ED REVIEW
September 26, 2008
...a bi-weekly update on U.S. Department of Education activities relevant to the Intergovernmental and Corporate community and other stakeholders
______________________________________________________________________
HURRICANES GUSTAV AND IKE
On September 1, Hurricane Gustav made landfall along the Louisiana coast. Then, twelve days later, Hurricane Ike struck the Texas coast. The U.S. Department of Education is in close contact with leaders in both states to determine the needs of students, teachers, and schools and stands ready to support them through the recovery process. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE GO TO http://www.ed.gov/hurricane/. (Note: For volunteer opportunities in both hurricane-affected areas and local communities, see http://www.usafreedomcorps.gov/about_usafc/special/hurricane_2008.asp.)
______________________________________________________________________
NCLB UPDATE
On September 15, at the Aspen Institute's National Education Summit, Secretary Spellings announced five education indicators that complement No Child Left Behind by providing a snapshot of national trends. "For years, we've measured our economy with the leading economic indicators," she said. "So what are the leading education indicators? Do kids know how to read and do math? Are minority students lagging behind their classmates? Are students graduating from high school on time? Are they prepared for college work? And, have they earned a degree? These five indicators -- Achievement, Achievement Gap, High School Graduation, College Readiness, and College Completion -- are national, results-based, and reliable. Together, with No Child Left Behind, they provide a barometer of success." The Secretary looked at each of the indicators, weighted them equally, and came up with a number that both parents and policymakers can follow. The U.S. has improved by five points since 2000. "I want Americans to follow our progress," she emphasized. "I want them to hold us accountable for keeping our promise to provide a quality education to every single child -- the only outcome that matters. If they're informed, they'll care. They'll expect and demand change. They'll join us in our fight for reform. Meaningful reform can only be sustained with public support…. President Abraham Lincoln said America cannot long survive half-free. I believe it cannot long survive half-educated, either." FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE GO TO http://www.ed.gov/nclb/accountability/results/trends/. (Note: A detailed fact sheet is available at http://www.ed.gov/nclb/accountability/results/trends/indicators.html. The Secretary's full remarks are posted at http://www.ed.gov/news/speeches/2008/09/09152008.html. Videos of the Secretary's presentation and subsequent panel discussion are posted at http://www.aspeninstitute.org/site/c.huLWJeMRKpH/b.4442375/k.60E8/National_Education_Summit.htm.)
Last week, the Secretary also announced a couple of significant No Child Left Behind grant awards. First, she awarded $106 million in Early Reading First grants (http://www.ed.gov/programs/earlyreading/) to 31 recipients in 19 states and the District of Columbia. This program supports the development of early childhood centers of excellence to ensure low-income students learn the language, cognitive, and pre-reading skills that prepare them for school success. Second, she awarded $7.5 million in Enhanced Assessment Instruments grants (http://www.ed.gov/programs/eag/) to four states and the District of Columbia. This program supports the development of new assessment products or procedures and is, especially, aimed at upgrading evaluations of students with limited English proficiency and students with disabilities.
This week, the Secretary delivered remarks at the Jobs for America's Graduates (JAG) symposium, entitled "Closing the Achievement Gap in Education and Employment Outcomes for At-Risk Minority Youth." She discussed student achievement under No Child Left Behind and continuing efforts to close the achievement gap and improve graduation rates. "This is the first time in the history of American education that we're able to talk about achievement for all students in terms of facts and realities, not just hopes or habits," she noted. "All of this is because of No Child Left Behind. We're seeing progress in the early grades because that's where we've focused our efforts, but older students need more help. I'm glad that JAG is working to help us become a 'nation without dropouts.'" FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE GO TO http://www.ed.gov/news/pressreleases/2008/09/09232008a.html.
______________________________________________________________________
COLLEGE.GOV
Everyone is college material! College.gov, a new, student-focused web site recently unveiled by the Department, is designed to inspire and motivate students to continue their education beyond high school. The site -- a gateway to credible information -- has three main sections: why go to college, what to do to get to there, and how to pay for it. Each section features videos of college students sharing their stories of overcoming barriers (low self-esteem, lack of family support, financial issues, etc.) to achieve their dreams. Moreover, the site is fully interactive. Students can outline their goals on an "I'm Going" college roadmap, which generates a checklist of items they will need to fulfill (beginning with activities for the high school freshman year). This roadmap can be downloaded to one's desktop or printed out as a wall-sized poster. (Coming soon, students will be able to personalize the College.gov home page by submitting a photo and an "I'm Going" message that will be displayed as their own billboard on the site. Students will also receive a URL linking to their personal page that they can share with family and friends. In addition, they will be able use a career discovery tool that matches their interests and personality attributes to career options.) The site, which will be constantly refreshed to keep students engaged, has separate sections for parents, teachers, and counselors. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE GO TO http://www.college.gov/. (Note: Among its many useful links, College.gov specifically directs students to College Navigator [http://collegenavigator.ed.gov/], with information on 7,000 institutions of higher education, and FAFSA4caster [http://fafsa4caster.ed.gov/], which supplies an early estimate of eligibility for federal aid.)
Also: On September 16, the Secretary announced that the Fiscal Year 2006 national student loan cohort default rate was 5.2% -- up slightly from FY 2004 (5.1%) and FY 2005 (4.6%). As a historical comparison, in FY 1989, nearly one in four borrowers defaulted on their federal loans, when default rates set an all-time high (22.4%). The rate dropped to a record low of 4.5% in FY 2003. More critically, all but one of the nation's colleges and universities had default rates low enough -- under 40% for one year and 25% for three consecutive years -- to remain eligible for federal aid programs. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE GO TO http://www.ed.gov/offices/OSFAP/defaultmanagement/cdr.html.
______________________________________________________________________
TITLE IX COMPLIANCE
In another "Dear Colleague" letter, Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Stephanie Monroe provides guidance to states, school districts, and colleges and universities about how the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) determines which athletic activities can be counted under Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. The purpose of this guidance is to ensure that male and female students are provided equal opportunities to participate in intercollegiate and interscholastic athletics programs consistent with Title IX and its implementing regulations (34 C.F.R. Part 106). The information does not represent a change in OCR's policy under Title IX. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE GO TO http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/letters/colleague-20080917.html.
______________________________________________________________________
NEW CHIEF OF STAFF
Secretary Spellings has announced that David Dunn will be leaving his position as Chief of Staff, effective October 3, to serve as executive director of the newly formed Texas Charter Schools Association. Stepping in to assume Dunn's leadership and management responsibilities will be Robin Gilchrist. Gilchrist, a Texas native, joined the Department in March 2004 as a liaison to education associations and foundations. Later, from January 2005 to July 2006, she served as Deputy Chief of Staff to the Secretary. Currently, she is both senior counselor to the Secretary and acting director of International Affairs. Previously, she served as Assistant Commissioner for Statewide Initiatives at the Texas Education Agency (where she implemented the Texas Reading Initiative and the Texas Student Success Initiative) and was director of the Texas Family Literacy Center at the University of Texas at Austin. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE GO TO http://www.ed.gov/news/pressreleases/2008/09/09232008.html.
______________________________________________________________________
PROJECTIONS TO 2017
The National Center for Education Statistics' (NCES) "Projections of Education Statistics to 2017" projects key statistics, including student enrollment, graduates, teachers, and expenditures for elementary and secondary schools and degree-granting institutions. For example: K-12 student enrollment rose 14% between 1992 and 2005 and is projected to increase an additional 10% between 2005 and 2017; postsecondary enrollment rose 23% between 1992 and 2006 and is projected to increase an additional 13% by 2017; and K-12 expenditures (in constant 2005-06 dollars) rose 43% between 1992-93 and 2004-05 and is projected to increase an additional 42% by 2017-18. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE GO TO http://nces.ed.gov/programs/projections/projections2017/.
______________________________________________________________________
QUOTE TO NOTE
"If we don't believe that education is a civil right and a matter of economic competitiveness, we're kidding ourselves. The world doesn't grade on a curve. In 1975, we were number one in college completion rates. In 2005, we were number 10. And the world continues to pass us by. Just to stay competitive, postsecondary education must become twice as productive. Studies show that 20 million more Americans will need higher education by 2025. The American Dream is about our kids doing better than us. But, at current rates, my daughters' generation will not be better educated than mine. We need more accountability, not less."
-- Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings (9/15/08), on the future of the accountability movement
______________________________________________________________________
UPCOMING EVENTS
Don't forget! There are four remaining public meetings where interested parties can suggest issues related to the Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) that should be considered for action by negotiated rulemaking committees. These meetings will be held: 10/2 at Pepperdine University (Malibu, CA); 10/6 at Johnson C. Smith University (Charlotte, NC); 10/8 at the Department's K Street conference center (Washington, DC); and 10/15 at Cuyahoga Community College (Cleveland, OH). All meetings are scheduled from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. local time. The sign-up for presentation slots begins at 8:30 a.m. on the day of each meeting. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE GO TO http://www.ed.gov/policy/highered/leg/hea08/index.html#neg-reg. (Note: For anyone unable to attend a meeting, the Department will accept written comments through October 8.)
The next "Education News Parents Can Use" broadcast, focusing on safeguarding America's colleges, is scheduled for October 21 (8:00 p.m. ET). FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE GO TO http://www.ed.gov/edtv/.
On October 16, Lights On Afterschool!, a coast-to-coast rally organized by the Afterschool Alliance, will illuminate the nation by celebrating afterschool programs and the need they meet in keeping students safe, helping working families, and improving academic achievement. This year, 7,500 afterschool programs, including many of the Department's 21st Century Community Learning Centers (marking the program's 10th anniversary!), will host activities. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE GO TO http://www.afterschoolalliance.org/loa.cfm.
______________________________________________________________________
Please feel free to contact the Office of Communications and Outreach with any questions:
Director, Intergovernmental Affairs -- Rogers Johnson, (202) 401-0026, mailto:Rogers.Johnson@ed.gov
Deputy Director -- Keith Brancato, (202) 401-6178, mailto:Keith.Brancato@ed.gov
Program Analyst -- Adam Honeysett, (202) 401-3003, mailto:Adam.Honeysett@ed.gov
To be added or removed from distribution, or submit comments (we welcome your feedback!),
contact Adam Honeysett. Or, visit http://www.ed.gov/news/newsletters/edreview/.
This newsletter contains hypertext links to information created and maintained by other public and private organizations. These links are provided for the user's convenience. The U.S. Department of Education does not control or guarantee the accuracy, relevance, timeliness, or completeness of this outside information. Furthermore, the inclusion of links is not intended to reflect their importance, nor is it intended to endorse any views expressed, or products or services offered, on these sites, or the organizations sponsoring the sites.
Professor Emeritus -- Dr. Tom Seymour from West Fargo, North Dakota -- Professor, Minot State University, MSU Faculty Regents Award (2015) -- PAST Peer Reviewer (Higher Learning Commission - Chicago); - Author and Presenter Board of Directors, SRT Communications, Inc and Minot City Alderman - Ward 5 (2010-June, 2016) PAST - Editor-in-Chief (North Dakota State Senator (2002-2010) 2017-Cass County Electric Cooperative- Board of Directors
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
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Wimba Online Teaching Tools
Press Room
9/18/2008
Wimba Pronto featured on Channel 6 News, Indianapolis!
Ivy Tech Community College's use of Wimba Pronto was featured on Channel 6 News, Indianapolis, appearing on Channel 6's broadcast news and online news components: View the video feature or read below: Messenger Gives Students Access 'Pronto' Teachers, Students Linked Instantaneously INDIANAPOLIS -- Ivy Tech Community College is using new technology that instantly links students and professors -- a solution more direct and speedier than e-mail. Wimba Pronto is an instant messaging tool that works by pulling enrollment information from a school's database and connecting students to each other, 6News' Julie Pursley reported. "The first day that I log in as a student, it automatically lists who is in each of my classes, what my classes are … who my instructors are," said Matthew Wasowski, Wimba's director of customer programs. "If I have a question about a homework assignment or just want to reach a classmate, I have it very well organized and can find them instantaneously." Click here to find out more! The program aims to facilitate learning that is both more convenient and more efficient, especially for commuter students. "I've got a class all the way in Decatur and I live downtown," said student Travon Curry. "If I can't make it out there all the time, I can maybe instant message someone and see what I missed." The service also helps instructors who teach online classes, allowing them to communicate instantly with students who may be thousands of miles away. "Because we're not in a face-to-face class, it will ... give us that interaction immediately instead of waiting for e-mail," said Renee Rule, assistant professor of English. Ivy Tech is the first school in Indiana to use Wimba Pronto. The basic service is free to students on the school's campuses statewide. The company hopes to use Ivy Tech as an example of how the technology could be used at any school. The school's pay a licensing fee to make the software available to their students.About Wimba Wimba is a leading provider of collaborative learning software applications and services to the education industry. Our collaborative software applications for the online and blended education market enable institutions to bridge technology and pedagogy by supplementing course management systems with many of the proven disciplines of in-person learning environments. Wimba's intuitive solutions enable educators and students to quickly and easily teach and learn live online, engage in live chat and instant message exchanges, benefit from oral content being added to text-based course content, and more. Instructors can also use Wimba solutions to convert Microsoft Word documents into accessible web pages and to create and administer tests, quizzes, and exams. Our focus on education and collaboration with educators fuels our product development.
9/18/2008
Wimba Pronto featured on Channel 6 News, Indianapolis!
Ivy Tech Community College's use of Wimba Pronto was featured on Channel 6 News, Indianapolis, appearing on Channel 6's broadcast news and online news components: View the video feature or read below: Messenger Gives Students Access 'Pronto' Teachers, Students Linked Instantaneously INDIANAPOLIS -- Ivy Tech Community College is using new technology that instantly links students and professors -- a solution more direct and speedier than e-mail. Wimba Pronto is an instant messaging tool that works by pulling enrollment information from a school's database and connecting students to each other, 6News' Julie Pursley reported. "The first day that I log in as a student, it automatically lists who is in each of my classes, what my classes are … who my instructors are," said Matthew Wasowski, Wimba's director of customer programs. "If I have a question about a homework assignment or just want to reach a classmate, I have it very well organized and can find them instantaneously." Click here to find out more! The program aims to facilitate learning that is both more convenient and more efficient, especially for commuter students. "I've got a class all the way in Decatur and I live downtown," said student Travon Curry. "If I can't make it out there all the time, I can maybe instant message someone and see what I missed." The service also helps instructors who teach online classes, allowing them to communicate instantly with students who may be thousands of miles away. "Because we're not in a face-to-face class, it will ... give us that interaction immediately instead of waiting for e-mail," said Renee Rule, assistant professor of English. Ivy Tech is the first school in Indiana to use Wimba Pronto. The basic service is free to students on the school's campuses statewide. The company hopes to use Ivy Tech as an example of how the technology could be used at any school. The school's pay a licensing fee to make the software available to their students.About Wimba Wimba is a leading provider of collaborative learning software applications and services to the education industry. Our collaborative software applications for the online and blended education market enable institutions to bridge technology and pedagogy by supplementing course management systems with many of the proven disciplines of in-person learning environments. Wimba's intuitive solutions enable educators and students to quickly and easily teach and learn live online, engage in live chat and instant message exchanges, benefit from oral content being added to text-based course content, and more. Instructors can also use Wimba solutions to convert Microsoft Word documents into accessible web pages and to create and administer tests, quizzes, and exams. Our focus on education and collaboration with educators fuels our product development.
Sunday, September 28, 2008
North Dakota Information Technology Minutes
NORTH DAKOTA LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
Minutes of the
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Harvest Room, State Capitol
Bismarck, North Dakota
Senator Larry J. Robinson, Chairman, called the
meeting to order at 9:00 a.m.
Members present: Senators Larry J. Robinson,
Randel Christmann, Rich Wardner; Representatives
Craig Headland, Robin Weisz; Chief Information
Officer Lisa Feldner
Members absent: Senators Richard Marcellais,
Tom Seymour; Representatives Keith Kempenich,
David Monson, Kenton Onstad, Mark S. Owens
Others present: Jim W. Smith, Legislative
Council, Bismarck
Representatives Merle Boucher and Bob Skarphol,
members of the Legislative Council, were also in
attendance.
See attached appendix for additional persons
present.
LEGISLATIVE INFORMATION
TECHNOLOGY PROJECT REPORTING
Mr. Jim W. Smith, Director, Legislative Council,
reported on the status of the legislative applications
replacement system computer project. He said the
project's Executive Steering Group met on June 4,
2008, and learned PTC Global Services, the project
vendor, missed a delivery date for one of the project's
application bundles. At that time, he said, PTC Global
Services indicated the delivery of the application
bundle would be delayed approximately three months.
Mr. Smith said the Executive Steering Group met
on July 7, 2008, and learned PTC Global Services
changed its project manager and lead architect for the
project. At that time, he said, PTC Global Services
also indicated the new system would not be complete
for the 2009 Legislative Assembly.
Mr. Smith said the Legislative Council office
changed its project manager on August 6, 2008. He
said representatives of the Legislative Council office,
PTC Global Services, and the Information Technology
Department met on August 13, 2008, to review the
proposed new architecture for the project. He said
PTC Global Services is in the process of addressing
questions that arose from that meeting. At the
present time, he said, PTC Global Services
anticipates completing requirements gathering by the
end of October 2008 and functional specification
documents by the end of December 2008. He said
design and development of the system is anticipated
to follow in January through April 2009.
In response to a question from Senator Robinson,
Mr. Smith said the contract with PTC Global Services
is a fixed price contract; therefore, the project is not
anticipated to cost more than budgeted. He said
currently there is approximately $1.8 million remaining
to be paid PTC Global Services on the contract.
In response to a question from Senator
Christmann, Mr. Smith said the Legislative Council
office is currently purchasing project manager
services from the Information Technology
Department.
REPORT FROM THE CHIEF
INFORMATION OFFICER
Ms. Lisa Feldner, Chief Information Officer,
Information Technology Department, and
representatives of the Information Technology
Department provided:
• A report on the recommendations of the State
Information Technology Advisory Committee
regarding major software projects for
consideration pursuant to North Dakota Century
Code (NDCC) Section 54-59-02.1.
• A report on the Statewide Longitudinal Data
System Committee's plan for a longitudinal data
system.
• Information regarding best practices in
information technology contracts.
• Recommended information technology statutory
changes.
A copy of the information presented is on file in the
Legislative Council office.
Major Information Technology
Project Prioritization
Mr. Jeff Swank, Information Technology
Department, said state agencies were responsible for
prioritizing information technology projects for the
2009-11 biennium and submitting their information
technology budgets into the budget analysis and
reporting system (BARS) by July 15, 2008. He said
the State Information Technology Advisory Committee
reviewed information regarding proposed major
information technology projects for executive branch
state agencies, excluding institutions under the control
of the State Board of Higher Education and the judicial
and legislative branches, and ranked those projects in
groups by funding source on August 24 and 25, 2008.
Information Technology 2 August 27, 2008
Mr. Swank presented the following prioritization of
general fund projects:
Preliminary
Project Budget
Project Agency
General
Fund
Total
Funds
1 Statewide
seamless base
map
Adjutant
General
$2,100,000 $2,100,000
2 Computer-aided
dispatch - Phase
2
Adjutant
General
2,000,000 2,000,000
3 Additional State
Radio towers
Adjutant
General
7,200,000 7,200,000
4 Longitudinal data
system
Information
Technology
Department
6,085,270 6,085,270
5 Eligibility
determination
system
replacement
Department of
Human
Services
9,250,000 18,500,000
6 North Dakota
business
development
engine
Secretary of
State
3,400,698 3,400,698
6 Elementary and
secondary
education
PowerSchool
hosting
Information
Technology
Department
3,180,000 3,180,000
8 Taxpayer access
program/financial
institution tax
Tax
Department
1,250,000 1,250,000
9 Criminal Justice
Information
Sharing (CJIS)
Initiative project
pool
Information
Technology
Department
1,027,535 1,327,535
10 Oil and gas
taxes - GenTax
integration
Tax
Department
1,500,000 1,500,000
11 Business
intelligence and
data warehouse
Office of
Management
and Budget
500,000 500,000
12 Data center
remodel
Information
Technology
Department
1,635,000 1,635,000
13 Integrate offender
management
systems
Department of
Corrections
and
Rehabilitation
3,000,000 3,000,000
Total $42,128,503 $51,678,503
Mr. Swank presented the following prioritization of
special funds projects:
Project Agency
Preliminary
Project
Budget
1 Student loan lender
system
Bank of North Dakota $3,500,000
2 Lab information
management system
replacement
Attorney General's
office
700,000
3 Driver's license system
replacement
Department of
Transportation
15,000,000
4 System web portal Workforce Safety and
Insurance
1,500,000
5 Enterprise e-mail
retention
Information Technology
Department
1,065,000
6 FileNet - Phase 2 Workforce Safety and
Insurance
950,000
7 Claims scanning Workforce Safety and
Insurance
350,000
Total $23,065,000
Mr. Swank presented the following prioritization of
federal fund projects:
Project Agency
Preliminary
Project
Budget
1 Offender checking Attorney General's office $731,328
2 Longitudinal data
system
Department of Public
Instruction
5,000,000
3 Asset management
analysis
Department of
Transportation
503,000
Total $6,234,328
Mr. Swank said the Information Technology
Department will forward the prioritization to the Office
of Management and Budget for consideration in the
development of the Governor's budget
recommendation.
In response to a question from Senator
Christmann, Mr. Swank said the project budgets are
preliminary. He said several agencies are in the
process of finalizing their budget requests for the
2009-11 biennium.
Statewide Longitudinal Data System
Ms. Feldner said the Statewide Longitudinal Data
System Committee awarded a contract to Claraview
for assistance with a plan for a statewide longitudinal
data system. She said Claraview provided a plan and
budget for implementing a longitudinal data system in
June 2008. She said Claraview identified the
following themes regarding a proposed statewide
longitudinal data system:
• There is strong support across state agencies
to share key information and leverage the
benefits of longitudinal data analysis that a
statewide longitudinal data system can provide.
• There are data quality challenges surrounding
the implementation of a statewide longitudinal
data system that must be solved to achieve a
successful project.
• Opportunities exist for each state agency to
enhance its data warehousing and data
analytics capabilities.
Ms. Feldner said Claraview identified the following
policy challenges to be considered in designing and
selecting an approach to a statewide longitudinal data
system:
• A process for maintaining the state ID in a
student's postsecondary records for a former
North Dakota kindergarten through grade 12
student transitioning to higher education.
• The North Dakota University System needs to
adopt a process for enrolling or registering
Information Technology 3 August 27, 2008
workforce training program students in the
ConnectND system upon their participation in
University System workforce training programs.
• The statewide longitudinal data system needs
to be compliant with federal privacy laws and
should meet the Data Quality Campaign's
10 essential elements and fundamentals for
P-12 longitudinal data systems.
Ms. Feldner said Claraview identified the following
recommendations:
Data
warehousing
capabilities
Implement a statewide longitudinal data
warehouse.
Implement a kindergarten through grade 12 data
warehouse.
Implement agency-specific data warehouses.
Allow continued Viewpoint--kindergarten through
grade 12 data warehousing system--rollout
among school districts.
Define a data integration strategy.
Reporting Relocate and reconfigure FINDET.
Select a business intelligence reporting tool.
Business
process
reengineering
Implement an Education and Workforce Council.
Implement formal data quality processes.
Operational
support
Roll out the PowerSchool application to all
kindergarten through grade 12 schools.
Educate users to develop data analysts.
Data
governance
Align student identifiers.
Implement agency-based data governance
councils.
Establish and enforce longitudinal data
systemwide data standards.
Mitigate interagency data sharing issues.
Implement a master client index solution.
Roadmap
implementation
Develop an action memorandum.
Ms. Feldner said the Statewide Longitudinal Data
System Committee has approved the
recommendations and is working on developing an
implementation plan and budget for the project.
In response to a question from Senator Robinson,
Ms. Feldner said the Information Technology
Department will be requesting $6 million from the
general fund for the 2009-11 biennium for beginning
the implementation of a statewide longitudinal data
system.
Information Technology
Contracts Best Practices
Mr. Pat Forster, Information Technology
Department, said information technology contract
risks are in the areas of cost, scope management,
schedule performance, and technology. In regard to
scope management, he said, an information
technology project should have a statement of work,
including clearly defined deliverables, and a project
management plan, including information regarding
scope, schedule, quality, budget, and
communications. In regard to schedule performance,
he said, payments to vendors should be based on
deliverables and milestones and a certain percentage
of the budget should be retained or held back until the
project is completed.
In response to a question from Senator
Christmann, Mr. Forster said state agencies are
including liquidated damages provisions in more
information technology contracts. He said it is
important to include liquidated damages provisions in
contracts for projects with strict timelines. He said
liquidated damages provisions must be negotiated
with the vendor, which may be difficult.
In response to a question from Representative
Skarphol, Mr. Forster said the Attorney General's
office and the Office of Management and Budget have
established guidelines for information technology
contracts.
Recommended Information Technology
Statutory Changes
Ms. Feldner said the CJIS Board is considering a
statutory change to increase the membership on the
board. She said the Attorney General's office is
working on drafting the legislation.
HIGHER EDUCATION INFORMATION
TECHNOLOGY INITIATIVES
Mr. Rich Lehn, Assistant to the Chief Information
Officer, North Dakota University System, provided
information regarding the quarterly summary status
report on large information technology projects,
including a project closeout report for the campus
solutions upgrade project and a project startup report
for the Northern Tier Network project. A copy of the
information presented is on file in the Legislative
Council office.
For the period ending June 30, 2008, Mr. Lehn
said University System major projects included the
TouchNet project and a campus solutions upgrade.
Mr. Lehn said the purpose of the TouchNet project
is to implement software modules that will allow all
campuses to begin accepting online credit card
payments with payments processed through a
payment card industry-compliant vendor. He said the
project will eliminate any card information being
retained by campuses and will eliminate compliance
requirements and related risks. As of June 30, 2008,
he said, Phases 1, 2, and 3 were completed on
budget and with a two-week delay due to problems in
Phase 1 related to a multicampus environment. He
said Phase 4 of the project is underway. He said
Valley City State University, Bismarck State College,
and Minot State University began using the system for
the fall 2008 semester, and the remaining institutions
will begin using the system for the spring 2009
semester.
Mr. Lehn said the campus solutions upgrade
project includes the upgrade of the ConnectND
student administration system from Version 8 to new
PeopleSoft campus solutions Version 9, the changing
of the database from Microsoft SQL to Oracle, and the
Information Technology 4 August 27, 2008
implementation of the user productivity kit. He said
the project was completed on schedule and under
budget with actual expenditures of $1,136,226,
compared to estimated expenditures of $1,350,000.
Mr. Lehn said the Northern Tier Network is an
advanced network project serving the
cyberinfrastucture needs of institutions within the
North Dakota University System and its public and
private sector partners. He said the estimated cost for
the project is $6 million of one-time costs for
implementing the network and $1 million of annual
recurring costs for maintenance of the network.
In response to a question from Senator
Christmann, Ms. Bonnie Neas, Vice President for
Information Technology, North Dakota State
University, said the 2007 Legislative Assembly
provided the University System one-time funding of
$3,773,000 from the permanent oil tax trust fund for
costs associated with implementing the Northern Tier
Network. She said the University System also
received a federal grant for one-time costs associated
with the project. She said the University System
anticipates approximately $1 million of the funding
from the permanent oil tax trust fund will be carried
forward to fiscal year 2010 and will be used to pay for
annual maintenance costs.
In response to a question from Senator
Christmann, Ms. Neas said STAGEnet delivers
Internet2 to kindergarten through grade 12.
In response to a question from Senator
Christmann, Ms. Neas said NDCC Section 15-10-45
provides that the University System may use the
Northern Tier Network infrastructure only for the
purpose of supporting the research and education
missions of the University System. She said the
University System may not use the Northern Tier
Network infrastructure for traditional Internet, voice,
video, or other telecommunications services beyond
those required for research networks.
In response to a question from Senator
Christmann, Ms. Neas said the provisions of NDCC
Section 15-10-45 prohibit the University System from
utilizing commercial peering services offered through
Internet2.
Senator Christmann requested the University
System provide the committee with a written definition
of the activities prohibited by NDCC Section 15-10-45.
Ms. Neas provided a status report on the Northern
Tier Network project. She said the Northern Tier
Network is an ultra high-speed regional network with
multiple optical waves capable of transferring about
10 gigabytes of information per second per wave.
She said the network supports the research and
education mission of its members. She said each
Northern Tier Network state is responsible for the
development and ongoing support of its segment of
the network.
Ms. Neas said planning is underway for the north
and south segment of North Dakota's share of the
Northern Tier Network. She said the University
System will be requesting state funds of $1 million per
year beginning with the second year of the 2009-11
biennium to sustain the state's segments of the
network. She said the University of North Dakota and
North Dakota State University will pay for the ongoing
costs of their respective campus network upgrades.
She said the University System will also be seeking
support to clarify and reduce the legislative
requirements placed on the Northern Tier Network
and the University System by the 2007 Legislative
Assembly. She said the University System is
attempting to work with the in-state
telecommunications carriers to come to an agreeable
solution. A copy of the information presented is on file
in the Legislative Council office.
Ms. Laura Glatt, Vice Chancellor for Administrative
Affairs, North Dakota University System, provided
information regarding University System information
technology-related budget request items for the
2009-11 biennium. She said the following is a
summary of specific information technology-related
budget request items for the 2009-11 biennium
beyond regular parity or cost to continue funding
requests:
Base funding
Current bandwidth services - For the
2007-09 biennium, $420,000 of system
information technology services parity cost
was funded as one-time funding instead of
base funding. The one-time funding was
used to cover the costs of current
bandwidth during the 2007-09 biennium.
Bandwidth demands are not anticipated to
decrease in the 2009-11 biennium;
therefore, base funding is needed to
sustain current bandwidth services.
$420,000
Future bandwidth services - Funding to
cover increased bandwidth needs based on
projected traffic growth of 50 percent.
800,000
ODIN web developer - A new position to
enhance and ease the use of the library
system.
150,000
Northern Tier Network maintenance -
Funding to cover annual maintenance costs
for the Northern Tier Network for the
second year of the 2009-11 biennium.
Maintenance costs for the first year of the
biennium will be covered with carryover
funding from the 2007-09 biennium.
1,000,000
FINDET - Staff and related costs to
continue support of the two full-time
equivalent positions that provide
information on graduates and student
performance. This level of funding will also
provide 100 percent of the support for this
activity in the University System office
budget.
155,320
Subtotal - Base funding $2,525,320
One-time funding
Interactive Video Network (IVN) CODEC
replacement - The videoconference
technology in IVN classrooms needs to be
upgraded to allow for high-definition
videoconferencing.
$350,000
Information Technology 5 August 27, 2008
CIS collaboration and emergency pool -
Funding to be allocated by the University
System chief information officer in support
of technology and tools that foster more
effective and efficient delivery of central
information technology services and to
address unforeseen needs not anticipated
in the budget process.
200,000
Joint North Dakota University System and
University of North Dakota information
technology facility - Funding for a facility to
jointly house University System information
technology service operations and
University of North Dakota information
technology systems and services.
11,200,000
Subtotal - One-time funding $11,750,000
Grand total $14,275,320
A copy of the information presented is on file in the
Legislative Council office.
The committee recessed for lunch at 11:30 a.m.
and traveled to St. Alexius Medical Center, 900 East
Broadway Avenue, Bismarck. The committee
reconvened at 12:30 p.m.
OTHER BUSINESS
Ms. Nancy Willis, Vice President Government
Relations and Marketing, St. Alexius Medical Center,
welcomed the committee to the medical center.
Ms. Lynette Dickson, Program Director, Center for
Rural Health, University of North Dakota School of
Medicine and Health Sciences, provided an overview
of the North Dakota Health Information Technology
Steering Committee. She said the North Dakota
Health Information Technology Steering Committee
was established in 2006. She said Senate Bill
No. 2303 was introduced during the 2007 legislative
session to formalize the committee in statute and
establish a health information technology grant
program. She said the bill was defeated but an
amendment to 2007 House Bill No. 1021 did establish
the committee in North Dakota Century Code. She
said the mission of the committee is to facilitate the
adoption and use of health information technology and
exchange to improve health care quality, patient
safety, and overall efficiency of health care and public
health services in North Dakota. She said the
committee is in the process of completing a health
information technology survey of the state's medical
facilities and developing a statewide health
information technology report. She said the
committee is also developing a request for
consideration by the 2009 Legislative Assembly. A
copy of the information presented is on file in the
Legislative Council office.
In response to a question from Senator Robinson,
Ms. Dickson said the steering committee will be able
to provide the committee with more information
regarding the statewide health information technology
report at the committee's next meeting.
Mr. Todd Bortke, St. Alexius Medical Center,
provided information regarding the medical center's
electronic medical records system, including a
demonstration of the system. He said the medical
center had to address several challenges when
implementing an electronic medical records system,
including multiple organizations, different chart
numbers, security, and many originating systems. He
said the medical center decided to develop an inhouse
system--MedAssist. He said the system
includes information such as laboratory reports,
radiology reports, medications, immunizations,
allergies, diagnostic tests, and digital pictures. A copy
of the information presented is on file in the
Legislative Council office.
In response to a question from Senator Robinson,
Mr. Bortke said St. Alexius Medical Center has two
full-time equivalent positions and one contract
employee working on developing and enhancing the
MedAssist system.
The committee recessed at 1:30 p.m., returned to
the Harvest Room, State Capitol, and reconvened at
1:50 p.m.
HIGHER EDUCATION INFORMATION
TECHNOLOGY INITIATIVES
Dr. Richard McCallum, President, Dickinson State
University, provided information regarding the
university's Theodore Roosevelt Center, including
information on the digitization program with the Library
of Congress and related information technology
needs. He said the university received a $150,000
general fund appropriation for the 2007-09 biennium
for costs associated with establishing a Theodore
Roosevelt Center. He said the university is using the
funding for establishing and implementing a
digitization program with the Library of Congress. He
said the university will receive 600,000 documents in
digital form from the Library of Congress. He said the
university's mission is to electronically present the
historical documents. A copy of the information
presented is on file in the Legislative Council office.
Ms. Feldner provided comments regarding
Dickinson State University's information technology
needs relating to the university's Theodore Roosevelt
Center. She said the Information Technology
Department will be hosting the data files for the
university. She said the task for the university will be
to analyze and index each file. She said the
department and the university are working with the
local telecommunications carriers to connect the
university to the Northern Tier Network.
INFORMATION SYSTEM AUDIT
Mr. Donald LaFleur, Audit Manager, Information
Systems Audit Section, State Auditor's office,
presented the information system audit of the
Information Technology Department for the year
ended December 31, 2007. He said the audit report is
intended to provide interested parties with information
sufficient to understand the general controls of the
Information Technology Department. He said the
Information Technology 6 August 27, 2008
audit report contains the following three
recommendations:
• The Information Technology Department has
not tested the disaster recovery plan.
• The Information Technology Department lacks
a formal security plan.
• The Information Technology Department lacks
a formal risk assessment framework.
A copy of the audit report is on file in the
Legislative Council office.
LARGE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
PROJECT REPORTING
Mr. Mark Molesworth, Enterprise Project Manager,
Information Technology Department, provided
information regarding the quarterly summary status
report on large information technology projects. For
the period ending June 30, 2008, he said, the
following eight projects were reported in the planning
stage:
Agency Project
Secretary of State Data processing system
Department of Human Services Electronic benefits transfer
reprocurement
State Department of Health Disease surveillance and
management system
Department of Public Instruction Direct certification
Information Technology
Department
Statewide automated victim
information notification system
CJIS Initiative portal
Adjutant General - Department of
Emergency Services
Computer-aided dispatch
Office of Management and Budget ConnectND system - Absence
management
Mr. Molesworth said the following four projects
were moved into the execution phase:
Agency Project
Department of Human Services Continuous eligibility
Master client index
Department of Public Instruction Foundation aid system rewrite
Teacher licensure application
rewrite
Mr. Molesworth said the following three projects
were reported complete:
Agency Project
Budget
Variance
Schedule
Variance
Department of
Human Services
Medicaid enterprise
management and
administration
reporting system
Within
variance
Over
variance
Attorney General Automated
fingerprint
identification system
upgrade
Within
variance
Over
variance
Secretary of State Central voter file Under
budget
Over
variance
Mr. Molesworth said the following four projects
have reported budget or schedule variances and are
being monitored closely:
Agency Project Budget or Schedule Variance
Department of
Human
Services
Medicaid
management
information
system
replacement
project
The Information Technology
Department is monitoring this
project closely because the project
has not been able to produce an
integrated schedule. Without the
integrated schedule, the
department is unable to verify any
project schedule variance.
Job Service
North Dakota
Case
management
system
The project was rolled out on
schedule; however, the agency is
trying to get full functionality from
the system. The agency has
extended the project schedule to
leverage holdback funds.
Legislative
Assembly
Legislative
applications
replacement
system
The project has experienced
critical schedule delays and will not
be complete prior to the next
legislative session.
Information
Technology
Department
CJIS Initiative
portal
The project was out of compliance
because execution was entered
without a project plan on file with
the Information Technology
Department. A project plan has
now been filed, and the project is
proceeding.
A copy of the information presented is on file in the
Legislative Council office.
Department of Human Services
Ms. Jennifer Witham, Director, Information
Technology Services, Department of Human Services,
provided:
• Information regarding the status of the Medicaid
management information system replacement
project.
• A project startup report for the department's
electronic benefits transfer project.
• A project closeout report for the department's
Medicaid enterprise management and
administrative reporting system project.
Ms. Witham said the Medicaid management
information system replacement project's overall
status is currently in the yellow category. She said
this status reflects that the Department of Human
Services is negotiating with ACS State Healthcare,
LLC (ACS), the project vendor, regarding revisions to
the project schedule. She said scheduled
negotiations with ACS are focused on the postdesign
phases of the project, including the estimation of the
implementation work effort to finalize system
configuration, data conversion, training, and system
and user acceptance testing. She said all of these
functions are highly dependent on the timely delivery
of the ACS product with North Dakota requirements.
She said the following is a summary of project
expenditures through July 2008:
Project
Budget Expenditures
Budget
Remaining
General fund $3,643,133 $982,214 $2,660,919
Federal funds 55,218,418 15,329,298 39,889,120
Other funds 3,667,820 1,007,597 2,660,223
Total $62,529,371 $17,319,109 $45,210,262
Information Technology 7 August 27, 2008
A copy of the information presented is on file in the
Legislative Council office.
In response to a question from Representative
Skarphol, Ms. Witham said the Medicaid management
information system replacement project is
approximately six weeks behind schedule.
In response to a question from Senator Robinson,
Ms. Witham said the project team is in the process of
detailed system design. She said this work effort is
scheduled to be completed by mid-January 2009.
Ms. Witham said the department must reprocure a
vendor to provide electronic benefits transfer of food
stamp benefits because the current contract with
JP Morgan expires June 30, 2009. She said this
project started on August 1, 2008, and is estimated to
be completed in September 2009. She said the
project's estimated cost is $320,000, including costs
associated with training, temporary staff, and project
management.
Ms. Witham said the department's Medicaid
enterprise management and administrative reporting
system project consisted of the implementation of
ACS's enterprise management and administrative
reporting system to provide Medicaid utilization and
budget forecasting reports over the legacy claims.
She said the project was completed slightly over
budget with actual expenditures of $374,642
compared to a project budget of $337,114. She said
the project was completed in April 2008 approximately
two months after the original scheduled completion
date of February 2008.
Information Technology Department -
Criminal Justice Information
Sharing Initiative Portal Project
Ms. Pam Schafer, Director, CJIS Initiative,
Information Technology Department, provided a
project startup report for the department's CJIS
2.0 portal project. She said the CJIS portal is a webbased
application that provides criminal justice
personnel access to view records from across
organizational boundaries. She said the portal uses
modern integration technology to transfer detailed
record information from the Attorney General's office,
Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, judicial
branch, Department of Transportation, and
participating local law enforcement. She said the
CJIS 2.0 portal project modifies the existing portal to
provide that the addition of new record types is
accomplished by configuration rather than through
development. She said the project is estimated to
cost $280,000 and is estimated to be completed in
January 2009. A copy of the information presented is
on file in the Legislative Council office.
Secretary of State
Mr. Alvin A. Jaeger, Secretary of State, provided:
• A project closeout report for the agency's
central voter file project.
• Information regarding the agency's data
processing system project.
Mr. Jaeger said the agency's central voter file
project completed the agency's election improvement
program by tying together the uniform election system
and the election management system under the
umbrella of the PowerProfile EE. He said the project
provides the state and all 53 counties a uniform and
single administration tool to more efficiently and
effectively manage elections. He said the project was
completed in May 2008, nine months later than the
original project scheduled completion date of
August 2007. He said the project was completed
under budget with actual expenditures of $1,255,692,
compared to estimated expenditures of $1,523,574.
Mr. Jaeger said the agency discontinued its
knowledge base/central indexing system project on
February 15, 2008, because the application source
code was dysfunctional. Due to the importance,
critical need, and public demand for enhanced
services, he said, the agency began work on a new
plan for enhancing the agency's central indexing
system functions. He said the agency issued a
request for proposal to four interested vendors on
May 16, 2008, for a commercial off-the-shelf data
processing system to replace the current central
indexing system. He said proposals were due in
June 2008, and the agency has signed a contract with
one of the vendors. He said the project is anticipated
to be completed within one year. He said the
estimated cost of the project is $600,000, and the
agency has available funding within its current
2007-09 legislative appropriation for the project. He
said the project will, however, require licensing fees of
$750,000 for the 2009-11 biennium.
Office of Management and Budget -
Absence Management Project
Mr. Toby Mertz, Office of Management and
Budget, provided a project startup report for the
agency's absence management project. He said the
purpose of the project is to implement Oracle's
PeopleSoft absence management module for selected
pilot state agencies. He said the module will provide
state agencies with an online, self-service absence
request and management application. He said the
estimated cost of the project is $551,000, and the
project is anticipated to be completed by
November 2008. A copy of the information presented
is on file in the Legislative Council office.
In response to a question from Representative
Skarphol, Mr. Mertz said the pilot state agencies are
the Tax Department, Bank of North Dakota, Public
Employees Retirement System, Workforce Safety and
Insurance, Office of Management and Budget, and
Supreme Court.
Department of Human Services
Mr. Mike Schwindt, Director, Child Support
Enforcement Program, Department of Human
Services, provided information regarding the
Information Technology 8 August 27, 2008
department's child support enforcement program
awards. He said the department recently received the
National Child Support Enforcement Association's
(NCSEA's) 2008 Outstanding Program Award and he
was awarded NCSEA's 2008 Outstanding Manager
Award. He said individuals employed by the program
have consistently received awards from the North
Dakota Family Support Conference. In 2007, he said,
the department's Parental Responsibility Initiative in
the Development of Employment (PRIDE) program
was recognized by the Council of State Governments
with its Innovations Award. In 2006, he said, the
department's program received the Outstanding State
Program Award from the Western Interstate Child
Support Enforcement Council, which includes all
states west of the Mississippi River. A copy of the
information presented is on file in the Legislative
Council office.
State Department of Health - Disease
Surveillance Management System Project
Mr. Kirby Kruger, State Department of Health,
provided a project startup report for the department's
disease surveillance management system project. He
said the department must have an electronic disease
surveillance system and outbreak management
system to conform to federal standards. He said the
department contracted with a vendor to develop a
web-based electronic disease surveillance and
management system in 2003. Since that time, he
said, the needs of the department as well as federal
standards have continued to evolve and the vendor
originally selected is no longer able to support the
current version of its software and to meet the needs
of the department. Therefore, he said, the department
began reviewing other alternatives. He said the
department has decided to implement a flexible and
configurable, commercial off-the-shelf electronic
disease surveillance and outbreak management
system. He said the project began in July 2008 and is
estimated to be completed in March 2009. He said
the estimated cost of the project is $550,000. A copy
of the information presented is on file in the
Legislative Council office.
In response to a question from Representative
Weisz, Mr. Kruger said the vendor of the commercial
off-the-shelf system has indicated that its product will
be upgraded in the future to remain compliant with
new federal regulations.
In response to a question from Representative
Weisz, Mr. Kruger said the new system's maintenance
agreement will cost approximately $100,000 per year.
Attorney General's Office - Automated
Fingerprint Identification System Upgrade
Ms. Judy Volk, Attorney General's office,
presented a project closeout report for the agency's
automated fingerprint identification system upgrade.
She said the Bureau of Criminal Investigation is a
partner in the Midwest Automated Fingerprint
Identification Network with the Minnesota Bureau of
Criminal Apprehension and South Dakota Division of
Criminal Investigation. She said fingerprint records
are currently processed and stored on an automated
fingerprint identification system managed by the
Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. She
said the equipment had reached the end of its useful
life and storage for fingerprints was at capacity;
therefore, this project upgraded the equipment and
software of the system. She said the project was
completed in June 2008, six months after the
scheduled completion date of December 2007. She
said the project was completed over budget with
actual expenditures of $394,825, compared to the
estimated cost of $385,025. A copy of the information
presented is on file in the Legislative Council office.
OTHER
No further business appearing, Chairman
Robinson adjourned the meeting at 3:32 p.m.
___________________________________________
Roxanne Woeste
Assistant Legislative Budget Analyst and Auditor
___________________________________________
Allen H. Knudson
Legislative Budget Analyst and Auditor
ATTACH:1
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Medicare and Medicaid Information From Denver, CO
Hello Everyone,
Please enjoy the information contained in this edition of Frontier Focus. Please be sure to share it with your members, colleagues, providers and office billing staff. Thank you for your continued efforts to broadcast Medicare information to the providers in Region VIII.
Table of Contents
1. New From the Medicare Learning Network
2. News of Benefit to Medicare Beneficiaries
3. Guidelines for Teaching Physicians, Interns, and Residents
4. Open Door Forum Updates
5. Clarification of MIPPA Guidance for DME Accreditation
6. Medicare Premiums, Deductibles for 2009
7. CMS to Host ICD-10-CM/PCS National Provider Conference Calls
8. A New CMS Initiative That Helps to Assist and Identify Individuals Who Care for Medicare Beneficiaries as Caregivers
9. New Rules to Enforce Marketing Requirements During Upcoming Health and Drug Plan Enrollment Period
10. Your Medicare Payments Being Reduced If the IRS Needs to Collect Overdue Taxes That You Owe
11. Medicare Part B Drugs Average Sales Price Files – October 2008
12. Home Health PPS Grouper Update
13. Physician Payment Information for Value-Driven Health Care
14. Update of the Hospital-Acquired Conditions(HAC) & Present on Admission (POA) Indicator Reporting Website
15. CMS Selection of First Coast Service Options, Inc. to Administer Medicare Claims Payment in Florida, Puerto Rico, and U.S. Virgin Islands
16. Extra Help for Beneficiaries Paying for Prescription Drugs
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1. New From the Medicare Learning Network
The revised Guidelines for Teaching Physicians, Interns, and Residents (July 2008), which provides information about payment for physician services in teaching settings, general documentation guidelines, and evaluation and management documentation guidelines, is now available in downloadable format from the Medicare Learning Network at
http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MLNProducts/downloads/gdelinesteachgresfctsht.pdf.
# # # # #
Just a reminder that the Medicare Learning Network web-based training courses and product ordering web page are currently unavailable on the CMS website while we perform system maintenance and upgrades. We expect the system will be available again around 10/1/2008. Thank you for your interest in the Medicare Learning Network. If you have any questions, please send them to MLN@cms.hhs.gov.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
2. News of Benefit to Medicare Beneficiaries
State Health Insurance Assistance Program Receives Performance Award
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently announced that State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIPs) will receive a $1.5 million in additional funding to be awarded based on their performance during the prior year. SHIP Performance Award based on the SHIPs’ outstanding achievements the prior year in serving Medicare beneficiaries, CMS is providing these additional funds to expand their services.
The SHIPs provide Medicare beneficiaries counseling and benefits information at the state and local level. SHIP counselors can help answer beneficiaries’ questions related to Medicare, Medicare Supplement Insurance, Medicare Advantage, prescription coverage, and low-income assistance. SHIPs can provide tools and information to help beneficiaries make decisions regarding their health care.
CMS works with a network of staff and volunteers to help SHIPs provide services to improve the health care of people with Medicare. For more information about SHIP local activities in your area, visit www.SHIPTalk.org.
# # # # #
CMS EXPANDS PERSONAL HEALTH RECORD PILOT IN SOUTH CAROLINA TO INCLUDE DATA FROM TRICARE
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently announced an expansion of the South Carolina Personal Health Record pilot (MyPHRSC) to include TRICARE health data.
An interagency agreement between CMS and the Department of Defense (DoD) will enable beneficiaries who have original Medicare and also receive TRICARE benefits to be offered the option of adding TRICARE health data to their MyPHRSC personal health records (PHRs). This data has only been available to the beneficiary through the DoD Medical Information Technology systems until this point.
"This exciting pilot expansion will be a major step forward for Medicare and DoD. We believe that collaborations of this sort will provide more complete information and better tools to empower consumers to manage their health," CMS Acting Administrator Kerry Weems said. “We expect this pilot, which brings data together from multiple sources, can be combined successfully to provide the beneficiary with access to more complete personal health records.”
The PHR tool selected for the MyPHRSC was created by HealthTrio, which currently offers PHRs to thousands of individuals through employer contracts. The Medicare data is provided through Palmetto GBA, a Medicare contractor serving the region that includes South Carolina. The pilot is being managed by QSSI, a company that specializes in information technology solution development and headquartered in Gaithersburg, Md. The pilot is accepting enrollment online at www.MyPHRSC.com.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
3. Guidelines for Teaching Physicians, Interns, and Residents
The revised Guidelines for Teaching Physicians, Interns, and Residents (July 2008), which provides information about payment for physician services in teaching settings, general documentation guidelines, and evaluation and management documentation guidelines, is now available in downloadable format from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Medicare Learning Network at
http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MLNProducts/downloads/gdelinesteachgresfctsht.pdf.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
4. Open Door Forum Updates
The next CMS Physicians, Nurses & Allied Health Professionals Open Door Forum is scheduled for:
Date: October 7, 2008
Start Time: 2:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time (EDT)
[Please dial in at least 15 minutes before call start time.]
Conference Leader(s): Jeffrey Rich, M.D./Bill Rogers, M.D./Mark Gilbert/Natalie Highsmith
Open Door Participation Instructions:
There are 2 ways to participate, by phone or onsite.
1. To participate by phone:
Dial: 1-800-837-1935 & Reference Conference ID 58370420
**Persons participating by phone do not need to RSVP. **
Note: TTY Communications Relay Services are available for the Hearing Impaired. For TTY services dial 7-1-1 or 1-800-855-2880 and for Internet Relay services click here http://www.consumer.att.com/relay/which/index.html .
A Relay Communications Assistant will help.
2. To participate onsite:
Your RSVP is required.
Please send a reply to CMS PHYSICIANODF-L@cms.hhs.gov, by 2:00 PM EDT, October 3, 2008. Be sure to include the title of the forum "Physician ODF" in the subject line of your message, and send us the following information:
a) Your first & last name
b) Your organization or representation
c) Your telephone number
Please arrive no later than 1:30 p.m.
ADDRESS:
Hubert H. Humphrey Bldg.
200 Independence Avenue S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20201
Map & Directions: http://www.hhs.gov/about/hhhmap.html
ENCORE: 1-800-642-1687; Conf. ID# 58370420
Encore is a recording of this call that can be accessed by dialing 1-800-642-1687 and entering the Conf. ID., beginning 2 hours after the call had ended. The recording will be available for 3 business days.
For Forum updates, Mailing List subscription and Frequently Asked Questions please visit our website at www.cms.hhs.gov/opendoorforums.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
5. Clarification of MIPPA Guidance for DME Accreditation
On September 3, 2008, CMS announced those DMEPOS providers that are exempt from meeting the quality standards for DMEPOS accreditation. CMS, at that time, stated that Orthotists, Prosthetists, and Pedorthotists are included in that exemption. CMS will issue a notice of proposed rulemaking in 2009 that will define quality standards designed specifically for anyone furnishing or providing orthotics and prosthetics in order to be reimbursed for such supplies and services under Medicare Part B.
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6. Medicare Premiums, Deductibles for 2009
The standard Medicare Part B monthly premium will be $96.40 in 2009, the same as the Part B premium for 2008. This is the first year since 2000 that there was no increase in the standard premium over the prior year.
The 2009 Part B premium of $96.40 is the same as the amount projected in the 2008 Medicare Trustees Report issued in March. This monthly premium paid by beneficiaries enrolled in Medicare Part B covers a portion of the cost of physicians’ services, outpatient hospital services, certain home health services, durable medical equipment, and other items.
By law, the standard premium is set to cover approximately one-fourth of the average cost of Part B services incurred by beneficiaries aged 65 and over. The remaining Part B costs are financed by Federal general revenues. The income to the program from premiums and general revenues are paid into the Part B account of the Supplementary Medical Insurance trust fund, and Part B expenditures are drawn from this account.
To view this Fact Sheet in its entirety go to: http://www.cms.hhs.gov/apps/media/press/factsheet.asp?Counter=3272&intNumPerPage=10&checkDate=&checkKey=&srchType=1&numDays=3500&srchOpt=0&srchData=&keywordType=All&chkNewsType=6&intPage=&showAll=&pYear=&year=&desc=&cboOrder=date
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7. CMS to Host ICD-10-CM/PCS National Provider Conference Calls
ICD-10-CM/PCS National Provider Conference Calls With Question & Answer Session
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will host a series of national provider calls (see below) that will provide an overview of ICD-10 and how it differs from ICD-9-CM. The presentations will include the major impacts providers should consider when planning to update any systems with ICD-10 codes. Issues such as differences in code length, alpha-numeric characters, and increased details captured by the codes will be explained. For the provider, payer, vendor, and publishing community, this overview will help them think about future reporting, system updates, and training, considering that ICD-10 may be implemented in the future.
The presenters will include members of the Cooperating Parties for ICD-9-CM, a formal coalition that has been working together on ICD-10 issues. The role of each will be explained, along with a similar role they will play should ICD-10 be implemented. The Cooperating Parties include CMS, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA), and American Hospital Association (AHA).
A PowerPoint slide presentation has been posted on the ICD-10 Web Page at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/ICD10 for you to download prior to the conference call so that you can follow along with the presentation.
Conference Call Details:
Separate conference calls have been scheduled for each provider type. The same information will be presented at each conference call. Participants may select one of the times listed below to attend a conference call. Select the appropriate link below, according to your provider type, to register for a conference call.
Provider Type Date and Time of Conference Call
Hospital Staff October 14, 2008 12:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. EDT To register go to http://www.cms.hhs.gov/ICD10/downloads/ICD10_hospital.pdf.
Other Part A and November 12, 2008 12:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. EST Part B Providers
Registration information for this conference call will be forthcoming.
Physicians November 17, 2008 12:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. EST Registration information for this conference call will be forthcoming.
For those who are unable to attend, a transcript will be posted on the ICD-10 Web Page at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/ICD10 shortly after the conference call.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
8. A New CMS Initiative That Helps to Assist and Identify Individuals Who Care for Medicare Beneficiaries as Caregivers
Ask Medicare provides online information, tools, and materials for caregivers
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently launched Ask Medicare, a new initiative to help family caregivers--those who are family members or friends who help people with Medicare access and use valuable healthcare information, services and resources.
More than 44 million Americans, more than one in five adults, provide care to a loved one, friend or neighbor, valued in economic terms at $350 billion annually, according to a recent report by AARP. The new initiative will provide a one-stop Web page for caregivers www.medicare.gov/caregivers that provides easy access to useful information about Medicare and other essential resources to help with caregiving. Most caregivers do not think of or identify themselves as caregivers; yet so many of the resources available to them use that term.
The Ask Medicare Website will provide links to key partner organizations that assist caregivers and beneficiaries, and present personal stories from caregivers in the community. Support information and tools to help caregivers address common problems will also be available. As part of the initiative, CMS will launch an e-newsletter for caregivers that will deliver information into subscribers’ email boxes.
For more information about Medicare’s new caregiver initiative, please visit: www.medicare.gov/caregivers.
To read the CMS press release issued on September 18, 2008, click here: http://www.cms.hhs.gov/apps/media/press_releases.asp
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
9. New Rules to Enforce Marketing Requirements During Upcoming Health and Drug Plan Enrollment Period
The two regulations issued today include prohibitions on telemarketing and other unsolicited sales contacts. The new rules also prohibit financial incentives that could encourage agents and brokers to maximize commissions by inappropriately moving, or churning, beneficiaries from one plan to another each year. Plans must be in compliance with these provisions when they begin their marketing activities on October 1.
The final rule implementing MIPPA marketing requirements may be viewed at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/HealthPlansGenInfo/.
The Interim Final Rule dealing with agent commissions and other MIPPA provisions may be viewed at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/HealthPlansGenInfo/.
Comments are due at 5:00 p.m. Eastern time on November 15, 2008.
Guidance for MA plans under Part C and PDPs under Part D plans may be viewed at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/HealthPlansGenInfo/Downloads/MIPPA_Imp_memo091208Final.pdf
Fact Sheets with more information on each rule may be viewed at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/apps/media/fact_sheets.asp.
To read more of the CMS press release issued 9/15/08 click here: http://www.cms.hhs.gov/apps/media/press_releases.asp
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
10. Your Medicare Payments Being Reduced If the IRS Needs to Collect Overdue Taxes That You Owe
THIS IS A REMINDER: Beginning October 1, 2008 Your Medicare Payments Could Be Reduced If The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Needs To Collect Overdue Taxes That You Owe
The Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997, Section 1024, authorizes the IRS to reduce certain federal payments, including Medicare payments, to allow collection of overdue taxes. Should you owe such taxes and your payments are reduced, your remittance advice will reflect a provider level adjustment code (PLB) of “WU” in the PLB03-1 data field. For more information, please see MLN Matters Article #MM6125 available at:
http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MLNMattersArticles/downloads/MM6125.pdf
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
11. Medicare Part B Drugs Average Sales Price Files – October 2008
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has made available the Medicare Part B Drug and Biological Average Sales Price (ASP) Payment Amounts for October 1, 2008 to December 31, 2008 on the CMS website at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/McrPartBDrugAvgSalesPrice/01a_2008aspfiles.asp#TopOfPage. The files are located in the "Downloads" section of this web page.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
12. Home Health PPS Grouper Update
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has updated the Home Health (HH) PPS Grouper due to changes in ICD-9-CM coding (effective October 1, 2008). CMS is providing an updated HH PPS Grouper Software Package (Version 2.03). The package includes the updated GROUPER.DLL software module, an updated version of the grouper logic (pseudocode) and associated tables, and updated test cases to be used by those who are developing their own software to implement the grouper logic. The changes to the grouper are described in the README file (READM203.PDF) which is also included. This package is available at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/HomeHealthPPS/05_CaseMixGrouperSoftware.asp in the Downloads section.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
13. Physician Payment Information for Value-Driven Health Care
To support the delivery of high-quality, efficient health care and enable consumers to make more informed health care decisions, President Bush directed the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to make cost and quality data available to all Americans. As a first step in this initiative, Medicare posted information in 2006 about the payments it made during the previous year for common and elective procedures and services provided by Hospitals, Ambulatory Surgery Centers (ASCs), Hospital Outpatient Departments, and Physicians. Medicare updated the information in 2007.
Earlier this year, Medicare updated the Hospital information and moved it to the Hospital Compare Website where it can be viewed along with hospital quality information. The Hospital compare website may be found at www.medicare.gov.
The ASC payment information was updated on August 22, 2008, and on September 23, 2008, Medicare posted an update to last year's physician services data. This information is being displayed in the same format as last year, updated with calendar year (CY) 2007 data. The posting update may be found at: www.cms.hhs.gov/HealthCareConInit/. Medicare will update the Hospital Outpatient Department payment information later this fall.
Medicare will continue to publicly report updates to this payment information as part of its commitment to enable consumers to compare the quality and price of health care services so that they can make informed choices about their providers, services, and treatments. Medicare also continues to expand the quality information it publicly reports for hospitals, nursing homes, dialysis facilities, home health agencies, Medicare Advantage and Part D plans and is considering options for reporting quality information for physicians. All of the quality information is available on the CMS Compare websites at www.medicare.gov.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
14. Update of the Hospital-Acquired Conditions(HAC) & Present on Admission (POA) Indicator Reporting Website
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has recently updated all sections of the Hospital-Acquired Conditions (HAC) & Present on Admission (POA) Indicator Reporting website to describe the changes published in CMS’ Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) Fiscal Year (FY) 2009 Final Rule. The HAC & POA Indicator information is available at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/HospitalAcqCond/ on the CMS website.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
15. CMS Selection of First Coast Service Options, Inc. to Administer Medicare Claims Payment in Florida, Puerto Rico, and U.S. Virgin Islands
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently announced that First Coast Service Options, Inc. (FCSO) has been awarded a contract of up to five years for the combined administration of Part A and Part B Medicare claims payment in Florida, Puerto Rico, and U.S. Virgin Islands.
“With this award, CMS continues its progress in reengineering the way in which the government contracts for claims administration for the largest part of the Medicare program. CMS is seeking the best value, from a cost and technical perspective for this critical function,” said Acting CMS Administrator Kerry Weems. “This is another step toward improving services to beneficiaries and providers who are in the Medicare fee-for-service benefit plan.”
FCSO will serve as the first point of contact for the processing and payment of Medicare fee-for-service claims from hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, physicians and other health care practitioners in Florida, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The new Part A/Part B Medicare Administrative Contractor (A/B MAC) was selected using competitive procedures in accordance with federal procurement rules. The entire press release may be viewed at: http://www.cms.hhs.gov/apps/media/press_releases.asp
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
16. Extra Help for Beneficiaries Paying for Prescription Drugs
Do You Know Someone Who Is Having Trouble Paying For Prescription Drugs?
Medicare Can Help!
· If an individual has limited income and resources, they may qualify for extra help from Medicare. It could be worth over $3,300 in savings on prescription drug costs per year.
· Encourage people with Medicare to file for Extra Help online: https://s044a90.ssa.gov/apps6z/i1020/main.html or by calling Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 to apply over the phone.
· State Health Insurance Information Program (SHIP) offices can assist with the application. Find contact information for a local SHIP Counselor at http://www.medicare.gov/contacts/static/allStateContacts.asp or by calling
1-800-MEDICARE.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lucretia James
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
Region VIII
1600 Broadway, Suite 700
Denver, CO 80202
(303) 844-1568
lucretia.james@cms.hhs.gov
Please enjoy the information contained in this edition of Frontier Focus. Please be sure to share it with your members, colleagues, providers and office billing staff. Thank you for your continued efforts to broadcast Medicare information to the providers in Region VIII.
Table of Contents
1. New From the Medicare Learning Network
2. News of Benefit to Medicare Beneficiaries
3. Guidelines for Teaching Physicians, Interns, and Residents
4. Open Door Forum Updates
5. Clarification of MIPPA Guidance for DME Accreditation
6. Medicare Premiums, Deductibles for 2009
7. CMS to Host ICD-10-CM/PCS National Provider Conference Calls
8. A New CMS Initiative That Helps to Assist and Identify Individuals Who Care for Medicare Beneficiaries as Caregivers
9. New Rules to Enforce Marketing Requirements During Upcoming Health and Drug Plan Enrollment Period
10. Your Medicare Payments Being Reduced If the IRS Needs to Collect Overdue Taxes That You Owe
11. Medicare Part B Drugs Average Sales Price Files – October 2008
12. Home Health PPS Grouper Update
13. Physician Payment Information for Value-Driven Health Care
14. Update of the Hospital-Acquired Conditions(HAC) & Present on Admission (POA) Indicator Reporting Website
15. CMS Selection of First Coast Service Options, Inc. to Administer Medicare Claims Payment in Florida, Puerto Rico, and U.S. Virgin Islands
16. Extra Help for Beneficiaries Paying for Prescription Drugs
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1. New From the Medicare Learning Network
The revised Guidelines for Teaching Physicians, Interns, and Residents (July 2008), which provides information about payment for physician services in teaching settings, general documentation guidelines, and evaluation and management documentation guidelines, is now available in downloadable format from the Medicare Learning Network at
http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MLNProducts/downloads/gdelinesteachgresfctsht.pdf.
# # # # #
Just a reminder that the Medicare Learning Network web-based training courses and product ordering web page are currently unavailable on the CMS website while we perform system maintenance and upgrades. We expect the system will be available again around 10/1/2008. Thank you for your interest in the Medicare Learning Network. If you have any questions, please send them to MLN@cms.hhs.gov.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
2. News of Benefit to Medicare Beneficiaries
State Health Insurance Assistance Program Receives Performance Award
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently announced that State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIPs) will receive a $1.5 million in additional funding to be awarded based on their performance during the prior year. SHIP Performance Award based on the SHIPs’ outstanding achievements the prior year in serving Medicare beneficiaries, CMS is providing these additional funds to expand their services.
The SHIPs provide Medicare beneficiaries counseling and benefits information at the state and local level. SHIP counselors can help answer beneficiaries’ questions related to Medicare, Medicare Supplement Insurance, Medicare Advantage, prescription coverage, and low-income assistance. SHIPs can provide tools and information to help beneficiaries make decisions regarding their health care.
CMS works with a network of staff and volunteers to help SHIPs provide services to improve the health care of people with Medicare. For more information about SHIP local activities in your area, visit www.SHIPTalk.org.
# # # # #
CMS EXPANDS PERSONAL HEALTH RECORD PILOT IN SOUTH CAROLINA TO INCLUDE DATA FROM TRICARE
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently announced an expansion of the South Carolina Personal Health Record pilot (MyPHRSC) to include TRICARE health data.
An interagency agreement between CMS and the Department of Defense (DoD) will enable beneficiaries who have original Medicare and also receive TRICARE benefits to be offered the option of adding TRICARE health data to their MyPHRSC personal health records (PHRs). This data has only been available to the beneficiary through the DoD Medical Information Technology systems until this point.
"This exciting pilot expansion will be a major step forward for Medicare and DoD. We believe that collaborations of this sort will provide more complete information and better tools to empower consumers to manage their health," CMS Acting Administrator Kerry Weems said. “We expect this pilot, which brings data together from multiple sources, can be combined successfully to provide the beneficiary with access to more complete personal health records.”
The PHR tool selected for the MyPHRSC was created by HealthTrio, which currently offers PHRs to thousands of individuals through employer contracts. The Medicare data is provided through Palmetto GBA, a Medicare contractor serving the region that includes South Carolina. The pilot is being managed by QSSI, a company that specializes in information technology solution development and headquartered in Gaithersburg, Md. The pilot is accepting enrollment online at www.MyPHRSC.com.
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3. Guidelines for Teaching Physicians, Interns, and Residents
The revised Guidelines for Teaching Physicians, Interns, and Residents (July 2008), which provides information about payment for physician services in teaching settings, general documentation guidelines, and evaluation and management documentation guidelines, is now available in downloadable format from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Medicare Learning Network at
http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MLNProducts/downloads/gdelinesteachgresfctsht.pdf.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
4. Open Door Forum Updates
The next CMS Physicians, Nurses & Allied Health Professionals Open Door Forum is scheduled for:
Date: October 7, 2008
Start Time: 2:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time (EDT)
[Please dial in at least 15 minutes before call start time.]
Conference Leader(s): Jeffrey Rich, M.D./Bill Rogers, M.D./Mark Gilbert/Natalie Highsmith
Open Door Participation Instructions:
There are 2 ways to participate, by phone or onsite.
1. To participate by phone:
Dial: 1-800-837-1935 & Reference Conference ID 58370420
**Persons participating by phone do not need to RSVP. **
Note: TTY Communications Relay Services are available for the Hearing Impaired. For TTY services dial 7-1-1 or 1-800-855-2880 and for Internet Relay services click here http://www.consumer.att.com/relay/which/index.html .
A Relay Communications Assistant will help.
2. To participate onsite:
Your RSVP is required.
Please send a reply to CMS PHYSICIANODF-L@cms.hhs.gov, by 2:00 PM EDT, October 3, 2008. Be sure to include the title of the forum "Physician ODF" in the subject line of your message, and send us the following information:
a) Your first & last name
b) Your organization or representation
c) Your telephone number
Please arrive no later than 1:30 p.m.
ADDRESS:
Hubert H. Humphrey Bldg.
200 Independence Avenue S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20201
Map & Directions: http://www.hhs.gov/about/hhhmap.html
ENCORE: 1-800-642-1687; Conf. ID# 58370420
Encore is a recording of this call that can be accessed by dialing 1-800-642-1687 and entering the Conf. ID., beginning 2 hours after the call had ended. The recording will be available for 3 business days.
For Forum updates, Mailing List subscription and Frequently Asked Questions please visit our website at www.cms.hhs.gov/opendoorforums.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
5. Clarification of MIPPA Guidance for DME Accreditation
On September 3, 2008, CMS announced those DMEPOS providers that are exempt from meeting the quality standards for DMEPOS accreditation. CMS, at that time, stated that Orthotists, Prosthetists, and Pedorthotists are included in that exemption. CMS will issue a notice of proposed rulemaking in 2009 that will define quality standards designed specifically for anyone furnishing or providing orthotics and prosthetics in order to be reimbursed for such supplies and services under Medicare Part B.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
6. Medicare Premiums, Deductibles for 2009
The standard Medicare Part B monthly premium will be $96.40 in 2009, the same as the Part B premium for 2008. This is the first year since 2000 that there was no increase in the standard premium over the prior year.
The 2009 Part B premium of $96.40 is the same as the amount projected in the 2008 Medicare Trustees Report issued in March. This monthly premium paid by beneficiaries enrolled in Medicare Part B covers a portion of the cost of physicians’ services, outpatient hospital services, certain home health services, durable medical equipment, and other items.
By law, the standard premium is set to cover approximately one-fourth of the average cost of Part B services incurred by beneficiaries aged 65 and over. The remaining Part B costs are financed by Federal general revenues. The income to the program from premiums and general revenues are paid into the Part B account of the Supplementary Medical Insurance trust fund, and Part B expenditures are drawn from this account.
To view this Fact Sheet in its entirety go to: http://www.cms.hhs.gov/apps/media/press/factsheet.asp?Counter=3272&intNumPerPage=10&checkDate=&checkKey=&srchType=1&numDays=3500&srchOpt=0&srchData=&keywordType=All&chkNewsType=6&intPage=&showAll=&pYear=&year=&desc=&cboOrder=date
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7. CMS to Host ICD-10-CM/PCS National Provider Conference Calls
ICD-10-CM/PCS National Provider Conference Calls With Question & Answer Session
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will host a series of national provider calls (see below) that will provide an overview of ICD-10 and how it differs from ICD-9-CM. The presentations will include the major impacts providers should consider when planning to update any systems with ICD-10 codes. Issues such as differences in code length, alpha-numeric characters, and increased details captured by the codes will be explained. For the provider, payer, vendor, and publishing community, this overview will help them think about future reporting, system updates, and training, considering that ICD-10 may be implemented in the future.
The presenters will include members of the Cooperating Parties for ICD-9-CM, a formal coalition that has been working together on ICD-10 issues. The role of each will be explained, along with a similar role they will play should ICD-10 be implemented. The Cooperating Parties include CMS, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA), and American Hospital Association (AHA).
A PowerPoint slide presentation has been posted on the ICD-10 Web Page at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/ICD10 for you to download prior to the conference call so that you can follow along with the presentation.
Conference Call Details:
Separate conference calls have been scheduled for each provider type. The same information will be presented at each conference call. Participants may select one of the times listed below to attend a conference call. Select the appropriate link below, according to your provider type, to register for a conference call.
Provider Type Date and Time of Conference Call
Hospital Staff October 14, 2008 12:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. EDT To register go to http://www.cms.hhs.gov/ICD10/downloads/ICD10_hospital.pdf.
Other Part A and November 12, 2008 12:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. EST Part B Providers
Registration information for this conference call will be forthcoming.
Physicians November 17, 2008 12:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. EST Registration information for this conference call will be forthcoming.
For those who are unable to attend, a transcript will be posted on the ICD-10 Web Page at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/ICD10 shortly after the conference call.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
8. A New CMS Initiative That Helps to Assist and Identify Individuals Who Care for Medicare Beneficiaries as Caregivers
Ask Medicare provides online information, tools, and materials for caregivers
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently launched Ask Medicare, a new initiative to help family caregivers--those who are family members or friends who help people with Medicare access and use valuable healthcare information, services and resources.
More than 44 million Americans, more than one in five adults, provide care to a loved one, friend or neighbor, valued in economic terms at $350 billion annually, according to a recent report by AARP. The new initiative will provide a one-stop Web page for caregivers www.medicare.gov/caregivers that provides easy access to useful information about Medicare and other essential resources to help with caregiving. Most caregivers do not think of or identify themselves as caregivers; yet so many of the resources available to them use that term.
The Ask Medicare Website will provide links to key partner organizations that assist caregivers and beneficiaries, and present personal stories from caregivers in the community. Support information and tools to help caregivers address common problems will also be available. As part of the initiative, CMS will launch an e-newsletter for caregivers that will deliver information into subscribers’ email boxes.
For more information about Medicare’s new caregiver initiative, please visit: www.medicare.gov/caregivers.
To read the CMS press release issued on September 18, 2008, click here: http://www.cms.hhs.gov/apps/media/press_releases.asp
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
9. New Rules to Enforce Marketing Requirements During Upcoming Health and Drug Plan Enrollment Period
The two regulations issued today include prohibitions on telemarketing and other unsolicited sales contacts. The new rules also prohibit financial incentives that could encourage agents and brokers to maximize commissions by inappropriately moving, or churning, beneficiaries from one plan to another each year. Plans must be in compliance with these provisions when they begin their marketing activities on October 1.
The final rule implementing MIPPA marketing requirements may be viewed at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/HealthPlansGenInfo/.
The Interim Final Rule dealing with agent commissions and other MIPPA provisions may be viewed at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/HealthPlansGenInfo/.
Comments are due at 5:00 p.m. Eastern time on November 15, 2008.
Guidance for MA plans under Part C and PDPs under Part D plans may be viewed at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/HealthPlansGenInfo/Downloads/MIPPA_Imp_memo091208Final.pdf
Fact Sheets with more information on each rule may be viewed at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/apps/media/fact_sheets.asp.
To read more of the CMS press release issued 9/15/08 click here: http://www.cms.hhs.gov/apps/media/press_releases.asp
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
10. Your Medicare Payments Being Reduced If the IRS Needs to Collect Overdue Taxes That You Owe
THIS IS A REMINDER: Beginning October 1, 2008 Your Medicare Payments Could Be Reduced If The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Needs To Collect Overdue Taxes That You Owe
The Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997, Section 1024, authorizes the IRS to reduce certain federal payments, including Medicare payments, to allow collection of overdue taxes. Should you owe such taxes and your payments are reduced, your remittance advice will reflect a provider level adjustment code (PLB) of “WU” in the PLB03-1 data field. For more information, please see MLN Matters Article #MM6125 available at:
http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MLNMattersArticles/downloads/MM6125.pdf
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
11. Medicare Part B Drugs Average Sales Price Files – October 2008
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has made available the Medicare Part B Drug and Biological Average Sales Price (ASP) Payment Amounts for October 1, 2008 to December 31, 2008 on the CMS website at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/McrPartBDrugAvgSalesPrice/01a_2008aspfiles.asp#TopOfPage. The files are located in the "Downloads" section of this web page.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
12. Home Health PPS Grouper Update
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has updated the Home Health (HH) PPS Grouper due to changes in ICD-9-CM coding (effective October 1, 2008). CMS is providing an updated HH PPS Grouper Software Package (Version 2.03). The package includes the updated GROUPER.DLL software module, an updated version of the grouper logic (pseudocode) and associated tables, and updated test cases to be used by those who are developing their own software to implement the grouper logic. The changes to the grouper are described in the README file (READM203.PDF) which is also included. This package is available at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/HomeHealthPPS/05_CaseMixGrouperSoftware.asp in the Downloads section.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
13. Physician Payment Information for Value-Driven Health Care
To support the delivery of high-quality, efficient health care and enable consumers to make more informed health care decisions, President Bush directed the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to make cost and quality data available to all Americans. As a first step in this initiative, Medicare posted information in 2006 about the payments it made during the previous year for common and elective procedures and services provided by Hospitals, Ambulatory Surgery Centers (ASCs), Hospital Outpatient Departments, and Physicians. Medicare updated the information in 2007.
Earlier this year, Medicare updated the Hospital information and moved it to the Hospital Compare Website where it can be viewed along with hospital quality information. The Hospital compare website may be found at www.medicare.gov.
The ASC payment information was updated on August 22, 2008, and on September 23, 2008, Medicare posted an update to last year's physician services data. This information is being displayed in the same format as last year, updated with calendar year (CY) 2007 data. The posting update may be found at: www.cms.hhs.gov/HealthCareConInit/. Medicare will update the Hospital Outpatient Department payment information later this fall.
Medicare will continue to publicly report updates to this payment information as part of its commitment to enable consumers to compare the quality and price of health care services so that they can make informed choices about their providers, services, and treatments. Medicare also continues to expand the quality information it publicly reports for hospitals, nursing homes, dialysis facilities, home health agencies, Medicare Advantage and Part D plans and is considering options for reporting quality information for physicians. All of the quality information is available on the CMS Compare websites at www.medicare.gov.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
14. Update of the Hospital-Acquired Conditions(HAC) & Present on Admission (POA) Indicator Reporting Website
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has recently updated all sections of the Hospital-Acquired Conditions (HAC) & Present on Admission (POA) Indicator Reporting website to describe the changes published in CMS’ Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) Fiscal Year (FY) 2009 Final Rule. The HAC & POA Indicator information is available at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/HospitalAcqCond/ on the CMS website.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
15. CMS Selection of First Coast Service Options, Inc. to Administer Medicare Claims Payment in Florida, Puerto Rico, and U.S. Virgin Islands
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently announced that First Coast Service Options, Inc. (FCSO) has been awarded a contract of up to five years for the combined administration of Part A and Part B Medicare claims payment in Florida, Puerto Rico, and U.S. Virgin Islands.
“With this award, CMS continues its progress in reengineering the way in which the government contracts for claims administration for the largest part of the Medicare program. CMS is seeking the best value, from a cost and technical perspective for this critical function,” said Acting CMS Administrator Kerry Weems. “This is another step toward improving services to beneficiaries and providers who are in the Medicare fee-for-service benefit plan.”
FCSO will serve as the first point of contact for the processing and payment of Medicare fee-for-service claims from hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, physicians and other health care practitioners in Florida, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The new Part A/Part B Medicare Administrative Contractor (A/B MAC) was selected using competitive procedures in accordance with federal procurement rules. The entire press release may be viewed at: http://www.cms.hhs.gov/apps/media/press_releases.asp
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
16. Extra Help for Beneficiaries Paying for Prescription Drugs
Do You Know Someone Who Is Having Trouble Paying For Prescription Drugs?
Medicare Can Help!
· If an individual has limited income and resources, they may qualify for extra help from Medicare. It could be worth over $3,300 in savings on prescription drug costs per year.
· Encourage people with Medicare to file for Extra Help online: https://s044a90.ssa.gov/apps6z/i1020/main.html or by calling Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 to apply over the phone.
· State Health Insurance Information Program (SHIP) offices can assist with the application. Find contact information for a local SHIP Counselor at http://www.medicare.gov/contacts/static/allStateContacts.asp or by calling
1-800-MEDICARE.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lucretia James
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
Region VIII
1600 Broadway, Suite 700
Denver, CO 80202
(303) 844-1568
lucretia.james@cms.hhs.gov
Friday, September 26, 2008
Plains Art Museum --- Fargo, North Dakoa
©Dale Cook
FMVA Studio Crawl
October 4 and 5, 2008
Studio Crawl maps are available at Plains Art Museum, 704 1st Avenue North, at www.fmva.us, at area businesses and from the participating artists.
Studio Crawl Preview at Plains Art Museum
August 7 - October 5, 2008
Preview the work of more than 40 artists who will showcase their work at 36 studios during the FM Visual Artists Studio Crawl October 4 and 5.
More information here.
$12 each day.Pre-register by September 29 at 701.232.3821 ext. 115 or follow the links below. More information can be found here.
Rembrandt Etch-n-SketchSaturday, October 4, 1 to 3 pmAges: 6 through 12Instructor: Jane MillikanDescription: Do you like to draw? Get inspired by the Rembrandt exhibition and do fun drawing and printmaking while mom and dad do the FMVA Studio Crawl.Fee: Cost is $12Sign up here.
Clay InnovationsSunday, October 5, 1 to 3 pmAges: 6 through 12Instructor: Carrie SavageauDescription: Tour the Innovation & Change exhibition and create your own innovations with modeling clay while mom and dad do the FMVA Studio Crawl!Fee: Cost is $12Sign up here.
Kid Crawl is a great way for kids to experience art while parents enjoy the Studio Crawl.
Fall '08 Youth & Adult Educational Programs
You, Me and OrigamiTwo Thursdays, November 6 and 13, 5:30 to 7:30 pmAges: see class descriptionInstructor: Jane MillikanDescription: Make artistic, creative gifts of paper for loved ones with inspiration from the Pulp Function exhibition. For an adult and child (ages 6 through 12) or for two adults.Fee: $50 for members / $56 for nonmembers. The fee covers two people.Sign up here.
Etching and Drawing from RembrandtSix Thursdays, October 9 through November 13, 5:30 to 7:30 pmAges: Adult (16+)Instructor: John VolkDescription: With inspiration from one of the most celebrated artists in history, advance your drawing skills in the galleries and create your own etchings—a unique opportunity to see and create like you have not before!Fee: $76 for members / $84 for nonmembersSign up here.
Pastels StudioTwo Saturdays, November 8 and 15, 1 to 4:30 pmAges: Adult (16+)Instructor: Sandi DahlDescription: Pastels Studio with instructor Sandi Dahl. Learn techniques to apply this flexible medium, great for beginners and seasoned artists.Fee: $44 for members / $49 for nonmembers Sign up here.
704 First Avenue North • Fargo, North Dakota 58102 • Phone: 701.232.3821 • Fax: 701.293.1082 • E-Mail: museum@plainsart.orgPlains Art Museum © 2008
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Xmas Tree Ornaments in North Dakota
For Immediate Release
September 25, 2008
For more information, contact Amy Schmidt, ND Council on the Arts, (701) 328-7594
Call for Ornaments for State Christmas Tree
The North Dakota Council on the Arts invites artists and craftspeople to provide handmade ornaments for the North Dakota State Christmas Tree. The tree will be on display in the Memorial Hall of the State Capitol building in Bismarck. It will be lit during a public ceremony conducted by the Governor and Mrs. Hoeven on December 9, 2008, from 5:00 to 6:30 p.m.
Submitted ornaments can vary from traditional to contemporary arts – ranging from rosemaling or wheatweaving, to painted miniatures or small sculptures. Items that are commercially produced or made from kits are not eligible for inclusion. This is a great art project for elementary classes, Scout troops, 4-H clubs, residents of assisted living centers, etc., as well as a great family project. The theme is open and can be of the designer’s choosing.
Each ornament should include a brief one or two line description of the ornament (naming the art form used or the special circumstances through which it was created – such as through a class or senior center project). Also include the name of the individual artist/craftsperson who created it. A descriptive listing will be available at the ceremony and will be mailed to everyone who submits an ornament. Ornaments must be received in the NDCA office no later than Friday, November 21, 2008. All ornaments become the property of the NDCA and will be hung on the state tree each ensuing year.
For more information, contact the NDCA at (701) 328-7594 or email amschmid@nd.gov. Mail ornaments to: North Dakota Council on the Arts, 1600 East Century Avenue, Suite 6, Bismarck, ND 58503-0649.
# # #
The North Dakota Council on the Arts is the state agency responsible for the support and development of the arts throughout North Dakota, and is funded by the state legislature and the National Endowment for the Arts.
If you wish to unsubscribe from the North Dakota Council on the Arts email list, please click here.
Amy Schmidt
Public Information Officer
North Dakota Council on the Arts
1600 E. Century Ave., Suite 6
Bismarck, ND 58503-0649
amschmid@nd.gov
Phone: 701-328-7594
Fax: 701-328-7595
Amy Schmidt
Public Information Officer
North Dakota Council on the Arts
1600 E. Century Ave., Suite 6
Bismarck, ND 58503-0649
amschmid@nd.gov
Phone: 701-328-7594
Fax: 701-328-7595
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