Community Foundations Continue
to Assist with Donations
of Face Coverings to CHCs
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The Drs. Aaron & Ollye Shirley Foundation recently donated face coverings to Delta Health Center (photo on right) and East Central Missisippi Healthcare (photo above). The Founation honors the lives of Dr. Aaron Shirley and Dr. Ollye Shirley, who spent their lives addressing the health and wellbeing of people in underserved communities.
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G.A. Carmichael Family Health Center
recently received a donation of face coverings from
The Friendship Association.
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COVID-19 Response Updates
All Mississippi CHCs continue with COVID-19 testing at open clinic locations, and some continue to offer testing at locations in the community with drive-thru events.
Source: HRSA as of 7-17-2020
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President Signs Four Executive Orders, One Targets FQHCs 340B Prescription Program for Insulin, Epinephrine
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President Trump signed four executive orders on Friday, July 24, 2020. The order
Access to Affordable Life-Saving Medications directs the Secretary of HHS to require FQHCs that participate in the 340B Drug Pricing Program to provide all insulin and injectable epinephrine products purchased under the 340B program to their low-income patients
at the same price at which the drug was acquired. The order conditions future federal grants to FQHCs providing these drugs to low-income patients at the discounted price under the 340B program. The order defines low-income patients as any patient who has a high cost-sharing requirement for either insulin or injectable epinephrine products, has a high unmet deductible, or has no health insurance.
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In the July 28th
Today with Macrae
webinar, Mr. Macrae shared with participants some definitions written into the Access to Affordable Life-saving Medications executive order.
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On the Hill
Senate Republicans Release COVID Stimulus 4 Package
Last week, Senate Republican leaders released a fourth stimulus package, which is entitled the Health, Economic Assistance, Liability Protection, and Schools (HEALS) Act. The package includes
$7.6 billion in supplemental funding for Community Health Centers and preserves the ability of FQHCs and RHCs to provide telehealth services in Medicare for 5 years following the end of the public health emergency.
For a brief overview of the many other provisions included in the package, please click
here
.
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Please ask your Members of Congress to persuade Congressional Leadership to include the following in the final compromise bill:
- The inclusion of health center look-alikes in those able to access the $7.6 billion of emergency COVID-19 relief funds;
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- An extension of the PPP which would allow health centers with over 500 employees to be eligible for the program; and,
- Equal reimbursement for health centers' for Medicare telehealth visits.
The inclusion of these is critical to ensure that Community Health Centers can continue providing quality primary care to nearly 30 million patients nationwide.
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Training Opportunities
Coming up this Week!
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The 33rd annual conference, held online this year, promises to engage and enlighten participants. Sessions on lessons learned and best practices in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic are planned. Visit this
link to register or for more info.
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Thank you to our 33rd Annual Conference Sponsors
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Additional Training Opportunities
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Monday, August 10, 2020
11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. CST
Police Violence as a Public Health Problem
This webinar will focus on police violence as a public health issue, a framework that allows us to view police violence in a broader societal perspective. We will discuss basic measures of police violence across populations and limitations of the existing data.
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Register for the August Quarterly Meeting!
Friday, August 21
10 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
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What you'll learn:
CVD risk reduction in diabetes with an emphasis on exercise
Stephen Farrow, MD, MBA-AEC, CPE, FACP, NDORI
How to take diabetes care into schools
Irena McClain, MPH, Diabetes Foundation of Mississippi
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*Public Notice for SPA 20-0008 (released after the RHC notice)
Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) Services
The Division of Medicaid, in the Office of the Governor, will submit this proposed SPA to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) effective August 1, 2020, contingent upon approval from CMS, our Transmittal #20-0008.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) approved SPA 20-0014-CHIP COVID-19 Eligibility and Cost-Sharing During an Emergency on July 22, 2020. SPA 20-0014-CHIP allows the Division of Medicaid to implement temporary adjustments to enrollment and redetermination during Governor or federally-declared disasters and waive certain cost-sharing during the COVID-19 emergency effective March 18, 2020.
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Children’s Health Insurance Program State Plan Amendment (SPA) 20-0015-CHIP Behavioral Health is being submitted to allow the Division of Medicaid to include mental health coverage as a mandatory benefit for all CHIP beneficiaries. Mandatory coverage will include services necessary to prevent, diagnose, and treat a broad range of mental health symptoms and disorders, including substance use disorders, effective July 22, 2020.
Rule:
Title 23, Part 206, Rules 1.2-1.5, Rule 2.2
Summary:
This Administrative Code is being filed to remove the requirement for signature of a supervisor on documentation of all services provided by provisionally credentialed mental healthcare professionals in a community mental health center setting; removal of IQ requirement for MYPAC eligibility, and removing Day Support Services as this is no longer a reimbursable service. Timeframe requirements for MYPAC diagnostic evaluations have been added.
System Number:
25024
Effective Date: 9/1/2020
Withdrawal Date:
Rule: Title 23 Medicaid, Part 200: General Provider Information, Chapter 4: Provider Enrollment, Rule: 4.2, 4.3, 4.8
Summary: This Administrative Code is being filed to add guidance on what constitutes a change of ownership and requires providers to give DOM notice of changes of ownership within thirty-five (35) days of the change.
System Number: 25023
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Mark your calendar for the following upcoming Today with Macrae: Health Center Program Updates. All sessions will be held from 1-2 p.m. CST.
- Thursday, August 20
- Tuesday, September 29
- Thursday, October 29
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Stand Up and Be Counted - the 2020 Census Count Ongoing Now
Please Remind Everyone to
Take the 2020 Census
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November elections are fast approaching. Are you registered to vote? Are your patients and constituents
registered to vote?
Visit the Y'all Vote website on voter registration
here to get more information.
A tool kit to help with a voter registration event can be found
here.
Additional materials for posting in waiting rooms can be found
here.
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The 2020 National Health Center Week is August 9-15, 2020
“
Community Health Centers: Lighting the Way for Healthier Communities, Today and
in the Future!
”
Suggested Activities
1) Open House events for elected officials to learn of your work in addressing the pandemic
2) COVID-19 community testing events
3) Voter registration drives
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Remember to Submit Your Events
here
.
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CHCAMS partners at the American Cancer Society are hosting an
ECHO Clinic
focused on HPV Vaccination. To register for the ECHO Clinic, click
here
.
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Mississippi Health Care Industry Zone Incentive Program
The Mississippi Health Care Industry Zone Incentive Program aims to increase the number of health care jobs in the state and expand access to high-quality medical care for Mississippi residents by encouraging health care-related businesses to locate or expand in Health Care Zones in the state.
ELIGIBILITY: Medical service providers, including nursing homes and assisted living facilities, may also benefit from this program.
To qualify, health care-related businesses must commit to
create at least 25 full-time jobs and/or invest $10 million and must locate in a
Health Care Zone
within the state.
More information on the Health Care Industry Zone Incentive Program can be found
here
.
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Capital Fund Receives $50 Million to Help
Healthcare Infrastructure Projects
If your health center needs additional funding for an upcoming expansion or renovation project, Capital Fund may be able to help! On July 15, 2020, Capital Fund received a $50 million New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC)
allocation award
from the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Community Development Financial Institutions Fund. This award will enable us to increase lending to health centers seeking to finance facilities and operational growth to better serve its communities and expand access to care. Interested health centers should act now!
If your health center needs additional funding for an upcoming expansion or renovation project, Capital Fund may be able to help.
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Grants with ongoing deadlines can be found
here
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