SCHA Weekly Update, January 23, 2012
In this issue
The latest from around the state
States Decry Special Deal for Massachusetts Hospitals
Keck Doesn't Anticipate Mid-Year Cuts
Oconee Medical Center Receives Gold Star
South Carolina Hospitals Lead the Way in Wellness
States Decry Special Deal for Massachusetts Hospitals
The South Carolina Hospital Association is one of 19 state hospital associations to sign a letter urging President Obama to stop a special deal for Massachusetts hospitals that will harm hospitals in other states.
According to the letter, if an obscure provision in the federal laws is not corrected, Massachusetts hospitals will receive an additional $3.5 billion in Medicare payments over the next 10 years, with the funds for the increase coming from other hospitals across the country who are already struggling financially.
Read more about this issue and the letter sent to President Obama.
Keck doesn't anticipate mid-year cuts
Last Thursday afternoon, the House Ways and Means Committee received budget briefings from a number of agencies, including DHHS Director Tony Keck. Keck advised the Committee that mid-year provider reimbursement cuts are not anticipated. This is obviously good news for hospitals as well as other providers. View highlights from his presentation.
Oconee Medical Center Receives Gold Star
Oconee Medical Center is the latest hospital to be recognized for providing the highest standard of excellence for the tobacco cessation programs offered to its employees. Oconee employees who are interested in quitting can participate in a free comprehensive cessation program that provides not only education to its staff, but also FDA approved Nicotine Replacement Therapy. Oconee Medical Center also has strategically placed tobacco-free signage that supports and aligns with their tobacco-free campus policy along with an effective enforcement system. Oconee Medical Center received the Gold Star recognition in the first year of Working Well implementation, and joins just six other SC hospitals in this prestigious ranking. Read more about Oconee Medical Center's recognition.
South Carolina Hospitals Lead the Way in Wellness
Since the launch of the Working Well initiative in early 2011, South Carolina hospitals have made enormous strides in employee wellness and are slated to expand their wellness efforts even further this year. With a new grant allowing the Working Well initiative to extend into other worksites in 2012, the program has the potential to exponentially increase its impact on the health of South Carolinians.
Read more about what's next with the Working Well initiative.
