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March 1, 2024

President's Perspective – Working Collaboratively to Improve Maternal Health in Kansas
Maternal health is a strategic priority of the Kansas Hospital Association and our members. The KHA staff represents the membership on a variety of committees and initiatives seeking to improve maternal health in Kansas.

2024 Rally for Medicaid Expansion – Mar. 6
The Alliance for a Healthy Kansas and other Medicaid expansion advocacy groups are hosting a rally at the Kansas Statehouse at 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Mar. 6 in the second-floor rotunda of the Capitol.

New Poll Re-Affirms Widespread Support for Medicaid Expansion
A new poll released last week by the Sunflower Foundation re-affirms previous polls from the last several years that Kansans widely support Medicaid expansion and highlights most Kansans value the economic benefits expansion brings.

Registration Open for the KHA Spring District Meetings
KHA Spring District Meeting dates and locations have been set. Join us at 9:30 a.m. for networking. Meeting times will be from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. with lunch provided.

KHA HIDI Advantage Optics® Update and KHA Data Sets Available
Advantage Optics is where your KHA hospital-level data resides. The site was recently updated with the first quarter of the fiscal year 2024 data and now contains October 2018 – December 2023 inpatient, outpatient and emergency department discharges. 

Texting of Patient Information and Orders for Hospitals and CAHs
On Feb. 8, CMS issued QSO-24-05-Hospital/CAH allowing texting patient information and the texting of patient orders among members of the health care team permissible, if accomplished through a HIPAA-compliant secure texting platform and is in compliance with the COP.

CMS Releases Disproportionate Share Hospital Third-party Payer Final Rule Clarifying Limits
CMS recently released the final disproportionate share hospital third-party payer rule, addressing recent legislative changes that govern the hospital-specific limit on Medicaid DSH payments. 

Interoperability and Prior Authorization Final Rule Education
The Office of Burden Reduction & Health Informatics is hosting a virtual education session from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m., on March 26, on the CMS Interoperability and Prior Authorization final rule released on Jan. 17, 2024.

Antimicrobial Use and Resistance Reporting Requirements
Beginning in 2024, reporting to the National Healthcare Safety Network Antimicrobial Use and Resistance Module is required under the Public Health and Clinical Data Exchange objective of the CMS Promoting Interoperability Program.

Ad Astra ECHO Series on Immunizations in Kansas – Mar. 22
This session delves into the crucial aspect of safeguarding public health through accessible vaccination programs by exploring ways to ensure that every adult, regardless of insurance status, can access essential vaccinations for a healthier future.

APS Is Looking to Help Expand and Grow the Sonography Field in the Health Industry
Neosho County Community College – Ottawa Campus, 900 E. Logan St., Ottawa, KS 66067 has a position available for a diagnostic medical sonography clinician.

CEO Staffing Changes
KHA would like to inform our members of the latest member hospital administrator changes since our last hospital list in January.

Federal and National News
This week's topics include CMS Releases CART IPFQR Version 2.3.2.