BE CONSULTING for MISSOURI HOSPITAL ASSOCATION

Health Issues HCR

See Next Page for Narrative. Congressional efforts to restrict states use of provider taxes to fund their Medicaid programs; Advocated the consideration for hospitals need for stability and predictability in making their spending and policy decisions; 2) support expected legislative efforts to repeal or revamp section 3141 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010; 3) support expected legislative efforts to assess and limit the administrative burdens imposed by demands for records by Medicare Recovery Audit Contractors and other program integrity initiatives; 4) reauthorize the Medicare Dependent Hospital Payment program for one year effective October 1, 2012, through H.R. 5943 or S. 2620; 5) oppose congressional proposals to curtail states capacity to use provider taxes to generate federal matching funds for their Medicaid programs; 6) repeal or revise the Medicare sustainable growth rate formula used to determine Medicare physician payments and do so without reducing payments to non-physician providers to offset the cost of doing so; 7) reject future congressional proposals to terminate the designation of critical access hospitals that qualify for separate payment and regulatory standards; Additional support for H.R. 5943, provisions relateed to Medicare Dependent Hospital programs; Medicare Payment Advisory Commissions report regarding the delivery and financing of hospitals and other health care services in rural regions; Promoted awareness of and support for the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services promulgation of regulations to clarify the authority of certified registered nurse anesthetists to be paid to provide pain management services to Medicare enrollees; Regulatory standards governing the use of tasers and weapons by hospital security staff; Worked on the wording and content of draft legislation to assess and limit the administrative burdens imposed by demands for records by Medicare Recovery Audit Contractors and other program integrity initiatives; H.R. 5943 or S. 2620, with respect to payments received by Missouri hospitals under the Medicare Low-Volume Hospital program; Expected legislation to assess and limit the administrative burdens imposed by demands for records by Medicare Recovery Audit Contractors and other program integrity initiatives; Discussed the effect the RAC program is having on Missouri hospitals.

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

Bills named: S. 2620 (112th), H.R. 5943 (112th)