Iowa news
Iowa Senate approves moratorium on new or expanded nursing homes
The Iowa Senate advanced legislation putting a moratorium on constructing new nursing facilities and giving Medicaid payers more power in recovering funds from health insurers. House File 685 was sent back to the Iowa House with an amendment on a unanimous vote. The legislation is intended to ensure Medicaid is the payer of last resort for medical services and gives Medicaid payers, including managed care organizations, more power in pursuing reimbursements and recovering funds that could have been covered by another entity. The bill also implements a 2.5% premium tax on manage care organization premiums, received and taxable, which will go to a fund the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services will appropriate for Medicaid program use. (Globe Gazette)
Greene County Medical Center board members recognized for completing certification
The seven-member Greene County Medical Center board received a three-star participation certificate from the Iowa Hospital Association for having 100% of board members certified. The certification process involves education and governance best practices that allows board members to demonstrate their commitment to a hospital board’s roles and responsibilities. Greene County Medical Center’s board of trustees were one of 16 hospital boards honored at this year’s IHA Governance Forum. (Raccoon Valley Radio)
Iowa’s nursing homes will share $15M in new state funding
Iowa’s state lawmakers have agreed to a $15 million increase in funding for nursing homes as part of a larger budget deal. Nursing homes in Iowa have operated under particularly stressful circumstances in recent years. Since February 2022, at least 17 skilled nursing facilities in the state have closed because of wage obligations and operating costs. The funding will provide significant and sustained relief for Iowa long-term care providers, who have been under tremendous financial pressure, and will make a meaningful difference in protecting access to long-term care for Iowans. (McKnight’s Long-Term Care News)
National news
CIOs cut cloud projects, readjust staffing amid economic concerns
Chief information officers are facing pressure from chief financal officers and boards to cut costs amid declining economic growth and still-high inflation. Information technology chiefs have been scaling back cloud migrations, getting rid of redundant apps and delaying projects to adjust to the macroeconomic concerns. Some CIOs say they are having more frequent meetings with CFOs and shifting toward automation, prioritizing vendors that offer a fuller suite of services and relying less on contractors while upskilling their employees rather than hiring. (Becker’s Health IT)
AHA and other industry groups staunchly oppose site-neutral payments
Lawmakers on the House Energy and Commerce Committee showed bipartisan interest in changing Medicare payment policies to pay the same for some services, despite where they’re delivered. The idea tracks with past recommendations from MedPAC but is staunchly opposed by industry groups like the American Hospital Association, which says the policy change would be economically ruinous as facilities continue to manage the aftermath of the pandemic, along with workforce and supply chain issues. (AXIOS)
HRSA awards grants to reduce new HIV infections
Forty-nine cities and states with the highest HIV transmission rates received between $2 million and $17 million each in fiscal year 2023 grants from the Health Resources and Services Administration to diagnose, treat and prevent new HIV infections as part of a Department of Health and Human Services initiative to reduce new infections by at least 90% by 2030. The National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Directors and another nonprofit organization also received funding to provide technical assistance to the project. (American Hospital Association)