Government and Regulations

In a novel decision, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York has ruled that the 60-day clock to return overpayments to the government begins ticking when a health provider receives notice a potential overpayment exists, not when an overpayment is conclusively ascertained.

Doctors should be concerned about the ruling, said Houston health law attorney Michael E. Clark, immediate past chair for the American Bar Association Health Law Section.

“This is a very troubling development because the judge has embraced the theory that certainty is not required as to what constitutes an identified overpayment,” Mr. Clark said in an interview. “Rather, knowledge can be established by recklessness under the facts. In short, practitioners must set up systems to alert them about potential overpayments so they can move quickly to avoid potentially ruinous False Claims Act liability.”

The Aug. 3 ruling in Kane v. Healthfirst is the first published decision to address the 60-day overpayment rule imposed under the Affordable Care Act and the Fraud Enforcement and Recovery Act (FERA). The rule requires that an overpayment be reported and returned by health providers within 60 days of the “date on which the overpayment was identified.” Health providers who retain an overpayment beyond that point are subject to liability under the False Claims Act (FCA).

In the Kane case, the federal government contends that three hospitals operated by Continuum Health Partners failed to report and return overpayments to Medicaid within 60 days of identification. Because of a computer glitch, Continuum billed both the government and a managed care organization for the same services, according to court documents. After the New York State Comptroller’s Office alerted Continuum to a possible overbilling, Continuum hired an employee, Robert P. Kane, to conduct an internal investigation into its billing. Mr. Kane – who was later fired – allegedly found 900 potentially improper Medicaid claims totaling $1 million, according to court documents. The government claims Continuum failed to repay the overpayments within 60 days and instead repaid only “small batches” of the affected claims over the next 2 years. Mr. Kane filed a whistleblower suit against Continuum, and the government intervened as a plaintiff.

But Continuum argued that the hospitals did not knowingly conceal the overpayments from the government, and that the overbillings had not been officially “identified.” The defendants were provided only notice of potential overpayments and did not identify actual overpayments so as to trigger the 60-day report and return clock, Continuum said in court documents. The health system requested the court throw out the government’s suit for lack of merit.

District Judge Edgardo Ramos agreed with the federal government and allowed the lawsuit to continue. Judge Ramos said the legislative history indicates that Congress intended for FCA liability to attach in circumstances where there is an established duty to pay money to the government, even if the precise amount due has yet to be determined.

“Here, after the comptroller alerted defendants to the software glitch and approached them with specific wrongful claims, and after Kane put defendants on notice of a set of claims likely to contain numerous overpayments, defendants had an established duty to report and return wrongly collected money,” Judge Ramos said in his opinion. “To allow defendants to evade liability because Kane’s email did not conclusively establish each erroneous claim and did not provide the specific amount owed to the government would contradict Congress’s intentions as expressed during the passage of the FERA.”

In an email, a spokesperson for the defendants said the hospitals are disappointed with the judge’s decision and will continue to vigorously defend its case in court. Attorneys for the government did not return messages seeking comment.

The judge’s ruling is encouraging to the federal government and for plaintiffs who wish to sue health providers for overbilling violations, said Joel M. Androphy, a Houston plaintiffs’ attorney.

“This is going to open the floodgates for lawyers now as part of their false claim and reporting practices to let the courts know about overpayment issues because they know the court and the government will be listening,” Mr. Androphy said in an interview. “It’s not going to be the sole basis for [a plaintiff’s] claim necessarily, but it could be an integral part.”

Mr. Androphy added that defendants can no longer complain they were confused by the 60-day overpayment rule and the meaning of “identification.” The judge’s ruling makes the regulation more clear and provides guidance to health providers about how the rule will be enforced, he said.

Washington health law attorney Robert T. Rhoad however, disagreed that the opinion clarifies application of the 60-day overpayment rule. The decision does not provide the bright lines for compliance that providers expect and need, said Mr. Rhoad.

“While the Kane decision provides an exposition of the etiology and perceived intent of the 60-day rule, its ultimate ruling was made through the narrow lens of the specific and arguably egregious [facts] alleged,” Mr. Rhoad said in an interview. “If anything, by finding that certainty is not required in identifying an overpayment triggering the 60-day rule, the decision may encourage the government and qui tam relators to come forward with expansive theories of what might constitute reckless disregard by a provider to identify an overpayment to invoke FCA liability by the running of the 60-day clock.”

To protect themselves from litigation, physicians should take prudent steps to conduct an appropriate investigation if faced with actual or constructive notice of a possible overpayment, Mr. Rhoad said. Showing that they acted with due diligence and without delay to investigate and, if identified, report an overpayment could help doctors withstand future governmental or judicial scrutiny.

agallegos@frontlinemedcom.com

On Twitter @legal_med

In a novel decision, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York has ruled that the 60-day clock to return overpayments to the government begins ticking when a health provider receives notice a potential overpayment exists, not when an overpayment is conclusively ascertained.

Doctors should be concerned about the ruling, said Houston health law attorney Michael E. Clark, immediate past chair for the American Bar Association Health Law Section.

“This is a very troubling development because the judge has embraced the theory that certainty is not required as to what constitutes an identified overpayment,” Mr. Clark said in an interview. “Rather, knowledge can be established by recklessness under the facts. In short, practitioners must set up systems to alert them about potential overpayments so they can move quickly to avoid potentially ruinous False Claims Act liability.”

The Aug. 3 ruling in Kane v. Healthfirst is the first published decision to address the 60-day overpayment rule imposed under the Affordable Care Act and the Fraud Enforcement and Recovery Act (FERA). The rule requires that an overpayment be reported and returned by health providers within 60 days of the “date on which the overpayment was identified.” Health providers who retain an overpayment beyond that point are subject to liability under the False Claims Act (FCA).

In the Kane case, the federal government contends that three hospitals operated by Continuum Health Partners failed to report and return overpayments to Medicaid within 60 days of identification. Because of a computer glitch, Continuum billed both the government and a managed care organization for the same services, according to court documents. After the New York State Comptroller’s Office alerted Continuum to a possible overbilling, Continuum hired an employee, Robert P. Kane, to conduct an internal investigation into its billing. Mr. Kane – who was later fired – allegedly found 900 potentially improper Medicaid claims totaling $1 million, according to court documents. The government claims Continuum failed to repay the overpayments within 60 days and instead repaid only “small batches” of the affected claims over the next 2 years. Mr. Kane filed a whistleblower suit against Continuum, and the government intervened as a plaintiff.

But Continuum argued that the hospitals did not knowingly conceal the overpayments from the government, and that the overbillings had not been officially “identified.” The defendants were provided only notice of potential overpayments and did not identify actual overpayments so as to trigger the 60-day report and return clock, Continuum said in court documents. The health system requested the court throw out the government’s suit for lack of merit.

District Judge Edgardo Ramos agreed with the federal government and allowed the lawsuit to continue. Judge Ramos said the legislative history indicates that Congress intended for FCA liability to attach in circumstances where there is an established duty to pay money to the government, even if the precise amount due has yet to be determined.

“Here, after the comptroller alerted defendants to the software glitch and approached them with specific wrongful claims, and after Kane put defendants on notice of a set of claims likely to contain numerous overpayments, defendants had an established duty to report and return wrongly collected money,” Judge Ramos said in his opinion. “To allow defendants to evade liability because Kane’s email did not conclusively establish each erroneous claim and did not provide the specific amount owed to the government would contradict Congress’s intentions as expressed during the passage of the FERA.”

In an email, a spokesperson for the defendants said the hospitals are disappointed with the judge’s decision and will continue to vigorously defend its case in court. Attorneys for the government did not return messages seeking comment.

The judge’s ruling is encouraging to the federal government and for plaintiffs who wish to sue health providers for overbilling violations, said Joel M. Androphy, a Houston plaintiffs’ attorney.

“This is going to open the floodgates for lawyers now as part of their false claim and reporting practices to let the courts know about overpayment issues because they know the court and the government will be listening,” Mr. Androphy said in an interview. “It’s not going to be the sole basis for [a plaintiff’s] claim necessarily, but it could be an integral part.”

Mr. Androphy added that defendants can no longer complain they were confused by the 60-day overpayment rule and the meaning of “identification.” The judge’s ruling makes the regulation more clear and provides guidance to health providers about how the rule will be enforced, he said.

Washington health law attorney Robert T. Rhoad however, disagreed that the opinion clarifies application of the 60-day overpayment rule. The decision does not provide the bright lines for compliance that providers expect and need, said Mr. Rhoad.

“While the Kane decision provides an exposition of the etiology and perceived intent of the 60-day rule, its ultimate ruling was made through the narrow lens of the specific and arguably egregious [facts] alleged,” Mr. Rhoad said in an interview. “If anything, by finding that certainty is not required in identifying an overpayment triggering the 60-day rule, the decision may encourage the government and qui tam relators to come forward with expansive theories of what might constitute reckless disregard by a provider to identify an overpayment to invoke FCA liability by the running of the 60-day clock.”

To protect themselves from litigation, physicians should take prudent steps to conduct an appropriate investigation if faced with actual or constructive notice of a possible overpayment, Mr. Rhoad said. Showing that they acted with due diligence and without delay to investigate and, if identified, report an overpayment could help doctors withstand future governmental or judicial scrutiny.

agallegos@frontlinemedcom.com

On Twitter @legal_med

In a novel decision, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York has ruled that the 60-day clock to return overpayments to the government begins ticking when a health provider receives notice a potential overpayment exists, not when an overpayment is conclusively ascertained.

Doctors should be concerned about the ruling, said Houston health law attorney Michael E. Clark, immediate past chair for the American Bar Association Health Law Section.

“This is a very troubling development because the judge has embraced the theory that certainty is not required as to what constitutes an identified overpayment,” Mr. Clark said in an interview. “Rather, knowledge can be established by recklessness under the facts. In short, practitioners must set up systems to alert them about potential overpayments so they can move quickly to avoid potentially ruinous False Claims Act liability.”

The Aug. 3 ruling in Kane v. Healthfirst is the first published decision to address the 60-day overpayment rule imposed under the Affordable Care Act and the Fraud Enforcement and Recovery Act (FERA). The rule requires that an overpayment be reported and returned by health providers within 60 days of the “date on which the overpayment was identified.” Health providers who retain an overpayment beyond that point are subject to liability under the False Claims Act (FCA).

In the Kane case, the federal government contends that three hospitals operated by Continuum Health Partners failed to report and return overpayments to Medicaid within 60 days of identification. Because of a computer glitch, Continuum billed both the government and a managed care organization for the same services, according to court documents. After the New York State Comptroller’s Office alerted Continuum to a possible overbilling, Continuum hired an employee, Robert P. Kane, to conduct an internal investigation into its billing. Mr. Kane – who was later fired – allegedly found 900 potentially improper Medicaid claims totaling $1 million, according to court documents. The government claims Continuum failed to repay the overpayments within 60 days and instead repaid only “small batches” of the affected claims over the next 2 years. Mr. Kane filed a whistleblower suit against Continuum, and the government intervened as a plaintiff.

But Continuum argued that the hospitals did not knowingly conceal the overpayments from the government, and that the overbillings had not been officially “identified.” The defendants were provided only notice of potential overpayments and did not identify actual overpayments so as to trigger the 60-day report and return clock, Continuum said in court documents. The health system requested the court throw out the government’s suit for lack of merit.

District Judge Edgardo Ramos agreed with the federal government and allowed the lawsuit to continue. Judge Ramos said the legislative history indicates that Congress intended for FCA liability to attach in circumstances where there is an established duty to pay money to the government, even if the precise amount due has yet to be determined.

“Here, after the comptroller alerted defendants to the software glitch and approached them with specific wrongful claims, and after Kane put defendants on notice of a set of claims likely to contain numerous overpayments, defendants had an established duty to report and return wrongly collected money,” Judge Ramos said in his opinion. “To allow defendants to evade liability because Kane’s email did not conclusively establish each erroneous claim and did not provide the specific amount owed to the government would contradict Congress’s intentions as expressed during the passage of the FERA.”

In an email, a spokesperson for the defendants said the hospitals are disappointed with the judge’s decision and will continue to vigorously defend its case in court. Attorneys for the government did not return messages seeking comment.

The judge’s ruling is encouraging to the federal government and for plaintiffs who wish to sue health providers for overbilling violations, said Joel M. Androphy, a Houston plaintiffs’ attorney.

“This is going to open the floodgates for lawyers now as part of their false claim and reporting practices to let the courts know about overpayment issues because they know the court and the government will be listening,” Mr. Androphy said in an interview. “It’s not going to be the sole basis for [a plaintiff’s] claim necessarily, but it could be an integral part.”

Mr. Androphy added that defendants can no longer complain they were confused by the 60-day overpayment rule and the meaning of “identification.” The judge’s ruling makes the regulation more clear and provides guidance to health providers about how the rule will be enforced, he said.

Washington health law attorney Robert T. Rhoad however, disagreed that the opinion clarifies application of the 60-day overpayment rule. The decision does not provide the bright lines for compliance that providers expect and need, said Mr. Rhoad.

“While the Kane decision provides an exposition of the etiology and perceived intent of the 60-day rule, its ultimate ruling was made through the narrow lens of the specific and arguably egregious [facts] alleged,” Mr. Rhoad said in an interview. “If anything, by finding that certainty is not required in identifying an overpayment triggering the 60-day rule, the decision may encourage the government and qui tam relators to come forward with expansive theories of what might constitute reckless disregard by a provider to identify an overpayment to invoke FCA liability by the running of the 60-day clock.”

To protect themselves from litigation, physicians should take prudent steps to conduct an appropriate investigation if faced with actual or constructive notice of a possible overpayment, Mr. Rhoad said. Showing that they acted with due diligence and without delay to investigate and, if identified, report an overpayment could help doctors withstand future governmental or judicial scrutiny.

agallegos@frontlinemedcom.com

On Twitter @legal_med

A majority of Navajo preschoolers have untreated tooth decay, the leading chronic infectious disease among children in the U.S. At the same time, the Navajo Nation has one of the lowest dentist-to-patient ratios in the country, according to the Colorado School of Public Health.

In their study of 981 Navajo children in 52 Head Start classrooms, researchers from the University of Colorado Center for Native Oral Health Research found > 69% of Navajo children had untreated tooth decay. Moreover, the study concluded that half of all Navajo children would need to be treated in the operating room because of the severity of their disease.

Related: Doxycycline Safely Treats Kids With Tick-Borne Diseases

Alaska had a similar problem 10 years ago, when 87% of 4- and 5-year-old Alaska Native children and 91% of 12 to 15 year olds had tooth decay. In response, the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium launched the Dental Health Aide Therapist program (DHAT), opening access to dental care and prevention for more than 40,000 Alaska Natives in 81 rural communities. The DHAT providers clean and fill teeth, perform simple extractions, and provide prevention and education services. Nearly 80% of DHATs return to their home villages to practice; the program has an 81% retention rate.

Related: Aspiration of a Dental Tool During a Crown Placement Procedure

The number of Alaska Native children with tooth decay is still significantly higher than that of Alaska white children (about 83% of Alaska Native third graders vs 48% of Alaska white third graders, for instance). But the DHAT program has been markedly successful in bringing down those numbers. One DHAT therapist, interviewed by the Native Health News Alliance (NHNA), reported that in a school in which roughly 52 of 60 students had cavities, this year she saw 34 with none. She also noted that villages that have dental therapists are requiring fewer emergency flights.

Related: SAMHSA Awards Funds for Tribal Youth Programs

Calling Alaska “the best model,” Al Yee, a senior project advisor for Community Catalyst, a national consumer health advocacy organization, said in the NHNA article that other states are beginning to take similar steps to provide local dental care to Native areas in need.

A majority of Navajo preschoolers have untreated tooth decay, the leading chronic infectious disease among children in the U.S. At the same time, the Navajo Nation has one of the lowest dentist-to-patient ratios in the country, according to the Colorado School of Public Health.

In their study of 981 Navajo children in 52 Head Start classrooms, researchers from the University of Colorado Center for Native Oral Health Research found > 69% of Navajo children had untreated tooth decay. Moreover, the study concluded that half of all Navajo children would need to be treated in the operating room because of the severity of their disease.

Related: Doxycycline Safely Treats Kids With Tick-Borne Diseases

Alaska had a similar problem 10 years ago, when 87% of 4- and 5-year-old Alaska Native children and 91% of 12 to 15 year olds had tooth decay. In response, the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium launched the Dental Health Aide Therapist program (DHAT), opening access to dental care and prevention for more than 40,000 Alaska Natives in 81 rural communities. The DHAT providers clean and fill teeth, perform simple extractions, and provide prevention and education services. Nearly 80% of DHATs return to their home villages to practice; the program has an 81% retention rate.

Related: Aspiration of a Dental Tool During a Crown Placement Procedure

The number of Alaska Native children with tooth decay is still significantly higher than that of Alaska white children (about 83% of Alaska Native third graders vs 48% of Alaska white third graders, for instance). But the DHAT program has been markedly successful in bringing down those numbers. One DHAT therapist, interviewed by the Native Health News Alliance (NHNA), reported that in a school in which roughly 52 of 60 students had cavities, this year she saw 34 with none. She also noted that villages that have dental therapists are requiring fewer emergency flights.

Related: SAMHSA Awards Funds for Tribal Youth Programs

Calling Alaska “the best model,” Al Yee, a senior project advisor for Community Catalyst, a national consumer health advocacy organization, said in the NHNA article that other states are beginning to take similar steps to provide local dental care to Native areas in need.

A majority of Navajo preschoolers have untreated tooth decay, the leading chronic infectious disease among children in the U.S. At the same time, the Navajo Nation has one of the lowest dentist-to-patient ratios in the country, according to the Colorado School of Public Health.

In their study of 981 Navajo children in 52 Head Start classrooms, researchers from the University of Colorado Center for Native Oral Health Research found > 69% of Navajo children had untreated tooth decay. Moreover, the study concluded that half of all Navajo children would need to be treated in the operating room because of the severity of their disease.

Related: Doxycycline Safely Treats Kids With Tick-Borne Diseases

Alaska had a similar problem 10 years ago, when 87% of 4- and 5-year-old Alaska Native children and 91% of 12 to 15 year olds had tooth decay. In response, the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium launched the Dental Health Aide Therapist program (DHAT), opening access to dental care and prevention for more than 40,000 Alaska Natives in 81 rural communities. The DHAT providers clean and fill teeth, perform simple extractions, and provide prevention and education services. Nearly 80% of DHATs return to their home villages to practice; the program has an 81% retention rate.

Related: Aspiration of a Dental Tool During a Crown Placement Procedure

The number of Alaska Native children with tooth decay is still significantly higher than that of Alaska white children (about 83% of Alaska Native third graders vs 48% of Alaska white third graders, for instance). But the DHAT program has been markedly successful in bringing down those numbers. One DHAT therapist, interviewed by the Native Health News Alliance (NHNA), reported that in a school in which roughly 52 of 60 students had cavities, this year she saw 34 with none. She also noted that villages that have dental therapists are requiring fewer emergency flights.

Related: SAMHSA Awards Funds for Tribal Youth Programs

Calling Alaska “the best model,” Al Yee, a senior project advisor for Community Catalyst, a national consumer health advocacy organization, said in the NHNA article that other states are beginning to take similar steps to provide local dental care to Native areas in need.

As the calendar winds down toward the Oct. 1 compliance date for ICD-10, be aware of options that can help medical practices meet requirements while systems are being upgraded.

[Physicians and their staffs] “may not have everything they need to do in the office all prepared and installed, but if they take advantage of other methods for billing under ICD-10, like free software that might be available from the government or from clearinghouses or using payer portals to enter claims” they should be able to get by, Jim Daley, director of IT for Blue Cross Blue Shield of South Carolina, said in an interview. “They can still use ICD-10 on the compliance date, even though it may not be ideal.”

Mr. Daley, who also is a past chair of the Workgroup for Electronic Data Interchange (WEDI), outlined a number of resources to help with the transition, even as the deadline is fast approaching.

“In particular, the CMS Road to 10 website is outstanding,” Mr. Daley said. “It may be overwhelming at times, but there are some very nice summaries out there.”

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services also posted to its website a series of specialty-specific guides to help with the transition.

“Also, WEDI has some great resources for physicians to view,” Mr. Daley continued, stressing that physicians need to be updating office software to make sure it supports ICD-10.

He suggested working with training partners and clearinghouses, who also might have resources to help with the transition. “Use those resources that are available, and also don’t delay. There’s still time, although it’s getting short. There is a lot to do.”

Finally, he stressed that more detailed clinical documentation will be key to a smooth transition. “Understand enough about what’s required for ICD-10 to create good clinical documentation. Concepts such as left side or right side are very basic, but if that’s in your documentation, it makes it much easier to code them through ICD-10,” Mr. Daley said.

He continued, “If you are documenting the exact conditions and the exact processes that you performed when you saw the patient, which you should be doing anyway, then it should be much easier to pick the correct code. They are not as general as before. They are very specific. So if you have those details in your documentation, it will drive you down to picking the correct codes.”

As the calendar winds down toward the Oct. 1 compliance date for ICD-10, be aware of options that can help medical practices meet requirements while systems are being upgraded.

[Physicians and their staffs] “may not have everything they need to do in the office all prepared and installed, but if they take advantage of other methods for billing under ICD-10, like free software that might be available from the government or from clearinghouses or using payer portals to enter claims” they should be able to get by, Jim Daley, director of IT for Blue Cross Blue Shield of South Carolina, said in an interview. “They can still use ICD-10 on the compliance date, even though it may not be ideal.”

Mr. Daley, who also is a past chair of the Workgroup for Electronic Data Interchange (WEDI), outlined a number of resources to help with the transition, even as the deadline is fast approaching.

“In particular, the CMS Road to 10 website is outstanding,” Mr. Daley said. “It may be overwhelming at times, but there are some very nice summaries out there.”

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services also posted to its website a series of specialty-specific guides to help with the transition.

“Also, WEDI has some great resources for physicians to view,” Mr. Daley continued, stressing that physicians need to be updating office software to make sure it supports ICD-10.

He suggested working with training partners and clearinghouses, who also might have resources to help with the transition. “Use those resources that are available, and also don’t delay. There’s still time, although it’s getting short. There is a lot to do.”

Finally, he stressed that more detailed clinical documentation will be key to a smooth transition. “Understand enough about what’s required for ICD-10 to create good clinical documentation. Concepts such as left side or right side are very basic, but if that’s in your documentation, it makes it much easier to code them through ICD-10,” Mr. Daley said.

He continued, “If you are documenting the exact conditions and the exact processes that you performed when you saw the patient, which you should be doing anyway, then it should be much easier to pick the correct code. They are not as general as before. They are very specific. So if you have those details in your documentation, it will drive you down to picking the correct codes.”

As the calendar winds down toward the Oct. 1 compliance date for ICD-10, be aware of options that can help medical practices meet requirements while systems are being upgraded.

[Physicians and their staffs] “may not have everything they need to do in the office all prepared and installed, but if they take advantage of other methods for billing under ICD-10, like free software that might be available from the government or from clearinghouses or using payer portals to enter claims” they should be able to get by, Jim Daley, director of IT for Blue Cross Blue Shield of South Carolina, said in an interview. “They can still use ICD-10 on the compliance date, even though it may not be ideal.”

Mr. Daley, who also is a past chair of the Workgroup for Electronic Data Interchange (WEDI), outlined a number of resources to help with the transition, even as the deadline is fast approaching.

“In particular, the CMS Road to 10 website is outstanding,” Mr. Daley said. “It may be overwhelming at times, but there are some very nice summaries out there.”

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services also posted to its website a series of specialty-specific guides to help with the transition.

“Also, WEDI has some great resources for physicians to view,” Mr. Daley continued, stressing that physicians need to be updating office software to make sure it supports ICD-10.

He suggested working with training partners and clearinghouses, who also might have resources to help with the transition. “Use those resources that are available, and also don’t delay. There’s still time, although it’s getting short. There is a lot to do.”

Finally, he stressed that more detailed clinical documentation will be key to a smooth transition. “Understand enough about what’s required for ICD-10 to create good clinical documentation. Concepts such as left side or right side are very basic, but if that’s in your documentation, it makes it much easier to code them through ICD-10,” Mr. Daley said.

He continued, “If you are documenting the exact conditions and the exact processes that you performed when you saw the patient, which you should be doing anyway, then it should be much easier to pick the correct code. They are not as general as before. They are very specific. So if you have those details in your documentation, it will drive you down to picking the correct codes.”

Scheduling dialysis before a major storm can lower the odds of hospitalization or death in the month after the storm, according to a study by HHS. Early dialysis was associated with a 20% lower risk of an emergency department visit and 21% lower risk of hospitalization in the week of the storm, as well as 28% lower risk of death 30 days after the storm.

Related: Recurrent Multridrug Resistant Urinary Tract Infections in Geriatric Patients

Researchers from the HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) used data on 13,836 patients who received dialysis in New Jersey and New York City, the areas hardest hit by Hurricane Sandy in 2012. Before the hurricane made landfall, 60% of patients with end-stage renal disease received early treatment in 70% of the facilities in the storm area.

Related: Disaster Preparedness for Veterans With Dementia and Their Caregivers

The study is part of the ASPR’s broader effort to better protect at-risk populations, such as children and “medically vulnerable” residents, during disasters. The authors of the study recommend that dialysis facilities conduct disaster drills to test emergency and communications plans and assess the staff’s ability to coordinate early dialysis. Drills also help determine whether patients are prepared for their part in disaster-ready treatment by knowing how, where, and when to get their early and emergency care.

Scheduling dialysis before a major storm can lower the odds of hospitalization or death in the month after the storm, according to a study by HHS. Early dialysis was associated with a 20% lower risk of an emergency department visit and 21% lower risk of hospitalization in the week of the storm, as well as 28% lower risk of death 30 days after the storm.

Related: Recurrent Multridrug Resistant Urinary Tract Infections in Geriatric Patients

Researchers from the HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) used data on 13,836 patients who received dialysis in New Jersey and New York City, the areas hardest hit by Hurricane Sandy in 2012. Before the hurricane made landfall, 60% of patients with end-stage renal disease received early treatment in 70% of the facilities in the storm area.

Related: Disaster Preparedness for Veterans With Dementia and Their Caregivers

The study is part of the ASPR’s broader effort to better protect at-risk populations, such as children and “medically vulnerable” residents, during disasters. The authors of the study recommend that dialysis facilities conduct disaster drills to test emergency and communications plans and assess the staff’s ability to coordinate early dialysis. Drills also help determine whether patients are prepared for their part in disaster-ready treatment by knowing how, where, and when to get their early and emergency care.

Scheduling dialysis before a major storm can lower the odds of hospitalization or death in the month after the storm, according to a study by HHS. Early dialysis was associated with a 20% lower risk of an emergency department visit and 21% lower risk of hospitalization in the week of the storm, as well as 28% lower risk of death 30 days after the storm.

Related: Recurrent Multridrug Resistant Urinary Tract Infections in Geriatric Patients

Researchers from the HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) used data on 13,836 patients who received dialysis in New Jersey and New York City, the areas hardest hit by Hurricane Sandy in 2012. Before the hurricane made landfall, 60% of patients with end-stage renal disease received early treatment in 70% of the facilities in the storm area.

Related: Disaster Preparedness for Veterans With Dementia and Their Caregivers

The study is part of the ASPR’s broader effort to better protect at-risk populations, such as children and “medically vulnerable” residents, during disasters. The authors of the study recommend that dialysis facilities conduct disaster drills to test emergency and communications plans and assess the staff’s ability to coordinate early dialysis. Drills also help determine whether patients are prepared for their part in disaster-ready treatment by knowing how, where, and when to get their early and emergency care.

A majority of physician practices will not be ready when the ICD-10 compliance date rolls around on Oct. 1, according to a recent survey by the Workgroup for Electronic Data Interchange (WEDI).

Less than half of physician practices reported that they were ready, or would be ready to implement ICD-10 by the compliance date. Nearly one-quarter of practices indicated they would not be ready, with the balance identifying their readiness status as “unknown.”

©Wavebreak Media/Thinkstockphotos.com

The WEDI survey was conducted in June, prior to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ announcing a 1-year transition period during which Medicare will not deny claims based solely on the specificity of diagnosis codes, provided they are in the appropriate family of ICD-10 codes.

Physician practices “may now be working more quickly toward compliance, since the potential for further delay has been removed,” WEDI wrote in a letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell.

WEDI, formed in 1991 by the HHS and named as an advisory organization to the agency under HIPAA, warned that if physician practices in particular “do not make a dedicated and aggressive effort to complete their implementation activities in the time remaining, there is likely to be disruption to industry claims processing on Oct. 1, 2015.”

Physician practices may have a lot of catching up to do in a short amount of time because of inaction taken with each delayed implementation date. Many organizations “did not take full advantage of this additional time and as indicated in prior surveys, many organizations stopped or slowed down efforts when a delay was announced,” WEDI noted.

In a separate letter, WEDI called for more transparency regarding the readiness of state Medicaid agencies to convert to ICD-10, and urged the HHS to appoint an ombudsman for ICD-10 as soon as possible.

gtwachtman@frontlinemedcom.com

A majority of physician practices will not be ready when the ICD-10 compliance date rolls around on Oct. 1, according to a recent survey by the Workgroup for Electronic Data Interchange (WEDI).

Less than half of physician practices reported that they were ready, or would be ready to implement ICD-10 by the compliance date. Nearly one-quarter of practices indicated they would not be ready, with the balance identifying their readiness status as “unknown.”

©Wavebreak Media/Thinkstockphotos.com

The WEDI survey was conducted in June, prior to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ announcing a 1-year transition period during which Medicare will not deny claims based solely on the specificity of diagnosis codes, provided they are in the appropriate family of ICD-10 codes.

Physician practices “may now be working more quickly toward compliance, since the potential for further delay has been removed,” WEDI wrote in a letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell.

WEDI, formed in 1991 by the HHS and named as an advisory organization to the agency under HIPAA, warned that if physician practices in particular “do not make a dedicated and aggressive effort to complete their implementation activities in the time remaining, there is likely to be disruption to industry claims processing on Oct. 1, 2015.”

Physician practices may have a lot of catching up to do in a short amount of time because of inaction taken with each delayed implementation date. Many organizations “did not take full advantage of this additional time and as indicated in prior surveys, many organizations stopped or slowed down efforts when a delay was announced,” WEDI noted.

In a separate letter, WEDI called for more transparency regarding the readiness of state Medicaid agencies to convert to ICD-10, and urged the HHS to appoint an ombudsman for ICD-10 as soon as possible.

gtwachtman@frontlinemedcom.com

A majority of physician practices will not be ready when the ICD-10 compliance date rolls around on Oct. 1, according to a recent survey by the Workgroup for Electronic Data Interchange (WEDI).

Less than half of physician practices reported that they were ready, or would be ready to implement ICD-10 by the compliance date. Nearly one-quarter of practices indicated they would not be ready, with the balance identifying their readiness status as “unknown.”

©Wavebreak Media/Thinkstockphotos.com

The WEDI survey was conducted in June, prior to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ announcing a 1-year transition period during which Medicare will not deny claims based solely on the specificity of diagnosis codes, provided they are in the appropriate family of ICD-10 codes.

Physician practices “may now be working more quickly toward compliance, since the potential for further delay has been removed,” WEDI wrote in a letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell.

WEDI, formed in 1991 by the HHS and named as an advisory organization to the agency under HIPAA, warned that if physician practices in particular “do not make a dedicated and aggressive effort to complete their implementation activities in the time remaining, there is likely to be disruption to industry claims processing on Oct. 1, 2015.”

Physician practices may have a lot of catching up to do in a short amount of time because of inaction taken with each delayed implementation date. Many organizations “did not take full advantage of this additional time and as indicated in prior surveys, many organizations stopped or slowed down efforts when a delay was announced,” WEDI noted.

In a separate letter, WEDI called for more transparency regarding the readiness of state Medicaid agencies to convert to ICD-10, and urged the HHS to appoint an ombudsman for ICD-10 as soon as possible.

gtwachtman@frontlinemedcom.com

Last week, Senator John McCain (R-AZ) introduced legislation that would make permanent the 3-year Veterans Choice Program.

Under the current Choice program, eligible veterans may use their Veterans Choice Card to see a private health care provider only if they live more than 40 miles from a VA medical facility or if they cannot get an appointment at a VA facility within 30 days. However, Sen. McCain’s proposed Permanent VA Choice Card Act extends eligibility to any veteran wishing to see a private provider, regardless of distance or wait time.

Related: VA Relaxes Rules for Choice Program

“This would help remove uncertainty from within the VA, among providers, and especially among our veterans, while sending a strong signal to all Americans that this program is here to stay,” said Sen. McCain in a news release.

The day after Sen. McCain proposed the Permanent VA Choice Card Act, the Concerned Veterans for America (CVA), an organization that favors market-based federal policies, criticized Secretary of Veterans Affairs Robert A. McDonald via a “10-page document of VA low-lights,” as described by Mike Allen, Politico’s chief White House correspondent.  

Related: Budget Hole Narrowly Averted for VA

Secretary McDonald stated the CVA is politically motivated and that VA wants to give veterans a choice in using the private sector, not privatize the VA.

"If I'm sending a veteran to the private sector and that doctor does not know the military culture, does not understand how an explosion creates traumatic brain injury, that's dangerous for that veteran," Secretary McDonald said. "The idea of privatizing the VA is antithetical to that."

Last week, Senator John McCain (R-AZ) introduced legislation that would make permanent the 3-year Veterans Choice Program.

Under the current Choice program, eligible veterans may use their Veterans Choice Card to see a private health care provider only if they live more than 40 miles from a VA medical facility or if they cannot get an appointment at a VA facility within 30 days. However, Sen. McCain’s proposed Permanent VA Choice Card Act extends eligibility to any veteran wishing to see a private provider, regardless of distance or wait time.

Related: VA Relaxes Rules for Choice Program

“This would help remove uncertainty from within the VA, among providers, and especially among our veterans, while sending a strong signal to all Americans that this program is here to stay,” said Sen. McCain in a news release.

The day after Sen. McCain proposed the Permanent VA Choice Card Act, the Concerned Veterans for America (CVA), an organization that favors market-based federal policies, criticized Secretary of Veterans Affairs Robert A. McDonald via a “10-page document of VA low-lights,” as described by Mike Allen, Politico’s chief White House correspondent.  

Related: Budget Hole Narrowly Averted for VA

Secretary McDonald stated the CVA is politically motivated and that VA wants to give veterans a choice in using the private sector, not privatize the VA.

"If I'm sending a veteran to the private sector and that doctor does not know the military culture, does not understand how an explosion creates traumatic brain injury, that's dangerous for that veteran," Secretary McDonald said. "The idea of privatizing the VA is antithetical to that."

Last week, Senator John McCain (R-AZ) introduced legislation that would make permanent the 3-year Veterans Choice Program.

Under the current Choice program, eligible veterans may use their Veterans Choice Card to see a private health care provider only if they live more than 40 miles from a VA medical facility or if they cannot get an appointment at a VA facility within 30 days. However, Sen. McCain’s proposed Permanent VA Choice Card Act extends eligibility to any veteran wishing to see a private provider, regardless of distance or wait time.

Related: VA Relaxes Rules for Choice Program

“This would help remove uncertainty from within the VA, among providers, and especially among our veterans, while sending a strong signal to all Americans that this program is here to stay,” said Sen. McCain in a news release.

The day after Sen. McCain proposed the Permanent VA Choice Card Act, the Concerned Veterans for America (CVA), an organization that favors market-based federal policies, criticized Secretary of Veterans Affairs Robert A. McDonald via a “10-page document of VA low-lights,” as described by Mike Allen, Politico’s chief White House correspondent.  

Related: Budget Hole Narrowly Averted for VA

Secretary McDonald stated the CVA is politically motivated and that VA wants to give veterans a choice in using the private sector, not privatize the VA.

"If I'm sending a veteran to the private sector and that doctor does not know the military culture, does not understand how an explosion creates traumatic brain injury, that's dangerous for that veteran," Secretary McDonald said. "The idea of privatizing the VA is antithetical to that."

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has released a complete list of the 2016 ICD-10-CM valid codes and code titles in a downloadable file.

The file can be used by physicians and their staffs to make sure “they are reporting all characters in a valid ICD-10-CM code,” CMS officials said.

©Wavebreak Media/Thinkstockphotos.com

“This list should assist providers who are unsure if additional characters are needed, such as the addition of a 7th character in order to arrive at a valid code.”

The file is available for download on the 2016 ICD-10-CM and GEMs website. It also features the 2016 ICD-10-PCS valid codes and code titles.

gtwachtman@frontlinemedcom.com

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has released a complete list of the 2016 ICD-10-CM valid codes and code titles in a downloadable file.

The file can be used by physicians and their staffs to make sure “they are reporting all characters in a valid ICD-10-CM code,” CMS officials said.

©Wavebreak Media/Thinkstockphotos.com

“This list should assist providers who are unsure if additional characters are needed, such as the addition of a 7th character in order to arrive at a valid code.”

The file is available for download on the 2016 ICD-10-CM and GEMs website. It also features the 2016 ICD-10-PCS valid codes and code titles.

gtwachtman@frontlinemedcom.com

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has released a complete list of the 2016 ICD-10-CM valid codes and code titles in a downloadable file.

The file can be used by physicians and their staffs to make sure “they are reporting all characters in a valid ICD-10-CM code,” CMS officials said.

©Wavebreak Media/Thinkstockphotos.com

“This list should assist providers who are unsure if additional characters are needed, such as the addition of a 7th character in order to arrive at a valid code.”

The file is available for download on the 2016 ICD-10-CM and GEMs website. It also features the 2016 ICD-10-PCS valid codes and code titles.

gtwachtman@frontlinemedcom.com

If you want to know how the VA facilities are working for patients, have the patients take you on a guided tour. VA researchers did just that and got plenty of suggestions on how to improve care—from using more soothing colors and better signage to making care more holistic.

Related: Using Life Stories to Connect Veterans and Providers

The researchers followed along as 30 veterans guided them on a series of tours through 2 VA facilities. They also guided them through the patient experience: The process of walking and talking cued memories of thoughts and feelings they have had during regular health care visits. Those spontaneous observations made the tours more valuable than a survey, which relies on preformed questions, the researchers said.

Related: Using Facilitative Coaching to Support Patient Aligned Care Teams

One of the major themes that emerged from the tours was the importance of identity as a veteran. VA patients view VA care as a reflection of that identity, the study found. In fact, some said the reason for their frequent visits was not only medical needs but to socialize with other veterans. “It seems to me,” said one tour guide, “that this campus should be run like a veteran’s community and that everything should be available for the veterans to use…” Why not offer cultural events, amateur productions, and concerts, he suggested.

The tours also revealed areas where VA facilities could reduce confusion and improve efficiency. In an article for VA’s Research Currents, Sara Locatelli, PhD, the lead investigator, described, for example, how the process of picking up a prescription became convoluted for both patients and providers.

Related: Evaluation of E-Consults in VHA: Provider Perspectives

Dr. Locatelli said the guided-tour approach used in community-based research was new to health care settings. She came on the method when her group was developing a proposal for the VA’s Office of Patient Centered Care and Cultural Transformation. The researchers say their study “highlights many experiences to inform patient-centered care innovations going forward.”

If you want to know how the VA facilities are working for patients, have the patients take you on a guided tour. VA researchers did just that and got plenty of suggestions on how to improve care—from using more soothing colors and better signage to making care more holistic.

Related: Using Life Stories to Connect Veterans and Providers

The researchers followed along as 30 veterans guided them on a series of tours through 2 VA facilities. They also guided them through the patient experience: The process of walking and talking cued memories of thoughts and feelings they have had during regular health care visits. Those spontaneous observations made the tours more valuable than a survey, which relies on preformed questions, the researchers said.

Related: Using Facilitative Coaching to Support Patient Aligned Care Teams

One of the major themes that emerged from the tours was the importance of identity as a veteran. VA patients view VA care as a reflection of that identity, the study found. In fact, some said the reason for their frequent visits was not only medical needs but to socialize with other veterans. “It seems to me,” said one tour guide, “that this campus should be run like a veteran’s community and that everything should be available for the veterans to use…” Why not offer cultural events, amateur productions, and concerts, he suggested.

The tours also revealed areas where VA facilities could reduce confusion and improve efficiency. In an article for VA’s Research Currents, Sara Locatelli, PhD, the lead investigator, described, for example, how the process of picking up a prescription became convoluted for both patients and providers.

Related: Evaluation of E-Consults in VHA: Provider Perspectives

Dr. Locatelli said the guided-tour approach used in community-based research was new to health care settings. She came on the method when her group was developing a proposal for the VA’s Office of Patient Centered Care and Cultural Transformation. The researchers say their study “highlights many experiences to inform patient-centered care innovations going forward.”

If you want to know how the VA facilities are working for patients, have the patients take you on a guided tour. VA researchers did just that and got plenty of suggestions on how to improve care—from using more soothing colors and better signage to making care more holistic.

Related: Using Life Stories to Connect Veterans and Providers

The researchers followed along as 30 veterans guided them on a series of tours through 2 VA facilities. They also guided them through the patient experience: The process of walking and talking cued memories of thoughts and feelings they have had during regular health care visits. Those spontaneous observations made the tours more valuable than a survey, which relies on preformed questions, the researchers said.

Related: Using Facilitative Coaching to Support Patient Aligned Care Teams

One of the major themes that emerged from the tours was the importance of identity as a veteran. VA patients view VA care as a reflection of that identity, the study found. In fact, some said the reason for their frequent visits was not only medical needs but to socialize with other veterans. “It seems to me,” said one tour guide, “that this campus should be run like a veteran’s community and that everything should be available for the veterans to use…” Why not offer cultural events, amateur productions, and concerts, he suggested.

The tours also revealed areas where VA facilities could reduce confusion and improve efficiency. In an article for VA’s Research Currents, Sara Locatelli, PhD, the lead investigator, described, for example, how the process of picking up a prescription became convoluted for both patients and providers.

Related: Evaluation of E-Consults in VHA: Provider Perspectives

Dr. Locatelli said the guided-tour approach used in community-based research was new to health care settings. She came on the method when her group was developing a proposal for the VA’s Office of Patient Centered Care and Cultural Transformation. The researchers say their study “highlights many experiences to inform patient-centered care innovations going forward.”

Four new VA-funded studies will examine the connections between genetics and heart disease, kidney disease, and substance use. Researchers will tap the VA’s Million Veteran Program (MVP), the nation’s largest database linking genetic, clinical, lifestyle, and military exposure information.

Consortiums of VA and university researchers are exploring specific questions related to chronic illnesses common among veterans, the VA says. The new studies join others already under way on posttraumatic stress disorder, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder.

Related: Using Genetics to Fight Disease

The heart disease study will examine the genes that influence how obesity and lipid levels affect heart risk, particularly among African Americans and Hispanics. Another study will look at genetic risk factors for chronic use of alcohol, tobacco, and opioids. “MVP offers an unprecedented opportunity to advance this field,” said Dr. Daniel Federman, one of the study investigators.

Related: Making an Impact: Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs Complement Other Sources of Biomedical Funding

A third study is focusing on how genes affect the risk and progression of kidney disease, a major cause of morbidity and mortality in veterans, according to the researchers. This study will also examine how patients with diabetes respond differently to metformin, based on their genetic profile.

Finally, a fourth study will explore metabolic conditions; in particular, the role of genetics in obesity, diabetes, and abnormal lipid levels as drivers of heart disease. “This project will help us more thoroughly understand the underlying causes of cardiometabolic disease and develop new therapies that are safe, effective, and personalized,” said Dr. Philip Tsao, one of the researchers.

Related: New Pain Research Database

At 390,000-plus participants, “there’s already been an impressive amount of data collected through MVP,” said Timothy O’Leary, MD, PhD, VA’s chief research and development officer. “We’re continuing to engage more veterans in the program and building its research infrastructure through studies like these.”

Four new VA-funded studies will examine the connections between genetics and heart disease, kidney disease, and substance use. Researchers will tap the VA’s Million Veteran Program (MVP), the nation’s largest database linking genetic, clinical, lifestyle, and military exposure information.

Consortiums of VA and university researchers are exploring specific questions related to chronic illnesses common among veterans, the VA says. The new studies join others already under way on posttraumatic stress disorder, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder.

Related: Using Genetics to Fight Disease

The heart disease study will examine the genes that influence how obesity and lipid levels affect heart risk, particularly among African Americans and Hispanics. Another study will look at genetic risk factors for chronic use of alcohol, tobacco, and opioids. “MVP offers an unprecedented opportunity to advance this field,” said Dr. Daniel Federman, one of the study investigators.

Related: Making an Impact: Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs Complement Other Sources of Biomedical Funding

A third study is focusing on how genes affect the risk and progression of kidney disease, a major cause of morbidity and mortality in veterans, according to the researchers. This study will also examine how patients with diabetes respond differently to metformin, based on their genetic profile.

Finally, a fourth study will explore metabolic conditions; in particular, the role of genetics in obesity, diabetes, and abnormal lipid levels as drivers of heart disease. “This project will help us more thoroughly understand the underlying causes of cardiometabolic disease and develop new therapies that are safe, effective, and personalized,” said Dr. Philip Tsao, one of the researchers.

Related: New Pain Research Database

At 390,000-plus participants, “there’s already been an impressive amount of data collected through MVP,” said Timothy O’Leary, MD, PhD, VA’s chief research and development officer. “We’re continuing to engage more veterans in the program and building its research infrastructure through studies like these.”

Four new VA-funded studies will examine the connections between genetics and heart disease, kidney disease, and substance use. Researchers will tap the VA’s Million Veteran Program (MVP), the nation’s largest database linking genetic, clinical, lifestyle, and military exposure information.

Consortiums of VA and university researchers are exploring specific questions related to chronic illnesses common among veterans, the VA says. The new studies join others already under way on posttraumatic stress disorder, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder.

Related: Using Genetics to Fight Disease

The heart disease study will examine the genes that influence how obesity and lipid levels affect heart risk, particularly among African Americans and Hispanics. Another study will look at genetic risk factors for chronic use of alcohol, tobacco, and opioids. “MVP offers an unprecedented opportunity to advance this field,” said Dr. Daniel Federman, one of the study investigators.

Related: Making an Impact: Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs Complement Other Sources of Biomedical Funding

A third study is focusing on how genes affect the risk and progression of kidney disease, a major cause of morbidity and mortality in veterans, according to the researchers. This study will also examine how patients with diabetes respond differently to metformin, based on their genetic profile.

Finally, a fourth study will explore metabolic conditions; in particular, the role of genetics in obesity, diabetes, and abnormal lipid levels as drivers of heart disease. “This project will help us more thoroughly understand the underlying causes of cardiometabolic disease and develop new therapies that are safe, effective, and personalized,” said Dr. Philip Tsao, one of the researchers.

Related: New Pain Research Database

At 390,000-plus participants, “there’s already been an impressive amount of data collected through MVP,” said Timothy O’Leary, MD, PhD, VA’s chief research and development officer. “We’re continuing to engage more veterans in the program and building its research infrastructure through studies like these.”

After a successful pilot run last November, the Saginaw Chippewa’s Tribal Community Rx Drug Drop-off in Mount Pleasant, Michigan, went even better the second time around: Nearly 18 pounds of pills were dropped off, along with 7 pounds of liquid-based prescription drugs and 15 pounds of epinephrine auto-injectors and needles.

Related: Health and Opioid Safety—Contexts, Risks, and Outreach Implications

Jeff Browne, public information officer for the Mount Pleasant police, measured the success in more than pounds, according to an article for the Native Health News Alliance: He pointed also to the education and awareness potential of teaching people both the dangers of unmonitored prescription medicines and the harm to the environment of improper disposal. “About 30 years ago, the issue was environmental,” agreed Tribal Senior Judge Patrick Shannon. “…[W]ater quality was a major concern; now, that is secondary to drug abuse.”

Related: Using Dashboard Technology to Monitor Overdose Risk

Participants in the drug drop-off event were entered in a raffle to win a hotel stay and waterpark passes, concert tickets, gas cards, and gift baskets.

After a successful pilot run last November, the Saginaw Chippewa’s Tribal Community Rx Drug Drop-off in Mount Pleasant, Michigan, went even better the second time around: Nearly 18 pounds of pills were dropped off, along with 7 pounds of liquid-based prescription drugs and 15 pounds of epinephrine auto-injectors and needles.

Related: Health and Opioid Safety—Contexts, Risks, and Outreach Implications

Jeff Browne, public information officer for the Mount Pleasant police, measured the success in more than pounds, according to an article for the Native Health News Alliance: He pointed also to the education and awareness potential of teaching people both the dangers of unmonitored prescription medicines and the harm to the environment of improper disposal. “About 30 years ago, the issue was environmental,” agreed Tribal Senior Judge Patrick Shannon. “…[W]ater quality was a major concern; now, that is secondary to drug abuse.”

Related: Using Dashboard Technology to Monitor Overdose Risk

Participants in the drug drop-off event were entered in a raffle to win a hotel stay and waterpark passes, concert tickets, gas cards, and gift baskets.

After a successful pilot run last November, the Saginaw Chippewa’s Tribal Community Rx Drug Drop-off in Mount Pleasant, Michigan, went even better the second time around: Nearly 18 pounds of pills were dropped off, along with 7 pounds of liquid-based prescription drugs and 15 pounds of epinephrine auto-injectors and needles.

Related: Health and Opioid Safety—Contexts, Risks, and Outreach Implications

Jeff Browne, public information officer for the Mount Pleasant police, measured the success in more than pounds, according to an article for the Native Health News Alliance: He pointed also to the education and awareness potential of teaching people both the dangers of unmonitored prescription medicines and the harm to the environment of improper disposal. “About 30 years ago, the issue was environmental,” agreed Tribal Senior Judge Patrick Shannon. “…[W]ater quality was a major concern; now, that is secondary to drug abuse.”

Related: Using Dashboard Technology to Monitor Overdose Risk

Participants in the drug drop-off event were entered in a raffle to win a hotel stay and waterpark passes, concert tickets, gas cards, and gift baskets.