Region II Conference: Hold the dates, June 11-14, 2012
During CHCANYS’ Conference in Saratoga Springs, a flyer was distributed that erroneously gave dates for the Region II conference in July. *Please note that the correct dates of the Region II Conference are June 11-14, 2012.
The Virgin Islands Primary Care Office (PCO) is hosting the Region II Conference for primary care associations, primary care offices and community health centers in Region II (VI, PR, NJ & NY). The conference will take place at the Sugar Bay Resort in St. Thomas, VI. Details to come from the Virgin Islands PCO.
News from Policy If you have questions about CHCANYS’ policy and advocacy work, please contact Beverly Grossman, bgrossman@chcanys.org.
National Petition and Letter Drive - This Week is Delivery Week!
Members of the U.S. House of Representatives will be in their home districts this week, November 7 - 11, 2011. The goal of this National Petition and Letter Drive is to hand deliver 2 million health center supporter signatures and/or advocate letters to them by week's end. If you have not already done so, now is the time to make an appointment with your Representative and present him/her with the petitions and letters that you have been collecting over the past several months.
Currently, New York is #1 in the nation with 9,999 signatures - but we can do better! Please continue to collect as many new signatures and letters as possible and deliver them to your Representative, preferably in person!
Other things you can do to help make Delivery Week a success:
Alert the Media - Submit Press Releases and Letters to the Editor! Make sure your entire community knows what's at stake for health centers and how many people have signed on in support for YOUR center.
Send Tallies and Copies of Your Petitions and Patient Letters to CHCANYS! Please help us keep track of your efforts by e-mailing copies of all petitions and letters and tallies of all materials collected so far to bgrossman@chcanys.org. Hard copies may be mailed to: Beverly Grossman, CHCANYS, 90 State Street, Suite 601, Albany, NY 12207.
The threats currently facing the Health Centers Program are very real. We need to keep the pressure on and make our voices heard, loudly and often, as Congress considers key issues such as FY2012 appropriations, Medicaid cuts and deficit reduction. If you have any questions or concerns, or if there is anything CHCANYS can do to assist you in your efforts, please contact Beverly Grossman bgrossman@chcanys.org or 518/434-0767 ext. 11.
News from Health Center Support If you have questions about CHCANYS’ health center support, please contact Rebecca Gaige, rgaige@chcanys.org.
Register Today! CHCANYS 2nd Uniform Data System (UDS) Training November 30, NYC -- NYU Kimmel Center Eisner & Lubin Auditorium, 4th Floor
This one day training is directed at fiscal staff, including new fiscal directors, clinical staff responsible for clinical measure reporting (e.g. QI Directors, Clinical Site Directors or Medical Directors), and senior staff of new FQHCs.
*New for 2011 Look-Alike UDS Reporting Requirements in Effect—Training Recommended for All New & Established LALs*
Beginning with the 2011 UDS report, Look-Alikes will be required to submit a UDS report. Modifications to the UDS tables for LAL reporting will be addressed at the training. Look-Alikes are encouraged to participate in the full day training program.
About the Uniform Data System (UDS): The UDS collects basic demographic information on the patients you serve (e.g. race/ethnicity and insurance status of patients, etc.) All grantees of BPHC-administered Section 330 primary care programs (including Community Health Center, Migrant Health Center, Health Care for the Homeless and Public Housing Primary Care) are required under the terms of their grant to report UDS data, which then are analyzed by HRSA to ensure compliance with legislative mandates, report program accomplishments, and justify budget requests to the U.S. Congress. The UDS also helps HRSA identify trends over time and establish or expand targeted programs and identify effective services and interventions to improve access to primary health care for vulnerable populations.
NYS Health Foundation Releases RFP: Promoting and Managing Growth at Primary Care Centers in Four Regions of New York State
Successful implementation of health reform will require expanded primary care capacity. Community health centers (CHCs) offer high-quality, accessible, and affordable primary care services. In order to bolster the capacity of CHCs in New York State, the New York State Health Foundation (NYSHealth) has announced a new grant opportunity to help CHC in four medically underserved regions seize opportunities for sustainable capacity building and thoughtful expansion.
Through this grant initiative, NYSHealth seeks to promote fundamental, lasting changes in CHCs, which are a cornerstone of New York's health care delivery system. NYSHealth is accepting applications from CHCs in these regions: Western New York, Central New York, the Finger Lakes, and Long Island.
CMS Hosting ICD-10 Implementation Strategies and Planning National Provider Call
On Thursday, November 17, 2011 from 1:30-3:00 p.m., the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will host a National Provider Call on "ICD-10 Implementation Strategies and Planning." This call will feature presentations by representatives from the ICD-9-CM and ICD-10 Cooperating Parties: CMS, the American Hospital Association (AHA), the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In order to receive the call-in information, you must register for this call. Registration will close at Noon on Thursday, November 17th or when available space has been filled. Please visit http://www.eventsvc.com/blhtechnologies/register/e70602ea-3286-4549-877d-b07684c40064 for details.
NACHC Offers Billing 101 Webinar Series
NACHC offers eight-session series to provide established Community Health Centers, New Starts and Look-Alikes information to improve billing and collections procedures and optimize revenue. The training is designed for health center CFOs, COOs and billing and finance management key staff. Registration for each of the eight sessions is $119 and you must register online for each webinar session separately. For more information please visit http://www.nachc.com/Billing101WebinarSeries.cfm.
Data Sharing in Health Center - Collaborations and Affiliations November 30, 2011 2-3:30 PM EST
This webinar will offer access to NACHC’s general counsel, who will highlight the typical situations in which data sharing is involved, the applicable federal laws and regulations, and appropriate techniques for protecting the confidentiality of shared data, as necessary and appropriate. This webinar is geared for health center administration (CEOs, CFOs, CMO’s) and other key staff. Time at the end of the webinar will be reserved to allow participants to ask questions.
Learning Objectives: By the end of this webinar, you will:
1. Identify key federal laws and regulations impacting sharing of patient information. 2. Recognize potential data sharing pitfalls in collaborations and affiliations. 3. Understand techniques for protecting confidentiality of patient information and health center business information in affiliations and collaborations.
Speaker(s): Marisa Guevara, Esq., Attorney, Feldesman Tucker Leifer Fidell LLP and Michael Golde, Esq., Attorney, Feldesman Tucker Leifer Fidell LLP
The Health Resources and Services Administration’s Bureau of Primary Health Care (BPHC) has released its New Start Web Guide, a new resource tool designed for BPHC grantees to help assess the status and quality of operations, improve programmatic performance, and get the answers to a wide variety of site visit questions all in one place.
The New Start Web Guide is vast (and growing). It contains useful information on the 340B Drug Pricing Program, the Federal Tort Claims Act, issues related to Health Information Technology, the National Health Service Corp, Policy Information Notices (PINs), Program Assistance Letters (PALs), and key health center program requirements. It also provides BPHC grantees with document templates, reference documents, and programmatic advice.
The New Start Web Guide is broken down into 25 individual resource pages. Each resource page can be conveniently downloaded and printed individually. HRSA welcomes comments or suggests on the new site. You may access the new start guide here.
News from Clinical Quality Improvement If you have questions about CHCANYS’ Clinical Quality Improvement initiatives, please contact Kathy Alexis, kalexis@chcanys.org.
Trainings/Conferences
CSAAH’s 6th Annual AA& NHPI Health Conference The Early Bird Admission offer has been extended through December 2nd! Please see below for registration and conference details.
Registration Site: http://2011csaahconference.eventbrite.com/ Date: Saturday, Dec 3rd, 2011 Location: Farkas Auditorium | NYU Langone Medical Center, NYC About: The CSAAH’s 6th Annual Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AA & NHPI) Health Conference is co-hosted by the Asian & Pacific Islander Health Forum. This year’s conference will build on the US Department of Health and Human Services 2011 Plan for AA and NHPI Health. The 2011 conference will bring together government, community, and academic experts within an agenda-setting structure to define recommendations and to support the HHS Plan. Conference participants will participate in one of four Tracks where each Track will highlight existing models and best practices through two panel presentations and a concluding brainstorming session. HIV in Primary Care Learning Community Is your health center equipped to expand primary care services to include HIV care and treatment? The AIDS Education & Training Center National Center for HIV Care In Minority Communities (AETC NCHCMC) is now accepting applications for the 2012 HIV in Primary Care Learning Community –
Application Due: Friday, November 18, 2011
Today, patients living with HIV are seeking care and treatment from their primary care providers--not only routine primary care but also care for their HIV disease. This new dynamic stems from advancements in how HIV disease is managed. However, your health center may not be in a position to provide HIV care and treatment, especially without dedicated funding for these services.
To fill this gap, AETC NCHCMC’s HealthHIV is partnering with the Primary Care Development Corporation (PCDC) to provide up to 30 non-Ryan White funded health centers serving racial and ethnic minority communities the opportunity to join the HIV in Primary Care Learning Community.
Participating health centers will engage in a clinical HIV curriculum and receive training and technical assistance from expert faculty in practice and system redesign; expansion in the context of patient centered medical home and care coordination; partnership development; leadership development; and coding and billing to maximize revenue. Performance improvement coaches will provide ongoing support. Health centers will be selected for this innovative and transformative opportunity through a competitive process.
Click here for eligibility requirements and application. Funding provided by the Health Resources and Services Administration HIV/AIDS Bureau through a grant to the AETC National Center for HIV Care in Minority Communities.
HealthHIV is one of the largest national HIV organizations, through the AIDS Education and Training Centers National Center for HIV Care in Minority Communities (AETC NCHCMC). Founded in 1993, PCDC is a nonprofit organization dedicated to expanding and transforming primary care in underserved communities to improve health outcomes, lower health costs and reduce disparities.
HIV Conference & Mini-Fellowship 2011 Date & Location: 11/14/2011 – 11/16/2011 Galveston, TX. For more information, contact UTcme by calling (409) 772-9300, faxing (409) 772-9333; or visiting the website.
TB Intensive Date: 11/29/2011 – 12/02/2011 Location:San Antonio, TX. For more information, contact Mary Long, Heartland National TB Center, E-mail: Mary.long@uthct.edu; Phone: (210) 531-4545; or access the website.
International Conference on Stigma: the Attitude that spreads HIV Date: 12/01/2011 Location: Washington, DC. For more information, E-mail: contact@whocanyoutell.com; Call: (202) 865-7262; or access the website.
The Medical Management of HIV/AIDS Date: 12/01/2011 - 12/03/2011 Location: San Francisco, CA. For more information, E-mail info@ocme.ucsf.edu; phone (415) 476-4251; or access the website.
mHealth Summit Date: 12/05/2011 - 12/07/2011 Location: Washington, DC. For more information, contact the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health, 9650 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD 20814-3999 USA. Phone (301) 402 5311; fax (301) 480 2752; or access the website.
Comprehensive Clinical TB Course Date: 12/05/2011 - 12/08/2011 Location: Lantana, FL. For more information, E-mail: Karen.simpson@medicine.ufl.edu; call (888-265-7682); or access the website.
Social Media: Going Viral Against HIV and STIs: Communications Technology in Public Health Date: 12/08/2011 Location: New York, NY. For more information, visit http://nyconferences.org/socialmedia/
New Foundations: Expanding the HIV Prevention Framework with Gay/Bi and Other MSM Date: 12/12/2011 – 12/13/2011 Location: Oakland, CA. For more information, visit: http://www.stdhivtraining.org/upcoming_classes.html
International Science Symposium on HIV & Infectious Diseases Date: 01/20/2012 – 01/22/2012 Location: Chennai, India. For more information, contact the Symposium Secretariat, E-mail: HIVSymposium@yrgcare.org; Tel: +91-44-39106800/01/02/03/04/05; Fax: +91-44-22542939; or access the website.
Engaging the Private Sector in TB Prevention: A National Webinar Date: 01/25/2012 Location: Online. For more information, including the participant application, group viewing information, and system requirements, visit the website.
Preventive Medicine 2012: Healthy Families, Healthy Communities Date: 02/22/2012 – 02/25/2012 Location: Orlando, FL. For more information, about registration, contact Wanda Manson, E-mail: wmanson@acpm.org; Phone: (202) 466-2044 x 111; or access the website.
Announcements
CHCANYS Awarded Two Grants for Pediatric Obesity Prevention Learning Collaboratives On November 7, New York State Health Commissioner Nirav Shah, MD, announced that the New York State Department of Health had awarded nine State grants totaling up to $4.5 million over five years to reduce child and adolescent obesity. CHCANYS was the recipient of two grants, which were awarded to support learning collaboratives in two catchment areas covering a total of seven counties. If you operate an FQHC or FQHC Look-Alike or satellite site in either the Central Region (Cayuga, Onondoga, Oswego) or the Metropolitan Region (Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Westchester) and would like to learn more about participating in the learning collaborative, please contact Candy Magana, cmagana@chcanys.org.
The aim of this quality improvement project is to improve the quality of preschool vision screening that children receive as part of routine well-child care. Appropriate preschool vision screening can lead to the diagnosis of amblyopia at a time when treatment is most effective. The US Preventive Service Task Force endorses preschool vision screening (B rating). Unfortunately, the rate of preschool vision screening is low, there are wide variations in how well tests are implemented in primary care, and there are disparities by race and- ethnicity in which children receive eye care. Participating in this Maintenance of Certification activitiy will help practices develop a standardized and effective way to screening young and often uncooperative children. The activity includes specific guidelines about how to conduct vision screening, a short video to assist with the process, and forms to monitor the rates of vision screening within the practice. The module can be accessed at www.abp.org. Please contact the American Board of Pediatrics with any questions: 919.929.0461, MOC@abpeds.org. Click here to see promotional flyer.
Smoking Cessation Efforts
Tobacco use remains the leading preventable cause of death in New York City, killing 7,200 New Yorkers each year. Helping patients quit smoking is the single most important thing you can do to improve their health. Below is information on two opportunities to help facilitate tobacco dependence treatment; one that is especially useful for the uninsured and the other for Medicaid enrollees.
Expansion of smoking cessation counseling to all Medicaid enrollees
Smoking cessation counseling is now reimbursable for all Medicaid, Medicaid Managed Care, and Family Health Plus patients. Office-based providers and providers in Article 28 clinics that bill APGs can now bill for up to 6 counseling sessions in a 12-month period.
The Health Department recommends that you screen all patients for smoking status and help smokers to quit. Medicaid enrollees can receive:
Up to 6 months of smoking cessation medications per year, including nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), Zyban® (bupropion SR), and Chantix® (varenicline);
Six sessions of either individual or group counseling in a 12-month period.
The use of nicotine replacement therapy, Zyban® or Chantix® combined with counseling provides the best opportunity to help a smoker quit. For more information, including specific reimbursement information, please visit: NYS Medicaid Benefit and click here for some Frequently Asked Questions.
BigAppleRx Card
For all patients but particularly the uninsured who likely do not receive discounts on pharmacotherapy, the BigAppleRx card is a free card that provides discounts for a broad range of medications, including over-the-counter (OTC) smoking cessation aids (i.e., nicotine gum, patch, inhaler, nasal spray) and prescription drugs like Zyban® or Chantix®, at most retail pharmacies in NYC. The BigAppleRx card is available to everyone living, working or visiting NYC, regardless of age, income, citizenship, or health insurance status. In order to receive a discount, the patient must have a valid prescription for both prescription and OTC products like the nicotine gum or patch. For more information, please visit www.bigapplerx.com.
CME Credits Now Available from CHCANYS October Conference This Live Activity, Community Health Care Association of NYS Statewide Conference & Clinical Forum 2011, with a beginning date of 10/16/2011 – 10/18/2011, has been reviewed and is acceptable for up to 13.50 Prescribed credit(s) by the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP). Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity. AAFP Prescribed credit is accepted by the American Medical Association as equivalent to AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ toward the AMA Physician’s Recognition Award. When applying for the AMA PRA, Prescribed credit earned must be reported as Prescribed, not as Category 1. AAFP members may report credits online at the AAFP website. Non-members of AAFP may contact rwynn@chcanys.org to receive a certificate of participation. However, clinicians are responsible for filing with their respective organizations to receive credits.
News from Management, Finance and Compliance If you have questions about CHCANYS’ management, finance and compliance, please contact Rebecca Gaige, rgaige@chcanys.org.
Office of Medicaid Inspector General (OMIG) WEBINAR The State Office of the Medicaid Inspector General will offer a Web presentation on changes in the compliance certification process on Nov. 14 from 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Presenters are Matthew Babcock, assistant Medicaid inspector general for compliance, and Carol Booth, a departmental health systems specialist and compliance specialist. The event will be recorded and later be made available for download. To register for this webinar visit https://omig.webex.com/mw0306ld/mywebex/default.do?siteurl=omig
News from Emergency Preparedness If you have questions about CHCANYS' EP work, please contact Matthew Ziemer, mziemer@chcanys.org.
NYC Flu Clinic Locator
The New York City Department of Health will again this year post locations providing influenza vaccine on its Flu Clinic Locator. This will give your facility the opportunity to publicize to potential patients. If you would like to have your site listed to the public, please provide the following information to Matthew Ziemer at mziemer@chcanys.org.
Facility Name: Facility Address: Facility Type: Age range of patients the facility will vaccinate: Fee Info: Additional Info: (such as insurance accepted, type of practice, etc.) Contact: (including phone number and name) Days and Hours of Operation: Date facility will stop offering flu vaccine:
News from HIT If you have questions about CHCANYS’ HIT work, please contact Lisa Perry, lperry@chcanys.org.
Medicaid Meaningful Use Registration & Attestation System to be Available for 2011 Incentive Payments New York State Office of Health Insurance Programs (OHIP) expects to have the Medicaid Meaningful Use (MU) Registration & Attestation system, known as MEIPASS, available for 2011 incentive payments by mid- December.
There are several things your staff can do now so that you are ready to register your Eligible Professionals as soon as the State’s system goes live:
1. Identify all of your Eligible Professionals and record all information required for registration. Eligible Professionals (EPs) include physicians, dentists, certified nurse midwives, nurse practitioners and physician assistants (if working at a PA-led FQHC). Use the attached spreadsheet to record all the information required for registration.
3. Make sure all of your Eligible Professionals are enrolled in Medicaid Fee-for-Service (aka Professional Medicaid). If you have any doubts as to whether your EPs are enrolled in Professional Medicaid, or have questions about how to complete this enrollment, please see the Medicaid FFS Enrollment Tips for Meaningful Use, attached.
4. Verify that all eligible providers have access to an active ePACES account. ePACES enrollment begins with issuance of a token (secure password) and then responding to a series of emails generated by accessing the website https://www.emedny.org/enroll/. Call 800-343-9000 to obtain a token. Select Option 4 then sub-option 1.
5. Follow instructions in the Meaningful Use Provider Registration Instructions, attached, to complete the first part of the registration process on the CMS website. You will need each provider’s NPI. We encourage you to obtain the providers’ permission to complete the registrations on their behalf. To do so, your practice will need to obtain an NPPES I & A Web Account to access the registration system. Instructions are included. Each provider will need to log into the system using his/her own NPPES User Account ID and password to approve your registration. If a provider cannot remember the account ID and password, help is available at 800-465-3203 or the CMS MU Registration Help Desk (888-734-6433).
6. Verify that 30% of your FQHC’s patient encounters are attributable to those receiving Medicaid or “needy individuals.” Please see Eligibility Calculations for Meaningful Use Incentives, attached. When the Medicaid registration system goes live, you will need to attest that your practice meets the 30% threshold to establish your EPs’ eligibility for the Medicaid incentives.
7. Sign up for the new eMedNY LISTSERV to receive information directly relating to the Medicaid EHR Incentive Program as updates are posted. Click on the link below and subscribe to Practitioner EHR Incentive Program updates. https://www.emedny.org/Listserv/eMedNY_Email_Alert_System.aspx
November Meeting of the Upstate Technology Work Group
The next Upstate HIT Technology workgroup will be held on Nov.17th (9am–11am). Participants can call 866-394-2346 code 3052466509 to participate. Attendees are welcome to join in person in the CHCANYS Albany office on 11/17.
There will be no HIT Technology Workgroup meeting in December - Happy Holidays to all!
A combined quarterly Downstate and Upstate HIT Technology workgroup will be held on January 12th (9am - 11am). Participants can call 866-394-2346 code 3052466509 to participate. Attendees are welcome to join in person in the CHCANYS NY office.
If your health center has a training or technical assistance program that you'd like to share with others around the state, or if you would like to subscribe others at your health center to Your CHCANYS, please email the pertinent information to Rebecca Gaige-Troxell at rgaige@chcanys.org. We welcome your feedback and comments.
