(Sept. 1, 2023) – HHS Releases List of Selected Medicare Part D Discounted Drugs
Congress enacted the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, which provides Medicare the ability to negotiate prices for certain high-expenditure, single-source drugs that do not have generic or biosimilar competition. Because of the Act, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services released a list of 10 drugs covered under Medicare Part D for 2026.
TJC Releases Specifications Manual Version 2024A
The Specifications Manual for Joint Commission National Quality Measures, Versions 2024A, effective for discharges Jan. 1 to June 30, 2024, has been posted to The Joint Commission website. Changes are outlined in the associated release notes.
CMS Review and Correction Period Open for FY 2024 HAC Reduction Program HSRs
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services released the fiscal year 2024 Hospital-Acquired Condition Reduction Program Hospital-Specific Reports via the Hospital Quality Reporting system. The review and correction period now is open and ends Thursday, Sept. 28. Additional information is available.
CDC Issues Health Update on Locally Acquired Malaria Cases
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a Health Alert Network Health Update to share new information about locally acquired malaria cases. These are the first confirmed malaria cases acquired locally in the U.S. since 2003. Clinicians may consider a malaria diagnosis in any person with an unexplained cause of fever. Cases now have been identified in three states. For additional information on malaria diagnosis and treatment, a CDC COCA call recording is available.
HRSA Requires 340B Recertification
The Health Resources & Services Administration Office of Pharmacy Affairs requires registration and approval for covered entities to participate in the 340B Drug PricingPprogram. The annual recertification period for 2023 is open until Monday, Sept. 11. To recertify, authorizing officials and primary contacts must set up a user account in the 340B OPAIS. Educational resources and frequently asked questions are available on the HRSA OPA website.
CMS Identifies Calculation Errors of OQR Program Measures Displayed on Care Compare
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services identified errors in the calculation of third-quarter 2022 data displayed on Care Compare for two measures in the Hospital Outpatient Quality Reporting Program.
- OP-18b: Median time from emergency department arrival to emergency department departure for discharged patients – excludes psychiatric/mental health patients
- OP-18c: Median time from emergency department arrival to emergency department departure for discharged patients – only psychiatric/mental health patients
The corrected third-quarter 2022 OP-18b and OP-18c data are available within the July 2023 Preview Report in the Hospital Quality Reporting system. Providers are encouraged to review the corrected data during the 30-day preview period, which ends Thursday, Sept. 21. The corrected data will be published to Care Compare immediately following the 30-day preview period.
TJC Announces Pioneers in Quality Webinars
The Joint Commission's expert-to-expert webinar series provides a deep dive into measure intent, logic and other clinical and technical aspects of electronic clinical quality measures to assist hospitals in their efforts to improve data use for quality improvement. Two webinars are available in this series to assist hospitals with implementing the perinatal care eCQMs for the 2024 eCQM reporting period. Registration is available at the respective links.
MLN Connects Provider eNews Available
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services issued the following updates to MLN Connects Provider eNews:
Before You Go ...
- Through the National Health Service Corps Students to Service Loan Repayment Program, medical, nursing or dental school students may qualify for as much as $120,000 in tax-free loan repayment in exchange for a three-year service commitment in a high-need rural, tribal or urban community. Applications are due by Thursday, Dec. 7.
- A webinar for hospitals participating in the Hospital-Acquired Condition Reduction Program is scheduled at 1:00 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 7. Registration is required for the webinar, Overview of the Fiscal Year 2024 HAC Reduction Program.
- A recent study published by the American College of Physicians compared drug overdose death rates between health care and non-health care workers throughout a 10-year period and found that registered nurses, social or behavioral health workers, and health care support workers are at an increased risk for drug overdose death.