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Danny Fernandez

NRHA CEO Alan Morgan Follows-Up with Dr. Berwick

by Danny FernandezFebruary 3, 2011

NRHA CEO Alan Morgan met today with CMS Administrator Berwick’s staff as a follow-up to last week’s Policy Institute conference in Washington, D.C. After a personal meeting at the conference with Dr. Berwick, NRHA President Kris Sparks, 2012 President Lance Kielers, and other NRHA staff, Dr. Berwick was very interested in further discussions about rural [...]

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Senate Releases Omnibus Spending Package

by Danny FernandezDecember 15, 2010

The Senate has released its Omnibus spending bill, legislation that includes funding for multiple government agencies grouped into one package. The legislation, which would provide $174.5 billion in discretionary funding, is expected to come to the Senate floor this week, and it remains to be seen whether or not Senate leadership will secure the 60 [...]

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Net Neutrality and Rural Health

by Danny FernandezDecember 14, 2010

Though the National Rural Health Association does not currently have official policy on the issue of Net Neutrality, the rising need to understand the driving factors behind health IT and broadband as it relates to the delivery of health services in rural America warrants at a minimum its initial discussion. For a little background, Net [...]

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Update: Congress Passes Doc Fix, House Sends Appropriations Bill to Senate

by Danny FernandezDecember 9, 2010

SGR: After the Senate passed its fix lat night to the sustainable growth rate (SGR) formula to stave off Medicare physician payment cuts, the House today voted 409-2 to confirm the legislation. So, the SGR fix, or “doc-fix” will be extended for one year until January 1, 2012. Also included in the bill was an [...]

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“Doc-Fix” Agreement Reached in Congress

by Danny FernandezDecember 8, 2010

The Senate has released its plan to address the potential 25 percent Medicare physician payment cut via the sustainable growth rate (SGR) formula. The Doc-Fix, as it is commonly referred to, will be extended for one year until December 31, 2011 under the plan. Senate Democrats and Republicans have agreed to use a tax provision [...]

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Lame Duck for your Turkey Day Break

by Danny FernandezNovember 22, 2010

Happy Turkey week everyone! With the elections over and the lame duck session the only thing left between Congressional staff and their Christmas break, here’s a brief update of what’s going on inside the beltway: Senate The Senate, on Friday, passed its temporary fix to the Sustainable Growth Rate formula that would otherwise lead to [...]

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The results are in…what does it mean for rural?

by Danny FernandezNovember 4, 2010

Depending on where you come in on the political scale, this week’s election results were either demoralizing, encouraging, or maybe even a little of both. Democrats all around the country faced a tough election night, and that fact was just as if not more apparent in rural America. The bulk of the Democratic House, Senate [...]

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ONC Releases Certified EHR Product List

by Danny FernandezOctober 11, 2010

The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) has released its initial list of certified electronic health record (EHR) products providers may use in coordination with CMS meaningful use eligibility. The ONC’s Certified Health IT Product List identifies the products that have been tested and certified under the ONC’s Temporary Certification Program, [...]

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FCC Proposes Rural Health Broadband Programs, Solicits Comments

by Danny FernandezSeptember 3, 2010

The NRHA released an initial draft of its comments to a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) proposed rule relating to programs intended to boost broadband access for rural health providers. The FCC has proposed two separate programs, and is seeking public comments on their implementation. The first, a health broadband infrastructure program, would provide “up to [...]

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Update: NRHA Hospital Outpatient Proposed Rule Comments

by Danny FernandezSeptember 3, 2010

The NRHA submitted its comment letter to CMS this week on its proposed rule outlining changes to the CY 2011 hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS). Included in the proposal are issues related to the operation of small rural PPS and critical access hospitals which could have a significant impact on the way hospitals operate. [...]

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