October 2024 Newsletter

FCOM Executive Director Search Continues

FCOM continues its search for its next Executive Director.

The position is part-time, 20 hours per week, and will be a very modestly paid position to start. Experience working with a non-profit organization and grant writing is strongly preferred. The official office is in Zeeland, but remote work is allowed. Ability to travel is a must. Please see the Position Announcement for more details.

If you know anyone interested, please email current executive director Ann Heler at admin@fcomi.org or call 248-635-8695 (FCOM line).

Commonwealth Report--A Failing Health System

The U.S. continues to be in a class of its own in the underperformance of its healthcare sector.

This article, Mirror Mirror 2024: A Portrait of a Failing U.S. Health System, is a quick overview state by state.

This is why our work is so important. This report and others with similar results show just how vital it is that we continue our efforts at sustainability, adapting to meet new patient needs and working to effect change in the healthcare industry. We are a part of the change, not a part of the problem.

Reminding Patients to Vote

Encouraging patients to vote is something we can do easily and ethically. To be clear, this is done without promoting or even mentioning any particular candidate. We just want to remind patients that an election is coming up and remind them that voting is something they can do to help themselves and their families.

Does your clinic have information posted on upcoming elections in addition to how and when to vote in your community? Do you have a nearby referral source or someone at the clinic to help your patients register to vote?

National Women's Shelter Network

Please add this to your list of resources. This is an easy site to use. Simply go to Find A Shelter, list the city or the area, and there will hopefully be a location near the person requesting help.

Update: Veteran's Health Services

We rarely duplicate Update items, but this one seems to have garnered a lot of interest.

If you missed the information last time, Jim Yates from the I-Reach program has said he will answer your veteran care questions. Email him at jyates@miruralclinics.org or yatesja1@msu.edu.

Thanks for your interest in veteran care!

Legislative Updates

Nothing new at this time.

Broadband expansion – We continue to support all the work being done to extend broadband capability across the state and financial assistance for those who cannot afford access to the internet. MIHI is laying more cable and increasing access. If your area continues to experience spotty access, please continue to contact MIHI at help@mihin.org. This is ongoing.

House Bill 5114 – Carrie Rheingans (D) Ann Arbor - Expanding the definition of mental health providers to include Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants. Up for second reading in the House.

State Appropriations

FCOM is working closely with State Representative Jasper Martus (Flushing/Flint area) to increase our appropriation and to have FCOM be the flow-through for the appropriation. Contact Ann if your state senator or representative will support this change if Representative Martus introduces it. Ann may also reach out to you. The more support Representative Martus has, the more likely he will enthusiastically introduce the changes.

This is an election fall, and the representatives are either running for reelection or ending their terms. We may have quite a few new members on the three Senate and House committees that oversee our appropriation: Appropriations, HHS and Health Policy. Stay tuned.

Medicaid Unwinding Continues

This is directly from the last CMS bulletin (9/26/24)

1. “States must complete all unwinding-related renewals for all beneficiaries enrolled in Medicaid and CHIP as of the end of the continuous enrollment condition by no later than December 31, 2025. • Beginning with renewals initiated in January 2026, all states must initiate and complete renewals timely, consistent with federal regulations as described below, and routine state processing timelines.”

2. Kaiser Foundation has just published real numbers for each state. Interesting to us because of the potential this means to patient increase in our clinics. Take a look.

3. See Michigan DHHS's website for current information.

FCOM Facebook Page

Gentle Reminder: We want to share your successes!

If you have anything you would like to post on the site: fundraisers, events you are doing in the community, awards or news articles your staff or the clinic has received or written, please send the information to Elyse at ecady@fcomi.org so we can post it on our page.

Also, can we get our follower number up to 620? We need those likes and comments.