In this issue
Allina
Health creates community solutions to improve health
Despite having access to world-class medical care right in their
“backyard,” many residents of South Minneapolis experience poor health
outcomes. Allina Health’s Backyard Initiative goes beyond medical care to
improve health by empowering residents to strengthen their own health.
The Backyard Initiative includes 12 Citizen Health Action teams (CHATs), each
of which receives between $5,000 and $25,000 per year to develop and manage
community-led health improvement projects. More than 6,600 community
members participated in CHAT activities during 2013, with 175 residents
actively leading CHATs – this means that approximately 15 percent of residents
participated in the Backyard Initiative. One example of a CHAT accomplishment
is the Growing in the Backyard
program, which has distributed 6,000 pounds of vegetables to 2,500 community
members.
For more examples of how hospitals are reaching beyond their four walls to
their communities through outreach and wellness programs, read the 2014 Community Benefit Report. return to top
Budget
hearings begin
Gov. Dayton released his proposed budget for the 2016-17 biennium last week and hearings begin this week.
The House Health and Human Services Finance Division passed and amended a
deficiency funding bill (H.F. 264) authored by Rep. Jim Knoblach (R-St. Cloud)
that includes funding for the Minnesota Department of Health, $2 million
included for hospitals designated as Ebola treatment centers and EMS providers.
This legislation will be heard in the Senate Finance committee on Monday, Feb.
2. Gov. Dayton also included this request in his proposed budget.
The Senate Health, Human Services and Housing Policy committee passed a bill
for increased loan forgiveness grants for health care providers (S.F. 3)
authored by Sen. Greg Clausen (DFL-Apple Valley). Its House companion, H.F.
211, is scheduled to be heard in the House Health and Human Services Reform
committee on Tuesday, Feb. 3.
Upcoming hearings of
interest
On Monday and Tuesday, the Senate Health and Human Services Finance Division
will hear public testimony on the Governor’s proposed budget. Lawrence Massa,
MHA president and CEO will testify along with several MHA members.
On Monday, Feb. 2 at noon, the Senate Health, Human Services and Housing policy
committee will hold a hearing on several ambulance and EMS related bills; S.F.
379, S.F. 233, S.F. 307 and S.F. 175 are included on the schedule.
On Tuesday, Feb. 3 at 2:45 p.m., the House Health and Human Services reform
committee will hear a proposal to add funding to the loan forgiveness program
for health care professionals (H.F. 211), authored by Rep. Debra Kiel
(R-rookston).
On Wednesday, Feb. 4 the House Health and Human Services reform committee will
hear the House companions to the ambulance and EMS related legislation
considered by the Senate on Monday.
Bills of interest
introduced this week include
H.F. 380, authored by Rep. Joe Schomacker (R-Luverne), would increase payment
rates for rural special transportation services.
For a complete list of 2015 legislative bills MHA is tracking, visit the Member Center. For assistance accessing the
Member Center, please contact Ashley Gauster, MHA member services and
communications specialist, 651-603-3545. return to top
Health
care items included in Governor’s budget
$66.1 million for MinnesotaCare changes
The Governor’s proposed budget addresses the ongoing sustainability of the
Health Care Access Fund (HCAF) through a combination of increased cost-sharing
and modest premium increases for MinnesotaCare enrollees. These changes,
which are projected to total $65.4 million are intended to address a projected
deficit in the HCAF in FY2017. The MinnesotaCare program serves
approximately 85,000 low income residents who earn between 138-200 percent of
the federal poverty guidelines.
In addition, the proposed budget includes several recommended changes to ensure
the MinnesotaCare program complies with federal regulations related to the
Basic Health Plan (BHP). One change is to exempt people with income below
35 percent of federal poverty from premiums. Other recommendations would clarify
income and household composition rules, align renewal periods and permit a long
grace period for enrollees not paying their premiums. Together, these
recommendations would cost an additional $700,000.
$5.2 million for hospital
inpatient payment changes
The Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) is developing an updated
Medical Assistance inpatient hospital payment system. State law requires
the new system to rebase payment rates in a cost-neutral fashion and to be
ICD-10 compliant.
DHS plans to create a cost-based system for Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs)
similar to Medicare. According to its early analysis, however, reimbursement
rates for CAHs might fall well below those of other hospitals unless
supplemental funding is provided. Therefore, the governor’s proposed budget
calls for a small increase in state funding to avoid those unintended
consequences of the rebasing effort.
In addition, the proposed budget includes a recommendation to remove the
payment cap on vaginal and C-section deliveries, and to align disproportionate
share hospital (DSH) payments with state and federal policy objectives.
MHA is working with DHS to organize a webinar or conference call on Friday,
Feb. 6 for members to learn more about the rebasing process and better
understand the projected payments for Prospective Payment System hospitals.
Once DHS has more details regarding its CAH payment methodology, MHA will look
to convene another similar webinar. Information regarding the dates and times
of these webinars will be sent to MHA members via email.
For more information, contact Joe Schindler, MHA vice president of finance,
651-659-1415. return to top
Governor
proposes substantial investments in mental health
Gov. Dayton’s proposed budget includes more than $45 million in
new spending to strengthen Minnesota’s mental health system. Improving access
to mental health services is one of the Minnesota Hospital Association’s (MHA)
highest priorities for this legislative session.
The governor’s budget proposes the following key funding items:
- $2.173 million for behavioral
health homes, which provide coordinated care to people with serious mental
illnesses. The BHH program will also draw down a 90 percent match in
federal Medicaid funds.
- $4.6 million for mental health
crisis services, which include creating a single crisis phone line,
increasing reimbursement rates for crisis services and expanding 24/7
availability across the state.
- $2.59 million for three new
state operated Intensive Residential Treatment Services (IRTS) that serve
people with complex conditions, including behaviors that are aggressive.
- $5.51 million in grant funding
to stabilize intensive residential treatment and crisis providers pending
a more thorough revamping of their payment rates.
- $1.32 million to expand the
number and improve the quality of Assertive Community Treatment (ACT)
teams, including a forensic team for people leaving the corrections
system.
- $6.62 million for Psychiatric
Residential Treatment Facilities (PRTFs) to provide 150 beds in new models
of residential care for children and adolescents with serious mental
illnesses, as well as extended-stay contracts with community
hospitals for 30 beds for inpatient child and adolescent mental
health treatment.
In addition to supporting many aspects of the governor’s mental
health proposals, MHA is advocating to expand and improve payment for
telehealth services, as well as address the 48 hour law that prioritizes people
under commitment and in jail for admission to state facilities over people
under commitment and in a community hospital.
MHA continues to evaluate the proposals contained in the governor’s budget to
gauge their potential impact on patients, communities and the hospitals and
health systems that care for them. For example, MHA is looking to the potential
repercussions of closing the Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health Services
(CABHS) program in Willmar and treatment facilities for people with the dual
diagnoses of mental illness and chemical dependency.
For more information, contact Jen McNertney, MHA policy analyst,
651-659-1405. return to top
Legislation
introduced to provide flexibility in meeting meaningful use requirements
Federal legislation would give hospitals and eligible
professionals more flexibility in meeting meaningful use requirements for
electronic health records (EHRs) in Fiscal Year 2015.
The Flexibility in Health IT Reporting (Flex-IT) Act (H.R. 270), would shorten
the 2015 reporting period to 90 days from the current 365 days for Medicare and
Medicaid EHR Incentive Program participants using the 2014 Edition Certified
EHR. Without this change, the vast majority of hospitals are required to meet
all Stage 2 requirements starting on Oct 1, 2014, and maintain compliance
through Sept. 30, 2015.
Nationally, hospitals continue to be challenged with the current regulatory
timeline for EHR delivery, installation and implementation. Without relief from
the full year of use and reporting requirement, hospitals could face financial
penalties despite their best efforts at compliance.
This legislation is supported by MHA and the American Hospital Association. MHA
has reached out to our House members asking them to sign onto the bill.
For more information, contact Ann Gibson, MHA vice president of federal
relations and workforce, 651-603-3527. return to top
MHA
members encouraged to attend AHA annual meeting, May 3-6 in Washington D.C.
MHA will coordinate visits with the Minnesota congressional
delegation
This spring, Congress addresses issues and deadlines including the debt ceiling
and the Medicare Sustainable Growth Rate formula. MHA members’ help is needed
to deliver a unified message on these budget issues during the American
Hospital Association (AHA) annual meeting in Washington, D.C., May 3-6.
AHA will host a strong line-up of speakers who will address the most immediate
and long term issues facing hospitals and health systems, and with
approximately 1,500 attendees in attendance this is a unique opportunity to
network with peers across the country. In addition, MHA staff will schedule
congressional office visits and help prepare MHA members for those visits
during a special briefing.
To register for the meeting, visit aha.org. About a week prior to the annual
meeting, MHA will send participants additional information on special
“Minnesota-only” events.
For more information, contact Ann Gibson, MHA vice president of federal
relations and workforce, 651-603-3527. return to top
CMS
seeking documentation of eligibility from CAHs
The American Hospital Association (AHA) alerted critical access
hospitals (CAHs) that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is
sending letters asking for information related to each hospital’s eligibility
for the CAH program. The CMS letters are expected to request documentation that
might include the CAH’s distance from another hospital, the number of inpatient
beds in use or its designation as a necessary provider by the state. According
to the AHA special bulletin, CMS is making the request in anticipation of an
upcoming “recertification or re-accreditation” process.
The Minnesota Hospital Association (MHA) is concerned about CMS’s underlying
purpose for this request. Minnesota is home to 79 CAHs that provide access to
care in rural communities throughout the state. MHA and AHA are working
together to learn more.
AHA expects that CMS will require CAHs to provide the requested documentation
within 15 days of receiving the letter, but hospitals can receive an extension,
if necessary, by contacting Rosemary Robinson, CMS, 404-562-7405.
For more information about the CAH program or previous federal proposals to
reduce the number of CAHs, contact Ann Gibson, MHA vice president of federal
relations and workforce, 651-603-3527. return to top
Sexton
to promote professional resiliency at MHA Healthcare Leadership Institute
J. Bryan Sexton, Duke University professor and director of
patient safety for the Duke University Health System, will present a special
all-day session on professional resiliency on Thursday, March 5 at the MHA
Healthcare Leadership Institute.
The session, Essentials for Enhancing Professional Resiliency, is sponsored by
MMIC Group and will provide participants with real-time feedback on the
essentials of professional resiliency. Participants will leave with specific
instructions and tools to promote their own resilience and well-being along
with an understanding of how to help their employees and physicians in their
own fatigue management.
Dr. Sexton has captured the wisdom of frontline caregivers through rigorous
assessment of safety culture and teamwork. His research instruments have been
used around the world in more than 2,500 hospitals in 20 countries.
The conference will be held March 4-6 at the Crowne Plaza Minneapolis West in
Plymouth. For more information or to register download the conference brochure or visit the MHA website.
The deadline for accommodations at the Crowne Plaza is Tuesday, Feb. 10 so be
sure to reserve your room right away by clicking here or calling
(763) 559-6600. Be sure to mention you are with the MHA Leadership
Institute. return to top
Federal
health IT coordinator sets 2017 goal for interoperability
The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information
Technology (ONC) recently released a 10-year roadmap on how to improve
interoperability in electronic health-record systems. The report calls for most
providers to be able to use their systems to send, receive and use a common set
of electronic clinical information by the end of 2017. The plan is open for
public comment through April 3.
On the state level, Minnesota has had a mandate for all providers to have
interoperable electronic health records by 2015. While the Minnesota mandate does
not include penalties for non-compliance, at the federal level there is the
possibility of penalties for failing to meet meaningful use requirements. While
this report sets a goal of 2017, it does not set a timeline for penalties to
begin.
Accompanying the plan is a 13-page “advisory” to the health IT community on
what the ONC sees as the best available healthcare information exchange
standards and implementation specifications to facilitate health data
information exchange. The ONC intends to keep the list updated periodically.
The ONC's interoperability roadmap calls for a public-private partnership to
create a “governance framework” for health information exchange. It also calls
for more work to be done developing and harmonizing interoperability standards
“that will allow us to facilitate the sharing without a whole lot of extra
effort,” ONC director Karen DeSalvo said.
For more information, contact Mark Sonneborn, MHA vice president of
information services, 651-659-1423. return to top
AHA
now accepting applications for Foster G. McGaw Prize
The Foster G. McGaw Prize honors health delivery
organizations that have distinguished themselves through efforts to improve the
health and well-being of those in their communities with an exceptional
commitment to community service. Any health care delivery organization
(hospitals, health systems, integrated networks or self-defined community
partnerships) are eligible to apply.
Applicants must demonstrate they meet criteria in the following categories:
leadership, commitment, partnerships, breadth and depth of initiatives, and
community involvement.
Recipients of the award will receive recognition in the form of cash prize and
acknowledgement with a trophy, special awards ceremony at the AHA Annual
Meeting and coverage in health care publications.
All MHA members are encouraged to apply; applications are due April 3, 2015.
More information, including the Call for Entries brochure, application and
examples of past award winners can be found here. return to top