From:  AMC/NOMA

SUBJECT:  AMC/NOMA Notables

 

Date:  November 15, 2001

 

AMC/NOMA provides print materials through fax blasts, our magazine – The Cleveland Physician, fact sheets, mailers and through our Web site at www.amcnoma.org.  Periodically the physician members with email addresses will receive the AMC/NOMA Notables.

Hearings begin for Senate Bills 120 and 179, Bill 106 awaits vote

Senate Bill 120 seeks to modify the law of joint and several liability to apply liability more proportionally and help discourage frivolous lawsuits.

Senate Bill 179 was recently introduced and is now before the Senate Health, Human Services and Aging Committee.  It seeks to expand Ohio's peer review laws to cover emerging systems of integrated health care delivery that conduct quality improvement programs.  This bill would help ensure that health care professionals are not deterred from performing vital peer review activities that improve health care for Ohioans.

Senate Bill 106 has been voted out of the Senate State and Local Government Committee and may soon be considered by the full Senate.  This bill seeks to clarify and limit liability for political subdivisions, such as school districts, municipalities, counties and townships, to ensure that Ohio taxpayers are not paying unfairly damages, settlements and fees from frivolous lawsuits against these groups.

See attached letter encouraging support to secure the passage of Senate Bill 120 from the Ohio House of Representatives and Senate bills 106 and 179 through the Senate (passage.doc)  – or go to the legislation portion of our website at www.amcnoma.org.

Nationwide to withdraw from Medicare Part B

    AMC/NOMA hosted our annual seminar “Solving the Third Party Payor Puzzle” on November 14, 2001.  At the seminar, the Nationwide/Medicare representative for Cuyahoga County indicated that it is correct that as of July 1, 2002, Nationwide, the federal government's carrier for Medicare Part B in Ohio and West Virginia, will no longer provide services as a claims processing contractor.  Nationwide, based in Columbus, has served the Medicare program since its inception in 1966.   It currently serves 39,000 physicians and licensed providers and has been ranked by the CMS as the top carrier in the country for timeliness, processing of claims within 60 days and in responding to telephone calls from Medicare beneficiaries.

     A transition to the replacement contractor is expected to begin next month and will continue through its completion by June 30, 2002.  The Medicare Integrity Program functions will not be handled by the replacement contractor, but a soon to be selected Program Safeguard Contractor.  The CMS will also develop a Medicare Contractor Data Center to provide data processing services in the interim.  The current staff from Nationwide/Medicare is expected to remain with the program in Ohio, in the hopes of assuring a smooth transition without disruption in service.  AMC/NOMA will monitor this situation and keep our members apprised of any new developments.  Additional information is also available at the Nationwide/Medicare web site at www.nationwide-medicare.com.

Legislative report

The AMC/NOMA lobbyists have provided a detailed report regarding the activities at the statehouse over the last two weeks.  For additional information, go to the legislative portion of our web site at www.amcnoma.org or see the attached document – (legislativeinfo.doc.)

Note:  “AMC/NOMA Notables” includes links that provide direct access to Internet sites other than the AMC/NOMA site, the AMC/NOMA takes no responsibility for the content or information obtained on those other web sites, and we do not have any editorial or other control over those web sites.