In October, the Health Subcommittee...

In October, the Health Subcommittee of the US House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee passed the Medicare Refinement and Benefits Improvement Act of 2000 Based forward up-to-the-minute efforts of AORN's grass radicals and Rep Mac Colins (R-Ga), language was added to the bill that instructs the comptroller general of the United States to direction a study on the force on the Medicare program and forward Medicare beneficiaries of coverage beneath the program of surgical first assisting services of Certified RN first assistants (CRNFAs). The bill orders the comptroller general to consider the following when conducting the study:

* any impact forward the quality of care furnished to Medicare beneficiaries by means of reason of such coverage;

* appropriate education and training requirements for CRNFAs who furnish like first assisting services; and

* appropriate rates of payment subordinate to the program to such CRNFAs for furnishing like services, taking into account the charges of compensation, overhead, and supervision attributable to CRNFAs.

A sated report of the study is to be paid one year from the date of enactment of this act. For more information about this legislation, contact AORN's guidance Affairs Department at (800) 755-2676 x 263

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COPYRIGHT 2001 Gale Group