March 2009

In This Issue:

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• In Their Own Words |
• By the Numbers |
• Tools and Resources |
• Congressional News |
• In the News |
• State News |
• Calendar of Events|

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>> Congressional News

Don’t Miss HIMSS09 Economic Stimulus Sessions
HIMSS09 will include 11 education sessions focused on the impact of the health IT provisions in the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act of 2009. More than $19 billion is being invested by the federal government in the healthcare industry, primarily to achieve widespread adoption and use of EHR technologies within hospitals, physician practices, community health organizations, public health settings, and others - and to make electronic exchange of health information a reality throughout the United States. Session topics include The Goal of Economic Stimulus: A Democrat/Republican Panel; Funding in Economic Stimulus: The Scope of the Opportunity; Optimizing the Opportunities in Economic Stimulus for Rural and Community Health; and Privacy and Security Implications. Read more

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House Committee Approves FY 2010 Budget
The House Budget Committee voted 24 to 15 late Wednesday to approve its $3.5 trillion fiscal year 2010 budget that begins October 1. The action sends the plan to the House floor for a vote next week.  The committee vote came after President Obama met privately across the Capitol with Senate Democrats to shore up support for the budget plan he submitted last month.  The Senate Budget Committee is working on its version of a budget plan, with a vote on it on the Senate floor likely next week. The House budget includes reconciliation measures, something that many Senate leaders would like to avoid, said HIMSS Director of Government Relations Meredith Taylor.  Background on the reconciliation process can be found on the following web page -- http://www.rules.house.gov/archives/bud_rec_proc.htm.  The budget also includes a deficit neutral reserve fund for healthcare reform (citing the application of funds to improve the quality, cost, and access to healthcare). All of the President’s major initiatives--- those in health care, energy, education, and the environment---are all implemented via reserve funds, which are deficit neutral.

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HELP Committee Addresses Health Insurance Market Reform
The Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions sponsored a hearing that addressed the issue of insurance market reform in national health reform debate on Tuesday, March 24th.  Witnesses included:  Janet Trautwein, Executive Vice President and CEO, National Association of Health Underwriters; Karen Pollitz, M.P.P., Research Professor, Health Policy Institute at Georgetown University; Karen Ignagni, M.B.A., President and CEO, America’s Health Insurance Plans; Len Nichols, Ph.D, Director, Health Policy Program at the New America Foundation; Katherine Baicker, Ph.D, Professor of Health Economics, Department of Health Policy and Management at the Harvard School of Public Health;  Sandy Praeger, Kansas Health Insurance Commissioner; and Ronald A. Williams, MS, Chairman and CEO, Aetna Inc., Hartford, CT. This hearing was the second in a series of hearing on health care reform.

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Legislation to Create Neurotech Jobs
Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) and Representative Patrick Kennedy (D-RI) recently introduced legislation to help scientists advance their understanding of the human brain and develop new treatments and cures for the millions of Americans who suffer from neurological diseases, conditions, and disorders. The bills referred to as the “National Neurotechnology Initiative Act of 2009” (S. 586 and H.R 1483) are also supported in the House by Reps. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (D-FL), Bob Filner (D-CA), and David Wu (D-OR).  Read more

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The National Health IT Collaborative for the Underserved held it’s Chair-Co-Chair Workgroup Meetings on March 12-13 in Washington, DC. Pictured is the Policy Workgroup, chaired by HIMSS Vice President of Government Relations Dave Roberts. The Institute for e-Health Policy in collaboration with the NHIT Collaborative also sponsored a Capitol Hill briefing entitled “Improving Access Through Healthcare Information Technologies for Rural and Underserved Communities: Issues and Opportunities in Economic Stimulus and Health Care Reform” on March 13 in the Rayburn House Office Building.

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>> In the News

National Speakers Headline Public Policy Networking Breakfast
Several hundred HIMSS members and public officials are expected to attend the HIMSS09 Public Policy Networking Breakfast on April 6th.  Keynote speakers include Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Kentucky’s Lt. Governor Dan Mongiardo, and George Lazenby, CEO of Emdeon.  HIMSS Chairman of the Board of Directors Charles Christian and Vice President of Government Relations Dave Roberts will also present the 2008 Advocate of the Year Award to James Harris of HIMSS Maryland Chapter.  Harris successfully attained Presidential Level certification, the highest level of advocacy certification.  “Presidential Level” certification required that Harris actively work to establish productive relationships with federal and state elected officials.

As a result of Harris’ efforts, the Maryland Chapter is also certified as a Presidential Level chapter.  Harris, the third member of the CALR to obtain the 100 points necessary to achieve the Presidential Level, is Project Manager for MedStar Health.  Previous Advocates of the Year include Shawna Schueller of HIMSS Minnesota Chapter and George Sheth, HIMSS Southern California Chapter.  This year’s breakfast is sponsored by Emdeon, HIMSS Diamond member.

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HHS Names Blumenthal National Coordinator for Health IT
Last week, the Obama Administration appointed David Blumenthal, M.D., M.P.P. National Coordinator for Health Information Technology.  HIMSS President & CEO H. Stephen Lieber, said, "Blumenthal is an outstanding health care policy person with a deep, deep background in health care information technology."  As the National Coordinator, Dr. Blumenthal will lead the implementation of a nationwide interoperable, privacy-protected health information technology infrastructure as called for in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.  Dr. Blumenthal most recently served as a physician and director of the Institute for Health Policy at The Massachusetts General Hospital/Partners HealthCare System in Boston, Mass.  He was also Samuel O. Thier Professor of Medicine and Professor of Health Care Policy at Harvard Medical School.

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HHS Makes $268 Million Available to Support Hospitals Serving Uninsured, Vulnerable Americans
States can access an additional $268 million authorized by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to help pay hospitals to treat their most vulnerable patients.  Eligible hospitals are those that serve a disproportionate share of low-income or uninsured individuals and are known as Disproportionate Share Hospitals (DSH).  The Recovery Act increases the amount of allotments available to states from approximately $11.06 billion to $11.33 billion for 2009.  To see a complete list of the revised DSH allotments that include additional funding provided through the Recovery Act, please visit http://www.hhs.gov/recovery/cms/dshstates.html.  To track the progress of HHS activities funded through the Recovery Act, visit www.hhs.gov/recovery.  To track all federal funds provided through the Recovery Act, visit www.recovery.gov.

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Federal Agency Leaders Named to Federal Coordinating Council
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced the members of the Federal Coordinating Council for Comparative Effectiveness Research. Authorized by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the new Council will help coordinate research and guide investments in comparative effectiveness research funded by the Recovery Act.  Comparative effectiveness research provides information on the relative strengths and weakness of various medical interventions. Such research will give clinicians and patients valid information to make decisions that will improve the performance of the U.S. healthcare system. To ensure that all voices are heard, the Council will hold a public listening session on April 14, 2009.  Read more

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Healthcare Standards Organizations Form Charter
Healthcare standards development organizations (SDOs) have come together for form the Standards Charter Organization (SCO), a formal collaboration among U.S. SDOs. The SCO will coordinate among its charter members to achieve true collaboration and harmonization of standards and interoperability that will support meaningful improvements in healthcare outcomes.  Read more

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IBM, MedVirginia and SSA Unveil First EHR Exchange for a U.S. Government Agency
Last week, IBM, MedVirginia and the U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA) announced a first-of-a-kind electronic records exchange system to help speed the process of granting disability benefits for millions of Americans. Through the use of new software and services, the SSA shaved the amount of time to process requests for medical records needed to evaluate disability benefits from months to minutes. The project, part of the Nationwide Health Information Network (NHIN) Cooperative, began just 14 months ago and represents the first health information exchange between a regional health information organization and a U.S. federal agency. The new system uses IBM's Health Information Provider solution to not only reduce processing times, but to also improve claims accuracy and reduce costs. Read more

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Health Insurance Premiums Rising Faster Than Wages
According to a study for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, nearly 20 percent of workers in the U.S. are uninsured reports the Associated Press. In the mid-1990s, about 14 percent of workers-or one in seven-did not have health insurance. The main cause for such high uninsured rates has been cost. According to the study, premiums are rising six to eight times faster than corresponding wages, making coverage virtually unaffordable. Currently, about 26.9 million workers are uninsured. Twenty percent of the working age population is uninsured in 14 states (Alaska, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina and Texas), up from just eight states a decade earlier. 

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Diverse Organizations Form Coalition on Medical Innovation
A new coalition of leaders in research, medicine, patient advocacy, academia, education, labor and business joined together to form the Council for American Medical Innovation – a working partnership that will urge Congress to adopt a national policy agenda that facilitates medical innovation and discoveries in the life sciences. The mission of the Council for American Medical Innovation is to work in partnership to:  educate the public about the importance of medical innovation in the U.S. and its impact on the economy, health and well being of the nation; drive a comprehensive public policy agenda that advances medial innovation and progress; and encourage policymakers to make meaningful changes on critical issues related to medical innovation.

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CCHIT Accelerates Development of Advanced Tech Certifications
The Certification Commission for Healthcare Information Technology (CCHIT) announced it will accelerate the development of advanced technology certification programs – encompassing Clinical Decision Support, Interoperability, Quality and Security – in order to complete them all in the upcoming 2009-2010 development cycle.   Previously, advanced clinical decision support and security were on the Commission’s roadmap but would not have been completed until 2011.  Read more

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Have you Hob-nobbed with a VIP Lately?
Have you rubbed elbows with politicians, regulatory officials, advisors…or their staffs? If you answered ‘yes’ - you could already be a winner!  We're looking for digital pictures of HIMSS members with President Barack Obama, members of the Obama Administration, members of Congress, state and local elected officials and their staffs.  These are the people who can help us move closer to transforming healthcare through IT and management systems. Moreover, these pictures will inspire others to get involved in HIMSS Advocacy initiatives.  Read more

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>> State News

Track Economic Stimulus Funds in Your State
Forty-eight states and the Virgin Islands have created or proposed ways to track, provide oversight and distribute information regarding the federal stimulus funds.  The following website will provide a brief summary of actions that states are proposing or taking to provide oversight and transparency
of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) --
http://www.ncsl.org/programs/fiscal/stimulusoversight.htm.

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Governor Richardson to Sign EMR Law
The New Mexico Senate and House of Representatives passed an electronic medical records bill that would require security and privacy protections associated with the use of EMRs. SB 278, sponsored by Sen. Peter Wirth, is part of Governor Bill Richardson’s legislative health reform agenda, which includes insurance reforms, EMRs, and public insurance consolidation. The bill now heads to Governor Richardson for his signature.  Read More

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Reports Assess New York State Health Information Network
New York’s model for building a statewide health information network is working, while New York city hospitals are underreporting adverse events to the state health department, according to reports released by the Health Information Technology Evaluation Collaborative (HITEC) and the city comptroller.  Read more

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Health IT Legislation Pending in Hawaii State Legislature
A House bill introduced by Hawaii State Rep. Jon Riki Karamatsu would create an office of state coordinator of health information exchange to assist in developing an HIE program.   The comprehensive state health database envisioned by lawmakers would allow physicians immediate access to patient medical records, patient history, lab results and prescription medications. Ideally, data would be collected from all public and private healthcare providers in Hawaii.  If the state adopts Karamatsu's proposal and moves quickly, the federal stimulus, known as the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, will match each state dollar invested in the initiative with $10 of federal funds in fiscal year 2011. That formula moves to $7 in federal funds per state dollar in 2012 and $3 in 2013 and beyond.  The Hawaii Health Information Exchange Inc. — a nonprofit corporation made up of stakeholders in the Hawai'i healthcare community, including representatives from various hospitals, health insurers, physician organizations, and other providers — supports the state's plan.

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State Legislatures Considering Changes in Ethics and Lobbying Laws
Ethics and lobbying bills are now making their way through the nation’s state legislatures. Visit the National Conference of State Legislatures’ Ethics and Lobbying Legislation Database to learn more about your state’s pending legislation.  The following topics are included: ethics oversight, gifts, conflict of interest, honorariums, financial disclosure, nepotism, contracting with government, dual office holding, revolving door, representing others before government, ethics training and lobbying.

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In Their Own Words

“The President has pledged to work on health care reform in a bipartisan way. Working together on a plan means agreeing where we want to go at the beginning, and then finding a path to get there, not just buying some votes at the end. Paving a highway and then dragging people down it is not bipartisanship. The bipartisan road is built together and it’s built with action more than words. We need to do more than expand coverage – we need to stem the tide of rising costs so that every American can access quality, affordable health care.”

Source: Statement by U.S. Senator Michael Enzi (R-WY), Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, after he accepted the President’s invitation to the White House for the Summit on Health Care.

By the Numbers

$12 Billion:  US hospitals “waste” approximately $12 billion annually due to poor communication among care providers. The loss, as percentage of hospital revenues is 1.93% -- when juxtaposed against the average hospital margin of 3.6% (AHA), the magnitude of the waste is particularly striking.
Source: Quantifying the Economic Impact of Communication Inefficiencies in US Hospitals, a report published by the Center for Health Information and Decision Systems, Robert H. Smith School of Business, University of Maryland at College Park.

Tools & Resources

Telehealth Grants AvailableHRSA’s Office of Health Information Technology (OHIT) has grant funding available under the Telehealth Resource Center Grant Program (HRSA-09-195). The program will provide approximately $1.8 million to fund six grantees for fiscal years 2009-2011. The application deadline is April 22, 2009. For more information, go to www.grants.gov or contact Monica M. Cowan, Public Health Analyst, Office for the Advancement of Telehealth at 301-443-0076.

HIMSS JOBMINE -- Whether you're actively looking for a new position or simply waiting to be approached with a great opportunity, HIMSS JobMine® helps you stay focused on the healthcare industry. And if you’re looking for high quality candidates, HIMSS JobMine® also gives you direct access to the best in the industry.

Member Only Benefit: GRANTS OFFICE
A detailed list of current federal, state and local grants is available on HIMSS web site, under the Member Center.  Visit HIMSS Member Center, then click Search for Grants (left column).

Member Only Benefit: CONGRESSIONAL RESEARCH SERVICE REPORTS

HITECH Act

State Children’s Health Insurance Program: A Brief Overview

Medicaid Regulatory Issues

To access other CRS Reports, visit HIMSS Member Center (Click HIMSS PULSE on the left column)

CMS New E-Prescribing Web Page
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is pleased to announce the new Electronic Prescribing Incentive Program (E-Prescribing) web page. This new web page provides information about the new E-Prescribing incentive program that was authorized by the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008 (MIPPA).

 A Shared Roadmap and Vision for Health IT -- a white paper by NeHC-HITSP-CCHIT

Calendar of Events

National eHealth Collaborative
March Board of Directors Meeting
Crystal City Marriott
1999 Jefferson Davis Highway
Arlington, VA 22202
Time: 2:00 - 4:00 pm EST
RSVP Online
Audioconference: 
(800) 240-3895, code: 1079949

HIMSS MiddleEast09 Healthcare IT & Management Excellence
May 5-7, 2009
Registration is Now Open
Read the full conference brochure and explore all of the top speakers, product innovations, educational and networking opportunities.

PAeHI Technology Summit and PA HIMSS Healthcare IT Advocacy Event 
May 4-5, 2009
9:30 a.m. — 6:00 p.m.
Crowne Plaza
235 Second Street
Harrisburg, Pa. 17101
Click here to register securely online.
Co-sponsored by the Delaware Valley and Western PA Chapters of the HIMSS and the Pennsylvania eHealth Initiative

Copyright © 2009 Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society
4300 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 250
Arlington VA  22203
visit www.HIMSS.org/advocacy