CMSA Today - Issue 5, 2013 - (Page 19)

Public Policy CMSA & Public Policy: Advocating for Case Managers & Supporting Improved Care Transitions BY SCOTT MACCONOMY A n active public policy committee is an important asset to case managers; the increasing role that government plays in health care at the federal and state levels is a testament to its signiﬁcance. As an advocate for case managers, CMSA’s Public Policy Committee (PPC) works to ensure that lawmakers understand the role of case managers, that their role is included in appropriate legislation and that they are compensated under federal guidelines. The Committee maintains information and resources that policy makers and advocates can use to stay up-to-date, informed, and educated regarding current issues and trends happening in the world of health care and case management. Likewise, CMSA‘s Case Management Model Act provides lawmakers with standards for case management services, with key provisions covering staﬀ qualiﬁcations, case management functions, authorized scope and payment of services, training requirements, quality management programs, and antifraud and consumer protections. By providing lawmakers with these provisions in a ready-to-use format, the Model Act can be adopted at the federal or state levels through either legislative or regulatory bodies whenever case management is – or should be – a relevant section of any legislation. Each year, the PPC supports the designation of National Case Management Week, which this year will be observed the week of October 13-19. National Case Management Week provides an opportunity to raise awareness about the work case managers do as well as its importance to patients and the health care system as a whole. The week also provides a platform for the Committee and CMSA membership to advocate for our other initiatives. As CMSA’s primary branch of advocacy, the Public Policy Committee weighs in on speciﬁc pieces of legislation being considered in Congress when it has an eﬀect on case managers. The need for CMSA to maintain a strong voice on Capitol Hill and with federal agencies was demonstrated earlier this year, when the Senate proposed a 40 percent cut to the Communitybased Care Transitions Program (CCTP) in a bill that would fund the The bill would provide Medicare beneficiaries at highest risk for hospital readmissions access to evidence-based transitional services that are provided by eligible transition of care entities including hospitals, skilled nursing facilities and community-based organizations. Issue 5 • 2013 • DIGITAL CMSA TODAY 19 http://www.naylornetwork.com/cms-nxt/

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of CMSA Today - Issue 5, 2013

The Wonderful Side of Transitions
Working to Improve Transitions of Care
CMSA & Public Policy
Association News
CMSA’s 23rd Annual Conference & Expo
CMSA Corporate Partners
Index of Advertisers

CMSA Today - Issue 5, 2013