PPACA Preparation, EHR Implementation Dominant Issues for 2013

​With major provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) set to take effect in 2014, gearing up for compliance with those provisions will be among the most prominent issues facing aging services providers in 2013, according to an article in the February 2013 Annals of Long-Term Care: Clinical Care and Aging. The authors group key initiatives into four areas: “insurance expansion preparation, reimbursement changes, expansion of accountable outcomes, and increased use of electronic health records (EHRs).” Although most aging services consumers will continue to be insured by Medicare rather than private insurance, providers should be prepared for residents who may be served by new federally or state-operated insurance exchanges, the authors state. This preparation will focus on understanding which “essential benefits” insurers are required to cover under PPACA and ensuring that the organization offers those services.