Re: Regulatory Alert: HCFA Town Hall meeting on SNF PPS and Quality

[Guest guest]

APTA is currently working on getting representation on one of the panels.

APTA is also notifying the Md., D.C., and Va. chapters re the meeting and

encouraging their members to attend. Other members of these lists who will

be attending, please let APTA know thru nancygarland@...

, PT

APTA Treasurer/BOD

davidperry@...

Regulatory Alert: HCFA Town Hall meeting on SNF PPS and

Quality

>From the Federal Register - Who will be there????

>

>Medicare Program; April 23, 1999

>

>Open Town Hall Meeting to Discuss the Skilled Nursing Facility Prospective

>Payment System (SNF/ PPS) and Quality of Care in Nursing Facilities AGENCY:

>Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA), HHS.

>

>ACTION: Notice of meeting.

>-----------------------------------------------------------------------

>

>SUMMARY: This notice announces a Town Hall meeting to provide an

>opportunity for nursing homes, beneficiary advocates, and other interested

>parties to ask questions and raise issues regarding the prospective payment

>system for skilled nursing facilities and the quality of care in nursing

>facilities. The meeting represents one aspect of the evolving process for

>making our payment, coverage, and quality reviews more open and responsive

>to the public. The meeting will address the following topics: <bullet> An

>update and future refinements to the skilled nursing facility/prospective

>payment system including a discussion of nontherapy ancillary services and

>consolidated billing. <bullet> Outpatient therapy caps and other Part B

>issues. <bullet> Skilled nursing facility coverage and medical review.

><bullet> Nursing home enforcement and quality issues.

>

>DATES: The meeting is scheduled for April 23, 1999 from 8:00 a.m. until

>5:00 p.m., E.D.T.

>

>ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held in the HCFA headquarters auditorium,

>7500 Security Boulevard, Baltimore, land, 21244.

>

>FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jackie Gordon, , or Martha

>Kuespert, .

>

>SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Background

>

>We are announcing a Town Hall meeting to provide an opportunity for nursing

>homes, beneficiary advocates, and other interested parties to ask questions

>and raise issues regarding the skilled nursing facility (SNF) prospective

>payment system (PPS) and the quality of care in nursing homes. On May 12,

>1998, we published an interim final rule with comment period to implement

>SNF PPS (63 FR 26252). Initially, we provided a 60-day period for public

>comment.

>

>In response to requests from the industry, we extended the comment period

>twice (see 63 FR 37498 (July 13, 1998) and 63 FR 65561 (November 27,

>1998)). The comment period for the SNF PPS interim final rule ended on

>December 28, 1998. We are currently developing the final rule and we expect

>to publish it soon. In developing the final rule, we are considering all

>public comments properly submitted during the public comment period. We

>will not accept any further comments on the interim final rule at this Town

>Hall meeting; that is, this meeting does not mean we are extending the

>public comment period. In addition to the implementation of SNF PPS, we

>have embarked on an ambitious program to improve the quality of care in all

>nursing facilities. These two major initiatives have had wide-ranging

>effects on nursing facilities. The public has raised questions about how we

>propose to implement various aspects of these initiatives; how they

>interrelate; and how, and to what extent, we currently anticipate acting on

>current research and experience as a means of initiating future

>improvements in our quality assurance and payment systems.

>

>This Town Hall meeting provides a forum for addressing these issues. We

>anticipate participation by nursing homes, nursing home organizations,

>hospital organizations, professional medical and allied health

>organizations, therapy and other nursing home supplier organization groups,

>national nursing home advocacy organizations, the press, and other members

>of the public with an interest in future SNF PPS and quality of care

>nursing home issues. We intend that the meeting will provide a forum for

>the aforementioned groups to ask questions and raise issues about SNF PPS

>and quality of care in nursing homes. We intend to discuss our research

>efforts and the general direction that we are moving toward concerning

>these topics.

>

>The format of the meeting will include an overview of the SNF PPS and

>quality of care topics.

>

>There will be a panel for each of the following topics:

><bullet> An update and future refinements to the skilled nursing

>facility/prospective payment system including a discussion of nontherapy

>ancillary services and consolidated billing.

><bullet> Outpatient therapy caps and other Part B issues.

><bullet> Skilled nursing facility coverage and medical review.

><bullet> Nursing home enforcement and quality issues.

>

>We will allow short (10-20 minutes) presentations by the public and our

>staff on these topics. The meeting will conclude with a question-and-

>answer session during which the public may raise issues related to the

>topics discussed.

>

>Individuals who wish to make a presentation or be panelists at the meeting

>must contact Jackie Gordon at or via e-mail at

>JGordon2@... or Martha Kuespert at or via e-mail

>MKuespert@... no later than April 16, 1999.

>

>It is important that parties wishing to participate at the meeting include

>the topic for the panel on which they wish to participate. Also, because of

>time constraints, only a limited number of parties will be able to make

>presentations. We will notify participants who have been selected to make a

>presentation. We will not assign presentation times until the end of the

>public notice period established by this notice. While the meeting is open

>to the public, attendance is limited to space available. Individuals must

>register in advance as described below.

>

>Registration

>

>The Office of Professional Relations will handle registration for the

>meeting. Individuals may register by sending a fax to the attention of

>Bernice Harper, Ph.D., at the Office of Professional Relations. At the time

>of registration, please provide your name, address, telephone number, and

>fax number. Receipt of your fax will constitute confirmation of your

>registration. You will be provided with meeting materials at the time of

>the meeting.

>

>For fax registration, the number is . If you have questions

>regarding registration please contact either [[Page 17185]] Bernice Harper,

>Ph.D., at or I. Wolfson, J.D., R.Ph., at .

>We will accept written questions or other materials, either before the

>meeting, or up to 14 days after the meeting.

>

>Written submissions should be sent to: Health Care Financing

>Administration, ATTN: Jackie Gordon, Room C5-06-25, 7500 Security

>Boulevard, Baltimore, land 21244-1850. You may contact Ms. Gordon at:

>Telephone Number: (410) 786- 4517, Fax Number , E-mail:

>JGordon2@....

>

>

>

> R. Kovacek, MSA, PT

>Email Pkovacek@...

>313 884-8920

>Visit <www.PTManager.com>

>

>TOGETHER WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE !

>

>

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