Rehab Facility Proposed Rule Changes Teaching Adjustment Methodology
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Aug. 7 published
in the Federal Register its Medicare inpatient rehabilitation facility
(IRF) final rule for federal fiscal year (FY) 2010. The final rule
modifies the methodology for calculating the teaching adjustment factor.
It also applies a 2.5 percent increase factor to IRF payment rates.
The changes will be effective Oct. 1, 2009. More >>
HHS Issues Health Information Breach Notification Regulation
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office for
Civil Rights (OCR) Aug. 19 issued a "Breach Notification" interim
final rule with request for comments. As directed by the American
Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA, P.L. 111-5), the rule requires
health care providers and other entities covered by the Health Insurance
Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) to notify affected individuals
following a breach of unsecured protected health information (PHI).
Breaches affecting more than 500 individuals must be reported promptly
to affected individuals, the HHS Secretary, and the media. In smaller
cases, HHS can be notified on an annual basis. The Federal Trade
Commission (FTC) has issued companion breach notification regulations
that apply to vendors of personal health records and certain others
not covered by HIPAA.
More >>
HIT Grant Money Released, Authority Delegated to National Coordinator
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Aug. 20 announced
the release of $1.2 billion in funding to health information technology
(HIT) extension centers and to states through grants supported by
the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA, P.L. 111-5). This
announcement followed Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen
Sebelius' delegation of authority Aug. 18 to the National Coordinator
for Health Information Technology, David Blumenthal, M.D., to administer
a majority of the HIT related grant and loan programs funded through
ARRA. More >>
AAMC Policy
Priorities(PDF)
The AAMC and its members look forward to working with the
Obama administration and Congress to promote policies that
will strengthen our nation's health.
