On December 23, 2010, CMS published an advance notice of proposed rulemaking soliciting comments on the need for a proposed rule to address two policies related to the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA). Specifically, CMS is requesting comments regarding its need to revisit rules adopted in 2003 and 2008 concerning the applicability

HHS has launched a new national website for the Emergency System for Advance Registration of Volunteer Health Professionals (ESAR-VHP), a national network of state-based programs that verifies the identity, licenses, and credentials of health professionals prior to an emergency. By providing a single point of entry for potential volunteers, HHS expects the ESAR-VHP website to

The HHS Emergency Care Coordination Center has issued a request for information (RFI) that will be used to help development demonstration programs that design and evaluate innovative models of regionalized, coordinated and accountable emergency care and trauma systems. Responses to the RFI will be accepted until September 30, 2009. 

 

A new GAO report on emergency department overcrowding concludes that emergency department crowding continues to occur in hospital emergency departments, with about one-fourth of hospitals reporting diverting ambulances at least once in 2006. Wait times in emergency department have increased nationally, and in some cases exceeded recommended time frames. Boarding of patients in the emergency

The OIG has issued a report on Medicare Part D payments to community pharmacies. Among other things, the OIG found that Medicare Part D payments (excluding dispensing fees) exceeded the pharmacies’ drug acquisition costs by about 18.1 percent when drug wholesalers rebates to pharmacies were included. Excluding rebates, Part D payments exceeded drug acquisition costs