Location:
Crowne Plaza Minneapolis International Airport Hotel & Suites | 800.465.4329
Three Appletree Square
Bloomington, MN  55425

 

Event Contact:
Sylvia Weise
(715) 858-6631
sweise@wipfli.com

Download:
(.pdf, 290 kB)

The 12th Annual Rural Health Clinic Forum and Critical Access Hospital Conference are again being held together, giving you the chance to attend one or both! This event is designed to help organizations like yours succeed through quality education and the opportunity to communicate directly with regulators and existing RHCs and CAHs.

Our concurrent sessions are structured for all levels of rural health clinic (RHC) and critical access hospital (CAH) professionals, including Administrators, CFOs, CEOs, CIOs, Directors of Finance, Finance Professionals, Reimbursement Analysts, Office Managers, and Patient Accounts Professionals.

This year's conference features three tracks!
* Health Care Reform
* Reimbursement
* Technology (Day Two Only)

 AGENDA

Day One - January 31, 2012: Rural Health Clinic Forum

Day Three - February 2, 2012: Critical Access Hospital Conference (continued)

REGISTRATION FEE

All prices are per person. Contact Sylvia Weise for group discount (3 or more from one facility) information at 715.858.6631. 

• $195 - Day One Only (Rural Health Clinic Forum only)
• $300 - Day Two and Three Only (Critical Access Hospital Conference only)
• $375 - Full Conference (Both Rural Health Clinic and Critical Access Hospital)

Registration fees include training materials, lunch and refreshment breaks, and up to 20.0 hours of training in accordance with the standards of the National Registry of CPE Sponsors. CPE credits are granted based on a 50-minute hour.

To register, download and complete the registration form and submit by:

• E-mail to sweise@wipfli.com
• Fax to 715.832.2345 (attn: Sylvia Weise)
• Mail to:

Wipfli LLP 
Attn: Sylvia Weise
P.O. Box 690
Eau Claire, WI 54702-0690

Credit card payments accepted by e-mail, fax and mail. Check payment accepted by mail. ALL registrations must be accompanied by payment.

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SESSION DESCRIPTIONS

January 31, 2012 Day One: RHC
Medicare Cost Reporting For Rural Health Clinics
Learn about the most common cost reporting errors, as well as key opportunities to improve RHC reimbursement. Specific topics such as visit statistic reporting, provider productivity standards, commingling, carve-outs, and Medicare bad debts will be examined. 
Presenters: Jeff Bramschreiber, CPA, Partner; and Jeff Johnson, CPA, Partner

Billing For Rural Health Clinics
This session is designed for clinic staff involved in charging, billing, and/or coding for services provided by rural health clinics. It will include an overview of Medicare billing rules and regulations, issues unique to RHCs, as well as common billing problems for rural health clinic providers. Information pertinent to both independent and provider-based RHCs will be presented. 
Presenters: Jeff Bramschreiber, CPA, Partner; and Jeff Johnson, CPA, Partner

Washington Update For Rural Health Clinics
Bill Finerfrock of the National Association of Rural Health Clinics (NARHC) will discuss recent national developments affecting RHCs. In addition, he will provide an overview of recent initiatives supported by NARHC. 
Presenter: Bill Finerfrock, Executive Director - NARHC

February 1, 2012 Day Two: CAH
Update on Rural Health: The National Rural Health Perspective
This session will focus on national rural health policy trends impacting critical access hospitals. Pending legislative and regulatory proposals will be discussed, as well as current industry trends. The presenter will provide an overview of the rural health landscape and the actions you can take now to participate in the rural policy development process. 
Presenter: Alan Morgan, CEO – NRHA

Health Care Reform Track
Clinical Integration—The Path to True Health Care Delivery Reform
As an acute care provider, (hospitals and physicians) you’re coping with both the regulatory (health reform legislation/regulations) and market-driven (consumerism) pressure for collaboration in care delivery. This session will help you understand the fundamentals behind “reform” that are driving the need for “service line” delivery across the care continuum, discuss the definition of clinical integration and the various models that can deliver the desired outcomes, outline the relationship between service line delivery of care and clinical integration. In addition, you will gain an understanding of how clinical integration can support and drive quality improvements and operational enhancements across the care continuum. 
Presenters: Perry Hanson, MHA, Partner and James Garvey, MHA, Director

Using Valuable Revenue Cycle Information to make Strategic Pricing and Reimbursement Decisions and to Understand Key Clinical Quality Indicators
Medical claims data contain a wealth of valuable information on a patient specific basis. This session will address how claims data can be used to develop strategic pricing models for your organization. In addition, we will provide state and national comparisons, explore how common billing errors impact hospital revenues and help you to understand the continuum of care for your patients, including what happens to patients post-discharge and how successful your care transition process is at minimizing re-admissions. 
Presenters: Jane Jerzak, CPA, Partner and Vicki Mueller, CPA Manager

Community Health Needs Assessment
As you are aware, recent healthcare legislation has led to the formation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. This act requires all 501(c)(3) hospitals to submit a Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) to the IRS every three years starting in 2012. As a result, your organization will be monitored to ensure it’s taking the necessary steps to meet the health needs of the community. Noncompliance could result in both significant annual IRS financial penalties and revocation of your not-for-profit status. Therefore, it’s critical that you carefully document and conduct the appropriate level of due diligence to plan effectively for any capital, physician-related and infrastructural requirements driven by a new or enhanced service offering as indicated by the CHNA. The objectives of this session are to help you to better understand the key planning initiatives that should be undertaken, to assess the feasibility and to plan appropriately for a new or expanded service offering. 
Presenters: Kelly Arduino, MA, MBA, Director and Nick Smith, MHA, Senior Consultant

Reimbursement Track
The Basics of Medicare Reimbursement and Cost Reporting
If you work in finance, you need to understand the basics of Medicare reimbursement principles and the flow of the Medicare cost report forms. Therefore, we will review the basics of Medicare reimbursement principles, where to find certain information on the cost report forms, and keys to enhancing your reimbursement from the Medicare program. This session is intended for the entry-level financial professional or those who collect the data, prepare, or review the Medicare cost report. 
Presenters: Kathi Krueger, CPA, Manager and Donna Nelson, CPA, Manager

Advanced Cost Reporting —“Bottom Line” Impact of Cost-based Reimbursement
Completing a Medicare cost report is an annual ritual. While you spend a lot of time crunching data, there doesn’t appear to be much reward for all of your efforts. However, just like a routine physical, an annual “checkup” of your Medicare cost report is a “healthy” idea. By using a case study approach, you will learn the importance of completing the cost report accurately and we will show you how to identify opportunities to improve Medicare reimbursement. Other areas of focus will include how to respond to the intermediary (MAC) during a cost report audit and provide an overview of changes to the Medicare cost report forms as we transition from version 2552-96 to 2552-10, including changes related to the HITECH Act. This session is meant for the professional who has a working knowledge of the Medicare cost report.
Presenters: Steve Thompson, CPA, Partner and Jeff Johnson, CPA, Partner

Back by popular demand!!
The Medicare Cost Report—A Tool for Decision Making and Strategy Development
Strategic decision-making may require extensive resources, including time and financial commitment. It can involve mounds of reports, hours and hours of analysis, additional FTEs, or maybe even the expertise of a consultant. We understand that information technology systems provide unlimited information for evaluation, but if you are looking for a quick tool for decision making and strategic development, you may need to look only as far as your Medicare cost report. While it is important to stress that the Medicare cost report has its limitations, it may well be one of your best first resources when evaluating financial questions at a high level. Please bring your cost report with you to begin your decision-making. 
Presenters: Kathleen LaBrake, CPA, Partner and Holly Pokrandt, CPA, Partner

Technology Track
Leverage EHR Software from a Large IDS Organization—What to Request and What to Expect
Smaller hospitals and rural health clinics struggle to find viable alternatives to access certified EHR technology on their own. Given Stark relief, some are turning to larger integrated delivery systems (IDS) organizations as a cost effective alternative. This session will feature two case studies:  a small community hospital and a physician clinic currently leveraging this model – learn what they experienced and what you need to know. 
Presenter: Janice Ahlstrom, FHIMSS, CPHIMS, RN, BSN, Partner

Meaningful Use Security Risk Analysis—Does Your Security Risk Analysis Measure Up to the Core Requirement?
If your organization is pursuing meaningful use, you must meet a myriad of requirements. With Stage 1 Core Objectives providers must implement systems to protect privacy and security of patient data in the EHR. This presentation will review a security framework for conducting yearly risk analysis to meet this core objective of Meaningful Use. 
Presenter: Janice Ahlstrom, FHIMSS, CPHIMS, RN, BSN, Partner and Paul Johnson, CISSP, Certified HITRUST Practitioner, CPA, Consulting Manager

Meaningful Use—How a Rural CAH Got There and How to Stay There
As a rural CAH organization or rural health clinic you are working diligently to implement an EHR, integrate with community care partners and meet Meaningful Use. This session will case study a rural CAH’s experience in meeting Meaningful Use. Further the session will address the latest reimbursement information and best practices to attain and maintain Meaningful Use once you have achieved it. Presenters: Kim Witkop, Manager, Snoqualmie Valley Hospital, WA; Michael Bell, Partner and CPA; and Janice Ahlstrom, FHIMSS, CPHIMS, RN, BSN, Partner

February 2, 2012 Day Three: CAH

Health Care Reform Track
The 3 Rs of Physician Compensation—Rules, Regulations and Realities
Health care reform initiatives and regulatory requirements impact physician compensation whether physicians are practicing independently, are employed by Critical Access Hospitals, or are contracted in rural communities through professional services agreements (PSAs). The objectives of this session are to provide you with an understanding of how trends in physician compensation are being impacted by health care reform, and how CAHs can respond to these market forces in light of the various regulatory requirements concerning hospital/physician arrangements. In addition, we will discuss how to attract and retain employed/contracted physicians, create incentives in physician compensation arrangements to achieve organizational goals and how to maintain compliance with key Internal Revenue Service, Anti-Kickback, and Stark regulations applicable to hospital/physician arrangements. 
Presenters: Davis Fansler, Director; Jeff Bramschreiber, CPA, Partner; and Art Saunders, Partner

Reimbursement Track
Preparing for Changes in Financial Reporting
2012 will be a year filled with change. Many changes have been proposed and adopted relating to how healthcare entities report and record transactions in their financial statements. Changes to IRS Form 990 are affecting how community benefits are reported. In addition, the Medicare cost report will have multiple form changes. This session will offer insights into these changes, including:
• Discussion related to current healthcare industry trends and hot topics
• Key understanding of new accounting and auditing guidance issued by the FASB and the AICPA
• Highlights of the new Medicare cost report Form 2552-10
• Thoughts on where your time should be focused when preparing or reviewing the Form 990
Presenters: Tim Ritter,CPA, Senior Manager and Cori Schoenke, CPA, Senior Manager

Technology Track DAY TWO ONLY

General Session: Pulling it All Together—A Panel Discussion
In this session, health care professionals will discuss how they are planning for health care reform.

• Essentia Health
  For more than 15 years, Essentia Health has focused on fully integrating hospitals and physician practices. Dan McGinty, Critical Access Group President, will describe Essentia’s approach to the changes posed by health care reform legislation. He will also share how Essentia Health is proactively working to reform the care delivery system at the local level, both clinically and financially, and the opportunities for critical access and other rural hospital facilities to play important roles in regional care delivery systems.
• St. Benedicts Family Medical Center
  In this session, Jess Hawley, President of St. Benedicts Family Medical Center, a CAH in Idaho, will highlight how the organization determined that integration was the right move for them. Jess will share the journey of how St. Benedicts determined the value proposition of merging with a PPS hospital and the steps involved in the integration process. In addition, Jess will discuss how key organizational and operational issues needed to be addressed before the integration process could be completed. Finally, we will wrap up with a discussion of next steps by addressing how health care can be most effectively delivered post-integration. 

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HOTEL INFORMATION

Crown Plaza Minneapolis International Airport Hotel and Suites 
(Formerly Holiday Inn Select Hotel and Suites)
Three Appletree Square | Bloomington, MN 55425
P: 800.465.4329 | Code "Wipfli'

Group Rate: $119 if reserved by January 9, 2012.

You must make your own room reservation directly with the hotel. Mention group name "Wipfli" to assure getting the group rate. The hotel offers a free shuttle to the Mall of America and to the airport.

Join the Twitter conversation at #WIPCAH

Day One: 8 credits, Days Two & Three: 12 credits, Full event: 20 credits. In accordance with the standards of the National Registry of CPE Sponsors, CPE credits are based on a 50-minute hour.

Wipfli LLP is registered with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) as a sponsor of continuing professional education on the National Registry of CPE Sponsors. State boards of accountancy have final authority on the acceptance of individual courses for CPE credit. Complaints regarding registered sponsors may be submitted to the National Registry of CPE Sponsors through its website: www.learningmarket.org.

Instructional Delivery: Group-Live. For more information regarding administrative policies, such as complaint, cancellation, and refund policies, please contact our offices at 888.876.4992.