Governmental Affairs

ASPAN Governmental Affairs Update February 2002

President Bush’s Budget Request

·         President Bush released his budget request for FY 2003 on 2-4-02

·         The $2.13 trillion spending plan includes increases for defense and homeland security as well as revitalizing the economy:

·         National Institutes of Health (NIH):  $27.3 billion (15.7% increase)

(In addition to the bioterrorism-related construction funding, the Administration requested $977 million for basic and applied research related to bioterrorism at NIH and $250 million for anticipated government procurement of anthrax vaccines)

·         Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):  $5.77 billion (14.8% decrease)

·                     Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ):  $252 million (16% decrease)

·         Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA):  $6 billion (6.2% decrease)

·                    Health professions and nursing education:  $94.5 million (75% decrease)

·                     National Health Service Corps (NHSC):  $191.5 million (29.8% increase)

·                     VA Appropriations National Science Foundation (NSF):  $5.04 billion (5% increase)

·                     Department of Education:  Does not propose spending increases for most student aid programs-maximum Pell Grant award remains at $4,000

·                     www.aamc.org/advocacy/washhigh

·                     Office of Government Relations:  202-828-0525  

Medicare, Medicaid, SCHIP Budgets  

·         Bush’s budget does not extend expiring provisions related to the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 (BBA) that have reduced Medicare capital payments, PPS-exempt capital payments, and inpatient and outpatient hospital payments

·         Budget assumes potential FY 2003 reductions to Medicare physician payments as a result of the sustainable growth rate methodology that updates physician payments

·         Center of Bush’s Medicare budget dedicates “$190 billion over 10 years for targeted improvement and comprehensive Medicare modernization, including a subsidized prescription drug benefit, better insurance protection, and better private options for all beneficiaries”

·         The overall goal of Bush’s Medicaid budget seeks to “increase coverage and efficiency in the Medicaid and State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) by giving states more flexibility to meet health care coverage goals”

·         Under SCHIP, Bush also proposes to extend the availability of unspent FY 1998, FY 1999, and FY 2000 funds through FY 2006

·         Other budget proposals of interest to teaching hospitals and physicians:

·         $200 million in graduate medical education funding to children’s hospitals (29.8% decrease)

·         Elimination of funding for the Community Access Program (CAP)

·         Refundable tax credits initiative that would help the uninsured purchase their own health insurance coverage

·         New financial penalties on Medicare providers who submit paper, duplicate, or unprocessable claims

·         $64.1 million to CMS for HIPAA implementation programs

·         www.aamc.org/advocacy/washhigh  

Johnson and Johnson Campaign  

·         Johnson and Johnson has pledged $20 million to develop a campaign to attract more people to become nurses to address an acute nursing shortage which is expected to triple over the next 20 years

·         “The Campaign for Nursing’s Future” was developed with nursing organizations, nursing schools, hospitals, and other health care groups

·         2 year campaign will include:

·         national television commercials

·         recruitment materials such as brochures and videos as well as scholarships

·         www.sun-sentinel.com/business/loc

·         Mary Foley, ANA President and advisor to the campaign said, “Nurses are the face, the hands and the heart of health care.  Their skilled care provides the safety net.  Without them, the nation’s health care suffers.  I’ve been a nurse for many years and this Campaign inspires me.  I believe it will help attract the talent we need to revitalize the profession for the years ahead.”

·         The campaign also includes a Web site (www.discovernursing.com) that has information about the benefits of a nursing career featuring searchable links to hundreds of nursing scholarships and more than 1,000 accredited nursing educational programs

·         www.aorn.org/atwork/nursingshort

JCAHO 2002 Legislative Agenda  

·         Top legislative priority remains the same as last year-obtaining federal confidentiality and privilege protections for sentinel event and root cause analysis information provided to JCAHO by provider organizations or health professionals

·         Other legislative priorities include:

·         Obtain statutory authority for a nursing demonstration under the Medicare program that would illustrate the value that JCAHO accreditation brings to the quality

Oversight process

·         Expansion of the Medicare statutory deeming authority to allow the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to deem any type of provider or supplier that is required to meet Medicare quality of care standards

·         Obtain successful closure on the pending deemed status applications for critical access hospitals and Medicare + Choice organizations

·         www.jcaho.org/tip

*****Correction from last update-to receive a brochure about the upcoming symposium, “Solving the Nursing Shortage:  Workplace, Pipeline and the Profession,” scheduled for May 20-22, in Washington, DC, send your name, address, phone number, and email address to:  marketingcs@jcprdlsl.jcaho.org  (the prior email was incorrect)*****

Bills/Resolutions Update

S. 1274 “Stroke Treatment and Ongoing Prevention Act of 2001”  

Sponsor:  Senator Edward Kennedy  

Introduced:  7-31-2001  

Latest Major Action:  2-7-02 Referred to House Committee on Energy and Commerce  

Summary:  

·                     Passed the Senate amended on 2-6-02

·                     Amends the Public Health Service Act to create a new title covering stroke prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation

·                     Directs the Secretary of HHS to:

·                     carry out a national education and information campaign to promote stroke prevention and increase the number of stroke patients who seek immediate treatment

·                     make available, support, and evaluate a grant program to enable a State to develop statewide stroke care systems, foster the development of modern systems of stroke care, and provide technical assistance to State and local agencies

·                     Requires the Secretary to maintain the Paul Coverdell National Acute Stroke Registry and Clearinghouse

·                     Directs the Secretary to:

·                     ensure the availability of published stroke research

·                     conduct research concerning best practices in and access barriers to stroke prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation services, the effectiveness of existing public awareness campaigns regarding stroke, and disparities in the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of stroke among different populations

·                     Directs the Secretary to award grants to States for the purpose of establishing statewide stroke prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation systems

·                     Requires the Secretary to develop standards of care for stroke patients in all phases of stroke thay may be adopted for guidance by the State and a model plan for the establishment of statewide stroke care systems

·                     Authorizes the Secretary to make grants and non-profit private entities for the development and implementation of education programs for appropriate medical personnel in the use of newly developed diagnostic approaches, technologies, and therapies for the prevention and treatment of stroke

H.R. 3431 "Stroke Treatment and Ongoing Prevention Act of 2001"  

Sponsor:  Representative Lois Capps  

Introduced:  12-6-01  

Latest Major Action:  On 12-28-01 referred to House Subcommittee on Health  

Summary:  

·                     Amends the Public Health Service Act to direct the Secretary of HHS to carry out a national education and information campaign promoting stroke prevention and immediate treatment

·                     Directs the Secretary to:

·                     maintain the Paul Coverdell National Acute Stroke Registry and Clearinghouse, including conducting and/or making available research concerning best practices for prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation

·                     make grants to States to establish statewide stroke prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation systems

·                     develop a model cirriculum for training emergency medical services personnel

·                     Sets forth requirements for the State grant program, including matching funds, standards for care and facilities, central data reporting and analysis, special consideration for geographic areas with high rates of disability from stroke or significant need, and technical assistance

·                     Authorizes the Secretary to make grants to develop and implement education programs for appropriate medical personnel with regard to newly developed diagnostics, technologies, and therapies for stroke prevention and treatment