In
this issue
MHA
participates in roundtable on maternal opioid addiction
Dr. Rahul Koranne, MHA's chief medical officer, on Oct. 13 joined Sen. Al
Franken and other Minnesota health care leaders at a roundtable discussion on
opioids, with an emphasis on pregnant women. Koranne shared what Minnesota’s
hospitals are doing to help treat expectant mothers and their newborn babies
who are addicted to opioids.
To help provide a statewide response to the opioid epidemic in pregnant women
and newborns, MHA convened a work group of obstetricians, perinatalogists and
neonatologists to develop tools that hospitals and health systems across the
state can now use to identify, assess and treat newborns with NAS and their
mothers experiencing opioid addiction.
Resources include a risk assessment tool to help medical professionals identify
opioid addiction early during pregnancy, so pregnant women can get appropriate
treatment before giving birth; several different newborn assessment tools to
help medical professionals identify NAS; and information about NAS treatment
options to help hospitals and health systems make decisions about how they will
treat NAS.
“We are in the midst of a severe opioid epidemic and many of our hospitals and
health systems are caring for women who are addicted to these powerful opioids
during their pregnancy and for babies who are born addicted,” said Koranne.
“Our care teams want to treat addiction as early as possible in the course of a
woman’s pregnancy in order to ensure a healthy mom and baby.”
To access the resources, visit the MHA website. return to top
MHA
urges CMS to maintain funding for MinnesotaCare
MHA in an Oct. 5 letter joined other Minnesota health care and
human service organizations in urging the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid
Services (CMS) to stop potential funding cuts to MinnesotaCare, the state’s
Basic Health Plan (BHP) under the Affordable Care Act, in conjunction with the
state’s 1332 waiver request for federal funding for a state-based reinsurance
program. State legislators approved creation of the reinsurance program during
the 2017 legislative session, contingent on federal approval that would
preserve BHP funding.
MHA has long advocated for health care coverage for all Minnesotans. Minnesota
was one of just two states to implement a BHP – enhancing the MinnesotaCare
program, which was created over 25 years ago with bipartisan support and now
provides nearly 100,000 people with low premiums, low copays and a good benefit
set.
“As we approach open enrollment for 2018 health coverage, Minnesotans need clarity
and certainty as to the coverage that will be available to them through both
public and private sources,” said Minnesota’s health care and human service
leaders in the letter. “We implore you to immediately commit to holding
harmless the funding to Minnesota’s BHP as you approve Minnesota’s innovation
waiver for reinsurance.” return to top
Sens.
Klobuchar, Franken encourage CMS to consider feedback before finalizing 340B
proposal
Sens. Amy Klobuchar and Al Franken in an Oct. 6 letter were
among 57 senators urging the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)
to consider feedback from stakeholders before the agency finalizes its proposal
to reduce Medicare Part B payment for drugs acquired through the 340B Drug
Pricing Program.
“The long-term success of the 340B program is imperative,” the senators wrote. “As CMS finalizes
the 2018 [outpatient prospective payment system] rule, we implore you to
carefully consider stakeholder concerns and feedback, and to act to ensure that
reimbursement for 340B providers enables them to continue serving the most
vulnerable.”
CMS has proposed to pay for separately payable, non-pass-through drugs
purchased through the 340B program at the average sales price minus 22.5
percent, rather than the current rate of ASP plus 6 percent. MHA issued a comment letter Sept. 11 strongly opposing CMS’
proposal. return to top
MHA’s
Associate Member of the Year Life Link III named 2017 Program of the Year by
AAMS
Life Link III on Oct. 9 was named Program of the
Year by the Association of Air Medical Services (AAMS). The award recognizes an air medical program that
has demonstrated a superior level of patient care, management prowess, and
quality leadership through visionary and innovative approaches, customer
service, safety consciousness, community service and commitment to the medical
transport community as a whole.
Life Link III is the air medical transport program for the following consortium
member-owners: Allina Health, CentraCare Health, Children’s Minnesota, Essentia
Health, Fairview Health Services, Regions Hospital/HealthPartners, Hennepin
County Medical Center, St. Luke’s and Wisconsin’s Sacred Heart Hospital. The
organization also earned MHA’s 2017 Associate Member of the Year Award. return to top