Our Gift to You: The Medicaid Managed Care Congress Agenda is Ready

Happy Holiday from the Medicaid Managed Care Congress, taking place April 30-May 2, 2012 in Baltimore. We are pleased to announce that the completed brochure is now ready for review.

Download it here.

What can you look forward to from MMCC 2012?

• - The largest and longest running event that gives you the tools to improve quality care and comply with the ACA and protect profitability
• - Over 50 sessions including over 20 case studies in three all new tracks designed to meet the needs of every stakeholder in your organization
• - The right mix of States and Plans with more and more States attending every year as Managed Medicaid continues to expand
• - All new State Snapshots from the States everyone is talking about—Texas, DC, PA, and NJ
• - The 2nd Annual Medicaid Managed Care Innovation Awards to recognize the exceptional work you do every day
• - 20 years of experience bringing you the most visionary speakers and actionable content to improve clinical and financial outcomes

As a reader of the Healthcare: From Policy to Practice Blog, you can use priority code XP1726BLOG to receive 25% off of the standard rate! If you have any questions or need any further information, feel free to email jpereira@iirusa.com.

Season's Greetings from the Medicare Congress Group

Happy Holidays to you and your family. As a gift to you, receive 25% off the standard registration rate for the Medicare Congress with Priority Code  XP1707BLOG. Register online to reserve your spot!

Cheers to a happy, health New Year! See you in 2012!

- The Medicare Congress Team

Could a bipartisan plan lead to a breakthrough in Medicare sustainability?

Last week, Democratic senator, Ron Wyden of Oregon, and a Republican member of the House, Paul D. Ryan of Wisconsin, proposed a new plan for Medicare that could help solve the problem of the system that is unsustainable for the US Government as it stands.

In the new plan, specifically created by members from both parties, this new plan looks to implement significant structural changes and limit the current open-ended commitment to sustaining the system from the government.  A health insurance exchange would b created for the beneficiaries, and growth would be capped.  The governmental would not be required to pay more the rate of the economy plus 1%.  The government would also cut payments to those beneficiaries who typically overspend.  For a more in-depth look at the proposed changes, visit the New York Times article.

At The Medicare Congress 2012, Fred Barnes, Executive Editor, The Weekly Standard and Commentator, FOX News will be on hand to present 2012 Election Outlook – Examine Today’s Headlines to
Find the Real Signals and Implications for ACA.  In addition to uncertainty of the unsustainability of the system, elections take place next year, leading to more uncertainty of who will be in power to make the decisions to make the changes needed to fix the Medicare system. As a reader of this blog, when you register to join us in Orlando from February 6-8, 2012, and mention code XP1706BLOG, you receive a 25% discount off the standard rate! 

Do you see this as a plan that could lead to the sustainability of the Medicare System?  What would hold back from Congress members?

The Medicare Congress Keynote Spotlight: Crisis Into Opportunity: Keeping your Business Going (and Growing) While Sanctioned

While it is obviously business-crucial to avoid CMS sanctions, it is just as crucial to make sure the entire team at your healthplan, from the highest levels, know how to face this emergency and keep it from dealing permanent damage to your company and brand. In this week's The Medicare Congress Session Spotlight, we spotlight the session from Robert Fahlman, Chairman & CEO, Arcadian Health Plan who will examine this topic.  For more information on The Medicare Congress, taking place February 6-8, 2012; in Orlando, Florida, download the brochure now.  If you register and mention code XP1707Blog, you will receive a discount of 25% off the standard rate!

Featured Session: Crisis Into Opportunity: Keeping your Business Going (and Growing) While Sanctioned

Featured Speaker: Robert Fahlman, Chairman & CEO, Arcadian Health Plan

About the session: 
In July, Arcadian Health came out of an 8-month-long CMS-issued sanction. Learn the key methods they used to emerge from the sanction period without any contingencies while meeting (or exceeding) CMS expectations. Toward the end of the sanction period, Arcadian was also involved in an orderly process to evaluate options with a number of interested parties including a merger with a much larger health plan. Strategies from the top helped the organization work closely with CMS, and develop and execute a sanction remediation plan that meet expectations of benefi ciaries,members, and regulators – all without derailing the negotiation process during a major transaction! Take-away messages will be of tremendous value to corporate leaders responsible for crisis management.

• • Identify strategies to manage negatives
• • Correct non-compliant aspects of your plan
• • Implement necessary changes as quickly as possible
• • Sharing vital knowledge with prospective partners,shareholders, and regulators

See who is attending The Medicare Congress 2012!

With the 2011 Open Enrollment period complete, registrations are pouring in for the 9th Annual Medicare Congress. DON’T GET LEFT OUT IN THE COLD. We encourage early registration before the event sells out. The 2012 Medicare Congress will be our biggest year yet with over 300 attendees!  The Medicare Congress is this February 6-8, 2012 in Orlando, Florida.

Don’t miss your chance to network with Medicare execs from these companies:

AARP * Aetna * American Enterprise Institute * Ameri-Plus Select Services * Arcadian Health Plan * Arkansas Blue Cross Blue Shield * Arnold & Porter * BCBS of Minnesota * Bloom Marketing Group * Blue Cross Blue Shield Northern Plains Alliance * Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois * Bristol Myers Squibb * Cain Brothers * Capital District Physicians Health Plan * Care N Care Health Plan * Care First Blue Cross Blue Shield * Celgene * Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services * CIGNA Healthcare * DMW Worldwide * Dynamic Healthcare Systems Inc * Endo Pharmaceuticals *  Geisinger Health Systems * Gorman Health Group LLC * Healthcare Partners * HealthplanCRM * HealthSpring * Humana * Inter Valley Health Plan * Kaiser Family Foundation * Kaiser Permanente * KBM Group Health Services * LA Care Health Plan * Matrix Medical Network * National Committee for Quality Assurance * Optum Health * PharmMD * Preferred Care Partners * Sterling Life Insurance Company * Susquehanna Research Group * The National Advisory Board on Improving Health Care Services for Seniors * The Weekly Standard * United Community Health Plans * United Health Care * Universal American Corporation * Wellpoint*

Download the agenda to find out more about this year's speakers and presentations.

As a reader of this blog, mention code XP1707BLOG to receive a discount of 25% when you register to join us this February in Orlando!

We hope to see you in sunny Orlando!

How can hospitals decrease readmission for Medicare patients?

One of the goals of the new Affordable Care Act is for hospitals to decrease the number of patients that are readmitted into the hospital after they've been discharged.  Studies show that currently, one out of five Medicare patients are readmitted in 30 days while 35% are readmitted within 90 days.  This costs the government $17 billion.  So as incentive to change this the Affordable Care Act is tying reimbursement to how many patients are re-admitted into the hospital.  One of the key reasons for this is patients aren't aware of how to properly care for themselves after they leave the hospital, often due to miscommunication in the discharge process.

In this article from the Washington Post, they share that researchers from Northeastern University have developed an avatar that patients can watch from their hospital beds on TV that go over their care instructions after they're discharged from the hospital.  This is called "Project Red", and has shown that readmission for patients have dropped by 30% in use during clinical trials.

At the 9th Annual Medicare Congress, Charles Mackay, CPHQ, Health Insurance Specialist, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will be keynoting a speech entitled "Health Rebooted: How Taking Technology All the Way will Solve Both the Cost and Quality Problems" which will look at technologies like this and others that can improve the care of Medicare patients and efficiency of hospitals.  For more information on this presentation and the rest of the program, download the brochure here.  Don't forget, as a reader of this blog, mention code XP1707BLOG to receive a discount of 25% when you register to join us this February in Orlando!

Do you believe a process like this can help both hospitals and patients?

The Medicare Congress Keynote Spotlight: 2012 Election Outlook – Examine Today’s Headlines to Find the Real Signals and Implications for ACA

Medicare spending levels will be more relevant than ever to the 2012 presidential and Congressional elections—and the outcome of those elections could result in significant changes for Medicare benefit coverage and the entire healthcare marketplace. In this week's The Medicare Congress Session Spotlight, we spotlight the session from Fred Barnes of Fox News that will examine this topic.  For more information on The Medicare Congress, taking place February 6-8, 2012; in Orlando, Florida, download the brochure now.  If you register and mention code XP1707Blog, you will receive a discount of 25% off the standard rate!

Featured Session: 2012 Election Outlook – Examine Today’s Headlines to Find the Real Signals and Implications for ACA

Featured Speaker:  Fred Barnes, Executive Editor, The Weekly Standard and Commentator, FOX News

About the session: 
Taking audiences beneath the surface of headline events, Fred Barnes uses his skills as a journalist to map the political landscape and chart a course for the future. In presentations that cut through the spin and uncover the truth, Barnes reveals the stories that lie beyond the headlines and details how those stories will define the future. Fred Barnes’ presentation offers an insider’s look at the presidency and Congress. With over 25 years of reporting on Washington politics, his analysis and predictions are among the most on-target of anyone covering Washington. Barnes takes a hard look at how a divided Congress will effect the Obama agenda, which candidate to watch in the 2012 Republican Presidential field, and what issues are front on mind for the American electorate.

The 2012 Government Programs Summit Agenda is Available for Download

By March of 2012, this country will be entrenched in the election and Healthcare reform will no doubt be a subject in every political debate. Changes already rolled out have expanded government payer channels for pharmaceutical drugs beyond the scope of where they have ever been before. The impact is so widespread that entire departments are being restructured and integrated.

The 2012 Government Programs Summit Agenda is available for download! Click here to see the ONLY program where you will hear directly from the regulators who affect your business, and receive the government perspectives you can't get anywhere else.

Download the brochure here.

The GP Summit has more than 25 Government Officials from the following agencies: CMS, State Pharmacy Representatives, OIG, OPA, PVP, PSSC and VA.

These government insiders will present never before heard insight on how to:
• Prepare for the impact of AMP Guidance/Proposed Rule
• Decipher 340B program changes
• Improve processes for Medicare Part D Rebates
• Comply with False Claims Act Violations and Kickback Statue Violations
• Manage the Medicaid Managed Care Utilization Claims invoices
• Calculate the new Medicare Part B and ASP definition for coverage and coding
• Present new State Reporting requirements
• Identify processes for working with VA and DoD formularies
• Validate the Pharmaceutical Industry Fee
• Deliberate the potential to change the reimbursement mechanism (AAC)

As a member of the Government Programs Pricing Compliance LinkedIn group, use code XP1751LINK to receive an exclusive discount of 25% off of the standard rate when you register to attend us this March 7-9, 2011 in Baltimore, Maryland. If you have any questions about the program, please feel free to contact Jennifer Pereira at jpereira@iirusa.com or visit the Government Programs webpage: http://bit.ly/voyOYO.

Medicare claims database to open up for examination

For the first time, the Medicare claims can now be accessed by providers, employers, insurance companies and consumer groups in order to make more educated choices when it comes to choosing their doctors for Medicare.  After analyization, this will allow consumers to see which doctors have preformed these procedures with ease as well as preventable complications that have arisen in the past and how they can be prevented.

According to the San Francisco Gate, this is a huge step forward for the Medicare system, as it allows as the system becomes more transparent while increasing competition and accountability while lowering costs.

At the The Medicare Congress this February in Orlando,Karol Attaway, Vice President of Operations, HealthCare Partners, to present "Stratify Risk by Predicting the Financial Cost of Seriously Ill Patients". This situation could benefit from an open database which asses the care coming from doctors.

What do you think of this new Medicare option?  Will it help patients in the future?

The Medicare Congress Keynote Spotlight: Strengthening Medicare – Better Health and Lower Costs for Medicare Beneficiaries

Leading up to The Medicare Congress 2012, we'll profile the keynotes, tracks and themes at the 9th annual event.  For more information on The Medicare Congress, taking place February 6-8, 2012; in Orlando, Florida, download the brochure now.  If you register and mention code XP1707Blog, you will receive a discount of 25% off the standard rate!

Featured Session: Strengthening Medicare – Better Health and Lower Costs for Medicare Beneficiaries
Featured Speaker:  Don Berwick, Administrator, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (invited)
About the session: 
Medicare is tasked with encouraging more efficient, better coordinated care in Fee for Service at the same time that it is implementing payment reductions for Medicare Advantage. CMS will review updates to Medicare programs and policies and discuss:

• • Changes or trends in the health care industry, program objectives, and the needs of Medicare beneficiaries
• • Update on regulatory policy and reform implementation timelines 2012-2014
• • Oversight, budget, and performance issues relating to Medicare Advantage and prescription drug plans, Medicare fee-for-service providers, and contractors
• • Interactions and collaboration with key stakeholders relating to Medicare
• • Identification of program vulnerabilities and strategies to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse
• • Initiatives for greater role of preventative care