URGENT: Contact Congress to Support HR 3545

May 9, 2018

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We Need Your Help!

Contact Congress to Support H.R. 3545

AHIMA is asking for CHIA members to assist in a grassroots effort to advance HR 3545 over the next week. During AHIMA’s Hill Day this year, one of their “asks” was for our elected Representatives to support and co-sponsor HR 3545, the Overdose Prevention and Patient Safety Act. HR 3545 seeks to align the 42 CFR Part 2 regulation, a law that regulates the sharing of substance use disorder records with HIPAA for purposes of treatment, payment and health care operations.

The House Energy and Commerce Committee hopes to consider HR 3545 at the full committee level the week of May 14. AHIMA has heard that Democratic support and co-sponsorship of HR 3545 is critical to advancing the bill. We are asking for your help to support this grassroots effort. It is easy!

All you need to do is contact your U.S. Representative(s) through AHIMA’s Advocacy Action Center. To help expedite correspondence, AHIMA has already generated a message and you only need to input your zip code and personal information.

Simply go directly to the generated message here, and send your support for HR 3545.

Your assistance is critical to advancing HR 3545. The Chairman of the Energy & Commerce Committee is committed to advancing a legislative package that will address our current opioid crisis before Memorial Day— we want to make sure that HR 3545 is part of this solution!

CHIA Town Hall Webinar on May 17

The CHIA Board of Directors will host an all member Town Hall webinar on Thursday, May 17, 2018 at 4:00 - 5:00 pm.

Learn about the topics that will be discussed at the 2018 CHIA House of Delegates this June in San Diego. Participants are encouraged to review the House of Delegate materials prior to the Town Hall and to come prepared to ask questions and provide feedback.

Add this event to your calendar and plan to attend.

Call for Presenters - CHIA Fall 2018 Cybersecurity Event

2017 smashed the world's record for the most data breaches and exposed protected health information. CHIA is preparing a response by offering a one-day educational symposium in Fall 2018. This symposium is intended to prepare and equip hospital staff involved with health information management and EHR governance.

Submit a presentation proposal here.

Join Us at #CHIACon18 & Discover HIM: The New Frontier

Don't miss California's premier HIM event. Learn from top industry experts and explore

innovations that drive success and growth in health information.

For full program schedule and descriptions, presenter details, and exhibitor listing,

visit the CHIA Convention Program webpage .

Have you booked your room yet? Take advantage of the CHIA group rate at the Town & Country San Diego. Single/double room $159 +tax extended thru May 17 . Reserve online

Latest HIM News Updates

Medical Coding Becomes First Program in Proposed California Online Community College

Mikhail Zinshteyn for EdSource; Apr 24, 2018

If lawmakers approve Gov. Jerry Brown’s ambitious plan to launch a statewide online-only community college, the first students to benefit will be aspiring health professionals who are crucial to the bottom lines of hospitals and medical clinics.

Officials from the California Community Colleges system announced on Tuesday that the first career pathway the proposed online college will prepare workers for is medical coding, a middle-skill position that can pay well above $50,000 a year and one that is in high demand. The state needs an estimated 1,600 medical coders annually through 2024.

“This is a very important milestone in the development of the online college,” said Eloy Ortiz Oakley, chancellor of the California Community Colleges system. “Medical coding is a very attractive entry point for the health care field.”

Read Article

CMS Drives Patient-Centered Care over Paperwork in Proposals to Modernize Medicare and Reduce Burden

U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services; Apr 27, 2018

Today, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) proposed transformative changes to the payment systems for services furnished by a range of medical facilities. The agency’s proposed payment rules also set out to continue to modernize Medicare through innovation in skilled nursing facility payment to drive value, advance meaningful quality measure reporting, and reduce paperwork and administrative costs.

“We envision all elements of CMS’ healthcare delivery system working to reward value over volume and decisively focus on patients receiving quality care from their Medicare benefits,” said Administrator Seema Verma. “For skilled nursing facilities, we are taking important steps through proposed payment improvements that will reduce administrative burden, and foster innovation to improve care and quality for patients. As people face rising healthcare costs in other clinical settings, we need to leverage advances in technology that help to modernize our programs in a way that benefits patients.”

Read Report

CHIA Events Calendar

The HIM Bag of Tools: Operational Continuity Essentials for HIM and HIT Professionals

Thursday, May 10 - Live Webinar

What is the OIG Saying About Kwashiorkor and Malnutrition Coding

Wednesday, May 16 - Live Webinar

CHIA Town Hall

Thursday, May 17 - Live Webinar

IG Web Series Part 3: Planning for Information Governance and Leading IG

Friday, May 18 - Live Webinar

CHIA Pre-convention Tutorials

Saturday, June 2 - Sunday June 3 - San Diego

CHIA Convention & Exhibit

Sunday, June 2 - Wednesday, June 6, San Diego

Event Registration