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GRHA Newsletter
Week of June 1, 2012

www.grhainfo.org

[email protected]
478-552-3620

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Georgia Rural Health Association (GRHA) is the oldest state rural health association in the country. Founded in 1981, this nonprofit network of healthcare providers, educators, and individuals is united in its commitment to improve the health and healthcare services of rural Georgians. Join now!

FY 2012 GRHA Board of Directors

President

Sallie Barker

Immediate Past President

Nannette Turner

President Elect

Denise Kornegay

Vice President

Ann Addison

Treasurer

Sheila Freeman

Secretary

Deidre Howell

Board Members

Carla Belcher

Laura Bland Gillman

Sue Nieman

Charles Owens

Chris Parker

Carie Summers

Paula Guy

Monty M. Veazey

Shelley Spires

Joseph Barrow

Robert J. Briscione

Matt Caseman 

 

Meet our Board of Directors

  GRHA Welcomes

     New Member

 

Individual Member

Steve Wall

GRHA Corporate Members

 

Summit Funding Group

 

Platinum Corporate Sponsor PPHS

 

 

Peach State Health Plan 

  

 

GACH   

 

Blue Cross Blue Shield 

 

Coca Cola 


   

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gaphc  


Three new resources from the Kaiser Family Foundation's Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured examine key trends in the evolution of state Medicaid programs and the terminology underlying some of those efforts.

 

 

 

georgia map

Community Facilities Funds Available from USDA

 

USDA, Rural Development Community Facilities Program  

June Health Observances

 

 Top Three Version 5010 Claims Submission Tips
 
The Version 5010 transaction standards have different requirements than those of Version 4010 and 4010A.

 

There are a few things to keep in mind for processing your Version 5010 claims, which should help avoid unnecessary rejections:
ZIP Code: You need to include a complete 9-digit ZIP code for the billing provider and service facility location. You should work with your vendor to make sure that your system captures the full 9-digit ZIP.
Billing Provider Address: You need to use a physical address for your Billing Provider Address. Version 5010 does not allow for use of a PO Box address for either professional or institutional claim formats. You can still use a PO Box, however, as your address for payments and correspondence from payers as long as you report this location as a pay-to address. National Provider Identifier (NPI): You were previously allowed to report an Employer's Identification Number (Tax ID) or Social Security Number (SSN) as a primary identifier for the billing provider. For Version 5010 claims, however, you are only allowed to report an NPI as a primary identifier.

 

For additional help with your Version 5010 upgrade and Medicare claims, you can contact your Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC). If you experience difficulty reaching a MAC, you should send a message describing your issue to [email protected]
with "5010 Extension" in the subject line.

For those who want to stay up to date through social networks, please like the Georgia Rural Health Association Facebook page and follow us on Twitter! 

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By joining our social media sites, you have the ability to stay updated on the latest rural health information in Georgia. Please help us spread the word! Thank you for your support and feel free to contact us with any questions.

 
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Notice
GRHA circulates state and national news as an information service only. Inclusion of information is not intended as an endorsement.

2012 Georgia Rural Health Association 

Annual Conference

September 17 -19, 2012

Callaway Gardens, Pine Mountain, GA

2012 Annual conference logo

   CALL FOR SPEAKER SESSIONS 

 Deadline extended to July 1, 2012

 

 Deadline extended to September 7, 2012

 

Deadline is August 1, 2012

 

Callaway Gardens Resort  

Reservations: 1-888-312-8002

Ask for GRHA Rate

 
REGISTER FOR CONFERENCE NOW AND SAVE 50% ON FIRST YEAR GRHA MEMBERSHIP 
OFFER AVAILABLE
MAY 21,  2012 TO AUG. 23, 2012

 

 

NEW THIS YEAR!
Presenting
Diamond
Platinum
The Rural Hospital Advantage

 

The National Rural Health Association released a report that compares the effectiveness of rural and urban hospitals. On most measures, rural hospitals compare quite favorably with their urban counterparts.

 

In fact, the study finds that, when matched against urban hospitals,  "rural hospitals have achieved a noteworthy level of comparative performance..." Rural health care is not more expensive than care in urban areas, and rural care is equal to, if not better, than care given in urban hospitals.

 

The comparison was done by iVantage Health Analytics, a private health care research company. Below are excerpts from the report. The company collected data on Medicare costs and health outcomes for doctors and hospitals for a 12 month period and then divided the results into rural and urban groups based on zip code. 

 

Daily Yonder  full Story

Healthy Schools Program Enrollment Opportunity

 

There are still spots available for schools and districts in Georgia to receive 4 years of free, onsite technical support through the Healthy Schools Program.
 
The Healthy Schools Program can provide the following at NO COST!  
The Healthy Schools Program will:
1.    Provide on-site support and technical assistance, for up to four years, to schools and districts to support their efforts to improve nutrition, physical activity and staff wellness. 
2.    Provide an annual report that can be distributed to schools, district and community members. 
3.    Assist district and schools enrolled in the program to create an overall Healthy School environment that focuses on the following seven categories
a.    Policy/Systems
b.    School Meals
c.    Competitive Food and Beverages
d.    Physical Education
e.    Health Education
f.     Employee Wellness
g.    Student Wellness
4.    Broker local, state and national resources to support school in implementing action plans
Why try to accomplish all this on your own?  Take advantage of this FREE resource offered through the Healthy Schools Program.  Hurry, spots are limited.      
We are here to help. Please contact Adrienne Gil, Georgia Relationship Manager for more information 404-308-0510 or [email protected]

Small Hospitals and EHRs

By Marty Stempniak  

 

Hospitals and Health NetworksHospitals increasingly are using electronic health records to improve health care. But smaller, rural or nonteaching hospitals are trailing the big boys, and the gap is growing larger, according to a recent study published in Health Affairs and co-authored by the American Hospital Association.

 

The AHA analyzed national survey data on U.S. hospitals from 2011, when federal incentives started to kick in for the meaningful use of electronic health records. They found that the number of providers using EHR systems increased from 15.1 percent in 2010 to 26.6 percent last year.

 

In addition, the number of hospitals using "comprehensive" data systems - containing patient demographics, care histories, lab results, etc. - rose from 3.6 to 8.7 percent, year to year. However, hospitals in rural areas had the lowest rate of adoption out of any group analyzed, according to the AHA, with just 19.4 percent having basic EHR systems in 2011.

 

Read More

National Cancer Survivors Day�

Sunday, June 3, 2012

 

 From family members to close friends, everyone knows someone whose life has been touched by cancer. On Sunday, June 3, 2012, hundreds of communities throughout the world will observe the 25th annual National Cancer Survivors Day. Communities will host events on this day to honor cancer survivors and show that life after a cancer diagnosis can be meaningful, fulfilling, and even inspiring.National Cancer Survivors Day is a cherished annual worldwide celebration of life. It is a day for everyone, whether you're a cancer survivor, a family member, friend, or medical professional. This day provides an opportunity for all people living with a history of cancer - including America?s 12 million cancer survivors - to connect with each other, celebrate milestones, and recognize the healthcare providers, family, and friends who have supported them along the way. "A 'survivor' is anyone living with a history of cancer - from the moment of diagnosis through the remainder of life," according to the National Cancer Survivors Day Foundation. 

 
Mark Your Calendar

 

 

2012 18th Annual SHIP Directors' Conference  

Jun 4 - 7, 2012 

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services

Marriott Marquis

Atlanta, GA

For more information, contact:

[email protected]

https://meetinglink.org/ship12/default.aspx 

 

 

 

What: "The Road to Freedom," a Policy Briefing Luncheon

Who: Arthur C. Brooks

When: Noon, Wednesday, Jun 27, 2011

Where: The Georgian Club, 100 Galleria Parkway, Suite 1700, Atlanta, GA 30339

Register by Monday, June 25, online at http://tinyurl.com/y27h3dk

Directions:  http://tinyurl.com/4cf9yy2

 

2012 Annual National Forum on Education Policy  

July 9 - 11, 2012 

Education Commission of the States
InterContinental Buckhead Atlanta Hotel
Atlanta, GA
For more information, contact:

303.299.3621

[email protected] 

 

2012Georgia Rural Health Association Annual Conference

September 17-19, 2012

Registration 

 

20th Annual NALBOH Conference

Aug 8 - 10, 2012

National Association of Local Boards of Health

Hyatt Regency Downtown

Atlanta, GA

For more information, contact:

Tracy Schupp

[email protected]

http://www.nalboh.org/NALBOH_Conference.htm

 

2012 Annual NASCSP Conference

Sep 11 - 14, 2012 

National Association for State Community Services Programs

Grand Hyatt Atlanta

Atlanta, GA

http://www.nascsp.org/Events.aspx?id=130 

 

 

 

 


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