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Important Dates
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4/26- Health Education Conference Call
5/11-12 MFPA in-person meeting
5/16-17- Havre Program Review
5/18-19- Great Falls Program Review
5/31- OPA Sustainability Survey Due
6/14-15- Helena Program Review
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Quote of the Week
Never lose your hunger for new knowledge and new experiences.
~Carolyn Robb
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| Title X 340B Recertification Webinar | |  Title X 340B Recertification Webinar
The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Office of Pharmacy Affairs (OPA) is required to recertify all participating covered entities enrolled in the 340B Program annually to ensure all covered entities are appropriately listed on the 340B database and that all covered entities remain compliant with the 340B Program requirements.
To help covered entities with recertification the OPA will hold a webinar on April 27, 2016 at 1:00 PM EST. Please see the detail information regarding the webinar below:
Meeting Name: HRSA, OPA 340B Drug Pricing Program Recertification
When: April 27, 2016, 1:00PM - 2:00 PM Eastern time
Conference Number(s): 888-787-0207
Participant Code: 7814467
In addition to the webinar, OPA suggests the following steps to ensure a smooth recertification: Visit the 340B Program database and verify that your covered entities information is correct and that the listed sites remain eligible to participate in 340B. It is the covered entities responsibility to keep its 340B database record up-to-date, this includes contract pharmacies. The database record should reflect the covered entities current information. If your covered entity's record is incorrect, please update it prior to the recertification process by submitting an online change request to OPA.
Questions regarding registration, change requests, or recertification may be directed to the 340B Prime Vendor Program at 1-888-340-2787, or by sending an e-mail to ApexusAnswers@340bpvp.com.
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| Zika Virus: What you need to know | |  Zika Virus: What you need to know The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has created resources and tools for health care providers about the Zika Virus Disease including symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention methods. Visit FPNTC's Zika Virus page to access these resources, as well as information to share directly with clients. |
| CMS Releases Informational Bulletin on State Payment Approaches to Improve LARC Access | |  CMS Releases Informational Bulletin on State Payment Approaches to Improve LARC Access
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released an informational bulletin on state Medicaid payment approaches to improving long-acting reversible contraception (LARC) access. This bulletin stems from the work of the Center for Medicaid and CHIP Services' (CMCS) Maternal and Infant Health Initiative, which was launched in July 2014 to improve maternal and infant health outcomes. The initiative has two primary goals: 1) increasing the rate and improving the content of postpartum visits; and 2) increasing access to and use of effective methods of contraception.
Today's information bulletin is designed to assist states in optimizing the existing statutory flexibilities to optimize LARC utilization and access. The bulletin identifies LARC reimbursement strategies implemented in a number of states; these strategies are responsive to some of the challenges and opportunities shared with CMCS by NFPRHA and other stakeholders, including through a September 2014 technical review panel.
The bulletin identifies five broad categories of strategies that can be used by states to improve LARC access:
- Provide timely, patient-centered comprehensive coverage for the provision of contraceptive services (e.g., contraception counseling; insertion, removal, replacement, or reinsertion of LARC or other contraceptive devices) for women of reproductive age.
- Raising payment rates to providers for LARC or other contraceptive devices in order to ensure that providers offer the full range of contraceptive methods.
- Reimbursing for immediate postpartum insertion of LARC by unbundling payment for LARC from other labor and delivery services.
- Removing logistical barriers for supply management of LARC devices (e.g., addressing supply chain, acquisition, stocking cost, and disposal cost issues).
- Removing administrative barriers for provision of LARC (e.g., allowing for billing office visits and LARC procedures on the same day; removing preauthorization requirements).
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| U.S. Teen Pregnancy, Birth and Abortion Rates Reach the Lowest Levels in Almost Four Decades | |  U.S. Teen Pregnancy, Birth and Abortion Rates Reach the Lowest Levels in Almost Four Decades
Rates Declined Dramatically in All States and Among All Racial and Ethnic Groups, but Disparities Remain
Teen pregnancy, birth and abortion rates in the United States all reached new historic lows in 2011, according to two new analyses from the Guttmacher Institute. In 2011, about 553,000 pregnancies occurred among teen women aged 15-19, for a national rate of 52.4 pregnancies per 1,000 women in that age-group. This is the lowest rate observed in the last four decades, and it marks a 23% decline from the 2008 teen pregnancy rate of 68.2. National teen birth and abortion rates have also declined sharply: in 2011, there were 31.3 births per 1,000 teen women (down from 40.2 in 2008) and 13.5 abortions per 1,000 teen women (down from 18.1 in 2008).
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| STD Awareness Month Social Media | | |
Join the Conversation on Social Media for STD Awareness Month
To recognize National STD Awareness Month, the National Coalition of STD Directors (NCSD) has created a number of materials including a sample op-ed, social media posts, and advocacy materials. Participate during the month of April using the hashtag #STDMonth16. Instructions for the Thunderclap, which is a website that posts to social media on your behalf at a scheduled time, will soon be available on NCSD's website. Examples of social media posts, including the ones listed below, can be found here. (PDF) For additional ways to get involved, go to the NCSD website.
Sample social media posts:
- There are 20 mil new cases of STDs in the U.S every year. Do you know what you should be tested for? on.mtv.com/1CdVtN8 #STDMonth16
- Half of all sexually active young people will get an STD before the age of 25. Most won't know it. gettested.cdc.gov/ #STDMonth16
- April is STD Awareness Month, the perfect time to take charge of your sexual health and get tested gettested.cdc.gov/ #STDMonth16
- Talk w/your health care provider & make sure you're getting recommended sexual health care services bit.ly/11ledwG #STDMonth16
- 5 key steps you can take 2 improve your #sexualhealth, regardless of your age or the type of relationship bit.ly/1tM0Ewe #STDMonth16
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| STD TAC Resources | |  STD TAC Resources
RN Billing FAQs: Detailed answers to frequently asked questions about RN billing for STD services.
Don't forget to register for the upcoming webinar, "Show Me the Money: Improving Accounts Receivable Management" on Wednesday May 4th, 2016 at 2pm ET.
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| National Women's Health Week | |  National Women's Health Week is May 8-14, 2016. |
| Health Apps and Their Reliability | | |
 Patients increasingly rely on mobile health apps, but their reliability is an issue
The app that Hadduck tried is one of more than 165,000 involving health and wellness currently available for download - a blending of technology and healthcare that has grown dramatically in the last few years. Experts see almost unlimited promise in the rise of mobile medical apps, but they also point out that regulation is sometimes lagging the pace of innovation, which could harm consumers.
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| Title X Sustainability Assessment Data Collection 2016 | | Title X Sustainability Assessment Data Collection 2016
Title X Service Sites,
OPA thanks you for all who could participate in the Sustainability Survey webinar last week. They received a lot of great questions and feedback.
Services sites asked for more time to complete the assessment. As a result, they have extended the due date to May 31st to give you plenty of time to gather information and not be rushed to complete this.
A couple of reminders:
- While there needs to be a survey for each services site, sub-recipients and satellite clinics should work together to complete the survey
- WMHS is working with Ahlers to provide the requested FPAR and chlamydia screening data for you to enter into the survey
What will be reported? All activities that relate to sustainability that occur at a Title X service site should be reported. OPA will be asking services sites to report data on five priority areas: - Enrollment activities (including Plan First)
- Primary care
- Electronic Health Records (EHR) system
- Quality improvement
- Revenue
Reporting Process |
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