Thursday, March 9, 2023
Biden Releases 2024 Budget Proposal
Webinar: Medicare Cost Report E-Filing System
New IL Behavioral Health Workforce Education Center
Opioids Top Cause of Fatal Poisoning Among Children
Illinois COVID-19 Data
Briefly Noted
Biden Releases 2024 Budget Proposal
Today, President Biden released his 2024 budget proposal, which the White House says would reduce the deficit by nearly $3 trillion over a decade. Additional details on the proposal, which is dead upon arrival on Capitol Hill, will be released by the White House in the coming days.
Among the health policies included in the proposal are expanding community health centers; increasing access to behavioral health services in schools and for Medicare beneficiaries; increasing the number of drugs for which the Medicare program negotiates prices; allowing the Dept. of Health and Human Services to negotiate Medicaid supplemental drug rebates on behalf of states; and investing $150 billion over ten years in Medicaid home- and community-based services. The budget also includes $471 million for maternal health efforts and $30 million for vulnerable rural hospitals and shoring up the health workforce in rural areas. Finally, the budget proposes increasing taxes to extend the Medicare Hospital Insurance Trust Fund solvency.
Today’s release kicks off the beginning of the fiscal year (FY) appropriations process on Capitol Hill and provides additional detail on policies that could be part of negotiations to raise the debt ceiling. Administration officials are scheduled to appear at Congressional hearings over the next week to discuss the budget proposal.
Webinar: Medicare Cost Report E-Filing System
Medicare Part A providers looking to learn more about new and upcoming functionality in the Medicare cost report e-filing system are encouraged to register for a March 30 webinar at 12 p.m. CT hosted by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
The webinar will provide information on:
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The submission of individual or bulk (chain providers) reports for fiscal years ending on or after Dec. 31, 2017;
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Accessing enhanced feedback on cost report exhibit attachments (for example, Medicare bad debt) through new optional file formats;
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Accessing support for e-signatures on home office cost statements, which eliminates the separate mailing requirement;
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Reading tips to accelerate cost report processing; and
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Tracking the status of reports with fiscal years ending after Dec. 31, 2009.
Questions may be submitted in advance to OFMDPAOQuestions@cms.hhs.gov. Please include “MCReF Webinar” in the subject line. The questions will be answered during the webinar, or used to develop educational materials.
For more information, click here to access a Medicare Learning Network article on e-filing.
New IL Behavioral Health Workforce Education Center
On Wednesday, Gov. JB Pritzker announced the launch of a new Behavioral Health Workforce Education Center, which is expected to increase Illinois’ capacity to recruit, educate and retain behavioral health professionals.
According to a news release, the Center builds upon the state’s commitment to behavioral health transformation, strengthening behavioral healthcare infrastructure and access across the state.
Housed at Southern Illinois University’s School of Medicine (SIU SOM), the Center was created in partnership with the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) Jane Addams College of Social Work, Illinois Board of Higher Education and Illinois Dept. of Human Services.
SIU SOM, UIC Jane Addams College of Social Work and all consortium members will coordinate programs and oversee initiatives to increase the behavioral healthcare workforce and its capacity to provide high-quality behavioral health services across the state.
Opioids Top Cause of Fatal Poisoning Among Children
Opioids accounted for more than 47% of poisoning deaths among children 5 and younger, becoming the most common substance contributing to poisoning deaths in this age group, according to research published this week in Pediatrics. The study found that between 2005 and 2018, opioids contributed to 346 of 731 pediatric deaths reported to the National Center for Fatality Review and Prevention.
NBC News reported the study’s lead author, Dr. Christopher Gaw, said, “Opioids are implicated in so many deaths, and there are hundreds or thousands of potentially dangerous substances for children in our environment, but we’re really seeing that one stand out.” According to the study, opioids accounted for 24.1% of substances contributing to child deaths in 2005, compared with 52.2% in 2018.
Following opioid-related deaths, over-the-counter pain, cold and allergy medications continue to account for the second highest number of pediatric fatalities—though far fewer than those due to opioids. The study determined these medications were associated with 14.8% of pediatric poisoning deaths.
Illinois COVID-19 Data
The Illinois Dept. of Public Health (IDPH) is following the lead of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention with weekly reporting of new COVID-19 cases and deaths. IDPH reports weekly data on Wednesday of each week for the previous week ending Sunday. IDPH will continue daily reporting of ICU bed availability and hospital admission data.
Briefly Noted
The 988 suicide prevention services hotline has rolled out 24/7 text message and chat services for LGBTQI+ youth, an extension of a pilot program launched in response to the youth mental health crisis. As of Monday, 988 text and chat services for LGBTQI+ youth and young adults will be available around the clock, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, which oversees 988. The Trevor Project reported that 45% of LGBTQ youth seriously considered suicide in the past year, and 58% reported experiencing symptoms of depression.
The only drug to have received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to prevent premature birth will be voluntarily removed from the U.S. market, according to media reports. Covis Pharma confirmed that Makena will be withdrawn, saying it will work with the FDA on the process; however, news reports confirm the company stands by the medication’s efficacy in women at high risk of preterm birth.