H.R. 452, S. 668 - Tracked the release of legislation that would repeal the Independent Payment Advisory Board created under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Patient Safety Initiative - monitored the release of a possible patient safety initiative from HHS. Engaged in policy discussions as to how VHA may be suited to engage policy makers in support of improving patient safety.

Contacted: Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS); SENATE; HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS); Internal Revenue Service (IRS)

Bills named: S. 668 (112th), H.R. 5 (112th), S. 296 (112th), H.R. 2 (112th), H.R. 452 (112th)

Medicare/Medicaid MMM

Accountable Care Organizations - Tracked the release of regulations to create the Medicare Shared Savings Program, which allows the creation of ACOs. Advocated for an approach that would allow flexibility for providers in establishing an ACO. Medicaid Maintenance of Effort Requirements - Advocated against changes to Medicaid MOE requirements that were included in the Affordable Care Act. Hospital Value Based Purchasing - Monitored the release of regulations establishing a hospital value based purchasing program as required under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Provided input about the implications of the proposed CMS rule for hospitals.

Contacted: Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS); Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS); Internal Revenue Service (IRS); SENATE; HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES