NACCHO recently released a toolkit with resources, templates, and tools for LHDs to use and develop capacity to bill third-party payers for immunization services. More than 150 resources are available from state billing guides, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, state health departments, LHDs, insurance companies, and vendors of products such as electronic medical records and billing clearinghouses. Specifically, the toolkit provides the following information:

• Details on how to get started, such as credentialing steps and contracting processes;
• How to submit claims; and
• Steps for establishing billing procedures for other clinical services.

To view and download these tools, please log in or create a NACCHO account here. You do not have to be associated with an LHD to access these, or any other tools, within NACCHO's website. If you would like to share your tools, resources, or best practices, please email Rebecca Gehring at rgehring@naccho.org. All tools and resources will be credited to their original author and organization. For general reference, please see the provided fact sheet.

  

Evidence-Based HPV and Adult Immunization Project Funding The Department of Health and Human Services' National Vaccine Program Office (NVPO) recently released a Request for Proposals to fund evidence-based HPV and adult immunization projects (e.g., influenza and Tdap). Funding can be used for community interventions up to $10,000 and systems interventions up to $50,000. JBS International, Inc., is a contractor with NVPO and will subcontract with organizations that are awarded funding. The deadline to submit proposals is December 21, 2012 (3:00 PM EDT).
 
Clinician Telephone Consultation for Fungal Meningitis Cases CDC established the Clinicians Consultation Network (CCN) to support clinicians in treating patients associated with the multistate fungal meningitis outbreak. The CCN is a free, telephone-based service of experts in fungal disease treatment and management. To access the service, physicians should call 1-800-CDC-INFO and then select the appropriate prompts. A CDC-INFO call agent will verify each physician's role in direct patient management before directing him or her to the CCN. Call operating hours are 8:00 AM - 8:00 PM EDT, Monday through Friday, except for federal holidays.

HealthMap Vaccine Finder: Become a Listed Provider for Immunizations List Your Influenza and Adult Vaccine Clinics with HealthMap Vaccine Finder! Local public health departments are encouraged to register their influenza and adult immunization services on HealthMap Vaccine Finder. The public can now find real-time influenza vaccination clinics at local health departments, pharmacies, and other influenza vaccination venues by using this free, online resource.

Control of Foodborne and Waterborne Diseases Course CDC and Emory University's Rollins School of Public Health will sponsor an environmental microbiology course, Control of Foodborne and Waterborne Diseases, in Atlanta, Georgia (January 7-12, 2013). This six-day course on the surveillance of foodborne and waterborne diseases is designed for public health practitioners and other students interested in the safety of food and water.

2013 NACCHO Annual: Call for Sharing Session Proposals Submit your session proposal for an opportunity to share your knowledge and expertise with peers at 2013's largest gathering of local health officials in the United States! For questions or additional information, contact the NACCHO Annual speaker coordinator at  nacchospeakers@conferencemanagers.com or 703-964-1240, ext. 11. 

Association of Childhood Pertussis With Receipt of 5 Doses of Pertussis Vaccine by Time Since Last Vaccine Dose, California, 2010
Misegades LK, Winter K, Harriman K, Talarico J, Messonnier NE, Clark TA, et al. JAMA. 2012 Nov 28; 308(20): 2126-32.