2014 DCPCA Policy Forum and Awards Luncheon
Wednesday, November 12, 2014
  

This event symbolizes DCPCA's long-term commitment to realizing an integrated health care system that guarantees access to primary health care and eliminates disparities in health outcomes and will feature a keynote presentation by Dr. Nadine Gracia (invited), Deputy Assistant Secretary for Minority Health and the Director of the Office of Minority Health at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Click here for more information.



Today's Alert
More than 100 national organizations call on Congress to fix the primary care cliff in the lame duck session
Viral meningitis spreads at UMD, worries students
PCC welcomes new leadership
CareFirst wants to give discounts to members who choose efficient doctors
Burwell meets with insurance execs ahead of O-Care enrollment
First vaccine for deadly form of meningitis approved in U.S
Bipartisan Senate proposal aims to fast-track Ebola vaccines
Loss of smell could predict death for elderly
EVENTS
 
November 1, 2014
JOB POSTINGS

Regional Primary Care Coalition

Whitman-Walker Health

Whitman-Walker Health

Whitman-Walker Health


Client Services Representative,

Whitman-Walker Health

 

Integrated Care Nurse Manager,

Green Door

 

Mental Health Therapist,
La Clinica del Pueblo

 

Family Physician,
La Clinica del Pueblo 

 

Specialty Care Program Manager,

Primary Care Coalition 

 

Family Practitioner, Mary's Center
 

Director of Nursing
Unity Health Care

Physician-Family Practice
Unity Health Care 

 

Grant Writer,

Providence Health Foundation

Providence Health Foundation

Catholic Charities  

More than 100 national organizations call on Congress to fix the primary care cliff in the lame duck session

Press Release, National Association of Community Health Centers, October 28, 2014

Looking to avoid devastating funding cuts, which are set to kick in at the end of 2015, over 100 national organizations are working together to push Congress to extend current allocations for Community Health Centers, National Health Service Corps and Teaching Health Centers programs.   

Viral meningitis spreads at UMD, worries students

By Brianne Carter,  ABC 7, October 29, 2014 

A University of Maryland spokesman has confirmed that a recent outbreak of viral meningitis has spread beyond the initial cluster of 19 affected people.  UMD health officials have stressed that the diagnosed cases are viral as opposed to the more contagious bacterial form of the disease. 

PCC welcomes new leadership 

By Richard C. Bohrer, The Primary Care Coalition, October 30, 2014

Leslie Graham has been hired by the Primary Care Coalition (PCC) as their new President and Chief Executive Officer, effective November 17, 2014. Ms. Graham is taking over the position from Steve Galen who served as PCC's CEO for 18 years. Mr. Galen will continue to work with PCC as a Strategic Advisor in the coming months.

 

Ms. Graham comes to the PCC from the Delmarva Foundation for Medical Care where she developed a roll out strategy for the Health Benefits Exchange assistor program for the State of Delaware. In the past, she served as the PCC's Chief Operating Officer. 



CareFirst wants to give discounts to members who choose efficient doctors

By Sarah Gantz, Washington Business Journal, October 29, 2014 

Using data collected through its patient-centered medical homes program, CareFirst is looking to reward members seeking services from physicians demonstrating a commitment to providing more efficient health care.  

Burwell meets with insurance execs ahead of O-Care enrollment

By Elise Viebeck, The Hill, October 30, 2014

With open enrollment set to launch in less than three weeks, HHS Secretary Sylvia M. Burwell met with 12 insurance executives to reaffirm "her commitment to continue to work with issuers on implementing the Affordable Care Act to make health care more affordable, accessible, and of a higher quality."

First vaccine for deadly form of meningitis approved in U.S.

By Julie Zauzmer, The Washington Post, October 29, 2014

Faced with another outbreak of viral meningitis, this time on the University of Maryland Campus, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved a new vaccine designed to combat the deadly disease.  Trumenba, which protects against the serogroup B form of meningitis, received final FDA approval on Wednesday, well ahead of schedule. 

Bipartisan Senate proposal aims to fast-track Ebola vaccines

By Sean Lengell, The Washington Examiner, October 28, 2014 

Hoping to slow the spread of Ebola, a bipartisan team of senators is drafting legislation to speed the development of treatments and vaccines.  Democratic Senator Tom Harkin of Iowa and Republican Senator Lamar Alexander of Tennessee said their bill would add Ebola to the Food and Drug Administration's priority review "voucher" program, which is designed to incentivize the development of new drugs for certain tropical diseases.

Loss of smell could predict death for elderly

By Dorothy Rowley, The Washington Informer, October 29, 2014

There is a concern that older adults who have lost their sense of smell could be at an increased risk of death within five years.  According to a study published in the science journal PLOS ONE, nearly 40 percent of subjects who failed smell tests died within five years, compared to a 19 percent death rate within five years for those with moderate smell loss.

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Special thanks to our 2014 DCPCA Policy Forum health center sponsors

DCPCA would like to thank our health center members that have committed to sponsoring this year's Annual Policy Forum, "Policy Connections to Population Health". Our health centers are critical to the communities they serve, and we are honored to partner with them in this work.

 








 

DCPCA Corporate Partners
The DCPCA Health Equity Alert is brought to you, in part, 
by the generosity of our Corporate Partners.  




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