Minnesota Hospital Association

Newsroom

March 10, 2014

MHA NEWSLINE

In this issue

Program  Hospital spotlight: Mille Lacs Health System takes 21 days to focus on wellness

Take a rural service area with high unemployment; high poverty; large numbers of seniors, farmers, families with children and a sizeable minority population and it’s tough to find a wellness program that is a good fit for everyone. Mille Lacs Health System (MLHS) in central Minnesota knew that its patient population struggled with depression, stress, diabetes and lack of physical activity. Based on Dr. Deepak Chopra’s idea that it takes 21 days to change any type of behavior, MLHS developed its 2012 Community Wellness program around that theme. The program was a great success and participants showed incredible enthusiasm about receiving wellness information. In total, 531 participants were involved in the Wellness Challenge and 30 health system employees and 11 community members volunteered a total of 153 hours. Read more about Mille Lacs’ efforts to benefit its community in MHA’s 2013 Community Benefit Report. return to top  

Final Basic Health Plan rule and funding methodology released

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released the final rule for the Basic Health Plan (BHP) and its funding methodology. The final funding methodology addresses much of Minnesota’s concerns regarding potential underfunding of its BHP.  

MHA along with the Minnesota Department of Human Services and other groups were concerned about the proposed funding methodology, which would not have allowed Minnesota to account for our current population served by MinnesotaCare, Minnesota’s BHP (see Jan. 20 Newsline article). The final methodology recognizes Minnesota’s early health care reform and innovation by giving the state the option to risk-adjust for people covered by MinnesotaCare instead of a Qualified Health Plan and retroactively reconcile payments with the federal government. This means federal payments will more closely reflect the costs of covering people in MinnesotaCare and help keep the program fiscally viable.  

MHA will continue reviewing the final funding methodology and rule. For more information contact Jen McNertney, MHA policy analyst, 651-659-1405 or Matt Anderson, MHA vice president of regulatory and strategic affairs, 651-659-1421. return to top  

Minnesota AUC hosts free ICD-10 readiness webinar on March 11

The Minnesota Administrative Uniformity Committee (AUC) is hosting a free ICD-10 readiness webinar as a part of its next regularly scheduled quarterly meeting, from 2 – 3:30 p.m., Tuesday, March 11, 2014. The webinar is being offered to increase awareness regarding state and federal ICD-10 requirements, to review best practices and tips for ICD-10 readiness, and to help answer questions. The AUC consults with the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) on the development of rules and the administration of the state’s “e-billing” requirements for the standard electronic exchange of health care business transactions, including claims and remittance advices. Not only is ICD-10 required starting Oct. 1, 2014 as a result of federal HIPAA regulations, but it is also required to comply with the state’s “e-billing” requirements.  

The AUC is partnering on the webinar with the Minnesota ICD-10 Collaborative, a consortium of providers and payers working together to improve planning and preparations for health care billing, reporting, and related processes in connection with the ICD-10 conversion. During the webinar several Collaborative members will be sharing experiences and insights about the ICD-10 readiness process.  

To receive an agenda and participate in the webinar, please contact the AUC’s Judy Edwards. return to top  

Employer applications being accepted for the Summer Health Care Internship Program

Deadline to apply is Friday, April 18

Employer applications are being accepted for the 2014 Summer Health Care Intern Program (SHCIP). Hospitals, clinics, nursing facilities and home care providers are encouraged to participate on behalf of qualified students in their community.  

The internship program benefits students by allowing them to explore health care careers and gain experience in a health care setting. The initiative also is a great opportunity for health care employers to become more involved in their communities.  

Up to half of an intern’s wages are reimbursed through a grant from the Minnesota Department of Health’s Office of Rural Health & Primary Care. The grant is administered by MHA. The employer application form is available on the MHA website. The application deadline is Friday, April 18 at 5 p.m.  

For more information on the Summer Health Care Internship Program, visit www.mnhospitals.org/shcip or contact Sarah Bohnet, Summer Health Care Internship Program coordinator, 651-603-3494. return to top