The following is a House resolution on the HCFA. You know, those folks who process Medicare, etc. ===============================

HRES 585 IH

105th CONGRESS

2d Session

H. RES. 585

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the Health Care Financing Administration should adhere to the statutory deadlines for implementation of the prospective payment system for home health services furnished under the Medicare Program.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

October 8, 1998

Mr. SESSIONS (for himself, Mr. BONILLA, Mr. COMBEST, Mr. THORNBERRY, Mr. SMITH of Texas,Ms. GRANGER, Mr. BRADY of Texas, Mr. BARTON of Texas, and Mr. PAUL) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

RESOLUTION

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the Health Care Financing Administration should adhere to the statutory deadlines for implementation of the prospective payment system for home health services furnished under the Medicare Program.

Whereas the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 enacted specific programs to modernize Medicare into a sound fiscal system that provides Medicare beneficiaries with higher quality care while protecting taxpayers from the negative impacts of waste, fraud, and error;

Whereas the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) has stated that it will not be able to meet the statutory deadlines for the implementation of many of the programs mandated by the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 because of the Year 2000 (Y2K) problems;

Whereas in fiscal years 1996 and 1997, HCFA did not make specific requests for funding for Y2K problems;

Whereas HCFA waited until fiscal year 1998 to request funding to fix its Y2K problems; Whereas in response to HCFA's request for funding to fix the perceived Y2K problem, Congress appropriated to the Department of Health and Human Services $107,100,000 to fix these problems in fiscal year 1998;

Whereas in fiscal year 1999, HCFA has requested an additional $241,600,000 to fix the Y2K problems; and Whereas the goal of all changes to the method of reimbursement for home health services furnished under the Medicare Program is to preserve, protect, and strengthen the program and guarantee access to quality home health care for millions of Medicare beneficiaries: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Representatives that the Health Care Financing Administration should adhere to the statutory deadlines to establish and implement the prospective payment system for home health services furnished under the Medicare Program.

END

-- RD. ->H (drherr@erols.com), December 13, 1998

Answers

Looks like Medicaire is toast.

-- Kevin (mixesmusic@worldnet.att.net), December 13, 1998.

Ouch. Start growing medicinal herbs, in addition to all the myriad things that need doing to help the unhealthy in our communities.

Diane

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), December 13, 1998.

I did not understand the resolution above.

By not answering the second request for $241,600,000 was the House saying, OK, we're not giving you the money, so you can't fix your Y2K problems, so you can't reimburse?

Were they trying to punish HCFA for not starting sooner and requesting money sooner?

Sorry I'm not good at fully understanding govt documents. Somebody please explain to me what happened in that resolution above and what it means. Thanks!

Leska
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-- Leska (allaha@earthlink.net), December 13, 1998.

Not that hard to understand. The document says, Just DO it, guys! It would be just as rational to pass a law providing that computers and computer-based systems will NOT experience any Y2K problems. It's just that simple.

-- Tom Carey (tomcarey@mindspring.com), December 14, 1998.

Well, Tom, that's what I thought I read, but it's so illogical ...

An ostrich order! Bu**head command, to quote Paul Milne. What happened to Mr. Milne, anyway? Sorta miss him. Hope we didn't send his blood pressure too high ...

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-- Leska (allaha@earthlink.net), December 14, 1998.

Re: Medicinal herbs .. and "toast" .. you're both correct.
 
Just a quiet confirmation from a GAO report dated: September 28, 1998
 
From page #2 (printed page #4) .. Paragraph 1:

HCFA and its contractors are severely behind schedule in repairing, testing, and implementing the mission-critical systems supporting Medicare.

From page #3 (printed page #5) .. Paragraph 2:

Given the magnitude of the task and risks ahead, and the limited time remaining, it is highly unlikely that all of the Medicare systems will be compliant in time to ensure the delivery of uninterrupted benefits and services into the year 2000.

   
Speaks volumes to me ...
 
Reference link:  
Social Insecurity and Medi-doesn't-care anyone??
 
Dan


-- Dan (DanTCC@Yahoo.com), December 14, 1998.

Repeat on the reference link (sorry gang .. too many hours on line at oh-dark-thirty)... http://www.access.gpo. gov/gao/index.html
 
Dan

-- Dan (DanTCC@Yahoo.com), December 14, 1998.

Monday, December 14, 1998

http://www.newspage.com/ne twork/export/stories?template=msnbc&story=h1213010.4nd&topic=25799&dat e=19981214

HCFA Intermediaries/Y2K.

Health News Daily via NewsEdge Corporation : HCFA is adding a requirement to contracts and agreements with Medicare contractors to ensure that all contractors "are making the commitment and taking necessary action to meet our requirements" regarding Year 2000 computer system compliance, according to a notice in the Dec. 11 Federal Register. The Health Care Financing Administration also is "requiring each contractor to certify...that it has made all necessary systems changes and has tested its systems in accordance with the guidelines we have established," the notice states. The notice is effective immediately; comments may be submitted to the agency through Feb. 9.

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-- Leska (allaha@earthlink.net), December 14, 1998.