Weekly E-Blast:
Voicing the latest news on Communities in Need
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In light of the Baltimore Riots, MACHC has coordinated a meeting on May 29th with Baltimore City Health Department, please look on the EP section for details. All Baltimore Health Centers rep is invited to attend.
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Have news to share with us? Want to be featured on our next E-Digest? Want to read about something in particular? Please email us at aneeqa@machc.com.
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Welcome new CEOs to our Health Centers!!!
MACHC would like to extend a warm welcome to Shirley Sutton, CEO of Baltimore Medical Systems AND Ephraim Kaba, Interim CEO of Henrietta Johnson Medical Center! Please extend your hearty welcome to them as you meet and greet them in the coming weeks!
MACHC introduces new COO & Data Analyst:
Please join MACHC in welcome two new members to our team: Dr. Judy Lapinski as the new COO of MACHC and John Andrew Young, as the new data anaylst.
Dr. Lapinski comes to MACHC with 18 years of healthcare experience including administrative oversight, clinical operations, financial management, pharmacy, 340b program management, project management, cost reduction strategies, quality improvement, program building, personnel development, team building, and strategies for improved patient experience. Dr. Lapinski most recently served as the Chief Operating Officer for one of the larger FQHCs in Maryland.
John Andrew has worked with a wide array of agencies that deliver whole-person healthcare services to vulnerable populations. He brings quality improvement, cost-effectiveness analysis, capacity building, and advocacy experiences to MACHC. John Andrew received his BA in Political Science in 2012 from the Birmingham-Southern College and his MPH with a concentration in Quantitative Policy Analysis in 2015 from the School of Public Health at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
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Reminder:
MACHC Announces its Newly Launched Provider Credentialing Services (look under Shared Services Corner)
For a subscription cost, MACHC will provide initial and re-credentialing services to our members.
For more information please contact Bernadette Johnson at bernadette@machc.com
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*Please note that the MACHC conference day(s) for June and Board of Directors meeting dates have been changed. Changes reflected below.
(2) June 18-19, 2015
Clinical/Informatics
Maritime Conference Center- Lithicum, MD
(3) September 17-18, 2015
Operations Leadership
Turf Valley Conf. Ctr., MD
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Board of Directors Meetings:
(Third Friday @ 11:00 a.m.)
April 17, 2015
Conference Call
11 am - 1pm
June 18, 2015
Face to face
11 am - 1pm
Maritime Conference Center
September 17, 2015
Board Retreat
Turf Valley
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(1) Using a Clinic-Based Screening Tool for Primary Care Providers to Identify Commercially Sexually Exploited Children Webinar - Monday, May 18, 2015, 1:00pm - 3:00pm, ET. The Administration for Children and Families in coordination with the Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations, Migrant Clinicians Network, and the National Health Care for the Homeless Council is hosting this webinar to highlight the importance of identifying victims of human trafficking in health care settings
(2) Legal Considerations
Tuesday, May 19, 2015 3:00 pm
This is the second installment for the Payment Reform Webinar Series.
In preparation for the payment reform summit, this webinar will provide background about state payment reform efforts, as well as terminology commonly used. Register here.
(3) FQHC Medicare PPS transition: Pitfalls, hurdles, and lessons learned in the first wave Register Here
The "new" FQHC Medicare Prospective Payment System (PPS) is intended to ensure that FQHCs receive appropriate reimbursement for services provided to Medicare patients. Early results disclose that unanticipated challenges continue to plague FQHCs transitioning from the Medicare cost-based all-inclusive rate payment model to the "new" PPS payment methodology. The first wave of transitions has revealed unexpected outcomes in a number of crucial areas impacting payment.
You won't want to miss Part 2 of our Medicare PPS webinar series on
Wednesday, May 20th at noon EST
(4) Addressing the Social Determinants of Health at Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and other Pacific Islander Health Centers Webinar - Wednesday, May 20, 2015, 2:00pm - 3:00pm, ET
BPHC is hosting this webinar to highlight how addressing the social determinants of health at Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and other Pacific Islander Health Centers can positively impact access to quality health care. This webinar will feature speakers from the Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations and Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center.
View the webinar the day of the session. Connect to the audio line using 1-888-469-2151; Participant Code: 4463737.
(5) Health People 2020 Tobacco Webinar - Thursday, May 21, 2015, 12:00pm - 1:00pm, ETJoin this Healthy People 2020 webinar focused on activities and interventions related to tobacco cessation and prevention. The webinar will explore the importance of tobacco cessation efforts and the progress being made to address this public health issue.
View more information and register for the webinar
Participants will learn to critically assess the strengths and weakness of qualitative research papers and evaluation projects and contribute to the development of a qualitative research or evaluation project This Open Office Session will address follow-up questions from the May 13, 2015 "Managing 340B Inventory and Associated Data Vulnerabilities in a Physical System" webinar.
(8) Delaware Health Care Commission June 4, 2015 at 9am
Corporate Training Center
Rooms 400A-B
100 Campus Drive
Dover, DE 19904
(9) Managing Ambulatory Health Care I (MAHC I): Introductory Course for Clinicians in Community Health Centers
June 15-18, 2015 - Portland, Oregon
EARLY BIRD DEADLINE: June 1 Apply here.
This four-day course goes beyond the basics of being a new clinical director in a FQHC. This course focuses on skills that are essential in the community health center environment. You will learn specific management skills that are essential in the community health center environment:
- Financial management
- The enhanced role of the medical director (dental, behavioral health, etc.)
- Clinical operations
- Productivity management
- Performance compensation
(10) Patient-Centered Medical Home Training "Completing the Journey to 2014 NCQA PCMH Recognition" June 15-16, 2015
The Sheraton Harrisburg/Hershey
Harrisburg, PA Register Here.
Contact Cheryl Bumgardner for more information
(11) Save the Date for the Maryland Chronic Disease Conference
On September 8-9, 2015 in Baltimore, Maryland, DHMH will be hosting the Inaugural Chronic Disease Conference. The Maryland Chronic Disease Conference aims to explore challenges and opportunities in public health as well as approaches to prevent and control chronic diseases and associated risk factors. The conference will identify best practices, examine existing barriers, and develop a roadmap for future programs in Maryland. The core focus of the Conference will be the four CDC Chronic Disease Domains-Epidemiology/Surveillance; Environmental Approaches; Health Care System Interventions and Community Programs Linked to Clinical Services.
For more information please visit: Maryland Chronic Disease Conference
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Emergency Preparedness Events:
(1) FQHC MEETING WITH BALTIMORE CITY HEALTH DEPT:
Friday, May 29th from 2pm -3pm
1001 East Fayette Street, Baltimore MD
(2) EMERGENCY RESPONSE SYMPOSIUM: REGIONAL RESPONSE TO CRITICAL INCIDENTS IN THE 21st CENTURY
DATE: WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3, 2015
TIME: 8:30 AM - REGISTRATION 9:00 AM TO 5:00 PM - WORKSHOP
PLACE: UNIVERSITIES AT SHADY GROVE CONFERENCE CENTER BUILDING II, 9630 GUDELSKY DRIVE, ROCKVILLE, MD 20850
REGISTRATION DEADLINE: MAY 29, 2015
Corrected Registration Phone#: 301-474-1485
FOCUS: COORDINATED MULTI-DISCIPLINARY, MULTI- JURISDICTIONAL RESPONSE TO CRITICAL, HIGH-IMPACT INCIDENTS. THIS WILL INCLUDE LESSONS LEARNED FROM:
* BOSTON MARATHON BOMBING
* AURORA THEATER SHOOTINGS
* JOPLIN TORNADO
RESPONSE LEADERS FROM THESE EVENTS WILL PROVIDE THEIR FIRST-HAND IN-DEPTH ANALYSIS. LOCAL LEADERS FROM EMERGENCY RESPONSE DISCIPLINES WILL LEARN
TO APPLY THOSE LESSONS TO LOCAL STRATEGIES
PEDIATRIC CARE DURING MASS CASUALTY EVENTS: UNDERSTANDING SURGE AND BUILDING CAPACITY
(3) UNDERSTANDING SURGE AND BUILDING CAPACITY
Date: Friday, June 12, 2015 0730 to 1530 hours
Description: Although Maryland's pediatric population accounts for approximately 25-30% of the state's overall population, the majority of Emergency Support Function: Public Health and Medical Services (ESF #8) activities have only addressed issues related to adult victims and patients. Limited training opportunities coupled with inadequate pediatric critical care and surge capacity and capability within Maryland creates gaps and challenges in emergency preparedness and response efforts for those who are most vulnerable and require specialized care. This one-day event seeks to bridge those gaps and begin the process of overcoming those challenges.
Goal: To enhance the capacity and capability of healthcare providers and members of healthcare coalitions to attend to the special needs of pediatric populations during mass casualty events.
Objectives: After attending this session, participants will be able to:
- Recognize the special needs of pediatric populations during mass casualty events;
- Foster collaborative working relationships between non-pediatric and pediatric healthcare providers;
- Initiate and provide effective healthcare interventions to pediatric victims and patients as mass casualty surge grows.
Audience: Healthcare providers at all levels, nurses and physicians from all specialty areas, and EMS.
Location: The Maritime Institute of Technology and Graduate Studies,
692 Maritime Boulevard, Linthicum Heights, MD 21090, United States
Event cost Free
Registration Required: https://trams.jhsph.edu/trams/index.cfm?event=training.catalogDisplay&trainingID=736
CE Credits: Educational Credit will be Available
(4) MGT 433: Isolation and Quarantine for Rural Communities & PER 308: Rural Isolation and Quarantine for Public Health and Healthcare Professionals.
Register hereMGT 433 (8am-12pm) is designed to provide small, rural and remote communities with the knowledge, skills and abilities to effectively plan for and respond to events that require isolation and/or quarantine of their populations. PER 308 (1-5pm) expands on the concepts presented in MGT 433. It consists of two customized training modules that are specifically tailored toward course participants from the public health and medical fields.
Date: June 26, 2015
Time: 8:00am - 12:00pm AND 1:00 - 5:00pm
Location: Eastern Shore Hospital Center, Cambridge, MD
Registration deadline: June 12, 2015
How Prepared Is Your Community for an Emergency?
Download the kit checklist:
Family communication and evacuation plan:
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ATTENTION MD FQHCS
2. DHMH Satellite Phone Recall FQHCs that still have the satellite phones distributed by DHMH 4 years ago, please send them back to:
L. Kay Webster, MPH
Office of Preparedness & Response
Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
300 W. Preston Street, Ste. 202
Baltimore, MD 21201
3. Please get in touch with your Regional Coordinators if you have not already done so and be more active in your Regional Coalition. You should already have their contacts in emails I have sent within this year numerous times. Please find them below:
Regions I and II Health Care Coalition
[Allegany, Frederick, Garrett and Washington Counties]
Alison Robinson
Allegany County Health Department
12501 Willowbrook Road
Cumberland, MD 21502
301-759-5238 (Office)
443-934-2232 (Mobile)
301-777-2069 (Fax)
alison.robinson@maryland.gov
Region III Health and Medical Task Force
[Baltimore City; Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Carroll, Harford and Howard Counties]
Edward Johnson
Harford County Health Department
120 S. Hays Street, Suite 230
Bel Air, MD 21014
410-877-1031 (Office)
443-388-6290 (Mobile)
410-420-3448 (Fax)
edward.johnson@maryland.gov
Region IV -
[Caroline, Cecil, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne's, Somerset, Talbot, Wicomico and Worcester Counties]
Kristin McMenamin
Kent County Health Department
A.F. Whitsitt Center
300 Scheeler Road, P.O. Box 229
Chestertown, MD 21620
410-778-4861 (Office)
443-690-3091 (Mobile)
410-778-4862 (Fax)
kristin.mcmenamin@maryland.gov
Region V Emergency Preparedness Coalition
[Calvert, Charles, Montgomery, Prince George's and St. Mary's Counties]
Vacant - To be filled
Intermittent Coordinator:
L. Kay Webster, MPH
Office of Preparedness & Response
Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
300 W. Preston Street, Ste. 202
Baltimore, MD 21201
4. Find ATTACHED (Please click here) the guide was developed to provide hospitals in California with a useful tool for developing and implementing effective respiratory protection programs, with an emphasis on protecting health care workers from aerosol transmissible diseases. It was prepared by the Occupational Health Branch (OHB) of the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) with funding from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOS H) National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory (NPPTL). It sure looks like something that we can perhaps modify for Maryland.
, you will find the template for setting up a respiratory protection program in hospitals.
5. MACHC conducted two FQHCs with Planning for Onsite Drill/Exercise in February 5th & 6th, 2015. The follow up call with ALL MACHC member health centers and partners was held Thursday, March 12th. Due to the large file size of Active Shooter documents, an email to all attendees and FQHC POIs was sent out. Please alert Aneeqa Chowdhury (aneeqa@machc.com) if you have not received the link.
6. MACHC provided support to all Baltimore Health Centers during the Baltimore Riots end of April-May 2015. We thank all of our member FQHCs and partners for the support and seamless communication which created transparency and effective communication of needs during the pressing time. Please email us at MACHC if you have any comments regarding the events that occurred.
*** Look for the latest EP related updates RIGHT HERE!
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Policy, Advocacy and Legislation
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HRSA awards $5 million to support families of children with special health care needs
Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act funds support Family-to-Family Health Information Centers in all 50 states and District of Columbia
The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) announced $5 million in new and continuing competitive grant awards to support Family-to-Family Health Information Centers, primarily non-profit organizations run by and for families with children and youth with special health care needs. Funding for the centers was extended through fiscal year 2017 by the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015
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NPR's Audie Cornish talks with Baltimore City Health Commissioner Leana Wen about the public health needs of the city's residents and the steps she wants to take to meet those needs.
AUDIE CORNISH, HOST:
We're going to hear some ideas now from someone who's working on that long-term project, Leana Wen. She is an emergency physician, and four months ago she became Baltimore's health commissioner. In the days since the unrest, she's been talking a lot about the role of public health in addressing the city's ills. First on her agenda - reaching the people she sees as the most vulnerable.
The federal government opened the door to a new era of genetic medicine on Thursday by introducing a standard way to ensure the accuracy of DNA tests used to tailor treatments for individual patients. Scientists have identified hundreds of genetic mutations that appear to increase the risk of diseases, including cancer, Alzheimer's and cystic fibrosis. But laboratories often report different results when they analyze genes obtained from samples of the same blood or tissue, because of variations in their testing equipment and methods
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Feds Say That In Screening Colonoscopies, Anesthesia Comes With No Charge
Earlier this week the federal government clarified that insurers can't charge people for anesthesia administered during a free colonoscopy to screen for colorectal cancer. That's good news for consumers, some of whom have been charged hundreds of dollars for anesthesia after undergoing what they thought would be a free test. But the government guidance leaves important questions unanswered."
More than a year after a scandal erupted over the cover-up of long wait times at VA care facilities, the effort to reform the agency is a long way from finished. The flurry of legislation that started shortly after the cover-up was exposed continues, often with VA employees the target. The bills reveal differing congressional philosophies but don't always break along party lines. And the first law to emerge in the wake of the scandal is now the subject of a constitutional challenge.
The House on Wednesday voted to ban most abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy, approving a revised version of a bill that Republican leaders had abruptly pulled in January amid objections from some of their own members. The measure passed in a 242-to-184 vote, with one member voting present. The bill dropped a provision in the original version that would have required women who became pregnant through rape to report their assault to law enforcement authorities to be eligible for an abortion after 20 weeks of pregnancy
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NACHC Urges HRSA to Fund More NAPs
When health center continuation funding after September 2015 was uncertain, the Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) had planned to hold back a portion of the Fiscal Year 2015 funding as a several month buffer if the primary care cliff hit. With the passage of H.R. 2, the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015, which extends mandatory funding for health centers for an additional two years, there is now stability for the health center program. Therefore, NACHC is urging HRSA to fund more of the New Access Point applications that achieved fundable scores, but are in queue.
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As Plan Networks Narrow, States Work to Ensure They Still Meet Patients' Needs
As more insurers limit their network of health care providers as a way to constrain costs, concerns are rising about whether these "narrow network plans" are jeopardizing access and putting patients at risk for out-of-network costs. In a new issue brief, Georgetown University researchers explore how states are applying the Affordable Care Act's national standards for ensuring consumers have good access to providers. The law's regulations give states leeway in determining if an insurer has complied with the rules and to enforce additional, state-specific network rules.
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Three quarters of patients readmitted to a hospital after being discharged return to the same hospital, according to a new AHRQ-funded study. Researchers found that patients admitted for orthopedic conditions and patients who entered the hospital through the emergency department were the most likely to have a same-hospital readmission. Regarding readmissions overall, the highest rates were found in patients aged 65 to 84, though patients aged 45 to 64 who underwent spinal fusion had similar readmission rates. The condition most commonly associated with readmission was heart failure, and the conditions for which a readmission was least likely were hip and knee arthroplasty. Women made up a larger portion of readmissions across all conditions, except for heart attack. To conduct this research, investigators used the State Inpatient Databases, a component of AHRQ's Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP). They analyzed data on adults discharged from hospitals in 16 states. HCUP is the nation's most comprehensive source of hospital data, including information on inpatient care, ambulatory care, and emergency department visits.
A genetic analysis of HIV samples taken from about half the people infected in the largest HIV outbreak in Indiana history shows nearly all of them have the same strain of the virus, a finding one health expert says is a sobering reminder of how rapidly HIV can spread among intravenous drug users. (5/14)A genetic analysis of HIV samples taken from about half the people infected in the largest HIV outbreak in Indiana history shows nearly all of them have the same strain of the virus, a finding one health expert says is a sobering reminder of how rapidly HIV can spread among intravenous drug users.
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Aetna Foundation, HHS, and the National Health IT Collaborative for the Underserved are working in partnership to leverage IT innovations to reduce disparities in health among underserved and minority communities. Through this business plan challenge, the organizations seek to identify innovative approaches to increasing health equity and impacting chronic issues in underserved populations.
Proposals are being accepted for the Challenge through Wednesday, July 22, 2015.
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SOUTHERN DE MENTAL HEALTH SYSTEM - Focus of 2015 Rural Health Initiative Conference, May 19, 2015, Heritage Shores Club - Ballroom,
One Heritage Shores Circle, Route 113 South, Bridgeville, DE 19933 Register hereAgenda topics include:
SBIRT (Screening, Brief Intervention, Referral & Treatment), the Heroin Epidemic,
Peer Support Services, Developing Stress Resiliency, Integrative Care,
State and Federal Health Policy, and more!
Delaware's Health Insurance Marketplace: Update on Activity
Please click here for the slides from the meeting
Delaware's State Innovation Model (SIM) Update
Here are the slides
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More than 4,700 Marylanders took advantage of a special sixweek enrollment period that allowed them to enroll for health insurance to avoid an additional federal tax penalty for 2015 if they had already owed a tax penalty for lacking health coverage in 2014. Marylanders who applied for the special enrollment period, which ran from March 15 through yesterday, attested that they owe the penalty for lacking health insurance in 2014 and that they became aware of this after the Feb. 15 close of open enrollment for 2015 coverage. The tax penalty imposed for individuals who did not have health coverage in 2014 was 1 percent of gross household income over the federal income tax filing threshold, or $95 per individual - whichever is greater. For 2015, the penalty increases to 2 percent of gross household income over the federal income tax filing threshold, or $325 per individual - whichever is greater. As of April 29, 125,535 Marylanders have enrolled in Qualified Health Plans through Maryland Health Connection, and 248,475 Marylanders have enrolled in Medicaid since Nov. 15, 2014. The QHP enrollment total includes the 4,709 people during the tax special enrollment period. Medicaid and Maryland Children's Health Program enrollment is 1,266,186 as of April 29. Since Dec. 31, 2013, the net change in Medicaid enrollment is +263,329 as of April 29. This figure takes into account that individuals lose Medicaid coverage because of changes in household, age and income, as well as redeterminations. Marylanders who are eligible for Medicaid are not affected by the tax special enrollment period. People can apply for Medicaid at any time and enroll year-round. Marylanders who are eligible for Medicaid may have coverage starting immediately. Even though open enrollment for qualified health plans through Maryland Health Connection is closed, Marylanders with life changes can enroll online at MarylandHealthConnection.gov, by calling 1-855-642-8572 (TTY: 1-855-642-8573) or through in-person assistance also listed on the website.
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1 In 4 Adults Had Insurance But Still Couldn't Afford Medical Care
More than 1 in 4 adults who bought insurance for themselves or their families last year had to skip needed medical care because they couldn't afford it, according to a study released Thursday by Families USA, a consumer health group. Some signed up for coverage on the new health insurance exchanges under the Affordable Care Act and received financial assistance to help pay their premiums and some of their out-of-pocket costs. Others bought their plans directly from insurance companies.
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| Guiding Wealthy Retirees on Health Expenses
Death and disease don't discriminate, and that has many high-net-worth retirees worried. They realize fate could determine the quality of their retirement more than their lifetime of planning. ... Enter big brokerage firms with services not typically associated with wealth management. Merrill Lynch, UBS, Morgan Stanley and Wells Fargo are either offering to connect wealthy clients with providers that offer specialized health care, or training advisers to deal with such worries about health and aging among clients.
HealthCare.gov Contractor Optum Declares Its Job Done
The contractor tapped to rescue the flailing HealthCare.gov in the fall of 2013 declared its work finished Thursday and said it doesn't plan to continue overseeing the website that sells subsidized insurance to millions of Americans as part of the federal health law. "Having achieved the goal of making HealthCare.gov a stable and reliable platform for people seeking coverage, Optum will not rebid to continue the role of senior adviser," said Matt Stearns, a spokesman for the company, the technology unit of insurer UnitedHealth Group. "Our job has been completed." |
Dozens of companies are sprouting to help U.S. food makers tackle a wave of new federal safety regulations and intensified enforcement of the nation's food laws. The startups are racing to capitalize on the need by farms and food processors to step up vigilance of food-borne pathogens after a string of outbreaks in the last decade have sickened thousands, prompting a major overhaul of U.S. food safety laws and stepped-up criminal prosecutions of executives at companies implicated in the cases
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House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi says Republicans will "rue the day" if the Supreme Court buys their arguments and invalidates tax subsidies for millions of people under President Barack Obama's health care law. Republicans have said they will try to ensure people don't lose coverage if the high court rules this summer against tax subsidies for health care coverage in certain states. But they haven't said how they would do it.
The insurance program was called 'Believe Me' - but Kairis Chiaji had her doubts. She and her husband Arthur were skeptical that the new health plan they purchased for 2015 would actually work out. That's because their experience in 2014 had been a disaster, she said. The Sacramento, Calif., couple had been thrilled to learn last year about the prospect of subsidized coverage under the nation's health law, she recalled. Each of them had been uninsured for years when they signed up for coverage through the state exchange, Covered California
CMS Assister Webinars & Supplemental Webinars
The next two CMS Assister Webinars will be held on Thursday, May 7 and Thursday May 21. Please be aware of the date change. Also here is a list of supplemental webinars:
- Special Enrollment Periods and Resources for the Uninsured; Wednesday, May 6, 2015, 2:00 pm EDT: Click to register. To join by phone only: 1 (415) 655-0059, Access Code: 419-734-181, Pin code is the # key. Wednesday, June 17, 2015, 2:00 pm EDT: Click to register. To join by phone only: (415) 655-0051, Access Code: 564-443-351, Pin code is the # key.
- Got Coverage? Next Steps in Using Your Health Insurance; Tuesday, May 19, 2015, 3:00 pm EDT: Click to registerClick to register. To join by phone only: 1 (646) 307-1706, Access Code: 763-833-558, Pin code is the # key. Tuesday, June 23, 2015, 4:00 pm EDT: Click to register. To join by phone only: (415) 655-0051, Access Code: 379-833-859, Pin code is the # key.
- Affordable Care Act 101 Webinars for Small Employers**
- Spanish-language ACA 101 Webinars for Small Employers
Marketplace Call Center and SHOP Call Center Hours
Health Insurance Marketplace Call Center: For customer service support, to start or finish an application, compare plans, enroll or ask a question. 1-800-318-2596 (TTY: 1-855-889-4325). Available 24/7. Closed Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.
SHOP Call Center: For customer service support, including assisting employers and employees apply for and enroll in SHOP. 1-800-706-7893 (TTY: 711). Available M-F 9:00 am-7:00 pm EST.
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MACHC Conference Call Updates
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All Maryland CACs:
Due to unforeseen circumstances, Maryland Health Benefit Exchange's ACSE monthly meeting has been cancelled for Monday, April 27th. The call/meeting will meet next month on the fourth Monday of June.
June 22, at 10am.
Title: MHC-Application Counselor ILT System Training
Locator Number: 795
Date: June 25th, 2015
Time 10:30 am - 1: 30 pm
Registration close date/time: 6/22/2015 @ 12:00 am
Requirements for Webinar Completion:
1. You must attend the webinar session in their entirety. Participants who miss more
than 15 minutes of the webinar, as captured by entry and exit times throughout
the session, will not receive completion status for the training. For example, if a participant enters the online meeting space after 9:15 am for a webinar start time of 9:00 am, he or she will not receive credit for the training.
Participants must participate in the webinar through the Webex Meeting space and by phone for audio. If you are on the phone the entire time, but not signed into the
WebEx, you will not receive credit for the training. For this reason, we encourage you to remain logged into the online event during scheduled breaks and Q&A sessions.
2. You must log into the session on an individual computer with a complete and
accurate last name, first name, and email address. When joining the session,
please enter the same name and email address you used when registering for the
webinar on The Hub.
Participants who share a computer to attend the webinar will not receive completion status for the training, because their names and email addresses will not be captured
in the webinar attendance report.
3. Only participants who completed the required prerequisites and registered for the webinar through The Hub, before the registration deadline date and time, and satisfied the attendance requirements listed above will receive credit for completing the webinar.
4. Only registered participants will receive an email on how to access the webinar, to the email address that was used to register in The Hub, at least 24 hours before the
start of the webinar.
Thank you,
MHBE
Maryland--Call Center Note:
Direct Line for Navigators and CAC to MHBE Call Center--Regarding the Call Center # 844-224-6762 It should be noted that: If you need customer assistance from the call center, CAC's should call this number.
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Grants & Funding Opportunities
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Health Infrastructure Investment Program (HIIP) Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) Deadline - Supplemental information is due in HRSA's Electronic Handbooks (EHB) by 5:00pm on Thursday, May 21, 2015 for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2015 HIIP FOA.
Approximately $150 million in ACA funding will be available to support 150-175 awards for existing Health Center Program grantees to increase their patient capacity and to provide additional comprehensive primary and preventive health services to medically underserved populations through the alteration/renovation, expansion, or construction of a facility.
HRSA Health Infrastructure Investment Program Funding
Application Deadline: Grants.gov application package by April 21; EHB application by May 21
HRSA expects to award approximately $150 million in Affordable Care Act funding for the alteration or renovation, expansion or construction of a facility, allowing health centers to provide increased capacity or additional primary and preventive care services.
Office of Minority Health Partnerships to Increase Coverage in Communities II Initiative Application Deadline: May 22,2015 by 5:00 pm EDT The purpose of the PICC II Initiative is to educate racial and ethnic minority populations, including those that are economically and/or environmentally disadvantaged, and immigrant and refugee populations who are eligible for health coverage through the Health Insurance Marketplace (Marketplace), about the Marketplace and to assist them with enrollment and completion of the application to determine their eligibility and obtain or purchase health coverage offered through the Marketplace. HHS expects to grant 14-17 awards of $200,000 - $250,000 for work beginning Aug. 2015
National Training and Technical Assistance Cooperative Agreements (NCA) Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) (HRSA-15-140) - HRSA released the Fiscal Year (FY) 2015 NCA FOA (HRSA-15-140). Approximately $3 million will be available to support 3-4 awards to national organizations that will provide training and technical assistance to potential and existing Health Center Program grantees and look-alikes in the areas of oral health services, health information technology and data, and clinical workforce development. Applications are due to Grants.gov by Monday, June 1, 2015. This NCA funding opportunity is a Grants.gov only application. Federal Surplus Personal Property Program
Application Deadline: None
Eligible state and local government agencies and nonprofit organizations, including health centers, can obtain property that the federal government no longer needs through the Federal Surplus Personal Property Donation Program.
BJ's Charitable Foundation
Application Deadline: Applications accepted on an ongoing basis
Funding for hunger prevention, self-sufficiency, healthcare, and education to those who are underserved.
Application Deadline: Applications accepted on an ongoing basis
Provides seed funding to emerging nonprofits, or to new projects of established organizations in the areas of education; environment; health and human services; and hunger and nutrition. Pennsylvania is one of 13 eligible states.
Application Deadline: Applications Accepted on an Ongoing Basis
The Community Response Fund supports organizations, activities, and events that address access to needed oral health care and community resources that improve oral health. Programs that address an immediate response to an urgent issue that impacts access to clinical care, provide short-term access to needed care for the underserved, or sustain organizations experiencing short-term challenges are the focus. A limited number of program concepts that provide longer term solutions or essential services for particularly underserved populations will also be considered. The program will also support Missions of Mercy clinics.
National Training and Technical Assistance Cooperative Agreement (NCA) Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) (HRSA-15-140) - HRSA released Fiscal Year (FY) 2015 NCA FOA (HRSA-15-140) which will provide approximately $3 million to support 3-4 awards to national organizations that will provide training and technical assistance to potential and existing Health Center Program grantees and look-alikes. The organizations will provide training in the areas of oral health services, health information technology and data, and clinical workforce development.
Applications are due to Grants.gov by Monday, June 1, 2015. This NCA funding opportunity is a Grants.gov only application.
CY 2016 Requirements for FTCA Medical Malpractice Coverage for Health Centers- HRSA has issued Program Assistance Letter (PAL) 2015-03 to describe the process for Health Center Program grantees to submit initial and redeeming Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA) deeming applications for Calendar Year (CY) 2016.
Applications are due by Tuesday, May 26, 2015, 11:59pm, ET.
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Check out the comprehensive Credentialing Checklist. This can help your health center adhere to all the regulations,receive the payments at the appropriate time and forecast any financial constraints due to credentialing early.
MACHC now offers a myriad of Shared Services for member convenience.
Please check out the attached flier for additional details on the services offered.
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A new patient safety channel on AHRQ YouTube features videos of evidence-based training programs used by U.S. hospitals to improve care quality through effective communications and teamwork. The new channel includes nearly 50 videos that describe key elements of the Comprehensive Unit-based Safety Program Toolkit (CUSP), a patient safety protocol used successfully by hospital intensive care units to reduce potentially deadly healthcare-acquired infections. The Patient Safety Channel also includes more than 50 videos on TeamSTEPPS®, a patient safety protocol developed by AHRQ and the U.S. Department of Defense that lowers the risk of adverse events through better communication and teamwork skills. Both training programs can be customized to the individual training needs of hospitals, hospital units and clinicians.
Continuing-Education Resources Explore Ways To Prevent Patient Falls and Pressure Ulcers
AHRQ's new continuing-education resources offer health care professionals continuing education and continuing medical education credits on improving patient safety by preventing pressure ulcers and falls in hospitals. Each year an estimated 2.5 million U.S. patients will develop a pressure ulcer, and a single large hospital could experience more than 1,000 patient falls per year. Approximately 30 to 50 percent of falls result in injuries, and complications from hospital-acquired pressure ulcers cause as many as 60,000 deaths each year. When patients fall in the hospital, they are more likely to stay in the hospital longer or be transferred to institutional or long-term care. Costs associated with hospital-acquired pressure ulcers could be as high as $11 billion per year. New videos and topic profiles that explore prevention of in-facility pressure ulcers and in-facility falls are available for continuing-education credit. Additional resources related to these topics include "Making Health Care Safer II: An Updated Critical Analysis of the Evidence for Patient Safety Practices," Preventing Falls in Hospitals toolkit and Pressure Ulcers in Hospitals toolkit and a student workbook and instructor's guide on falls prevention and management in long-term care facilities.
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Health Observances This Week
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HIV Vaccine Awareness Day
Advocates mark progress in the search for an AIDS vaccine on HIV Vaccine Awareness Day (HVAD) observed each year on May 18.
This observance provides an opportunity to recognize and thank the many volunteers, community members, health professionals, and scientists who are working together to find a safe and effective preventive HIV vaccine. It is also a day to educate communities across the nation about the importance of preventive HIV vaccine research.
Looking to get involved for HIV Vaccine Awareness Day? Here are some ways you can prepare for and get involved in this observance in your community:
- LOCATE HIV TESTING AND OTHER SERVICES
Use and share the HIV Testing Sites & Care Services Locator.
- LEARN ABOUT BE THE GENERATION
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) created Be The Generation to maintain and establish relationships with communities most impacted by the HIV/AIDS epidemic in order to promote awareness, understanding, dialogue, and support for biomedical prevention research, including HIV vaccine research
- JOIN AND FOLLOW THE BLOGOSPHERE
Blog about HIV and your support for HIV vaccine research. Or comment on someone else's post.
Use the hashtag #HVAD to share about how you're observing HIV Vaccine Awareness Day.
- LEARN ABOUT HIV VACCINES AND THE EPIDEMIC
HIV prevention research includes vaccines, microbicides and more. Click here to learn about prevention research.
- GET THE FACTS ABOUT HIV RESEARCH
The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) is a leader in Federally supported research related to HIV. Read about NIAID's work here.
- GRAPHICS, LOGOS AND WIDGETS
Download the HIV/AIDS Awareness Days postcardhere (PDF, 1.49MB).
- READ THE NATIONAL HIV/AIDS STRATEGY
The Strategy is the nation's first-ever comprehensive coordinated HIV/AIDS roadmap. Read the Strategy(PDF 1.34 MB) and updates on implementation from HHS. (PDF, 917KB).
AIDS Vaccine Research: An overview-Infographic highlighting the current state of the field. Each research area is expanded with key detail about the current focus and advancements in science and critical issues that advocates should be tracking.
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Has your FQHC joined the National Branding Campaign?
With more than 43 billion people eligible to enroll in private insurance starting this October 1, FQHCs strive to create an identifiable unifying identity for themselves. This is where the National Branding Campaign for Our Health Centers comes into place.
The campaign is a national branding effort to strengthen recognition of our Health Centers as a unified and nationwide network of quality community-based primary care providers. Initially created at the state level by the Pennsylvania Association of Community Health Centers (PACHC) and its membership, the National Association of Community Health Centers has expanded the campaign nationwide.
The FQHC Brand Components
MACHC recently hosted a Branding Webinar for MD and DE Health Centers with CEO of PACHC, Cheri Reinhart and Event and Communications Coordinator, Kirsten Keyes, as guest speakers. If you missed the webinar and would like access, please click here.
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