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HUD Publishes Guidance Materials About Radon

HUD Publishes Guidance Materials About Radon

by | May 23, 2022 | Press Release

About RadonThe U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) recently published fresh guidance related to radon in housing on the HUD Exchange site.

Econometrica is working with HUD to develop the guidance to raise awareness about the dangers of radon and strategies to reduce exposure. Radon is an odorless, colorless gas that is a risk factor for lung cancer when it accumulates inside a home. With testing and mitigation, exposure to radon can be reduced to safe levels.

Materials produced so far include a webinar series and infographics. They can be found at https://www.hudexchange.info/programs/radon.

Econometrica continues to work with HUD on additional materials on this topic.

 

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Econometrica’s Health Group Expands Clinical Expertise

Econometrica’s Health Group Expands Clinical Expertise

by | Aug 5, 2021 | Press Release

Health Group website pageEconometrica’s Health Group has further expanded its knowledge base and team of clinical experts. Through our recruiting and continuing education initiatives, our team stands ready to offer a wide range of expertise to organizations and agencies in the public and private sectors.

Health Group staff members understand medical coding related to Current Procedural Technology (CPT); the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-10-CM); and the Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS), Level II, which are the three main code sets used to bill Medicare claims. Our staff members can identify the purpose and applicability of these code sets and explain how to use each one when assigning diagnoses and coding procedures across a wide variety of patient services in various settings.

Accurately coding patient services is critical to ensuring the best quality and efficacy of care for all Medicare beneficiaries. Econometrica staff members can support the understanding and accurate application of ICD-10-CM coding guidelines. We can describe the major features of the codes that are part of Level II HCPCS and identify and explain the information contained in the appendixes of the CPT code set. Econometrica has further experience with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ Evaluation and Management (E/M) Services Guide, and our staff members can clarify the determination of E/M services levels. We are experienced in the practical application of coding operative reports and E/M services.

For example, Econometrica staff works to inform our Bundled Payments for Care Improvement (BPCI) Advanced project participants about how codes work for the quality measure documentation, ensuring we are comprehensive in our methodology and instructions to registries.

Our Health Group is well equipped to assist organizations supporting Medicare beneficiaries with a wide range of expertise among our staff members. To learn more about the Health Group and our services, clients, and capabilities, visit our Health Group page on the Econometrica website.

About Econometrica

Founded in 1998, Econometrica is a research and management organization in Bethesda, MD, established to provide public- and private-sector clients with customized program support services. Econometrica works with multiple agencies to provide high-quality, cost-effective analyses, modeling, and economic evaluations. The company consistently receives exceptional scores from its clients and believes in three principles: technical capabilities, happy customers, and business development.

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Our Health Group is well equipped to assist organizations supporting Medicare beneficiaries with a wide range of expertise among our staff members.

The State Data Resource Center’s Recommendations to Support Vaccine Equity

by | Apr 27, 2021 | Econometrica Blog

As of April 26, 29 percent of the U.S. population is fully vaccinated. Vaccines are now available to all U.S. adults, and 2.6 million doses are being administered in the United States every day. As vaccination rates continue to increase, it is important that vaccine distribution is monitored to ensure that vulnerable populations are reached. Ensuring equitable access to the COVID-19 vaccine—recognized as a national priority by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) —requires that data are available and appropriately used to evaluate socioeconomic and demographic vaccine distribution trends.

Earlier this month, the State Data Resource Center (SDRC) released information to support states in identifying COVID-19 vaccination Medicare claims among their dually eligible beneficiaries. SDRC was established by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) in 2011 to help states obtain dually eligible beneficiary data. Econometrica supports CMS in providing resources to states to assist in requesting and using Medicare data files for care coordination and program integrity purposes.

The COVID-19 vaccine information was posted as an announcement on the SDRC website, developed and operated by Econometrica, and includes a recommended process for identifying COVID-19 vaccine claims in both the Coordination of Benefits Agreement (eCOBA) file and the monthly Parts A and B dataset. In both files, Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) codes are used to identify COVID-19 vaccine claims. Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca, and Johnson & Johnson each have their own assigned HCPCS codes with additional vaccine administration codes that specify whether the claim was the individual’s first or second dose.

In addition to identifying COVID-19 vaccine claims and ensuring each beneficiary received the appropriate number of doses, SDRC recommends that states link these claims to the beneficiary’s demographic information. In doing so, disparities in vaccine uptake across race/ethnicity, disability status, or geography can be evaluated and addressed.

The SDRC announcement highlights an important opportunity for state Medicaid agencies. Analyses, made possible through the use of SDRC data and the SDRC support team, can help to inform policy. By identifying any racial, ethnic, or socioeconomic disparities in access to COVID-19 vaccines, state policymakers can shift their distribution plans to ensure vaccines are available to vulnerable, dually eligible beneficiaries.

ECONOMETRICA BLOG

Vaccines are now available to all U.S. adults, and 2.6 million doses are being administered in the United States every day.

Econometrica Will Continue Regulatory Work for BSEE

by | Apr 2, 2021 | Econometrica Blog

The U.S. Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) recently awarded Econometrica a multiple-year contract to provide expert assistance and technical support for the economic analyses associated with BSEE regulatory, research, inspection, and enforcement activities.

The results of any work performed will help BSEE, part of the U.S. Department of the Interior, evaluate the economic impact of its regulations for Federal actions designed to increase environmental and safety protection on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS).

This new award continues economic analysis work Econometrica began under a previous contract with BSEE. Under that contract, Econometrica provided BSEE with regulatory impact analyses and regulatory flexibility analyses for Notices of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRMs) and Final Rulemakings. BSEE rulemakings supported by Econometrica include:

  • Oil and Gas Production Safety System (RIN: 1014-AA37)
  • Blowout Preventer (BOP) and Well Control (RIN: 1014-AA39)
  • Exploratory Drilling on the Arctic OCS (RIN: 1082-AA01)

ECONOMETRICA BLOG

Econometrica provided BSEE with regulatory impact analyses and regulatory flexibility analyses for Notices of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRMs) and Final Rulemakings. BSEE rulemakings supported by Econometrica

Econometrica to Develop E-Learning Courses Aimed at Global Tobacco Control Topics

Econometrica to Develop E-Learning Courses Aimed at Global Tobacco Control Topics

by | Feb 9, 2021 | Press Release

TabaccoUseBETHESDA, MD – The CDC Foundation awarded Econometrica a contract to create e-learning courses focused around a variety of global tobacco control topics. This new partnership will strengthen country-level capacity in using data to inform policies on global tobacco prevention and control.

The CDC Foundation is the go-to nonprofit authorized by Congress to mobilize philanthropic partners and private-sector resources to support the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) critical health protection mission. The new courses will build on the CDC Foundation’s 13 years of work in global tobacco and nicotine surveillance and monitoring. According to the World Health Organization, tobacco use is the leading cause of death, illness, and impoverishment and kills more than 8 million people annually worldwide.

“This is a great opportunity for Econometrica to work with the CDC Foundation on this important international effort to curb tobacco use,” Econometrica President/CEO Cyrus Baghelai said. “We are excited to have our ever-expanding Learning Solutions Team help reduce the number of people and the severity of impact for this worldwide challenge through our analytics, solutions design, quality service and attention to detail.”

“We look forward to working with Econometrica, drawing on their technical and subject matter expertise, instructional design experience, and creative thinking as we collaborate to produce meaningful and interactive adult learning experiences to drive evidence-based tobacco control policies and programs,” said Rachna Chandora, the CDC Foundation’s Associate Vice President for Noninfectious Disease Programs.

Econometrica’s Learning Solutions Team, part of the Health Group, implements a flexible approach to developing learning solutions based on audience size and geographic distribution as well as training objectives and content. The team works to maximize the benefit of investments in training by ensuring that content is deployed in the most effective modality and can achieve the maximum usage possible.

Econometrica has previously created trainings, factsheets, and toolkits for various Federal agencies, such as the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, CDC, and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

About the CDC Foundation

The CDC Foundation is an independent nonprofit and sole entity created by Congress to support the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) critical health protection work. The CDC Foundation forges effective partnerships between CDC and corporations, foundations, organizations, and individuals to fight threats to health and safety. Learn more at www.cdcfoundation.org.

About Econometrica

Founded in 1998, Econometrica is a research and management organization in Bethesda, MD, established to provide public- and private-sector clients with customized program support services. Econometrica works with multiple agencies to provide high-quality, cost-effective analyses, modeling, and economic evaluations. The company consistently receives exceptional scores from its clients and believes in three principles: technical capabilities, happy customers, and business development.

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Econometrica has previously created trainings, factsheets, and toolkits for various Federal agencies, such as the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, CDC, and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.