The Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) has reported that the majority of claims being processed under the new outpatient prospective payment system (OPPS) are being processed correctly. HCFA says that the system is functioning well enough that its first contingency plan to pay Medicare OPPS claims was not necessary. A second contingency plan, to provide accelerated payments to facilities that cannot submit claims properly, could still be offered. For more information visit www.hcfa.gov/medlearn/refopps.htm.
The CDC at a Crossroads: Budget Cuts, Public Health, and the Growing Threat of Infectious Diseases
March 12th 2025Budget cuts to the CDC threaten disease surveillance, outbreak response, and public health programs, increasing risks from measles, avian flu, and future pandemics while straining health care infrastructure nationwide.
Standing Up for Science: A Rally Participant’s Perspective
March 11th 2025Infection Control Today's Editorial Advisory Board member and contributing editor, Heather Stoltzfus, MPH, RN, CIC, recently joined the Stand Up for Science rally in Washington, DC. She gives a first-person perspective on the rally and the rally-goers' strong message.