Click above for Avian and Pandemic Influenza Fact Sheet.

MINORITY HEALTH LEGISLATION

The NMA remains involved in the effort to enact legislation that would help eradicate disparities in health and health care.  We remain hopeful that a minority health bill will be introduced before the summer recess.  We will keep you posted on the progress of this important legislation.

MEDICARE PRESCRIPTION DRUG QUESTIONS?

Physicians and health care providers with questions concerning the new Medicare Part D drug benefit can receive announcements from and submit questions to CMS through its Open Door Forums by going to: http://www.cms.hhs.gov/apps/mailinglists/default.asp?audience=4 or http://www.cms.hhs.gov/opendoorforums/.

CMS POSTS HOSPITAL PAYMENT INFORMATION

The Department of Health and Human Services through its Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), on June 1, 2006, posted information on what Medicare pays for 30 common elective procedures and other hospital admissions, including heart operations and implanting cardiac defibrillators, hip and knee replacements, kidney and urinary tract operations, gallbladder operations and back and neck operations, and for common non-surgical admissions.  The new information is at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/HealthCareConInit/01_Overview.asp#TopOfPage

CMS will be posting payment information for common elective procedures for ambulatory surgery centers later this summer, and common hospital outpatient and physician services this fall.

DEADLINE FOR OBTAINING NATIONAL PROVIDER IDENTIFIERS

Covered health care providers have until May 23, 2007, to obtain National Provider Identifier (NPI) numbers.  The NPI is a unique identification number for health care providers that will be used by all health plans for claims and other submissions required by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPPA).  The numeric identifier will never expire or change and it will be administered by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).  To learn more, go to: http://www.cms.hhs.gov/apps/npi/01_overview.asp.

CHILDREN’S DEFENSE FUND DISPARITIES REPORT

The Children’s Defense Fund has released its report, Improving Children’s Health: Understanding Children’s Health Disparities and Promising Approaches to Address Them.  To down load the report click here: http://www.childrensdefense.org.

VITAL STATISTICS

The National Committee on Vital and Health Statistics (NCVHS) has recently issued the following reports:

Eliminating Health Disparities: Strengthening Data on Race, Ethnicity, and Primary Language discusses the collection and use of health data based on race and ethnicity.

Personal Health Records and Personal Health Record Systems (PHR) describes PHR concepts and systems.

The NCVHS 2003-2004 Report reflects the Committee’s accomplishments and plans in such areas as health data standards, population-specific data, quality, and privacy and confidentiality.

For more information about these reports, visit http://www.ncvhs.hhs.gov

Update on Enzi Bill
S 1955 Defeated in 55-43 Cloture Vote

The Health Insurance Marketplace Modernization Act (HIMMA, S.1955), otherwise known as the Enzi Bill, referenced below, was defeated by a ‘cloture’ vote of 55-43 on Thursday night, May 11, 2006. S. 1955 may resurface in a future session of Congress. But, for now, we are satisfied with its defeat.

As we indicated in the Action Alert, proponents of S. 1955 say it is designed to give small businesses more flexibility to offer affordable health insurance to their employees. Opponents were very concerned however that HIMMA would preempt state insurance laws and eliminate the ability of states to define the minimum requirements of health coverage offered to their residents.  Insurance companies could ignore state insurance laws that require the coverage of particular benefits, and instead offer less comprehensive health plans with, for example, limited benefits and high-deductibles, or with unrestricted co-payments. Comprehensive services such as cancer screenings and treatment, coverage for children with disabilities, mental health treatment, well-child care and immunizations, maternity care and prescription contraceptives, would all be jeopardized by the Enzi Bill.

Congratulations to all of you who called and wrote to the U.S. Senate on this issue.

For additional information on HIMMA, see: http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c109:S.1955:

Ryan White HIV/AIDS Reauthorization

On Wednesday, May 17, 2006, the Health Education Labor and Pensions [HELP] Committee of the U.S. Senate reported out S. 2823, the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Treatment Modernization Act of 2006, by a vote of 19-1.

Among the more relevant provisions of S. 2823 are the recommended appropriations for the Minority AIDS Initiative:

$131.2 million for FY 2007; $135.1 million for FY 2008; $139.1 million for FY 2009; $143.2 million for FY 2010; and $147.5 million for FY 2011.

Given the overwhelming support of the measure, it is likely to be brought to the Senate floor for a vote before the Senate recesses for the election campaign season. For more information, please click on the following link: http://hab.hrsa.gov/

Medical Liability Reform Legislation Defeated

The U.S. Senate brought two medical liability bills to the floor, but both were defeated on May 8, 2006.  The first bill, the Medical Care Access Protection Act of 2006 (S. 22), sponsored by Sen. John Ensign (R-NV), would have capped jury awards in all lawsuits against doctors and health care institutions.  The second bill, the Healthy Mothers and Healthy Babies Access to Care Act of 2005 (S. 366), sponsored by Sen. Judd Gregg (R-NH), would have applied caps only to cases involving obstetricians. The National Medical Association is on record as supporting similar past bills.