> How carefully is HHS reviewing the more than 2,000 comments on the proposal for meaningful use of EMRs? On Monday, National Health IT Coordinator Dr. David Blumenthal and two top CMS officials participated in a "listening session" with 15 hospital leaders to hear the concerns that many hospitals and health systems have with the proposed rules. FierceEMR
> California hospitals spent more than $193 million on hospital events with regards to air pollution from 2005 to 2007, according to a new study from the RAND Corp. More than 29,000 hospital admissions and emergency room visits during that time were the result of not meeting federal clean air standards, according to the report. Report
> In the permanent national recovery audit contractor (RAC) program, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has established stringent rules limiting which services, and when, hospitals can re-bill Medicare Part B for RAC denials of Part A claims. However, the Medicare Appeals Council, which represents the fourth level of Medicare appeals, thinks that CMS' position is "inconsistent" with the guidance in its own program manuals, according to the decision, "In the Case of O'Connor Hospital." FierceHealthFinance
And Finally... Not exactly Mother-of-the-Year material here. Article