Heroic civil liberties lawyer, Harvey Silverglate writes about the war on physicians who attempt to alleviate the chronic pain of their patients. I just started reading his new book, Three Felonies a Day: How the Feds Target the Innocent, and will be writing more about that. In the meantime, read this column. Not only are the Feds attempting to "to effectively control the practice of pain relief medicine", they are now prosecuting people who try to educate the public about the issue under … [Read more...] about The Feds’ War on Pain Management Physicians
Texas Register Updates: CBA, CWP, CLASS, Nursing
The following information was obtained from the August 28 issue of Texas Register: Public Hearing and Notices HHSC will hold a public hearing on September 18, 2009, at 9:30 a.m. to receive public comment on proposed Medicaid payment rates for Personal Care III services in the CBA waiver program, CWP, and CLASS, in the Lone Star Conference Room HHSC. Send written comments up to 5 p.m. the day of the hearing to Meisha Scott to fax (512) 491-1998, e-mail at meisha.scott@hhsc.state.tx.us, or … [Read more...] about Texas Register Updates: CBA, CWP, CLASS, Nursing
Rising Costs Affect Medicaid Expansion and Primary Care Physicians
The question in the health care reform debate is not whether Medicaid and providers will be affected by changes, but rather how they will be affected. The goal of Barack Obama's health care reform plan is to reduce the number of uninsured Americans. Doing so will cost money. The News-Leader reports that under the president's plan, uninsured people with low incomes would be covered by Medicaid. Lawmakers have grappled over expanding Medicaid for years, and the debate will only grow louder if … [Read more...] about Rising Costs Affect Medicaid Expansion and Primary Care Physicians
Texas Register Updates: Contract Award, Reimbursement Rate Changes
The following information was obtained from the August 21 issue of Texas Register: Public Notices and Hearings DADS awarded a contract (total value $227,599) to Bailit Health Purchasing, Inc., to provide the procurement, implementation, and evaluation of the health home pilot project for children on Medicaid. For a list of per diem reimbursement rates DADS proposed for non-state ICF/MR providers, see this chart. HHSC will hold a public hearing on September 1, 2009, at 1:30 p.m., … [Read more...] about Texas Register Updates: Contract Award, Reimbursement Rate Changes
Long Term Care Providers and Health Care Form
How will President Barack Obama's massive health care reform proposal affect long term care providers? With a bill of over 1,000 pages and a budget in the trillions, the shift is bound to have a big impact. According to a story in Kaiser Health News, despite worries to the contrary, providers would benefit over the long term under the proposed plan. Nancy Chockley, president of the National Institute for Health Care Management, said, "Everyone has been nicked a little bit, but they are all … [Read more...] about Long Term Care Providers and Health Care Form
Texas Register Updates: Payment Rate Changes, Claims, Etc.
The following information was obtained from the July 31 issue of the Texas Register: Public Notices The Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) intends to submit the following amendments to the Texas State Plan for Medical Assistance, under Title XIX of the Social Security Act: An amendment to adjust payment rates for the Day Activity and Health Services program to comply with the new federal minimum wage that will increase by $0.70 from the current $6.55 per hour to $7.25 … [Read more...] about Texas Register Updates: Payment Rate Changes, Claims, Etc.
Information Letters: Hearing Cancellation, Physician’s Signature
The Department of Aging and Disability Services (DADS) issued two information letters: Public Hearing Regarding Proposed Rates for the Home and Community-based Services, Texas Home Living, and Consolidated Waiver waiver programs -- Revised DADS informed all HCS, TxHmL, and CWP waiver programs about the cancellation of a public hearing initially scheduled for July 24, 2009, at 2:30 p.m. See the letter for more information. Mental Retardation/Related Conditions (MR/RC) … [Read more...] about Information Letters: Hearing Cancellation, Physician’s Signature
Texas Register Updates: Licensure Applications and Registrations Changes, Etc.
The following information was obtained from the July 10 Texas Register: Public Hearing The Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) will hold a public hearing on July 24, 2009, at 1 p.m. to receive public comment on proposed rates for Professional Services in Home and Community-Based Services waivers. The hearing will take place in the Lone Star Conference Room of the Health and Human Services Commission, Braker Center, Building H, located at 11209 Metric Boulevard, Austin, Texas. … [Read more...] about Texas Register Updates: Licensure Applications and Registrations Changes, Etc.
Texas Register Updates: Medicaid Rates, Texas Medical Board Changes
The following information was obtained from the June 19 issue of the Texas Register: Public Hearings and Notices The Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) will hold a public hearing on July 15, 2009, at 1:30 p.m., to receive comment on proposed Medicaid payment rates for Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnosis, and Treatment Personal Care Services for Type of Service (TOS) 1, Ambulance Services, and Certified Nurse Midwife services in a birthing center for types of service … [Read more...] about Texas Register Updates: Medicaid Rates, Texas Medical Board Changes
Medical Homes in Texas
The Houston Chronicle published a feature story about medical homes, which provide "personal and coordinated care" for seniors. Personal doctors coordinate the care seniors receive and manage it from a central location, and patients have more access to doctors and medical records. Medical home coordinator Dr. Trevor Rabie said, "Many patients feel that if they go to a specialist or sub-specialist for each aspect of their medical care, that they're actually improving their medical care. But … [Read more...] about Medical Homes in Texas
