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Medigram - March 27, 2008


CONTENTS

TOP STORY

AHRQ ranks Wisconsin no. 2

Wisconsin ranks second in the nation in overall health care quality, according to the 2007 “State Snapshots” released yesterday by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). Minnesota claimed the number 1 spot with an overall score of 66.96, while Wisconsin, which held the top spot last year, scored 66.04 this year. North Dakota, Iowa and Nebraska round out the top five.

“Of course it’s a little disappointing that Wisconsin was edged out by Minnesota for the top spot, but it’s obvious from the results of these quality measures that health care professionals in Wisconsin have a lot to be proud of,” said Society President Clarence Chou, MD. “It takes a lot of effort to maintain high rankings. At the same time, this report points out some areas where we could improve, such as cancer care, home health care, and the fact that 63 percent of patients in Wisconsin are overweight or obese.”

AHRQ tracks roughly 200 measures of health care quality for different types of care, settings and clinical areas. The report includes information on more than 100 measures for Wisconsin. According to the results, the state’s strengths include preventive care, acute care and chronic care, along with hospital, ambulatory and nursing home care. Wisconsin also ranks very strong in respiratory care and strong in diabetes care.

More detailed information about Wisconsin’s results, including scores on specific measures is available on the AHRQ Web site. For Wisconsin’s “Dashboard on Health Care Quality” compared to other states, click here.

NEWS BRIEFS

Exclusive long-term disability plan for Wisconsin Medical Society members

As a physician, what would you do if you could no longer work due to a disability? Are you protected?

Wisconsin Medical Society Insurance and Financial Services is proud to offer Society members and their staff EPIC Life Insurance’s long-term disability plan. This plan is designed to provide peace of mind, knowing your future income will be protected if you are unable to work as a result of a disability.

Click here to read more about the benefits of this coverage. For further details, contact a Wisconsin Medical Society Insurance and Financial Services agent at 866.442.3810 or complete this on-line contact form.


More than 200,000 kids exposed to secondhand smoke at home

A report issued Tuesday by the UW Comprehensive Cancer Center and the University of Wisconsin Center for Tobacco Research and Intervention (UW-CTRI) estimates that more than 211,000 children in the Wisconsin are exposed to tobacco smoke in their homes on most days.

The study also found that in the past five years the prevalence of smoking at home has decreased, and the number of smokers and number of cigarettes smoked is declining. Nevertheless, there is cause for concern because children exposed to secondhand smoke can develop asthma and have severe reactions to allergies that are common to tobacco smoke. Many cases of sudden infant death are also attributed to secondhand smoke. For the complete report, click here.

Resources are available to help people stop smoking. Physicians can urge their patients who smoke to call the Wisconsin Tobacco Quit Line at 1.800.QUITNOW to receive free coaching and cessation medication.


Network to send important alerts electronically, no longer via mail

The Health Care Notification Network (HCNN) will now be sending important product-related patient safety alerts (mandated by the FDA) through a secure online network and no longer in the US mail. This will help ensure alerts are received in a more timely fashion, improving patient safety. HCNN will also be used in the event of an emergency public health or bio-terrorism situation.

HCNN is free for all licensed physicians and is only used for patient safety notices (no advertisements). Other office staff members may be designated to receive the alerts to ensure office efficiency.

For more information about HCNN, click here. To enroll, click here. The process takes approximately two minutes.


UW La Follette Spring 2008 Symposium April 29

Health care payment reform and pay-for performance in Wisconsin top the agenda for the UW La Follette Spring Symposium. Gwyn Bevan, Professor of Management Science, London School of Economics, will be the keynote speaker at the April 29 event, which is being held from 1 - 4:30 p.m. at Monona Terrace Convention Center in Madison.

For more information, click here. Those interested in participating should respond by April 17 to Ceri Jenkins at 608.262.6318.

CAPITOL INSIDER

Ask Senators Kohl and Feingold to support the ‘Save Medicare Act of 2008’

Medicare’s scheduled 10.6 percent cut to the physician reimbursement rate will go into effect July 1 unless Congress intervenes. Last week, U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) introduced Senate Bill 2785, otherwise known as the Save Medicare Act of 2008.

This legislation would stop payment cuts for 18 months, giving Congress time to replace the current flawed sustainable growth rate (SGR) formula with a more equitable reimbursement methodology.

A recent AMA survey revealed that 60 percent of physicians reported that they would have to limit the number of new Medicare patients they treat if payments are cut 10 percent in 2008. More than half of physicians report that they cannot meet their payroll and will have to reduce their practice staff so it is critical that Congress take action to replace cuts with positive updates based on practice cost increases.

Society members are encouraged to contact Wisconsin Senators Herb Kohl and Russ Feingold by Monday, March 31 to urge them to co-sponsor S2785. You can also contact them through the American Medical Association Action Alert Web site by clicking here.


Legislative retirements abound

Several legislators have announced plans to retire from office now that both the State Senate and Assembly have concluded their regular session. (The special session on the budget repair bill is ongoing.) In the last 10 days alone, two legislators from the Fox Valley area have said they will not seek re-election: long-time Senator Carol Roessler (R-Oshkosh) and Representative Steve Wieckert (R-Appleton).

Both Roessler and Wieckert are longtime friends of the Society and have been supportive of its issues. Most recently, they were lead authors of the smoke-free workplace legislation. Although it did not pass this session, it has had broad public support. Others legislators that have announced their retirement include Reps. Barb Gronemus (D-Whitehall), Eugene Hahn (R-Cambria), Carol Owens (R-Oshkosh), and Dave Travis (D-Waunakee).

FOUNDATION FOCUS

Reminder: Save the date to explore your hidden potential

Let the Wisconsin Medical Society Foundation help you explore your hidden potential April 10 as one of the world’s few identified prodigious savants, Kim Peek, inspires you to look for your own extraordinary abilities.

For more information about the event, click here.

QUALITY CORNER

Feasibility, value of new measures showing patterns of quality for patients with three chronic conditions

A new Commonwealth Fund-supported study focused on the patterns of care delivered to 80,000 patients with diabetes, heart failure or asthma found that many patients received poor-quality care.

The study set out to demonstrate the feasibility of measuring quality of care in terms of patterns of service or “levels of care,” rather than individual measures of performance. The researchers developed five quality categories for each condition. The team found that the majority of patients with heart failure and diabetes received care in the lowest two categories. Patterns tended to persist from year to year. The authors also determined that the methodology they developed was effective and valuable.

“[This] approach to quality measurement can help caregivers and policymakers find methods for avoiding unnecessary utilization and expenditures while raising—not lowering—the probability that utilization patterns will conform to condition-specific recommended care,” they concluded.

To read the summary click here.

FAQ

Question:
What is a Flexible Spending Account (FSA) and how can it benefit my employees?

Answer:
The FSA is an increasingly popular employee benefit. An FSA typically works like this: An employer establishes the FSA under a Section 125 cafeteria plan that also provides health coverage, and employees are given the opportunity to participate. Employees contribute to the FSA by means of pretax salary reductions—that is, their contributions are deducted from their paychecks and excluded from their taxable income. The employer may also contribute, and this contribution also is excluded from the employees’ taxable income. When employees pay for health care expenses not covered by their health plan (such as eyeglasses, dental care or prescription drugs) or make cost-sharing payments to the plan (deductibles, copayments, or coinsurance), they are reimbursed from the FSA on a tax-free basis. Although employees may use their own money to pay expenses, they benefit because that money is not subject to income and employment (FICA and Medicare) taxes.

For answers to other Frequently Asked Questions about insurance matters e-mail insurance@wismed.org.