The ICE (In Case of Emergencies) Medical Alert Card and Med Card from Tabbies are the two newest products in our product line.

Both are the size of a credit card and are a perfect giveaway for:

• Doctors’ Offices
• Hospitals
• Retirement Homes
• Health Fairs
• Extended Care Facilities

These useful cards allow the individual to fill in the pertinent medical information, which self laminates into an easy ID card stored in your client’s wallet.

Unlike other emergency cards, the ICE Medical Alert Card and Med Card are automatically laminated to seal in the written information and eliminate smudging.  Folding together, the card is strong, durable and water resistant.

Doctor Stuff (www.DoctorStuff.com) is running a promotion on them right now.

From wowt.com

Nebraska Sen. Ben Nelson will provide the 60th and final vote Democrats needed to pass health care reform.

The congressional budget office says it will expand health care coverage to 30 million Americans who need it, but the opposition fears the bill will do more harm than good.

Congressman Lee Terry, R-Nebraska, said Saturday the bill is all but certain to pass. “The hurdle that all of us thought was impossible was 60 votes for cloture in the Senate and now since Ben has committed to that it’s done. I can’t imagine how to stop this now.”

He said the House will be on board with anything the Senate approves despite his objections and those of other Republicans. Then, the president just needs to sign it into law.

“Change is never easy,” Nelson told reporters on Capitol Hill Saturday. “But change is what is necessary in America today and that’s why I intend to vote for cloture and vote for health care reform.”

Nelson had been the one senator in the way of the legislation’s passage, but told reporters his support comes after a compromise on one key issue. “I have fought hard to prevent tax dollars from being used to subsidize abortions. This is long standing…under the Hyde Amendment, I believe we have accomplished that goal.”

“I know this is hard for some of my colleagues to accept and I appreciate their right to disagree, but I would not have voted for this bill without these provisions.”

Terry is still concerned that while states can opt out of abortion coverage, language in the bill could still potentially allow residents of those opt-out states to contribute to abortions in other states through federal tax dollars.

“It’s not going to satisfy the pro-life people and frankly it still moves us in the direction of bureaucrats running health care,” Terry said. “It does nothing to control the costs of health care, to change our system in any way to reduce health care costs and that’s the ultimate issue.”

According to UNMC physician of internal medicine Dr. Thomas Tape, the bill is a good start. “There’s many economists in health care that feel if we don’t take action fairly soon that the whole system is going to implode.”

Dr. Tape said much of the 2,000-page piece of legislation is not controversial. “Things like improving the primary care work force, simplifying claims processing.”

President Obama praised the Senate’s accomplishment, which bans insurance companies from denying coverage based on pre-existing conditions, among other things.

“Insurance companies will now be prohibited from denying coverage to children immediately after this bill passes. There’s also explicit language in this bill that will protect a patient’s choice of doctor. It now appears the American people will have the bill they deserve on genuine reform to get the security to those who have health insurance and for those who do not.”

Some Republicans say there have been too many compromises to bring this bill to passage. Sen. Richard Burr of North Carolina said, “You gotta commend Ben Nelson for playing ‘Price Is Right.’”

Nelson’s support garners $45 million in federal funding for Nebraska to cover Medicaid increases over the first decade.

“A number of states treated differently than other states, that’s what legislation is all about, compromise,” said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.

The benefits, Terry said, won’t last. “Those will be limited and when those run out the state’s going to have to raise taxes.”

Terry had hoped the plan would be scrapped and bipartisan legislation could be worked out. “Even though there was a small bipartisan group in the Senate, this was never bipartisan in the house. It was, let’s ram it down their throats and then it quickly turned the Senate to let’s ram it down their throats. We’re gonna do it our way and we’re gonna get our 60 Democrats and hell with anyone else. And that’s exactly what happened.”

Republican Sen. Mike Johanns of Nebraska reiterated Saturday he will not approve the bill. In a statement, he said, “I think Nebraskans will find it heartbreaking that carve-outs for our state and insurance companies potentially put this terrible bill across the finish line.”

“The manager’s amendment does nothing to change the core of the bill, but apparently wins over the magic number of senators needed. The Medicare cuts will be devastating to Nebraskans and on all Americans who will lose access to care. The tax increases on individuals and small businesses are job-killers that will drag down our economy.”

With Nelson’s support, the Senate will likely pass the bill by Christmas.

Healthcare providers (for profit, non-profit, or governmental agencies) have obligations under the rule. Insider access to patient data is included in the Red Flag Rules Guidelines. Healthcare entities have a responsibility to monitor and oversee employee access to data. 

The folks over at Vantagepoint Healthcare Advisors (www.vantagepointconsult.com) have put together a great manual to help you take care of the problem.  See the Red Flags Manual.

Normal turn times are about a week, plus shipping, so time is running out.

Moreover, many plants are expected to run out of stock during the week before 4/1/08.

PLAN AHEAD!

Last September, before the rule was extended, manufacturers were overwhelmed with last minute orders prompting back orders.

For example, typically Doctor Stuff has a turn around of about 5 business days plus shipping time. Starting March 15, we expect to have an 8 day turn time and are trying to put some measures into place to help existing customers meet the compliance date.

The bottom line is to order early to make sure that you have them in time.

“With only two months left before Medicaid prescriptions must be written on tamper-resistant Rx pads, the National Council for Prescription Drug Programs (NCPDP) has issued some new resources (see below) pharmacists can use to prepare for this change. The resources include a model letter for prescribers that states may use as a template. The letter reminds prescribers that:

• Medicaid Rxs are required to have at least one tamper-resistant feature by April 1.
• Medicaid Rxs must have a minimum of one feature from each of three categories of tamper-resistant features by Oct. 1.
• they should start ordering the new prescription pads promptly, since orders may take up to four weeks to process

In addition, NCPDP considered all the tamper-resistant features in the three categories and came out with its findings on which features it favors, because they are less costly and easy to implement, and which ones are harder to implement. NCPDP urges prescribers to implement all the security features by April 1, instead of phasing in some by April 1, and then adding new ones by Oct. 1. The latter approach would be wasteful of paper and pads, it explained.”

New Resources mentioned above:

Draft Letter to Prescribers (Word Document)

Draft Letter to Prescribers (pdf)

Final Letter to Prescribers (pdf)

On Saturday, September 29, 2007, President Bush signed the “Extenders Law,” delaying the implementation date for all paper Medicaid prescriptions to be written on tamper-resistant paper. Under the new law, as of April 1, 2008, all written Medicaid prescriptions must be on tamper-resistant prescription pads.

CMS’ guidance on the tamper-resistant law, set forth in an August 17, 2007 State Medicaid Director letter, contains two phases. For the first, a prescription must contain at least one of the three tamper-resistant characteristics in order to be considered “tamper resistant.” For the second, prescriptions must contain all three characteristics.

The two-phased approach is still in effect. At least one of the three tamper-resistant characteristics is required on April 1, 2008. All three characteristics are required on October 1, 2008.

Physicians and pharmacists contended that they weren’t given enough time to obtain the new prescription pads, and manufacturers said they were getting so many orders that they could not keep up with the demand.

Because of the demand, several of the largest manufacturers of tamper-resistant security paper for prescriptions are out of stock.

These manufacturers supply local, regional and national printers with this paper and the back order will cause delays for many to implement.

When I called to order some blank stock for some of my customers, Paris Business Forms, for example, told me that they were on a 2-3 week backorder. They have dedicated extra shifts to the problem, but they can’t satisfy the demand.