MHA's Executive Briefing

Singletary rules Barbour's proposed hospital GRT is unconstitutional

Judge Singletary has made a ruling in the Mississippi hospitals' challenge of Gov. Barbour's authority to unilaterally levy a tax against hospitals. Attached is a copy of the opinion issued by Judge Singletary on July 10.

The Court found that Section 43-13-117(18)(b) was intended to fund only the non-federal share of the UPL program and not to be used as a general Medicaid funding mechanism. He found that the Division of Medicaid's interpretation is unconstitutional and is in violation of the separation of powers doctrine.

The defendants have 30 days to appeal.

Download gw2B.pdf

Beyond Health Care: Mississippi Hospitals as Vital Economic Engines

Across Mississippi, hospitals and health systems provide access to vital health care services 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year, serving millions of households each year. Less often recognized are hospitals’ contributions to the state’s economy, including the number of people hospitals employ, the impact of hospital purchases and the impact of hospital employees’ spending and tax payments.

Mississippi’s hospitals annually contribute more than $9 billion to the state’s economy. Economic impact data and other findings are in Beyond Health Care: Mississippi Hospitals as Vital Economic Engines. The report was researched by DataGen, a New York-based health care information company, on behalf of the Mississippi Hospital Association (MHA).

“As Mississippi leaders continue to consider the state’s economic priorities and look for ways to create more jobs in our state, they should keep in mind the importance of hospitals and health care to the state economy,” said Sam W. Cameron, MHA President/CEO. “This study shows that health care is much more to Mississippi than hospitals, clinics and doctors. The ripple effect of the health care sector throughout Mississippi's economy is enormous. Hospitals are not only tied to the health of our communities, but also to the health of our state’s economy.”

The research found that hospitals across the state have:

• $9.5 billion total impact on the state economy.
• Operating expenses of $5.2 billion per year
• Capital expenditures of over $758 million per year
• Based on a review of hospital construction projects, hospital physical plant investment, including expansions, renovations and new construction, exceeded over $200 million in 2006.
• 50,260 full time employees
• Payroll of $2.5 billion per year (over $20 million per hospital)
• Average health care employee salary of $39,512 (compared to a Mississippi average of $25,051)
  

In addition to looking at the statewide impact of hospitals, the study breaks down much of the data by regions of the state and by individual hospitals as well. A copy of Beyond Health Care, along with supporting data, is available online at www.mhanet.org.

Other resources:

• Full report
• Regional impacts
• RIMS multipliers
• Power Point template to report findings in your community (attached below)

Download EconomicImpact_Powerpoint.ppt

State Board of Health names interim State Health Officer

Ed Thompson, MD, MPH, was named interim State Health Officer by the newly appointed Mississippi State Board of Health during its first meeting on July 2.

Thompson previously served the Mississippi Department of Health as State Health Officer from 1993 to 2002 and as State Epidemiologist from 1983 to 1993.

In other actions, the board appointed Luke Lampton, MD, of Magnolia as board chairman and Alfred McNair, MD, of Ocean Springs as vice chairman. Both served on the previous Board of Health. The Board also selected the national search firm Korn/Ferry International to conduct a nationwide search for a permanent State Health Officer.

Dr. Thompson will continue to serve as Professor and Chairman of the Department of Preventive Medicine at the University of Mississippi School of Medicine and Professor of Medicine in the Department of Medicine's Division of Infectious Disease.

The next meeting of the State Board of Health is tentatively scheduled for Wednesday, August 8, at 10 a.m. in the Osborne Auditorium at the MDH Central Office.

Letter from Dr. Brian Amy regarding legislative hearings

Letter From the Desk of Dr. Brian Amy

Much has been written in a local Jackson newspaper in recent months about the Mississippi Department of Health. Our staff has spent hundreds of hours compiling thousands of pages of documentation responding to subpoenas, hearings and questions from reporters.

Despite a 40% cut in state funding over the last five years, hard-working public health employees serve about 65,000 Mississippians every month. Across our state, more than 35,000 inspections are conducted each year in health care facilities, food service facilities and child care facilities across the state. Those not in compliance with public health regulations are promptly cited and penalized according to regulations and law.

Last year, the Department of Health tested every public drinking water supply in the state; administered more than 500,000 immunizations to Mississippi adults and children; provided nutritious food to more than 95,000 needy mothers, babies and children; provided medical services to more than 25,000 high-risk mothers and babies and provided genetic screening for more than 43,000 newborn babies. Over 1,400 of our employees left their families to respond to Hurricane Katrina.

The dedicated employees of the Department of Health remain committed to protecting the health of our friends, neighbors and families throughout Mississippi.

Brian W. Amy, MD, MHA, MPH
State Health Officer

Mississippi's Interactive Blue Book Now Online

An online publication of a new interactive, searchable edition of the 2004-2008 Mississippi Official and Statistical Register, commonly known as the Blue Book, is now available.

"The online Blue Book greatly enhances the standard reference book on state government," Secretary of State Eric Clark said. "In addition to the information contained in the printed edition, visitors to the Secretary of State's Web site, either from Mississippi or anywhere in the world, can take a 360-degree visual tour of the capitol, download maps, view state symbols and easily search more than 700 pages to learn more about their government and state." 

The printed Blue Book was published last year. It contains complete information on the executive, legislative and judicial branches of state government, all state agencies and election results, as well as information on federal, county and municipal government and the media. The interactive version is also available by request on CD-ROM. (Request one online here.)

Regulations Governing Utilization Review Activities by Physicians

The attached regulations will become effective July 1, 2006; however, the State Board of Medical Licensure has adopted the position to hold in abeyance the enforcement but not the enactment of the regulations for a period not to exceed seven months.

Download utilizationreview.pdf

Interest Rising For Gulf Opportunity Zone Act of 2005

 

The Gulf Opportunity Zone Act of 2005 offers business and community leaders unprecedented federal tax incentives in areas deemed affected by Hurricane Katrina. The Gulf Opportunity Zone – commonly referred to as the GO Zone – includes 49 Mississippi counties that in essence comprise the lower two-thirds of the state geographically.

These once-in-a lifetime incentives are modeled after the New York Liberty Zone economic incentives developed for Manhattan after the disaster of 9/11, but are considered even more substantial and designed to rebuild Mississippi on a fast track. Gov. Haley Barbour describes and has told business leaders “we have been given a chance to remake our state.”

Go Zone legislation includes billions of dollars in commercial, housing, state and municipal incentives. The Butler Snow law firm wrote in its analysis “These economic incentives are so significant that any business considering an investment in any new, replacement or expanded operations, buildings or equipment within the GO Zone should consider how to employ these incentives to the fullest extent possible.”

For an overview of selected incentives, click here.

MS Healthcare Executives Membership Drive

The Mississippi Healthcare Executives, an independent chapter of the American College of Healthcare Executives, is holding a Membership Drive through March 15, 2006. The Chapter with the greatest percentage of members joining by the deadline date will win $300! A drawing for other prizes will be awarded to Mississippi Healthcare Executive members who have paid their $20 membership fee including: Two Individual Drawings for $100 Credit at the ACHE Online Resource Bookstore and other special ACHE Promotional Items. Members must join before March 15, 2006 to be eligible for the drawings. The winners will be announced at the ACHE Breakfast on June 30, 2006.

Please see the flyer and membership application attached below and distribute to all interested individuals. For additional information, contact Mike Zieman, Chapter President, at 228-831-1700 or mzieman@mhg.com, Marcella McKay, PhD, Chapter Secretary/Treasurer, at 601-368-3220 or mmckay@mhanet.org or visit http://ms.ache.org.

Download ache_membership_application.pdf

Download ache_membership_drive_flyer.pdf

MEC changes Interchange date

The Mississippi Economic Council (MEC) is postponing their Jackson Interchange Tour meeting until Thursday, March 9, (this replaces the previously announced February 8 meeting) to provide Capitol Area business leaders and those from outside the region, who choose to come to the capitol, a chance to participate in the program and interchange with legislators closer to the end of session.

There is also an Interchange Tour meeting coming near you! Visit www.msmec.com to find out dates and times for meetings in: Greenville, Hattiesburg, Olive Branch, Tupelo, Brookhaven, Meridian, Columbus, Jackson, Gulfport and Pascagoula.

During each of the 10 statewide Interchange Tour meetings, MEC will go behind the headlines and get your input on issues that will impact our state immediately and in the foreseeable future. 

The Jackson meeting on Thursday, March 9, will be at the Jackson Marriott and begin at 11:30 a.m., concluding at 1 p.m. after lunch.

You can register online for any of the 10 Interchange Tour meetings at www.msmec.com.

Pickering's book tells of confirmation failure

Charles Pickering, a retired federal judge who was the subject of a bruising battle for Senate confirmation to the Fifth U-S Circuit Court of Appeals, is telling his side of the story. Pickering has written a book: Supreme Chaos: The Politics of Judicial Confirmation and the Culture Wars.

In it, Pickering discusses the gauntlet judicial nominees are subjected to, the culture wars that brought about such political battles and the danger of judges legislating from the bench. He also offers long-term suggestions on how to repair the confirmation process.

Former President George H. W. Bush named Pickering the US District Judge for the Southern District of Mississippi in 1990. Eleven years later, President George W. Bush nominated Pickering for the 5th Circuit, though some members of the US Senate blocked his nomination.

In 2004, President Bush recess appointed Pickering to the 5th Circuit, where he presided until his commission expired when the Senate adjourned without confirmation. Pickering retired from the federal bench in 2004.

[ via Associated Press ]