Aug. 26: With Congress still in recess, we turn our attention west. The California Senate will take up a bill—AB 1309—that would extend the open enrollment period for buying Affordable Care Act coverage. Under the bill, which passed the assembly, open enrollment would run from Oct. 15 to Jan. 31. It was drafted in response to the Trump administration shortening open enrollment nationally, which goes from Nov. 1 to Dec. 15 this year.
Aug. 26-29: It’s going to be one heck of a party outside of Madison, Wis. Epic Systems Corp.’s annual user group meeting is also a celebration of the company’s 40 years in business. “It’s a dy-no-mite way to stay two steps ahead of change in healthcare and technology,” the EHR vendor boasts in a hippie-themed brochure on its website. We’ll check in with sources on the ground to bring you any cool developments. Can you dig it?
Aug. 31: It’s the last day of National Immunization Awareness Month. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website hosts a variety of toolkits for providers under a variety of not-so-subtle categories: “You have the power to protect against vaccine-preventable diseases.” “Vaccines are safe and effective at preventing serious diseases.” “Vaccinate on time. Getting vaccines at the recommended time is the best way to protect against serious diseases.” “Vaccine-preventable diseases are still a threat. Vaccination is the best protection.”
