The GNYHA Board of Governors met on March 20, 2003, and took the following actions:

• approved a recommendation from GNYHA's Nominating Committee of individuals to serve as GNYHA officers and/or Board members for the 2003-04 Association year, and ratified, approved, and confirmed the current slate of GNYHA officers and Board members elected to fill vacancies that arose during the 2002-03 Association year;

• was briefed on the latest developments in the State budget debate, including GNYHA's efforts to stop the budget's proposed Medicaid cuts and provider taxes, and GNYHA/1199 SEIU Healthcare Education Project ads, direct mail, phone banking, forums, and a massive April 1 rally in Albany;

• was briefed on Federal proposals to cut Medicare and Medicaid provider payments, and GNYHA's planned response;

• reviewed the CMS's proposed rule changing the way Medicare cost outlier payments are made to hospitals, and GNYHA's fiscal analysis of the proposed rule;

• was briefed on the recent decision by the New York Supreme Court to dismiss Consumers Union's lawsuit challenging aspects of the conversion of Empire Blue Cross and Blue Shield to a for-profit company;

• reviewed recent liability insurance reform developments, including action in the U.S. House of Representatives, prospects in the U.S. Senate, developments in Albany, and GNYHA activities;

• heard a report on CMS's recently launched hospital report card pilot program;

• was briefed on the expected release of CMS's proposed rule for the Medicare Inpatient Psychiatric Prospective Payment System;

• was briefed on GNYHA's initiatives to improve the revenue cycle, including advocacy with payers and individualized hospital assistance;

• was briefed on GNYHA's activities to help members prepare for possible terrorist attacks, including the preparation of guidelines on measures providers should take within each threat alert level.