NACHC Issues Summary of 340B Mega Guidance
NACHC’s Regulatory Affairs Department has issued a one-page document summarizing the 340B Drug Mega Guidance proposal issued several weeks ago by HRSA, Office of Pharmacy Affairs and highlighting key areas of concern for FQHCs.

The proposal will be open for public comment through October 27, 2015; HRSA encourages interested parties and stakeholders to respond. To read the proposed Mega Guidance in full, click here.

MRT Innovation eXchange
The MRT Innovation eXchange, commonly referred to as the “MIX,” is an online forum hosted by the NYS Dept. of Health where stakeholders from across the state are encouraged to share their ideas and opinions on current health care delivery system transformation initiatives, including DSRIP and the shift to value-based reimbursement.

Recent posts of interest include information from the inaugural PPS Learning Symposium and documents shared during recent Value-Based Payment Workgroup meetings, in which CHCANYS is currently participating. To join the MIX, click here. 

Latman Family Day at the Races a Huge Success!
On Saturday September 19th, CHCANYS hosted the Jeffrey T. Latman Family Day at the Races. The event was a huge success, with over 360 guests filling the Marquee tent at Belmont Racetrack to enjoy the beautiful weather and camaraderie of friends and colleagues.

CHCANYS wishes to thank our sponsors BioReference, Expense Reduction Analysts, Mariner Wealth Advisors, Marc and Mona Latman and Anne K. Nolon for their generous donations and support. Please click here to view photos of the day’s events. 

CHCANYS 2015 Statewide Conference & Clinical Forum: Register Before October 9 and Save!
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. Please note that online registration closes October 9; onsite registration is $50 higher.

To register and review lodging options, click here. To view the preliminary schedule, click here.

CHCANYS15 Sponsor and Exhibit Opportunities: Only a Few Tables Left!
Join our growing list of vendors! CHCANYS15 is the venue to network with over 400 FQHC leaders and decision-makers serving over 1.7 million patients at over 600 delivery sites in New York State. This is a great opportunity to reach out the FQHC market and/or maintain existing relationships.

New this year: vendors may view a listing of participating companies and select their own booths on a first come, first serve basis. Don’t miss out; click here (sponsors) and here (exhibitors) to learn more and register today! 

National Health Service Corps: Virtual Job Fair
Date: October 20, 2015
Time: 6:45 – 10:00 p.m.

National Health Service Corps (NHSC) Virtual Job Fairs are online versions of traditional job fairs that connect qualified job-seekers with employers with open job opportunities.

At an NHSC Virtual Job Fair, you can learn about job vacancies available now at NHSC-approved sites and talk with site representatives about the job and benefits package, clinical environment, populations served and local community.

New York State Uninsured Rate Down from 2013
According to data released in September by the Census Bureau, the number of uninsured New Yorkers has dropped to 8.7% from nearly 11% a year earlier.  This drop translates to nearly 400,000 New York residents gaining coverage last year. To access the report, click here.

NY State of Health 2015 Open Enrollment Report Released
The NYS Department of Health has released demographic information on health care enrollment through NY State of Health, the insurance marketplace created by the Affordable Care Act.  As of February 28, 2015, more than 2.1 million New Yorkers had enrolled in health insurance plans via the Marketplace – a more than two-fold increase from the first enrollment period. To access the full report, click here.

Lisa Perry of CHCANYS to be Honored at NYeC Gala Event
Lisa Perry. Senior Vice President of Clinical Excellence & Innovation at CHCANYS, has been selected by the New York eHealth Collaborative (NYeC) to receive a Promoting Advancement of Technology in Healthcare (PATH) award at the organization’s annual gala event, to take place on November 18 at Capitale in New York City. Hosted annually by NYeC, the event honors recent achievement and innovation in the field of health information technology. Ms. Perry is being recognized for her work in developing and managing programs to support the Clinical Quality Improvement and Health IT needs of FQHCs across New York State. Congratulations, Lisa! For more information about the event, click here.

Reminder: OMIG Compliance Certification
Medicaid providers who are required to implement a compliance program under Social Services Law § 363-d and 18 NYCRR Part 521 must certify each December that a program meeting those requirements is in place. OMIG will post the 2015 certification forms to its website on December 1. For more information about this mandatory compliance program obligation, click here.

Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Basics for Providers
HRSA’s Office of Civil Rights (OCR) has partnered with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to develop HIPAA Basics for Providers: Privacy, Security, and Breach Notification Rules, a fact sheet designed to assist health care providers and others in understanding their obligations under HIPAA that includes links to important resources. To access it, click here. 

Supercircular, Sliding Fee Scale & Budget Pins: It Does Not Have to Be a Three-Ring Circus
Date: November 2 -3, 2015
Location: Orlando, Florida

2014 brought significant changes to the fiscal administration of the Health Center Program with OMB’s release of the Supercircular and HRSA’s release of PINs 2013-01: Budgeting and Accounting for Health Centers and 2014-02: Sliding Fee Discount and Related Billing and Collections Program Requirements. This live, hands-on training will address the framework of these new policies and the steps health centers need to take to ensure that their policies and procedures remain in compliance with all Federal requirements. For more information and to register, click here.

Need to Cut Costs? CPG and CHCANYS Can Help!
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. To set up an appointment, contact rwynn@chcanys.org.

NCQA PCMH Congress
Date: October 9-11, 2015
Location: Hilton San Francisco Union Square
The Patient-Centered Medical Home Congress (PCMH) Congress is a high-level educational and networking event designed for clinicians, experts, consultants and quality managers who are focused on transforming primary care practices into medical homes. The Congress is especially beneficial to those who are or are thinking of becoming NCQA Recognized PCMH and NCQA PCMH Certified Content Experts (CCE). For more information and to register, click here. 

Communication Skills for Child Healthcare Professionals
Date: November 7, 2015
Time: 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Location: Buffalo, NY
Hosted by the REACH Institute and the Institute for Healthcare Communication, this innovative one-day workshop is designed to help pediatric primary care clinicians enhance their skills and confidence when working with children with behavioral health concerns. Take advantage of this unique opportunity to strengthen your communication skills and help to shape a valuable new continuing education program. For more information, click here. 

AmeriCares Seeking Providers Fluent in Arabic/Farsi to Assist in Lesbos
AmeriCares is currently seeking Arabic and Farsi speaking nurses and doctors who are willing to assist with the Syrian refugee crisis in Lesbos. AmeriCares will cover all costs associated with travel, lodging, food and incidentals while on the island and will coordinate all logistics. Candidates should be able to make a minimum two-week commitment; three weeks or more would be ideal.

Cyber-Attack Workshop Exercise
Cyber-attacks are taking place with greater frequency. In order to better prepare NYC-based providers, the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) will work with hospitals and primary care centers to plan and execute a Cyber-Attack Workshop exercise. The workshop will kick off with a planning session in October, to be followed by conference calls in November and December to discuss execution and logistics.

Emergency Management for Primary Care Centers
The Primary Care Emergency Preparedness Network recently launched a new training course on the NYS Department of Health Learning Management System entitled PCEPN EM-101: Emergency Management for Primary Care Centers. This 30-minute, pre-recorded course provides an overview of the four phases of emergency management, the key elements of an emergency management program and plan, and the role of the health center during emergencies and disasters. The training may be accessed at any time by registering on the Learning Management System and searching the online course catalog.

HC Standard Communication Platform
Have you logged on to HC Standard? The HC Standard Software Suite provides real-time situational awareness and has the ability to send and receive information during routine and emergency situations. Contact CHCANYS’ EM Team at EMteam@CHCANYS.org for more information!