WV Bureau of Senior Services to create In-home caregiver registry

House Bill 4062, signed by the Governor last week, creates new WV Code §16-5P-15 which calls for the WV Bureau of Senior Services (BoSS) to create an in-home caregiver registry. The registry is voluntary for any unlicensed caregiver who wants to register and who is willing to undergo a criminal background check. the status of that check, plus the workers other qualifications, such as educational attainment, will be listed in the registry.

There are very few details in the legislation about how the registry will operate or what particular qualifications will be included. The BoSS will develop the criteria and functionality of the registry, including how people and agencies seeking information about potential caregivers may access the contents of the registry.

When asked about the new registry, Lee Jones, Executive Director of Ritchie County Integrated Family Services said, "this is a good thing for agencies that provide in-home care." There is a shortage of willing and qualified in-home workers in the state and this registry may help agencies fill open positions more quickly. Individuals seeking to hire their own in-home workers directly will also benefit. Criminal background checks can be expensive and time-consuming to complete, so having that information readily available about a potential in-home care worker will be valuable for both agencies and individuals.

Medicare redesigns claims and benefits statement

As part of National Consumer Protection Week, the Acting Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Marilyn Tavenner, announced the redesign of the statement that informs Medicare beneficiaries about their claims for Medicare services and benefits. The redesigned statement, known as the Medicare Summary Notice (MSN), will be available online and, starting in 2013, mailed out quarterly to beneficiaries.

This MSN redesign is part of a new initiative, “Your Medicare Information: Clearer, Simpler, At Your Fingertips,” which aims to make Medicare information clearer, more accessible, and easier for beneficiaries and their caregivers to understand. CMS will take additional actions this year to make information about benefits, providers, and claims more accessible and easier to understand for seniors and people with disabilities who have Medicare. This MSN redesign reflects more than 18 months of research and feedback from beneficiaries to provide enhanced customer service and respond to suggestions and input.

To see a side-by-side comparison of the former and redesigned MSNs, see : www.cms.gov/apps/files/msn_changes.pdf

The redesign of the MSN includes several features not currently available to Medicare beneficiaries with the current MSN:
· A clear notice on how to check the form for important facts and potential fraud;
· An easy-to-understand snapshot of the beneficiary’s deductible status, a list of providers they saw, and whether their claims for Medicare services were approved.
· Clearer language, including consumer-friendly descriptions for medical procedures;
· Definitions of all terms used in the form;
· Larger fonts throughout to make it easier to read;
· Information on preventive services available to Medicare beneficiaries.

Starting later this week, the redesigned MSN will be available to beneficiaries on mymedicare.gov, Medicare’s secure online service for personalized information regarding Medicare benefits and services; and, in early 2013, paper copies of the redesigned MSN will start to replace the current version being mailed.

Click here to read the full CMS press release issued today (3/7): www.cms.gov/apps/media/press/release.asp?Counter=4298

WV medical directive e-registry to go live March 2012

The West Virginia End of Life Center www.wvendoflife.org has announced that its e-registry of advance medical directives will be operational at the end of this month. Dr. Alvin Moss, the Center's project director reports that they are in the process of entering 6,000 medical powers of attorney, living wills, Physician Orders for Scope of Treatment (POST) forms, and Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) cards into the database and are receiving about 20 new ones per day for entry.

The e-registry will be one of the first in the country. It enables HIPAA-compliant electronic access to healthcare providers all around the state to a database of healthcare directives for WV patients. Entering your directive into the e-registry is optional, and requires only that you fax your properly completed directive to the Center at 304-293-7442.

You do not need to execute new directives to register, you may enter your old directives, but it might create a good opportunity to review old directives to be sure they still represent your wishes about end of life and healthcare decisionmaking. You can get new forms at the Center's website www.wvendoflife.org, or from your healthcare provider. You do not need an attorney to complete the forms, but don't sign until you are with a notary and witnesses who are not your relatives.