Idaho is not waiting for federal healthcare "reform"

Governor C.L. “Butch” Otter wrote a nice opinion piece (source at the bottom):

It seems like Washington, D.C., is tilting at political windmills these days. The Obama administration and Congress are still promising to slay the fire-breathing dragon of healthcare costs. But the beast they are fighting is, to a large extent, the product of the government-installed cage in which it evolved.

For 35 years now the federal government has been essentially running healthcare in America, masking market signals and supplanting the judgment of patients and physicians with the determinations of politicians, bureaucrats and lawyers. It should be no surprise that healthcare became “health management,” people became statistics, and the fear of liability became the biggest expense of all.

Now the federal government is poised to rescue us from the disaster it created, promising “reform” that amounts to little more than increasing government’s already dominant role in the healthcare system and further reducing the role of states like Idaho, not to mention individual patients and providers.

The public, policy makers and even patients contributed to the problem with their complacence. Having been lulled into a false sense of security by the promise of Medicaid and Medicare, we failed to insist on meaningful change and self-determination. But now the federal government has seized on healthcare reform as its mission in life, which means we should brace for still higher costs.

Largely missing from this discussion is the real work that Idaho and many other states are doing on their own to address healthcare needs, fulfilling their role as laboratories of the republic. That work includes controlling costs and improving access through a market-driven focus on preventive care, health promotion, building public-private partnerships, and application of technology and professional development.

I convened the Idaho Healthcare Summit in 2007 to evaluate Idaho’s healthcare system and recommend ways to make healthcare more affordable. The Governor’s Select Committee on Health Care evaluated the recommendations, gathered additional data and provided its top recommendations for implementation in a report submitted to me in 2008.

The recommendations focused on expanding the statewide use of electronic medical records to provide better coordinated patient care; expanding the use of patient-centered medical homes that shift the focus of healthcare to primary and preventive care; expanding the number of already eligible children to register for the State Children’s Health Insurance Program; and expanding the number of residency opportunities to attract primary care and specialty physicians to our state. We are making great progress on all those fronts. And at the close of 2009 I created the Governor’s Health Policy Implementation Committee, consisting of people who are experts in these fields, to foster continuing advancement of the priority areas over the next couple of years.

While there is still much more to be done, this much is clear: The federal government should not dictate our healthcare choices. The states, with public and private input, are capable of making changes to foster a better and more affordable healthcare system. We no longer can afford to be complacent and wait for the federal government to make things worse and take decisions out of our hands.

As Thomas Jefferson said, “A wise and frugal government, which shall leave men free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned – this is the sum of good government.”



Source: http://gov.idaho.gov/mediacenter/press/pr2010/prmar10/pr_017.html

VP Biden Announces Availability of Nearly $1.2 Billion in Grants to Help Hospitals & Doctors Use EMR

CHICAGO, IL – Vice President Joe Biden today announced the availability of grants worth nearly $1.2 billion to help hospitals and health care providers implement and use electronic health records. The grants will be funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) and will help health care providers qualify for new incentives that will be made available in 2010 to doctors and hospitals that meaningfully use electronic health records.

"With electronic health records, we are making health care safer; we’re making it more efficient; we’re making you healthier; and we’re saving money along the way, "said Vice President Biden. "These are four necessities we need for healthcare in the 21st-century."

"Expanding the use of electronic health records is fundamental to reforming our health care system," said HHS Secretary Sebelius. "Electronic health records can help reduce medical errors, make health care more efficient and improve the quality of medical care for all Americans. These grants will help ensure more doctors and hospitals have the tools they need to use this critical technology."
The grants made available today include:

• Grants totaling $598 million to establish approximately 70 Health Information Technology Regional Extension Centers, which will provide hospitals and clinicians with hands-on technical assistance in the selection, acquisition, implementation, and meaningful use of certified electronic health record systems.
• Grants totaling $564 million to States and Qualified State Designated Entities (SDEs) to support the development of mechanisms for information sharing within an emerging nationwide system of networks.

The Extension Center grants will be awarded on a rolling basis, with the first awards being issued in fiscal year 2010. Grants to States will be made in fiscal year 2010. Those interested in applying for these grants may visit http://HealthIT.HHS.gov for more information.

"With these programs, we begin the process of creating a national, private and secure electronic health information system. The grants are designed to help doctors and hospitals acquire electronic health records and use them in meaningful ways to improve the health of patients and reduce waste and inefficiency," said Dr. David Blumenthal, National Coordinator for Health Information Technology. "They will also help states lead the way in creating the infrastructure for health information exchange, which enables information to follow patients within and across communities, wherever the information is needed to help doctors and patients make the best decisions about medical care."

The Department of Health and Human Services will also provide additional assistance to health care providers through the Health Information Technology Research Center (HITRC). The HITRC will gather relevant information on effective practices from a wide variety of sources across the country and help the Regional Extension Centers collaborate with one another and with relevant stakeholders to identify and share best practices in EHR adoption, effective use, and provider support.
Attached are two fact sheets on the Health Information Technology Extension Program and the State Health Information Exchange Cooperative Agreement Program.

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The activities described in this release are being funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). To track the progress of HHS activities funded through the ARRA, visit www.hhs.gov/recovery. To track all federal funds provided through the ARRA, visit www.recovery.gov.

Mayor Bloomberg's Campaign Accountability Report

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg released his fourth Campaign Accountability Report, which shows major progress has been made in implementing the 2005 campaign promises since the last report was issued in 2007. Today, 97 percent of the 100 campaign promises the Mayor made during the 2005 campaign are either listed as done or are currently being implemented. Compared to the last report, there have been major gains on promises that are fully or substantially implemented, up to 67 percent today from 38 percent in 2007. The 2001 Campaign Accountability Report was also updated. The reports were released at the Goodhue Camp on Staten Island, and the Mayor highlighted a promise he made to expand the Out-of-School Time system and increase the number of young people served. Since the 2005-2006 school year, the Out-of-School Time budget has increased from $47 million to $110.7 million, with enrollments increasing from 59,000 to a projected 75,000 students in the 2009-2010 school year.

The Bloomberg Administration is working to complete several proposals that are already making a substantial difference in the lives of New Yorkers, such as its ambitious goal of providing electronic medical records to 3,000 doctors. So far, more than 1,100 primary care providers serving 1 million patients are already using the system – an achievement that has made New York City a national leader in the field.For the current 2005 update, no promise remains undone.

The Campaign Accountability Report can be viewed at www.nyc.gov/campaignpromises. If a New York City resident wants to receive a paper copy of the database, he or she can email campaignpromises@cityhall.nyc.gov or call 311.

Rep. Andrews Announced $1.68m in aid for South Jersey health centers

On July 2nd, Congressman Andrews announced over $1.68 million in new federal funding to improve South Jersey health centers. Congressman Andrews' announcement followed last Monday's White House press conference where First Lady Michelle Obama announced the release of $851 million in grants nationwide, designed to address the immediate facility and equipment needs of America's health centers and expand service for those who cannot afford insurance. The money is appropriated under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), these Capital Improvement Program (CIP) grants will support the construction, repair and renovation of over 1,500 health center sites nationwide, while more than 650 centers will use the funds to purchase new equipment or health information technology (HIT) systems, and nearly 400 health centers will adopt and expand the use of electronic health records.

Local recipients of the CIP grants include CAMcare Health Corporation and Project H.O.P.E., which received $1,375,355 and $306,385, respectively.

•  CAMCare has provided high quality, comprehensive health care to Camden's medically underserved for nearly 30 years, and they have assisted over 32,000 people in the last year alone. 
• Project H.O.P.E. sets out to improve the health and well being of Camden City's homeless by providing medical and social services as an effort to help those in need transition to self-sufficiency. 

This new boost in federal funding, hundreds of health centers will be able to adequately respond to the high demand of people who are turning to their services during these difficult economic times. Additionally, this increase in funding will also afford recipient health centers with an opportunity to retain, or even expand their staff. As Americans continue to struggle from economic recession and health care premiums spiral out of control, Congressman Andrews continues to devote his efforts to expanding patient care while striving to secure the resources needed to rebuild our workforce.

FCC Commissioner Copps tours health facilities

Source: Washington Internet Daily, Agencies (July 1, 2009 Warren Publishing, Inc.)

FCC Commissioner Michael Copps toured two D.C. health facilities Tuesday that could benefit from increased availability of broadband, beginning a national tour to look at the need for broadband in health services. At his first stop, Copps discussed the uses of technology with the staff of the Healthy Baby Project, which provides prenatal care to low-income pregnant women. Project staffers said broadband helps their work because they use Facebook and e-mail to communicate parenting class times and other information to mothers. Afterward, Copps went to Family and Medical Counseling Services, where he discussed the importance of electronic medical records, which "improves care while cutting time and costs in patient administration," he said. Copps will be in South Dakota next month, where he will discuss the role of broadband in tribal health care facilities, he said. The commission is developing a national broadband plan that is scheduled to come out next year.

Politicians pump money into health centers

Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand announced earlier today that they are funding healthcare projects throughout the great state of New York as part of the Capital Improvement Program (CIP). The funding will be used to build new facilities, renovate existing structures, purchase cutting-edge equipment and implement electronic health records. "This funding is just what the doctor ordered," said Schumer. The CIP grants will support the construction, repair and renovation of over 1,500 health center sites nationwide. More than 650 centers will use the funds to purchase new equipment or health information technology (HIT) systems, and nearly 400 centers will adopt or expand the use of electronic health records.

Here's a synopsis:
Western New York: $1,095,875 in American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA) funding
- $535,880 to the Community Health Center of Buffalo
- $559,995 to the Northwest Buffalo Community Health Care Center

Queens: $2,715,600 in American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA) funding
- $1,491,800 to the Floating Hospital in Long Island City
- $855,115 to the Joseph P. Addabbo Family Heath Center in Arverne
- $368,685 to the Project Samaritan Health Services, Inc. in Jamaica

Finger Lakes Region: $5,172,510 in American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA) funding
- $827,235 to Oak Orchard Community Health Center, Inc. in Brockport
- $485,690 to Finger Lakes Migrant Health Project in Penn Yan
- $1,027,840 to Westside Health Services, Inc. in Rochester
- $2,500,000 to Rochester Primary Care Network
- $331,655 to Unity Hospital of Rochester

Brooklyn: $5,530,729 in American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA) funding
- $518,695 to Brooklyn Plaza Medical Center, Inc.
- $805,374 to Brownsville Community Development Center
- $837,895 to Bedford Stuyvesant Family Health Center, Inc. will receive $837,895
- $868,765 to ODA Primary Care Health Center
- $2,500,000 to Sunset Park Health Council, Inc.

St. Lawrence County: $536,895 in American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA) funding
- $536,895 to the Cerebral Palsy Association of the North Country

Staten Island: $250,000 in American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA) funding
- $250,000 to the Beacon Christian Community Health Center

**update:
Congressman Brian Higgins (NY-27) announced that Northwest Buffalo Community Health Care Center has been awarded $559,995 in a federal grant. The funds were made available through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and authorized for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to address health care facility and equipment needs. "Providing the best and most efficient health care starts with investing in health care facilities and equipment," said Congressman Higgins. 

That's a whole lot of money! (I'm double checking to make sure I got the figures right, but the bottom line is, a lot of money is going into this project!)