MEMBER LOGIN

Username:

 

Password:

 

Forgot your password?

7/4/2008

What's New @ KAHSA

In the Headlines...

Medicare Expands Efforts To Fight Fraud 
Nursing Homes Required To Vaccinate Residents Against The Flu 
Quarterly Provider Update - October 2005 Issue 
Many Ways To Get Help With Enrolling In Medicare Drug Coverage 
Cms Administrator Testifies About Value-based Purchasing For Physicians 
Leslie Norwalk, Deputy Administrator, Testifies About The Costs Of The Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit 
Administrator Speakes On Medicare Prescription Drug Assistance 
Electronic Health Record Software Delivered To Physician Offices 
Medicare Premiums And Deductibles For 2006 
Disaster Relief For Hurricane Katrina Evacuees In Texas 
Prescription Drug Plans In Pacific Territories 
Emergency Steps Being Taken To Ease Health Care Access To Katrina Evacuees 
Medicare Drug Plans To Offer Premiums Of $20 Or Less, Lower Deductibles, Broader Coverage Available 
Updated Regulations For Power Wheelchair And Power Operated Vehicle Claims Issued 
New Grants Will Help Families In 19 States Find Needed Long Term Care Services 
Marketing Rules For All Plans Offering Medicare Drug Coverage Issued 
Medicare Drug Premiums Will Be Lower Than Expected 
Contingency For Non-compliant Medicare Electronic Claims To End  
Roadmap To Quality: The Right Care For Every Person Every Time 
Medicare Proposes Payment Rates And Policy Changes For Hospital Outpatient Services 
Chief Financial Officer Testifies on Medicare & Medicaid Improper Payments 
New Web Service Helps Medicare Beneficiaries With Limited Means 
A 2.5 Percent Increase In Medicare Home Health Payment Rates Proposed 
Medicare Beneficiaries To Have More Health Plan Choices And Greater Savings With Medicare Advantage Plans 
Interim Final Rule Offers Physicians An Option To Acquire Drugs From Vendors Selected In A Competitive Bidding Process 
Medicare Demonstration For Day Care Services Announced 
Expanded Criteria Reaffirmed For Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities 
President Bush And Secretary Leavitt Kick-off The Medicare Covers America Tour (webcast) 
Moratorium On New Specialty Hospitals Expires 
Tax Exemption For Hospitals And Federal Payment For Uncompensated Care 
Oversight And Investigations On Community Health Centers 
Proposed Rule To Improve Hospice Care 
Letter To State Medicaid Directors Regarding Impotency Drugs For Sexual Offenders 
Prescription Drug Purchasing Simplified Through New Technologies  
Medicare.gov Data Updates  This week the data for the following tools was updated on Medicare.gov:
Nursing Home Compare
Medicare Options Compare
Medicare Prescription Drug Plan Finder
Dialysis Facility Compare
Participating Physician Directory.
New Edition of the Guide to Home Health Care Agencies Home Health Compare can assist in choosing the best local home health agency - based on past performance helping patients get better and improving their ability to function at home. By looking at the type of care the beneficiary needs and seeing what portion of each agency's patients achieve the best results ('outcomes') for that type of care, beneficiaries and their families can make sure that they choose the agency with the best track record.
2008 Medicare premiums and coinsurance rates 
Order a Medicare Replacement Card Online 
Medicare Provides Tools to Help Local Partners Prepare Beneficiaries for Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage  
New Drug Coverage Includes Options for Additional Benefits and Saving Money  
Hurricane Rita Information for People with Medicare and Medicaid and Providers 
Medicare Takes Major Step Toward 2006 Drug Benefit; Issues Approval to Plans Offering Coverage 
Request for Applications for E-prescribing Pilot Released  
Hurricane Katrina Information for people with Medicare and Medicaid and providers. 
Retiree Prescription Drug Coverage & The New Prescription Drug Coverage  
New Medicare Poll from the Kaiser Family Foundation  
Medicare Tomorrow: Future Savings for Beneficiaries, Estimates of the Impact of Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage on Low-Income Beneficiaries--State-Level Estimates  
Upcoming Distance Learning Opportunities on the Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit  
Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage - 'It's all coming together'  
Changes to Competitive Acquisition Program Timeline Medicare Competitive Acquisition Program For Part B Drugs and Biologicals
Basic Questions and Answers about Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage 
40th Anniversary for Medicare and Medicaid In 1965, the Social Security Act established both Medicare and Medicaid. Medicare was a responsibility of the Social Security Administration (SSA), while Federal assistance to the State Medicaid programs was administered by the Social and Rehabilitation Service (SRS). SSA and SRS were agencies in the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare (HEW). In 1977, the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) was created under HEW to effectively coordinate Medicare and Medicaid. In 1980 HEW was divided into the Department of Education and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). In 2001, HCFA was renamed the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage - 'It's all coming together'  
CMS Guidance on the Limited-Income Subsidy Helpful Information and Fact Sheets Help For Those With Limited Income and Resources.
CMS National Provider Identifier (NPI) Dear Provider Letter  CMS announced a system whereby all health care providers, including Medicare providers, can apply for a new identifier, known as the National Provider Identifier, or NPI, starting May 23, 2005.
CMS Facilitates Access to Innovative Technology  In a ruling announced today by Administrator Mark B. McClellan, M.D., Ph.D., CMS clarified its payment rules to present beneficiaries with the choice to receive presbyopia-correcting intraocular lenses (IOLs) that not only replace lens clouded by cataracts but also allows the eye to focus on near, intermediate, and far vision, minimizing the need for corrective lens.
April 2005 CMS Quarterly Provider Update Now Available CMS publishes this Update at the beginning of each quarter to inform the public about the following:
Regulations and major policies currently under development during this quarter.
Regulations and major policies completed or cancelled.
New/Revised manual instructions
Medicare Part D Electronic-Prescribing Proposed Rule  On December 8, 2003, President George W. Bush signed into law the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement and Modernization Act (MMA) of 2003. This landmark legislation provides seniors and people living with disabilities with a prescription drug benefit, more choices and better benefits under Medicare, the most significant improvement to senior health care in nearly 40 years.
Final Guidance Issued on MMA Section 1011: Emergency Health Services for Undocumented Aliens  This web page is designed to provide hospitals, physicians, and ambulance providers with accurate information regarding the implementation of section 1011 of the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003 (MMA).
Learn more about the Prescription Drug Benefit and Medicare Advantage Programs (Including Regulations)  Welcome to the Official Centers for Medicare & Medicare Services (CMS) Titles I & II webpage. This is a very special time for Medicare beneficiaries, full of many exciting program improvements and enhancements. The Medicare Modernization Act (MMA), passed with bipartisan support in Congress and signed into law by President Bush on December 8, 2003, has given us unprecedented opportunities to bring more personalized, high-quality modern health care to Medicare's millions of beneficiaries.
Proposal For The New Competitive Acquisition Program For Part B Drugs And Biologicals  Section 303 (d) of the MMA (adobe pdf 26Kb) requires the implementation of a competitive acquisition program (CAP) for Medicare Part B drugs and biologicals not paid on a cost or prospective payment system basis. Beginning with drugs administered on or after January 1, 2006, physicians will be given a choice between buying and billing these drugs under the average sales price (ASP) system, or obtaining these drugs from vendors selected in a competitive bidding process.


 

 




2006 KAHSA Community Treasures Video

                       Kentucky Association of Homes and Services for the Aging
2501 Nelson Miller Parkway - Louisville, KY  40223
Phone 502-992-4380  FAX 502-992-4390

Copyright 2008 KAHSA                                              Web Design and Hosting by mediamarketers.com