DEAR NCA MEMBERS-- IF YOU LIVE OR WORK IN MARYLAND YOU MAY WANT TO PARTICIPATE IN MARYLAND CHAPTER'S DAY ON THE HILL. Any questions send me an email. regards dan blum danieleblum@aol.com
Maryland Healthcare Information Technology Day in Annapolis
Please join us for our third annual Maryland Healthcare Information Technology Day in Annapolis on February 17, 2010. With the passage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, which included the HITECH Act, the impending EMR subsidies and "Meaningful Use" criteria scheduled for publication in December, we will have a lot to talk about.
This will be an opportunity to meet with, and hear from, federal and state leaders in HIT, as well as legislators who will be dealing with many of these issues. We will also have the chance to participate in one-on-one meetings with members of the Maryland Legislature to discuss our concerns about the public policy issues important to the healthcare information technology community.
Pre-Register Securely Online Here
We hope to see you there. The event will be held at the Governor Calvert House (58 State Circle, Annapolis, MD 21401), located across the street from the Maryland State House in downtown Annapolis. On-site Registrations begins at 11:00 AM and lunch starts at 11:30 AM. There is no charge for this event (it’s free).
Go to MDHIMSS.org to register
Advocacy: Notes and Comments from Dan Blum our Advocacy Chair
The challenge is to stay informed during this time of great opportunity and impending action.
If you want the HIMSS summary of the economic Stimulus package, American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) and the implications for HIT go to: www.himss.org. The front web page offers you a number of options. You can see the summary of the document and or listen to archived briefings on the Act itself.
Additionally, if you want to understand the priorities of the Executive Branch, in a presentation to health insurers March 10, Office of Management and Budget Director Peter Orszag outlined four strategies that he said are key to the president's health reform efforts:
(1) Health information technology: The recently enacted American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) calls for a $19 billion investment in health IT. The investment, he explained, will move the country toward a universal health IT system through which information about patients, their treatment and outcomes would be accessible to care providers. Such a system also would reduce errors and slash the amount of paperwork patients are asked to complete.
(2) Comparative effectiveness research: ARRA dedicates $1.1 billion to comparative effectiveness research funding to help determine the best drugs, devices and procedures based on cost and overall effectiveness. Orszag told attendees that the investment will arm doctors, hospitals and health plans with credible information about what works and what doesn't.
(3) Provider incentives: About 18% of Medicare beneficiaries are readmitted to the hospital within 30 days of discharge, Orszag said, adding that many readmissions could be avoided. Readmissions and subsequent treatments account for about $12 billion in Medicare costs annually, according to CMS. President Obama's fiscal year 2010 budget proposal calls for "bundled" payments to providers that would cover hospitalizations as well as some post-acute care. And hospitals with high rates of readmission would be paid less for patients who are readmitted within a 30-day period. "There isn't a strong incentive for hospitals to make sure patients do things post-discharge that will help avoid readmission," Orszag said.
(4) Prevention and wellness: A $1 billion investment in preventive care and wellness — called for in ARRA — will help the system move beyond treating the sick to preventing illness and improving health. Much of the funding will go toward immunizations. "The ultimate goal is healthier Americans," Orszag said.
Orszag spoke at a conference sponsored by the trade group America's Health Insurance Plans.
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