Message from the IARHC Board President | |
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IARHC members,
Welcome to the December edition of our newsletter! As we implement our strategic plan over the next two years, we remain committed to serving the needs of our members and all rural health clinics across the state. We look forward to growing our capacity in the support we provide and building partnerships with organizations dedicated to strengthen rural communities.
In this newsletter we share with you updates affecting RHCs in the new year, a new IARHC resource, training opportunities, and more. We invite you to share the information below within your clinic.
Thank you for your incredible contributions and continued commitment to providing essential healthcare services to rural communities across Iowa. Wishing you all a wonderful holiday season!
Best,
Ann Wise
Board President
Clinic Director
UnityPoint Clinic Buena Vista, Sac City, and Lake View
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Thank you all for being members of the Iowa Association of Rural Health Clinics. We are committed to supporting the needs of our membership and we value your feedback. We invite you to share your thoughts and suggestions on how we can enhance our support for members through this survey. Your input will help in shape our resources, educational sessions, conference topics, and more. The survey will close on December 22, 2023. | |
HRSA RHC COVID-19 Testing Supply Program | |
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HRSA will stop accepting new enrollments for the RHC COVID-19 Testing Supply Program in early 2024. All RHCs not currently enrolled in the program, but wish to order theses supplies in the future, are encouraged to enroll as soon as possible. To enroll:
- Confirm that you are a Medicare-certified Rural Health Clinic and identify your CMS Certification Number (CCN). Visit the CMS QCOR website to look up your CCN number and confirm your status as a Medicare-certified RHC.
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Email [email protected] with "Enroll" in the subject line.
RHCs that are already enrolled do not need to take any action. However, if your organization experienced staff turnover since enrollment and needs to change the individual who has ordering permissions, please email [email protected]. There will be a pause in ordering COVID-19 Testing Supplies in the second half of December. Ordering will reopen in January for enrolled RHCs. Please email [email protected] with any questions or concerns.
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CMS Finalizes 2024 Regulatory Updates | |
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On November 2nd, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued the CY 2024 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) Final Rule and the CY 2024 Medicare Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) Final Rule, finalizing several Rural Health Clinic (RHC) specific policy proposals that NARHC first outlined in July.
In September, NARHC submitted comments as to how CMS proposals may impact the RHC community, and suggested various changes to ensure that safety net providers are able to take full advantage of the expanded benefits. Much of our advocacy was successful, particularly in conveying to CMS that RHCs should be able to bill the general care management code, G0511, more than once per patient per month to capture the full benefits of expanded Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) flexibilities and other benefits.
Unless otherwise noted, the below, finalized proposals will go into effect on January 1, 2024. Highlights include:
- Medicare Coverage of Marriage and Family Therapists and Mental Health Counselors
- Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) Services Billable in RHC Under Special Payment Rule
- Remote Physiologic Monitoring, Remote Therapeutic Monitoring, Community Health Integration, and Principal Illness Navigation Services Billable in RHC as G0511
- Definition Change to Nurse Practitioner
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U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Announces Top Iowa Health Centers for Clinical Quality Excellence | |
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), has announced seven health centers in Iowa are part of the top 10 percent for their achievements in improving health outcomes and providing high-quality care for patients in rural and underserved communities. The digital badges, part of the Community Health Quality Recognition (CHQR) badge program, honor the health centers across the country that have attained the best overall clinical quality performance. | |
Iowa Community Corps AmeriCorps Program | |
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The Iowa Community Corps is a Public Health AmeriCorps program that partners AmeriCorps Members with host site organizations responding to public health needs through food security and resource navigation efforts. AmeriCorps Members will support special projects that build capacity and sustainability for their host site organizations. Member benefits include a living allowance, education award, and Community Health Worker Certification upon successful completion of the Community Health Worker Professional Skills Training Program.
If you are interested in becoming an Iowa Community Corps AmeriCorps Member, or would like to partner as a host site organization, please contact AmeriCorps Program Planner, Erin Hardigree.
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Community Health Worker (CHW) Registered Apprenticeship | Accepting Applications | |
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The Community Health Worker (CHW) Registered Apprenticeship training program helps to develop and build the skills of new and seasoned CHWs and other front-line professionals committed to advancing community health. The CHW Apprenticeship program is offered by the Iowa Chronic Care Consortium (ICCC) in partnership with Iowa Health and Human Services and Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC) and is approved by the U.S. Department of Labor. The Apprenticeship requires a partnership between the employer, apprentice, and ICCC. In this Apprenticeship, ICCC serves as an intermediary, thus streamlining the program requirements for the employer. With the new CMS Physician Rule allowing for community health worker services to be billed to Medicare, this opens up opportunities for providers to incorporate this workforce into their care teams.
Special opportunities are available for Iowa residents and individuals employed in Iowa to receive a FULL tuition waiver and stipend support. The next cohort will start in early 2024, so please do not delay. To learn more information about this opportunity, visit www.communityhealthworker.org or contact Deb Kazmerzak.
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Social Drivers of Health Survey | |
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Partners at the University of Iowa are conducting a study on social needs screening in Medicare-certified rural health clinics and federally qualified health center (FQHC) clinic sites. IARHC and the University of Iowa would value your responses to the Social Drivers of Health survey.
We would welcome each RHC’s administrator or lead clinician to complete the survey on behalf of their clinic. Questions will focus on social needs screening processes, barriers to social needs screening, and clinic characteristics. Even if your clinic site is not currently conducting social needs screening, your participation in the survey would be greatly appreciated! The survey will take about 15-20 minutes to complete. You will also have the option to return to the survey to answer the survey questions if needed. Your participation is optional, but welcomed! We would welcome your response by January 5, 2024. Please email the lead researcher, Whitney Zahnd, at [email protected], if you have any questions.
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CMS Releases Ownership Data for Rural Health Clinics & Federally Qualified Health Centers | |
December 7: CMS released full ownership data for Rural Health Clinics and Federally Qualified Health Centers. This is a continuation of previous ownership data releases, including change of ownership data and full ownership data for hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, home health agencies, and hospices. Making ownership information transparent benefits researchers and enforcement agencies by allowing them to identify familiar owners that have had histories of poor performance, analyze data and trends on how market consolidation impacts consumers with increased costs without necessarily improving quality of care, and evaluate the relationships between ownership and changes in health care costs and outcomes. | |
Resources For Rural Health Clinics | |
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The Emergency Preparedness Guide is our newest resource available on our website. This resource provides an overview of the regulatory guidance requirements and highlights components of an emergency preparedness manual.
Click the button below to view our resource page. The resource page also includes information from HRSA, CMS, Iowa Medicaid, NARHC, and Iowa HHS.
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Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Final Rule Summary | |
This newsletter from the Medicare Learning Network provides information for staff involved in billing for services covered by the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule under policies that will take effect on January 1, 2024. | |
Rural Physician & Advanced Practice Provider Compensation Survey Results | |
This first-of-its-kind survey provides a path forward for rural healthcare organizations by outlining provider compensation trends, best practices, and potential challenges leaders might face when recruiting and retaining top talent in rural healthcare. View the report here. | |
2022 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System Survey Findings Brief | |
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The BRFSS is an annual, state-based survey system that collects data on health-related risk behaviors, chronic health conditions, health care access, and use of preventive services from the adult (≥ 18 years) population in Iowa using telephone interviews.
To learn more about the Iowa BRFSS program, visit https://hhs.iowa.gov/brfss where you can find additional program information, additional publications, copies of questionnaires, and more. View the report here.
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Rural Health Equity Roadmap | |
Webinars, Trainings, & Events | |
Iowa Community Health Conference: Cultivating Community Health | |
The Community Health Center movement began by combining the resources of local communities with federal funds to to target the roots of poverty. The 2024 Iowa Community Health Conference is an opportunity to broaden relationships among health care providers and organizations. The conference will be held in Des Moines on January 22-23, 2024. Registration and more information can be found here. | |
Improving Health Outcomes Through Preventing Childhood Obesity Conference | |
The Improving Health Outcomes Through Preventing Childhood Obesity Conference is a virtual event offering presentations on a variety of childhood health topics including physical activity, nutrition, health equity, AAP obesity guidelines, implementation strategies and more. Attendees will receive continuing education credits as well as access to the recordings of all sessions after the conference. More information available here for the January 23, 2024 virtual event. | |
3RNET Employer Training | December Recording | |
A recording of the hour-long session for health care employers in rural areas that took place on December 5th. The training includes how to share jobs on social media and how to use 3RNet Plus Tools to feature jobs and track candidates. Watch this space for additional trainings from 3RNet scheduled for January and March. View the webinar recording here. | |
NOSORH Rural Health Grant Writing Institute | |
A series of nine online learning sessions covering grant writing with a unique rural health focus. The intended audience is beginners looking to gain the skills to research and draft winning proposals from various agencies. Learn more about the institute here. | |
Rural Health Care Program | Healthcare Connect Fund | |
The Healthcare Connect Fund (HCF) Program is a component program of the FCC's Rural Health Care Program. It provides funding to eligible healthcare providers for eligible expenses related to advanced telecommunications and information services necessary for the provision of healthcare. An eligible healthcare provider can apply individually or through a consortium. Examples of eligible products and services include broadband services, network equipment, and HCP-constructed and owned network facilities. The next application deadline is April 1, 2024. | |
HRSA Rural Residency Planning & Development Program | |
The purpose of this program is to improve health care in rural areas by developing new, sustainable rural residency programs, including rural track programs (RTPs), that are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) to address the physician workforce shortages and challenges faced by rural communities. There are two pathways for this program: General Primary Care and High Need Specialty Pathway and Maternal Health and Obstetrics Pathway. Up to $750,000 over the 3-year period of performance subject to the availability of appropriated funds. Applications are due February 12, 2024. More information available here. | |
Rural Economic Development Loan & Grant Program | |
NARHC News, Policy, & Resources | |
RHC Opportunities in the Inflation Reduction Act | |
NARHC's D.C Office published information about what RHC opportunities are possible within the Inflation Reduction Act. "Have you considered buying an electric vehicle for your rural health clinic (RHC)? Do you have a sunny spot ripe for solar panels? If so, consider taking advantage of the benefits within the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA). Signed into law in August of 2022 by President Biden, the IRA provides grants, tax credits, and loan programs intended to help providers and suppliers improve care, attain renewable infrastructure, and lower costs of energy. Through the provisions in this act, the health care sector, which accounts for 8.5% of the country’s carbon emissions, can assist in reducing the harm of climate change." Read more here. | |
NARHC Technical Assistance Webinars | |
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Did you miss the NARHC Medicare Physician Fee Schedule webinar? Watch the recordings or view the slide presentations below.
NARHC provides technical assistance webinars covering the most current and up-to-date information for RHCs. View more TA webinars here.
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Thank You IARHC Sponsors! | |
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Contact Us
Questions? Ideas you want to share? Concerns or barriers you’re facing? Feel free to reach out to staff at [email protected] - we’ll try to help or get you connected. Or you can reach out to your colleagues by posting a question on the IARHC listserv. Simply send an email to [email protected]. This listserv gives you access to the current IARHC membership – use it as a tool to learn from each other!
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