Legislative

Minnesota Lawmaker Introduces Bill to Protect Caregivers, Fatally Ill: Despite the fact that most Americans can expect to rely on a caregiver — likely a family member — during the final two years of life, the federal government does little to protect caregivers' health, Rep. James Oberstar, D-Minn., said July 19 when announcing a bill to address caregiver issues. The Living Well with Fatal Chronic Illness Act of 2002 would extend Medicare coverage to caregivers between ages 55 and 65; provide a $3,000 annual tax credit for the primary caregiver of a low-income individual who has long-term-care needs; authorize further government research to improve end-of-life care; and authorize the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to improve the delivery of appropriate health and support services for patients with fatal chronic illnesses. Co-sponsors of Oberstar's bill include Rep. Martin Frost, D-Texas, Rep. Stephanie Tubbs, D-Ohio, Rep. Mike McNulty, D-N.Y., and Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton, D-D.C.

Senate Votes to Provide Fiscal Relief to States: The U.S. Senate July 25 approved legislation that temporarily increases the federal share of Medicaid costs and creates temporary state fiscal relief grants. Sponsored by Sen. Ben Nelson, D-Neb., Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va., the legislation provides $9 billion in fiscal relief to states by increasing the federal Medicaid matching rate by 1.35 percent over 18 months and by providing a temporary social services block grant that will allow governors to assess the needs of their states, according to Senator Nelson. The legislation was added to Senate bill 812, the Affordable Pharmaceuticals Act, which the Senate passed in August.

Regulatory

CMS Issues Memos on Billing, Enrollment and Fraud-Reporting: Medicare beneficiaries should report billing “inconsistencies” to their providers before going to the Durable Medical Equipment Regional Carriers, according to one in a series of memoranda that the Baltimore-based Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services published in August. Another memorandum revised an entire chapter in Medicare's Program Integrity Manual with language designed to prevent fraudulent or excluded providers from entering the Medicare program, CMS said. Finally, CMS issued a transmittal that directed the DMERCs to adjudicate and return claims for implanted durable medical equipment, implanted prosthetic devices, replacement parts, accessories and supplies. “Providers currently are experiencing problems with billing for replacement parts, accessories and supplies for implanted DME,” the transmittal explained.

CMS Creates Prosthetics/Orthotics Rulemaking Committee: The Baltimore-based Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has established the Negotiated Rulemaking Committee on Special Payment Provisions and Requirements for Prosthetics and Certain Custom-Fabricated Orthotics. The committee is made up of representatives of parties that may be significantly affected by the proposed rule, CMS said. The committee's first meeting is scheduled for Oct. 1-3. For more information, contact Kathryn Cox at (410) 786-5954.

Medicare to Cover Electrical Wound Therapy in Some Cases: Until now, the Baltimore-based Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has left the decision of whether to cover electrical stimulation for wound healing to the agency's regional carriers. However, after studying the benefits of electrical-stimulation treatment, CMS issued a national coverage decision, the agency announced July 23. For chronic wounds that do not respond to standard wound therapies, Medicare will cover the use of electrical stimulation, CMS said in a memorandum. More information about this new coverage policy is available at www.cms.hhs.gov/coverage/8b3-ii3.asp.

Noteworthy

HHS Creates Office on Disability: Now disabled Americans will have a centralized voice in the federal government, according to Tommy Thompson, secretary of the U.S. Health and Human Services Department, who last month announced the creation of an HHS Office on Disability. An outgrowth of President Bush's New Freedom Initiative, the Office on Disability will oversee, coordinate, develop and implement programs that affect people with disabilities, Thompson explained. Margaret Giannini, currently the principal deputy assistant secretary for aging at the Administration on Aging, will lead the new office.

JCAHO Announces Streamlined Survey Process: The Oakbrook Terrace, Ill.-based Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations has announced a streamlined survey process for complex organizations. Beginning in 2004, the new process will replace JCAHO's “tailored survey” for organizations that offer multiple types of services. More information about the new process is available at www.jcaho.org/news+room/latest+news+release/jcaho_0730.htm.

HHS Awards Grants to Help Seniors Stay at Home: The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has awarded $3.7 million in grants to help seniors who live in “naturally occurring retirement communities” to remain independent. The awards will establish demonstration programs to develop and test senior-support models in five cities: Baltimore, Cleveland, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and St. Louis.

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