2003 Archived Health Care Series Webcasts

Web-Assisted Audioconferences
2003 Health Care Series

Archived 2003 Events
November	October	July	May	April	March

NOVEMBER

Tuesday

November 18

Genetics & Privacy:
The Role of the State in DNA Discovery

A number of events over the last decade have raised state policymakers' awareness about genetics and health privacy issues. Nearly every state has considered discrimination or privacy legislation, and new federal standards have been established concerning health information privacy. Twenty-nine states have addressed the privacy of genetic information, and more than 20 genetic privacy bills were introduced in the states during the 2003 session. States with genetic privacy laws continue to revisit them as unresolved questions loom.

As state governments collect greater quantities of DNA and related data for health, criminal justice and other purposes, legislators and other government officials face questions related to the storage, use and disposal of this information such as:

When, if ever, should the government retain genetic information?

If it is appropriate under some circumstances, how should the samples or information be stored?

Who should have access to this information?

Are special confidentiality and privacy measures required?

This Web-assisted audioconference will examine these and other ethical and legal questions posed by state DNA collection. The presentations will include an overview of genetics and privacy with a focus on state issues; an examination of state newborn screening activities, which exemplify the challenges of state DNA collection; and a discussion of the approaches some states have taken to address these concerns.

Speakers:

Robert Gellman, J.D.
Privacy and Information Policy Consultant
Michele A. Lloyd-Puryear, M.D., Ph.D.
Chief, Genetic Services
Maternal and Child Health Bureau

Moderator:

Alissa Johnson
National Conference of State Legislatures

Please contact Alissa Johnson at alissa.johnson@ncsl.org or 202-624-5882 with questions.

Speakers Slides

To PRINT slides, RIGHT click on the desired speaker slides below and select PRINT TARGET. To VIEW the slides, simply click once. To SAVE them once you've opened them, click FILE, SAVE AS, and save to your computer. To save without opening, RIGHT click the link and select SAVE TARGET AS.

Robert Gellman's Slides

Michele Lloyd-Puryear's Slides

NCSL Resources

Genetic Privacy Laws

2003 State Genetic Privacy Bills

2003 Newborn Screening Bills (including changes to privacy provisions)

OCTOBER

Wednesday

October 15

Prescription Drugs: How States Can Use Federal Discounts

While Congress debates over a potential Medicare prescription drug benefit, what can states currently do to help seniors and others gain access to comprehensive pharmacy services? Several states are increasing participation in federal discount programs, especially the 340B Federal Drug Pricing Program, which utilizes more than 10,000 health sites to serve millions of people. How are they making this federal program work in their state? This audioconference will examine different state legislative options and methods of utilizing and increasing use of the 340B program.

Karmen Hanson, Policy Specialist from the National Conference of State Legislatures' Pharmaceutical Project, will moderate the panel discussion.
Bill von Oehsen, JD General Counsel, Public Hospital Pharmacy Coalition. Bill played a key role of the passage of the law that created the 340B program. He has extensive legal experience and knowledge of the full range of pharmaceutical pricing structures, as well as how states may increase utilization of 340B.
Diane Goyette, R.Ph., JD, Senior Director, Pharmacy Services Support Center. Diane will describe the role of PSSC and how it can provide technical assistance to states regarding the 340B program.
Dr. Paul Jeffrey, Director of the Pharmacy for the Massachusetts Division of Medical Assistance, is responsible for the clinical, operational and
financial components of the state's pharmacy benefit for nearly 725,000 MassHealth members. He has overseen the recent expanded use of 340B discount
pricing in Massachusetts.

If you have any questions or difficulties with this page, please contact Karmen Hanson at (303) 364-7700
ext. 1423.

Speaker Slides: To PRINT slides, RIGHT click on the desired speaker slides below and select PRINT TARGET. To VIEW the slides, simply click once. To SAVE them once you've opened them, click FILE, SAVE AS, and save to your computer. To save without opening, RIGHT click the link and select SAVE TARGET AS.

Presenter Bios

Karmen Hanson, MA NCSL

Diane P. Goyette, RPh, JD, Senior Director, HRSA Pharmacy Services Support Center

Bill von Oehsen, JD, Principal, Powers Pyles Sutter & Verville, PC

Dr. Paul Jeffrey, Directory of Pharmacy, PharmD

JULY

Wednesday

July 30

Disease Management: A Strategy For Addressing Health Care Outcomes and Costs

Each year, chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, obesity, cancer, and diabetes, account for approximately 75 percent of total health care costs in the United States and almost 80 percent of total Medicaid expenditures. The Centers for Disease Control projects that if current polices and conditions continue, by the year 2011, our nation will be spending over $2.8 trillion in health care. Many states-at least 20 at last count-have turned to Medicaid disease management programs to improve health care quality and outcomes while saving money. Are disease management programs living up to these expectations? How much money are states saving by implementing these programs for patients with costly chronic diseases?

Speakers:

Autumn Dawn Galbreath, M.D., Director, University of Texas Disease Management Center
Alicia Crowder, Manager, Mississippi Disease Prevention Program
Melanie Brown-Woofter, Program Administrator Health Systems Development, Florida Medicaid Disease Management
Heidi Fox, Manager, Florida Medicaid Disease Management

For more information about disease management, please visit our Disease Management website.

Speaker Slides: To print slides, click on the desired speaker slides below. Once directed to the next page, click on Download Presentation Source. Now, click File, Print, and select the format that you want the slides printed. Finally, click OK.

MAY

Wednesday

May 7

Update on the Federal Breast and Cervical Cancer Prevention and Treatment Act

The passage of the federal Breast and Cervical Cancer Prevention and Treatment Act of 2000 led to a flurry of activity as states elected this new option to provide Medicaid to uninsured women diagnosed with breast or cervical cancer. But how well are states implementing the treatment programs in light of the growing budget shortfalls now facing states?

This free web-assisted audioconference will provide an opportunity for legislators, legislative staff and health officials to participate in an information exchange with experts from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Topics addressed will include the current status and fiscal outlook of the treatment act, as well as a summary of an evaluation study conducted by George Washington University. The only technology requirements for this conference are a computer with internet capability and a separate telephone line.

Speakers

Rosemarie McIntyre, Section Chief/Program Services Branch, Division of Cancer Prevention and Control
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Margherita Sciulli, Health Insurance Specialist, Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services
Kathleen Maloy, Associate Research Professor, George Washington University

For more information about cancer Prevention and Control, please visit our website by clicking here.

APRIL

Tuesday

April 22

Photo Source: Microsoft Design Gallery Live (http://dgl.microsoft.com/)

Health care in rural America poses numerous challenges for lawmakers, providers and patients-provider shortages, inadequate Medicare reimbursement, and a growing population of elderly residents-to name a few. Today's budget crisis and the growing number of uninsured intensify these problems. Policymakers across the nation are struggling to come up with solutions.

This web-audioconference will provide an opportunity for legislators, legislative staff and rural health officials to participate in an information exchange with experts on the issue of rural health policy. Thomas Ricketts, Deputy Director of the Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, will discuss the impact of the medical malpractice crisis, the Medicaid budget crisis, and the war in Iraq on rural health care. Marcia Brand, Director of the Office of Rural Health Policy at HRSA, will provide an overview of the federal government's Initiative on Rural Communities and discuss current federal funding for state programs. Alan Morgan, Vice President of Government Affairs and Policy at the National Rural Health Association, will talk about some innovative initiatives in rural health that are currently underway.

Speakers:

Thomas Ricketts, Ph.D., Deputy Director, Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Marcia K. Brand, Ph.D., Director, Office of Rural Health Policy, Health Resources and Services Administration
Alan Morgan, Vice President, Government Affairs and Policy, National Rural Health Association

For more information about Rural Health, please visit our Rural and Tele-Health website by clicking here.

Tuesday
April 29^th

Improving Home and Community-Based Services: Opportunities for Federal Assistance

Currently, states spend over one-third of their Medicaid dollars on long-term care - with the lion's share going to institutional settings. In an effort to respond to consumer demand, and meet legal obligations under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Olmstead vs. L.C. U.S. Supreme Court decision, states are trying to re-balance their long-term care systems and develop more community-based services for the elderly and people with disabilities.

This web-audioconference will highlight the past, present and future federal programs that offer financial assistance to states, as they continue to assess their long-term care systems and develop more desireable, effective, and sometimes more cost-efficient long-term care services in the community.

Speakers

Thomas E. Hamilton, Director, Disabled and Elderly Health Programs Group, Center for Medicaid and State Operations
Suzanne Crisp, Policy Advisor, Disabled and Elderly Health Programs Group, Center for Medicaid and State Operations

For more information about the Olmstead decision and long term care, please visit the Olmstead webpage or contact Jo Donlin or Jody Ruskamp at 303-364-7700.

CMS Slides

MARCH

March 7

Across the nation, SCHIP programs are experiencing the strain of deteriorating state budgets, decreases in federal funding on the horizon, and the potential loss of funds allocated from earlier years due to requirements in the federal law. Two major issues face SCHIP programs: 1) the requirements that state forfeit unspent SCHIP money to the federal treasury; and 2) the so-called "SCHIP Dip."

This web-assisted audioconference will provide an opportunity for legislators, legislative staff and SCHIP directors to participate in an information exchange with experts on the issue of SCHIP funding. The following experts will present information on SCHIP funding and then will participate in an interactive question and answer period following the presentations. In addition, the results of an NCSL survey of SCHIP budgets will be released at the audioconference.

Cindy Mann, Research Professor, Georgetown University

Cindy Mann will provide a federal perspective and an explanation of SCHIP's funding structure (i.e. SCHIP Dip and re-allotments/re-distributions);

Joy Johnson Wilson, NCSL Federal Affairs Counsel & Senior Committee Director

Joy Johnson Wilson will provide an overview of current federal proposals that potentially may affect SCHIP (i.e. the Bush Administration's Medicaid proposal and the legislation (H.R. 531) to extend the availability of expiring and expired SCHIP funds sponsored by Reps. Tauzin and Dingell); and

Rose Naff, Executive Director, Florida Healthy Kids Corporation

Rose Naff will provide a state perspective.

For more information about SCHIP, please visit our SCHIP website.

Wednesday

March 26

States Saving Lives

The Future of Newborn Screening Programs

Image: City of Philadelphia, Department of Public Health http://www.phila.gov/health/units/decywh/Special_Prog/HS/hs.html

For more information about genetics policy, please visit our Genetic Technologies Project Web site

Advances in technology are driving states to evaluate the future of newborn screening programs. At the same time, states must determine how to spend limited resources efficiently in the face of the current budget crisis. As legislators consider whether to expand programs, they must balance the potential for reduced health care costs as a result of prevention and treatment of disorders with the cost, administrative and technological issues associated with additional screening. This Web-assisted audioconference will explore the benefits of and barriers to broader screening through the experience of legislators, health officials, public health laboratories and other policymakers.

Moderator: Representative Peter L. Batula

Brad Therrell, Ph.D., Director, National Newborn Screening and Genetics Resource Center
Dr. George Cunningham, M.D., M.P.H., Chief, Genetic Disease Branch, California Department of Health Services
William Becker, D.O., M.P.H., Medical Director, Ohio Department of Health Laboratory; Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Pathology
Ohio State University

Return to 2004 Web-Assisted Audioconferences Health Care Series Page