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January 21, 2008 issue
Medicaid
BILL: SB 164 – Medicaid Claim Payments
AUTHOR: Sen. Patricia Miller, R-Indianapolis
ISMA POSITION: Support
THIS WEEK: The bill was scheduled for a hearing on Jan. 16, but due to an unexpectedly long hearing on another bill, it was rescheduled for the following week.
The measure would require a Medicaid managed care organization to abide by current insurance requirements regarding timely payment of claims.
BILL: HB 1362 – Non-Profit and County Hospitals
AUTHOR: Rep. Charlie Brown, D-Gary
ISMA POSITION: Opposed
THIS WEEK: The bill has been introduced and assigned to the Committee on Public Health.
HB 1362 would require physicians who are either employed or contracted with a non-profit or county hospital to accept Medicaid patients. The bill is being forwarded by the American Health Network (AHN) out of concern for non-profit and county hospitals unfair ability to subsidize physician employees and contractors with tax breaks and public funds without requiring those physicians to accept Medicaid patients.
AHN stated that the measure is directed toward hospitals and not physicians; however the ISMA disputes that claim due to what the bill actually says. The ISMA is very concerned this bill will have a negative impact on physicians, especially primary care physicians, who may be contracted with such hospitals based on revenue productivity, thereby placing more burden on physicians with the still low Medicaid reimbursement rates.
The bill is expected to be heard in the House Public Health Committee the week of Jan. 21.
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