The Interwebs will be busy this week, our Humble Correspondent reports (Photo courtesy fine folks at Wikimedia Commons.)
Washington, D.C.—Good morning, ProviderNation. The fine folks at AHCA/NCAL are taking to the Interweb Thursday for one of those elephant-in-the-room conversations about workplace violence.
As AHCA/NCAL’s Divine Adrienne Riaz-Khan points out*, nearly 70 percent of workplace assaults occur in health care settings, and the fine folks at OSHA have taken a harder look at the problem. The Webinar will be held at 2 p.m. EST and will feature Jackson Lewis P.C. superstar Nickole Winnett.
Very, Very, Very (&c.) Important
Speaking of Thursdays and people who are Very, Very, Very, Very, Very, Very Important, Your Humble Correspondent is looking forward to his grand entrance at Unique Residential Care Center’s Fifth Anniversary Gala, wherein the fine folks will celebrate their whole shelf of awards here in our nation’s capital.
Mazel tov, kids. Mazel tov.
Meanwhile, the fine folks at the Sabo Center for Democracy and Citizenship and Bipartisan Policy Center will host a Webinar of their own (why didn’t I copyright this whole Webinar thing?) next Thursday, Sept. 24, from 1 p.m. EST until 5 p.m. EST.
They’ve got themselves a star-studded lineup, including former Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-S.D.), former U.S. Rep. Martin Sabo (D-Minn.), and former U.S. Rep. Vin Weber (R-Minn.), who’ll wrestle with the policy challenges of an aging population.
MedPAC Recycling
Whatever else one thinks of the fine folks at MedPAC, let’s give them credit for reducing their carbon footprint by their willingness to recycle ideas. The group’s next congressional report is due next summer, but this week they released some initial data. AHCA/NCAL’s unsinkable Dianna Dorman quotes MedPAC as follows:
“… the Commission has long been concerned that the existing payment system does not encourage quality care and creates wasteful spending, noting there is substantial overlap of patients across settings, skilled nursing centers have incentives to encourage unnecessary therapy services and avoid certain patients, and a common assessment tool does not exist…”
Why does Your Humble Correspondent have this sinking feeling that MedPAC is going to harp on skilled nursing’s Medicare margins, and recommend even more managed care?
*I recognize that she’s dealing with workplace violence, but if you do not kneel before Adrienne, I will fight you.
Bill Myers is Provider’s senior editor. Email him at wmyers@providermagazine.com. Follow him on Twitter, @ProviderMyers.
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