The Connection is a weekly e-newsletter from the Arizona Hospital and Healthcare Association, the best source to find out what is going on in healthcare within our state. You can subscribe to our daily blog where we discuss pressing healthcare topics, such as how Arizona is leading the way in an important public health project.

In This Week's Issue

• AzHHA Mourns the Loss of Board Member Sharon Anthony
• AzHHA Awaits Next Steps on ACA Repeal and Replace
• CMS Issues Information on Implementing Emergency Preparedness Rule
• CMS Simplifies 2017 Chronic Care Management
• Dr. Jonathan Burroughs Kicks Off the 2017 Western Regional Trustee Symposium
• Point of Pride

In The News

• Maricopa County Sees Biggest Population Growth in the Country
• Feds Join Second Whistleblower Case Against UnitedHealth Group
• Arizona City Police to Carry and Use Opioid Blocker

AzHHA Mourns the Loss of Board Member Sharon Anthony
Ann-Marie Alameddin, Vice President Strategy & General Counsel

AzHHA mourns the loss of Sharon Anthony, Market CEO of Select Specialty Hospital - Phoenix. Sharon was on vacation in Florida, spending time with a long-time friend. After feeling under the weather for a few days, her health took a very bad, unexpected turn. Sharon was a board member of AzHHA since 2013 and the Chair of the Post -Acute Care Constituency Group. She was a true, kindhearted leader with an unwavering commitment to care for her patients and colleagues. "This is a great loss to all who believe in the cause of healthcare in Arizona," said AzHHA President and CEO, Greg Vigdor. "Sharon was compassionate and passionate in her quest to deliver and improve healthcare in our state. Her contributions will be impossible to replace, in deed and spirit. We extend our most heartfelt condolences to her family, friends, and colleagues and share in their great sense of personal loss."

We will share service information as it becomes available.

AzHHA Awaits Next Steps on ACA Repeal and Replace
Debbie Johnston, Senior Vice President of Policy Development

With the pulling of the American Health Care Act (AHCA) from a vote on the House floor last Friday, AzHHA now awaits the next steps in any effort to repeal, replace, or improve the Affordable Care Act (ACA). AzHHA voiced its opposition publicly across the state and asked our Congressional Delegation to vote "no" on the proposal. Last Friday’s initial communications from political leadership in Washington, D.C., stated that there will be no further effort to advance the AHCA. AzHHA will continue to closely monitor developments and be ready to politically reengage on the issue as necessary. AzHHA believes that improvements to the ACA are necessary and will focus on identifying policy recommendations for Arizona, including ways to improve the individual and family federal exchange offerings that saw major increases and limited consumer choice last year.

CMS Issues Information on Implementing Emergency Preparedness Rule
Laura Dix, Director of Policy and Community Health

Last Friday, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued information on training and testing requirements under its final rule establishing new emergency preparedness requirements for Medicare and Medicaid-participating health care facilities. All affected providers and suppliers must meet all of the rule’s applicable requirements by November 15, 2017. CMS will host a provider call on April 27th on the final rule and its training and testing requirements. In addition, they have also provided a webpage with checklists and other resources on the rule.

CMS Simplifies 2017 Chronic Care Management
Jim Haynes, Senior Vice President & Chief Operating Officer

In an effort to encourage providers to reach out to rural and underserved beneficiaries, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has made key improvements to Chronic Care Management (CCM) reimbursement. CCM reimburses providers for non-face-to-face care coordination services, including communication with other treating health professionals, medication management and plan of care maintenance. Changes to reimbursement include new visit classification, accepting verbal consent, relaxation of documentation, and the addition of three new codes. For more details, click here.

Dr. Jonathan Burroughs Kicks Off the 2017 Western Regional Trustee Symposium
Gina Hillis, Director of Governance and Special Assistant to the President

Jonathan Burroughs, MD, MBA, FACHE, FAAPL, President and CEO of Burroughs Healthcare Consulting Network, will be the opening keynote speaker for this year’s Western Regional Trustee Symposium in Santa Fe, New Mexico June 7-9, 2017. Innovative Best Practice Governance for the 21st Century will set the stage for multiple days of learning and networking among healthcare trustees and executives representing facilities throughout the western and mid-western United States. Dr. Burroughs works with some of the nation’s top healthcare consulting organizations to provide “best practice” solutions and training to healthcare organizations in areas such as governance, physician-hospital alignment, credentialing, privileging, peer review, and performance improvement.  

Other keynote presenters include John J. Byrnes, M.D., and Studer Group’s Colleen McCrory. These keynote presentations will be supplemented by eight breakout sessions and a federal update from the American Hospital Association’s Mike Rock. For more information contact Gina Hillis or to register, click here.

Point of Pride

AzHHA would like to express its deep appreciation to our members for taking immediate action last week as the American Health Care Act made its way to the U.S House of Representatives. Your voice played an essential role as nearly 300 healthcare professionals contacted Arizona’s Congressional Delegation. Together we voiced our concerns and will continue doing so. If you would like join AzHHA in its grassroots efforts and help build better healthcare for Arizonans, register to become a Healthcare Leader in Action.