Proposed Rule: Medicaid and CHIP Managed Care
CHCANYS recently submitted comments on the Medicaid and CHIP Managed Care Proposed Rule, released by CMS on June 1. The first major update to Medicaid and CHIP Managed Care in a decade, the proposed regulation seeks to better align the programs with other types of health insurance coverage. Additionally, CHCANYS asks CMS to prohibit states from requiring FQHCs to assume risk for services beyond primary and preventive care as a prerequisite for obtaining a managed care provider agreement. To view the comments, click here. 

National Health Center Week 2015 is Almost Here!
National Health Center Week 2015 is less than two weeks away, and many of you are deep in the planning stages. CHCANYS wants to help spread the word about all of the exciting events taking place throughout New York State during the week of August 9-15 – if you haven’t already, please fill out our quick online form to let us know how your health center plans to participate! read more >> 

VBP Roadmap Approved by CMS
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) officially approved New York State’s Value Based Payment Roadmap on July 22, 2015. Developed with the critical input of the Value Based Payment (VBP) Workgroup and other stakeholders, including CHCANYS, this document outlines the State’s multi-year plan for achieving comprehensive Medicaid payment reform. We strongly encourage all FQHCs to become familiar with the Roadmap, which includes critically important details about how the State plans to implement its goal of 90% of managed care payments to providers using value-based payment (VBP) methodologies. Click here to access it.  

Doctors Across New York (DANY) Cycle IV Application Announcement
The NYS Dept. of Health, Office of Primary Care and Health Systems Management is pleased to announce that applications for Cycle IV of the Doctors Across New York (DANY) Physician Practice Support and Physician Loan Repayment programs will be accepted through July 31, 2015. The Physician Practice Support (PPS) program provides up to $100,000 in funding for new practices, improvements, loan repayment or other support to physicians in exchange for a two-year service commitment to provide health care in an underserved region within New York State.  The Physician Loan Repayment (PLR) program provides up to $150,000 in loan repayment funding in exchange for a five-year service commitment to provide health care in an underserved region within New York State. read more >>

Multiple Chronic Conditions for the Healthcare Workforce: New HHS Education and Training Resources
The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health, in collaboration with HRSA, has released the HHS Education and Training Resources on Multiple Chronic Conditions (MCC) for the Healthcare Workforce, a new set of training materials providing health professionals with education to care for people living with multiple chronic conditions. Newly-available resources include: Multiple Chronic Conditions Education and Training Repository, a searchable database of existing educational resources that specifically address the care of persons living with MCC; Multiple Chronic Conditions: A Framework for Education and Training, a conceptual model that outlines the core domains and competencies for the inter-professional health care team; and Education and Training Curriculum on Multiple Chronic Conditions, a web-based course consisting of six modules. read more >>

Trends in New York Registered Nurse Graduations, 2005-2015
The Center for Health Workforce Studies (CHWS) has released a report entitled ”Trends in New York Registered Nurse Graduations, 2005-2015,” which documents trends in RN graduations regionally and statewide in an effort to identify potential gaps between supply and demand of RNs in New York. read more >> 

New York Physician Workforce Profile: 2014 Edition
This report, published in May by CHWS, profiles the supply and distribution of physicians licensed in New York State using information from the New York State Physician Licensure Re-registration Survey and the SK&A Office-Based Physician Database as adjusted to official counts of licensed physicians in 2014. In addition to state, regional, and medical specialty group profiles, the report also contains county and individual specialty profiles. read more >>

PCEPN EM-101: Emergency Management for Primary Care Centers
The Primary Care Emergency Preparedness Network (PCEPN) recently launched a new training course available on the New York State Department of Health Learning Management System entitled PCEPN EM-101: Emergency Management for Primary Care Centers. This 30-minute pre-recorded training session provides health center staff with an overview of the four phases of emergency management, the key elements of an emergency management program and plan, and the role of the primary care center in emergencies and disasters. The training may be accessed at any time by registering on the New York State Department of Health Learning Management System and searching the course catalog. For optimum performance please use Google Chrome to view the webinar. 

Transportation Assistance Levels (TALs) Classifications
The CHCANYS EM Team recently hosted a webinar in partnership with the NYS Dept. of Health’s Office of Emergency Preparedness (OHEP) to provide an overview of the classification standards for communicating transportation needs during a planned facility evacuation. This information is most applicable to health centers that operate within shelters or residential facilities. read more >>

HC Standard Communication Platform 
Last fall, the CHCANYS EM Team launched HC Standard, a web-based application which serves as a communication platform for sharing information with health centers statewide.  HC Standard may be used to send notifications via email and text and to collect situational reports from health center users during and after a widespread emergency or disaster. We encourage all health centers to contact  EMteam@CHCANYS.org to learn more about HC Standard and/or log-in at https://chcanys.ger911.com to update your health center’s information. 

Whitney M. Young, Jr. Health Center Awarded Ambulatory Health Care Accreditation from the Joint Commission
Whitney M. Young, Jr. Health Center has earned the Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® for Ambulatory Health Care Accreditation by demonstrating continuous compliance with its nationally-recognized standards. The Gold Seal of Approval® is a symbol of quality that reflects an organization’s commitment to providing safe and effective patient care. Whitney Young Health underwent a rigorous, on-site survey in April of 2015. During the survey, a team of Joint Commission expert surveyors evaluated compliance with ambulatory care standards related to a variety of areas, including coordination of care, monitoring for procedures that involve use of sedation or anesthesia, infection prevention and control, management of medications, and patient education and training. read more >>

HRSA Supported Tools for Health Centers and PCAs/HCCN
Date: August 4, 2015; Time: 2:00 - 3:00 p.m.; Presenter: Terry Glasscock, Senior Project Consultant, Capital Link. This session will introduce participants to educational programs and services available to FQHCs that are designed to improve their financial and operational performance. Capital Link will explain the content of a variety of performance-enhancing presentations and tools that can be obtained by individual health centers or groups of centers at no charge. read more >>

MLN Connects National Provider Call: Countdown to ICD-10
Date: August 27, 2015; Time: 2:30 – 4:00 p.m.  Conveniently scheduled to take place five weeks before ICD-10 implementation on October 1, 2015, this call will open with a national implementation update, followed by coding guidance and tips from Sue Bowman (American Health Information Management Association) and Nelly Leon-Chisen (American Hospital Association) , and updates from CMS. read more >>

BKD Grants Management Bootcamp
Date: September 9-10, 2015; Location: Bozeman, Montana; Hosted by: The Montana Primary Care Association. Geared toward health center CFOs, this acclaimed two-day training by BKD has an action step focus with an emphasis on compliance.  The workshop costs $250 per registrant, with a 10% discount for multiple registrations from the same organization. Participants will receive binders and flash drive with key regulations, and sample policies. read more >> 

An Introduction to "Creating a Dynamic and Useful Strategic Plan," a New Toolkit for Health Centers
Date: September 23, 2015; Time: 2:00 – 3:00 p.m.; Presenter: Terry Glasscock, Senior Project Consultant, Capital Link. We are experiencing the greatest time of change for health care delivery. Strategic management is essential if health centers are to survive, let alone thrive through the changes that lie ahead. NACHC and Capital Link have developed a toolkit to guide FQHCs through their strategic planning processes. With over 40 interactive planning tools, this new resource is both comprehensive and user-friendly. This webinar will provide an overview of the toolkit, introducing the specific function of each tool so that health center leaders can identify the appropriate method to complete an effective strategic plan. read more >>  

Save on Office, Medical, Dental Supplies & More with CPG
CHCANYS has partnered with the CommonWealth Purchasing Group (CPG), the leading group purchasing organization in the country specializing in the health industry, to promote its services to FQHCs in New York State.  CPG will review your existing orders and show you how to save even more. For additional information, click here. 

CHCANYS Presents the Jeffrey T. Latman Family Day at the Races
Join CHCANYS on September 19, 2015 at the Belmont Racetrack, home of Triple Crown winner American Pharaoh, as we “take over the reins” of the exciting annual Family Day at the Races event from the Jeffrey T. Latman Foundation. This fundraising event will help raise awareness of the CHCANYS mission and support the many programs providing primary health care to anyone in need, regardless of insurance status or ability to pay. This year, we will honor the Latman Family for their many years of service and dedication. Don’t miss out on this day of horseracing and family fun!  For more information about the event and to purchase tickets, please click here. See you at the track!

CHCANYS 2015 Statewide Conference & Clinical Forum: Register Now!
The theme of this year’s conference, scheduled for October 18-20, 2015 at The Sagamore Resort, Bolton Landing, is From Vision to Value: The Health Center Movement at 50.  Policy expert Alan Weil, Editor-in-Chief of Health Affairs is the keynote speaker. Participate in thought-provoking policy, workforce, clinical/QI, and finance workshops,  network with peers, and meet with vendors to learn how their products and services can fulfill your business needs. To register and reserve lodging, click here.  

CHCANYS15 Sponsor and Exhibit Opportunities Now Available – Spaces are Limited!
CHCANYS15 is the venue for networking with over 400 FQHC leaders and decision-makers serving over 1.7 million patients at over 600 delivery sites throughout New York State. Learn more about the benefits of showcasing your products and services by clicking here and here. Don’t wait; vendor booths are available on a first come, first serve basis.  New this year: vendors may select their booth locations. The price will increase to $3,000 on August 1 -- register now to receive last year’s $2,500 rate. 

Behavioral Health Special Edition of the Medicaid Update
The Office of Health Insurance Programs of the New York State Department of Health has approved the release of the Behavioral Health Special Edition of the Medicaid Update. To access it, click here.