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Headlines
AzHHA is Back in DC
Greg Ensell, Vice President of Policy Development
The Senate efforts to replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA) with the Better Care Reconciliation Act (BCRA) have ceased. Now the efforts are focused on solely repealing the ACA. We are encouraged by the news that a full repeal will almost certainly fail. Until then, we will continue to voice our opposition and work with our Congressional Delegation. This week our Senior, Vice President of Policy Development, Vice President of Government Relations and
member hospital leadership from across the state are in DC asking our Congressional Delegation
to work across party lines to create healthcare policies that help Arizona’s people, patients, and communities. Thank you to all of our members, including Tucson Medical Center, who have been actively engaged in this process.
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CMS Releases 2018 OPPS/ASC Proposed Rule
Debbie Johnston, Senior Vice President of Policy Development
On July 13, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released two CY 2018 proposed rules: the Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS)/Ambulatory Surgical Center proposed rule
and the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) proposed
rule. In addition to the standard updates to these payment systems, the OPPS rule proposes drastic cuts in Medicare payment for separately payable drugs that are acquired under the 340B Drug Pricing Program. Further, the PFS rule proposes to make significant additional site-neutral cuts in payment for services furnished in off-campus provider-based departments of a hospital that began billing under the OPPS on or after November 2, 2015. Comments on both proposed rules are due by September 11, 2017. AzHHA members should be on the lookout for more detailed analyses in the coming weeks, including estimated impacts.
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Recovery Auditor Contractor Activities
Jim Haynes, Senior Vice President & COO
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services awarded HMS Federal Solutions the Region 4 Recovery Auditor contract on October 31, 2016. HMS Federal Solutions has launched the new Region 4 Recovery Auditor website. Providers are encouraged to review the New Issues section of the website in detail. This information can be used by providers to prepare for potential requests for information if selected as part of any of the new issue reviews.
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The Morning Scoop: Medicaid and Healthcare
Shayna Diamond, Director of Community Affairs
The Morning Scoop with the Arizona Capitol Times brings you Medicaid and Healthcare. Join Arizona’s healthcare policy experts as they discuss issues affecting healthcare within our state. This breakfast will take place Tuesday July 25 in Phoenix and will include AzHHA’s Senior Vice President of Policy Development, Debbie Johnston, as a panelist. Click here to register for this FREE event.
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Point of Pride: Yavapai Regional Medical Center
Yavapai County residents now have the latest technology in PET-CT imaging available. Earlier this month Yavapai Regional Medical Center (YRMC) announced that its East Campus has become the home of this new imaging technology that both measures how quickly a tumor is growing and pinpoints its exact location. To learn more about YRMC’s imaging program, click here.
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