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Final Budget Getting Closer
Barb Fanning
Director, Government Affairs
The House and Senate both introduced budget packages this week, but a final deal is still in the works. The Senate released their budget bills on Tuesday evening and approved them in the Appropriations Committee a day later. The House’s budget proposal—released Wednesday—varies slightly from the Senate’s version, indicating there is still sparring between the two chambers. The House Appropriations Committee approved the budget bills late last night.
Governor Ducey, President Biggs (R-12) and Speaker Gowan (R-14) were also meeting yesterday in an attempt to hash out the final details, and it seems the sticking point continues to be K-12 education funding. At this point passage of a final budget is still possible for this week, and as of press time both chambers are scheduled to work today and possibly into the weekend.
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AHCCCS to Reissue Freestanding ED Rulemaking
Debbie Johnston
Senior Vice President, Policy Development
The Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) has cancelled the May 9, 2016 public hearing for the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on Freestanding Emergency Departments (FrEDs). There are plans to post a new Notice of Supplemental Proposed Rulemaking that will include the complete reimbursement methodology for payment for FrEDs. The new notice will be posted no later than mid-July. AHCCCS intends to create a new provider type for FrEDs by October 1, 2016, with a new payment methodology effective Jan. 1, 2017.
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AHCCCS Also Announces Two Supplemental Payments
Jim Haynes
Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer
This week AHCCCS announced that it will be making supplemental payments to Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) and SAVE pool payments to the hospitals outside of Maricopa and Pima County operating with less than 100 beds. The payments to the CAHs total $5,246,000 and represent the second payment made for the 2016 fiscal year. The first payment was made in December 2015 and the second payment will be made in May to the eleven eligible hospitals. Payments range from $142,000 to $1,158,000 and are based on inpatient and outpatient AHCCCS payments made to these hospitals. The SAVE pool payments totaling $12,158,000 will be made to the plans, who will in turn make the payments to the twenty-one eligible hospitals by May 12. The payments are based on actual inpatient AHCCCS payments made to the eligible hospitals and range from $23,000 to
$1,770,000. The Association played a key role in expanding the Critical Access Hospital pool and establishing the SAVE pool, in conjunction with participating hospitals.
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Coalition Pushing for Price Transparency
Shayna Diamond
Director, Community Affairs
The Campaign for Sustainable Rx Pricing, a coalition with the goal of lowering the cost of prescription drug prices, recently released a dozen proposals that it believes will achieve their goal. Some took strong exception to the coalition’s proposals, arguing that they weren’t market-based and would likely add costly new government regulations. You can read more and join the discussion here.
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Community Health Needs Assessments Free Training
Marcus Johnson
Director, Policy & Community Health
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will be sponsoring an in-person training in Phoenix to coordinate community health needs assessments between hospitals, local health departments (LHDs) and federally-qualified health centers (FQHCs). The free training will review a commonly used community health assessment framework, Mobilizing for Action through Planning and Partnership (MAPP). The two-day training (June 1-2) is looking to attract attendees who have developed, or are interested in developing, partnerships between hospitals, LHDs and FQHCs. Applications for the training are due May 9th.
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