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WVPCA Weekly Outlook Newsletter
A Newsletter on Community Centered Healthcare
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We offer this publication as a member service of the West Virginia Primary Care Association (WVPCA).
If you have questions regarding our organization, WVPCA membership, or if you have content to suggest for this newsletter, please contact Kelsey Clough, Education and Communications Coordinator, by email or by phone at (304) 346-0032.
Sincerely,
West Virginia Primary Care Association
1700 MacCorkle Avenue
Charleston, WV 25314-1518
304-346-0032
1-877-WVA-HLTH
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Quick Links: In This Issue.....
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News
Flash!
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Feds reach agreement with W.Va, after investigation finds state violating American with Disabilities Act
Read the entire article from
WSAZ
here.
West Virginia settles opioid lawsuit with McKesson for $37M
Read the entire article from
Modern Healthcare
here.
West Virginia selected for pilot for addiction treatment rating system
Read the entire article from the
Register-Herald
here.
US Attorney announces $17 million Medicaid fraud civil settlement with Acadia
Read the entire article from
MetroNews
here.
The Health Plan and West Virginia University Health System to form new, fully integrated healthcare network
Read the entire release from WVU Medicine
here.
ACA uncertainty created financial boon for health insurers
Read the entire article from
Modern Healthcare
here.
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National Women's Health Week
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The 20th annual National Women's Health Week kicked off on Mother's Day. This year's theme, "Find Your Health" empowers women to make their health a top priority and take simple, steps to embrace healthier lifestyles.
Download the women's health infographic and learn how HRSA delivers critical health services for women.
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WVPCA News
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Register Today! Navigating the HIPAA, HITECH, 42 CFR Part 2 Privacy and Confidentiality Landscape in WV
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Join the West Virginia Primary Care Association (WVPCA) and
Robert Coffield, Health Care and Technology Attorney with Flaherty, Sensabaugh and Bonasso PLLC, for a 90-minute webinar discussing the West Virginia perspective regarding HIPAA, HITECH and 42 CFR Part 2.
This webinar is scheduled for May 30, 2019 at 2:00 PM. Registration is available here.
This webinar is intended for Community Health Center (CHC) staff involved in medical records management, including, but not limited to: CEOs, CFOs, COOs, CIOs, CMOs, Behavioral Health and Quality Improvement. The
webinar will provide a HIPAA and HITECH privacy and security refresher, delve into the WV legal potpourri of health care legislation and cases impacting HIPAA and behavioral health care records, and clarify the confusion of implementing 42 CFR Part 2 substance use disorder record protections.
Please note - our registration process has changed and is now exclusively online. If you experience any difficulty with the registration process, please contact the WVPCA at 304.346.0032.
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Join the WVPCA for a 2-Day CHC Billing, Coding & Documentation Strategies Workshop
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The West Virginia Primary Care Association (WVPCA) invites Community Health Center (CHC) Billing and Coding staff and Providers to attend a two-day workshop in South Charleston, WV on May 20-21.
Shellie Sulzberger, LPN, CPC, ICDCT-CM is the Co-founder of Coding & Compliance Initiatives and will present this workshop.
For more information, or to register, click
here
.
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Register Now for the Annual KidStrong Conference - with Special SBH Track
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Registration is open for the West Virginia Department of Education's (WVDE) 16th annual KidStrong Conference. The conference is scheduled June 13-14 at the Charleston Coliseum and Convention Center.
John Kennedy, School-Based/Behavioral Health Coordinator with the WVPCA, in conjunction with the WVDE and Marshall University, has developed a seven-session School-Based Health Center track. The SBH specific sessions were identified based upon Community Health Center (CHC) feedback as follows:
- Identifying Tomorrow's Issues in Students Today: Making Use of ACEs in SBHCs
- Trauma-Informed Care in SBHCs
- Sustaining SBHCs: Enhancing Community Engagement
- A Win-Win for Students - Education and SBHCs Working Together to Improve Student Academic and Health Outcomes
- Telling the Story: The Use of Genograms When Working with Students
- Collaboration and Success: School Health Style Panel Discussion
- Providing Health Care Using Telehealth: The School- Based Health and Technology Modality
Registration is FREE to all West Virginia school personnel, (including school nurse RNs, LPNs working in public schools, school health personnel) school-based health center staff, valued school health partners and state/local public health department staff working with schools.
CEs and Graduate Credit Available
Nursing, School Counseling, School Psychology, and Social Workers CEs will be provided along with CMEs and Pharmacy credits in specific tracks at the conference. Three hours of graduate credit will be available.
Registration is available here.
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State News
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DHHR to host Special Event
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The West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHR) invites you to hear from Amanda of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Tips From Former Smokers® campaign, and Dr. Cathy Slemp, Commissioner of DHHR's Bureau for Public Health/State Health Officer. This special event will be held at the Charleston Coliseum & Convention Center on Thursday, May 16 at 10:00 AM. An RSVP to this event is requested by contacting Jim Kerrigan or 304.346.4219 or at [email protected].
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Pediatricians and CCF Release 2019 State Snapshots on Children's Health Coverage
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The Georgetown University Health Policy Institute Center for Children and Families and the American Academy of Pediatrics created
state snapshots that focus on the valuable role Medicaid and CHIP fill for children. According to the release:
These snapshots provide details on who's covered by Medicaid and CHIP in each state and how Medicaid/CHIP fit into the overall coverage landscape for children. These easy-to-understand short summaries reflect on how Medicaid/CHIP support healthy development and help children succeed in school and life. They also note the importance of Medicaid as an economic driver in state economies.
"The snapshots focus attention on the fact that our nation's success in covering children is slipping backward, given the increase in uninsured children in 2017 and the decline in Medicaid/CHIP child enrollment in 2018. The snapshots reinforce the importance of protecting children's health coverage. We hope our state and national partners find these snapshots useful in their work to educate policymakers and other stakeholders about the importance of Medicaid and CHIP coverage to children's health and well-being." Tricia Brooks, Senior Fellow at the Center for Children and Families.
Find the West Virginia snapshot
here.
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Employers Must Provide Pay Data to EEOC by September 30
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According to a recent news alert by Jackson Kelly PLLC, a federal just ruled on April 25 that employers are required to provide 2018 pay data to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) by September 30.
Read the entire alert
here
.
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Mark Your Calendars - Events/Trainings Across WV
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Mid-Atlantic AIDS Educational and Training Center Training Opportunities
When: May 23 in Elkins, WV; and June 13 in Wheeling, WV
Important Information: This program has been approved by the WV Board of Medicine and the WV Board of Osteopathic Medicine.
Registration: Contact Donna M.
Steigleder, (304) 462-6292.
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Community Healthcare Planning and Response to Disasters
When: June 18-19 at Cedar Lakes Conference Center in Ripley, WV
Who: The West Virginia Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management and Jackson County Health Department are coordinating an educational training, Community Healthcare Planning and Response to Disasters.
Registration: For more information, click here.
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Funding Opportunities
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Funding Opportunity Reminders
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USDA Community Food Projects Competitive Grants Program
Application Deadline: June 3, 2019
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will make awards ranging from $35,000 to $125,000 for projects that meet the food needs of low-income individuals through food distribution and community outreach, and that promote local access to farm-produced food. Eligible applicants are public food program service providers, tribal organizations, and private nonprofit entities, including those that collect or harvest surplus food.
For more information, click
here.
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Rural Communities Opioid Response Program - Medication-Assisted Treatment Expansion (RCORP-MAT Expansion)
Application Deadline: June 10, 2019
HRSA's Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP) will be making approximately 11 awards of up to $725,000 each to eligible rural health clinics, Critical Access Hospitals, health center look-alikes, other small rural hospitals with 49 available staffed beds or less, and tribal organizations to establish and/or expand medication-assisted treatment (MAT) in high-risk rural communities over a three-year period of performance. All applicants must be located, and all services must be provided, in HRSA-designated rural areas (as defined by the
Rural Health Grants Eligibility Analyzer). For additional eligibility information, please reference pp. 4-5 of the
notice of funding opportunity (NOFO). Award recipients are strongly encouraged to leverage workforce recruitment and retention programs like the
National Health Service Corps (NHSC). FORHP will hold a webinar for applicants on Thursday, May 16 from 12-1:30 p.m. ET. A recording will be made available for those who cannot attend. Please reference page ii in the NOFO for the dial-in and playback information for the webinar and contact [email protected] with questions.
For more information, click
here.
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National News
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NHSC New Site Application Deadline is May 30
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NHSC-approved sites are health care facilities that provide comprehensive, primary health care services to populations residing in health professional shortage areas, and that meet the NHSC site eligibility requirements. Critical Access Hospitals and some Indian Health Service Hospitals may also be eligible.
The NHSC has expanded its site eligibility to help combat the nation's opioid crisis. Now sites providing general substance use disorder treatment, medication assisted treatment, and/or a certified opioid treatment program are also eligible to apply.
- Recruiting qualified providers using NHSC Loan Repayment Programs as an incentive;
- Attracting NHSC Scholars who have completed their training and are ready to fulfill their service obligation at your site;
- Posting vacancies to the Health Workforce Connector;
- Participating in HRSA Virtual Job Fairs, to connect you with primary care trainees and practicing clinicians; and
- Having direct access to state Primary Care Offices that help to increase access to primary health care services in your community.
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HHS Announces Final Conscience Rule Protecting Health Care Entities and Individuals
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The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) recently announced the issuance of the final conscience rule that protects individuals and health care entities from discrimination on the basis of their exercise of conscience in HHS-funded programs. Just as OCR enforces other civil rights, the rule implements full and robust enforcement of approximately 25 provisions passed by Congress protecting longstanding conscience rights in healthcare.
The final rule fulfills President Trump's promise to promote and protect the fundamental and unalienable rights of conscience and religious liberty, a promise he made when he signed an executive order in May 2017 protecting religious liberty. In October 2017, the Department of Justice issued guidance encouraging other Departments, including HHS, to implement and enforce all relevant religious freedom laws.
Read more here. |
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HHS Finalizes Rule Requiring Manufacturers Disclose Drug Prices in TV Ads to Increase Drug Pricing Transparency
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Less than a year after the release of President Trump's American Patients First - PDF blueprint, HHS finalizes first rule implementing the blueprint, aimed at increasing transparency for patients and bringing down overall drug costs both for patients and for the Medicare and Medicaid programs.
On Wednesday, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar announced a final rule from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) that will require direct-to-consumer television advertisements for prescription pharmaceuticals covered by Medicare or Medicaid to include the list price - the Wholesale Acquisition Cost - if that price is equal to or greater than $35 for a month's supply or the usual course of therapy.
"Requiring the inclusion of drugs' list prices in TV ads is the single most significant step any administration has taken toward a simple commitment: American patients deserve to know the prices of the healthcare they receive," said HHS Secretary Alex Azar. "Patients who are struggling with high drug costs are in that position because of the high list prices that drug companies set. Making those prices more transparent is a significant step in President Trump's efforts to reform our prescription drug markets and put patients in charge of their own healthcare."
Read more here. Additional information is included in a Modern Healthcare article here. |
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Applications Are Open for the Transgender Health ECHO Program
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The National LGBT Health Education Center is now accepting applications for the July 2019 - June 2020 TransEcho Program! Applications are due by
May 24. Through the use of the groundbreaking
Project ECHO model, and web-based video conferencing technology, your health center will work alongside other health centers to create systems of care that support your transgender and gender non-conforming patients. Transgender Health ECHO is an opportunity for your health center to learn from experts and apply those learnings to increase the availability of culturally-responsible, comprehensive primary care for transgender people.
Trans ECHO Learning Objectives:
- Improve my ability and my organization's ability to provide high-quality care for transgender and gender non-conforming patients.
- Assess and expand my organization's capacity to create an affirming environment for transgender and gender non-conforming patients.
- Build relationships with other organizations that will facilitate peer learning experiences, both during the ECHO sessions and beyond.
- Develop and refine strategies that enable my organization to collect and utilize sexual orientation and gender identity data to improve health services and patient outcomes.
Please note that this is only available to FQHCs that have not previously participated in our TransECHO clinic.
Apply here to participate in the TransEcho. |
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FTCA PAL for Volunteer Health Professional Program Now Available
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HRSA has issued the Health Center Volunteer Health Professional (VHP) FTCA Program PAL 2019-03 detailing the requirements for Health Center Program grantees to submit applications to sponsor VHPs for FTCA initial, supplemental, and redeeming for calendar year 2020. Also see PAL 2019-02, Calendar Year 2020 Requirements for Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA) Coverage for Health Centers and Their Covered Individuals. Health center and health center VHP FTCA program redeeming applications for CY 2020 coverage are due by 11:59 pm ET on Monday, July 1. The redeeming application period begins on Friday, May 17. Initial deeming applications are accepted year-round.
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Service Area Considerations Request for Information Available for Preview
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The Service Area RFI announcement will begin with a 30-day preview period. Instructions on how external stakeholders may submit feedback are forthcoming. Following the preview period, HRSA will accept public feedback for 60 days and plans to announce those details in a future Primary Health Care Digest newsletter. We look forward to receiving your feedback.
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Webinar/Training Opportunity Reminders
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Register for 2 HRSA Grants Management Workshops
For more information, reach out to the workshop staff here.
Capital Link hosting "Developing A CHC Capital Project Plan and Budget' Webinar
Join Capital Link for the second in a two-part webinar series examining capital planning and financing activities.
Register
for Developing a Community Health Center Capital Project Plan and Budget - Part 2 which will be held May 22 at 2 p.m. ET
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Free Federal Grants TA Webinar
HRSA's Region III Office is hosting a free Federal Grants Technical Assistance Webinar on Thursday, May 23 from 10:00 a.m. - 11:15 a.m. to present key steps and resources for seeking federal grants.
In order to receive the link to the webinar,
registration is required
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Addressing Childhood Obesity in Health Centers: Promising Practices and Lessons Learned Webinar
Join HITEQ for a webinar on
May 30 addressing childhood obesity in CHCs at 3 PM (EST). The webinar will focus on how to improve child weight screening, nutrition and physical activity counseling, and design appropriate and meaningful interventions according to CHC peers. Registration is available
here.
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Community Health Center Resources
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Jackson Kelly PLLC
The WVPCA has retained the law firm of Jackson Kelly, PLLC to provide legal guidance to the WV Primary Care Association and its members.
Jackson Kelly attorneys provide limited consultation to all members of the WVPCA at no charge, as part of the WVPCA contract. There is no limit to the number of calls which any member may make. All inquiries within the scope of professional competence of firm attorneys will be addressed. Inquiries which require expertise not available through the firm will be promptly identified and, when requested, Jackson Kelly will assist in referring the matter to accounting firms, insurance agents, or others as circumstances warrant.
All inquiries, responses and consultation services provided by the firm lawyers will be provided without additional charge beyond the retainer amount, except for matters which require formal opinions, representation of record in litigation, transactional work, e.g. the purchase or sale of real property, or matters which require continued representation, research or consultation beyond a single inquiry or document review.
Justin M. Harrison is a labor & employment lawyer with Jackson Kelly PLLC. He is available for consultation through a special retainer relationship with the WVPCA.
Justin can be reached at 304.340.1358.
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Risk Management Manual for Health Centers Now Available!
The Risk Management Manual for Health Centers is now available on the ECRI Institute Clinical Risk Management Program website! Designed to support a proactive approach to risk management at health centers and free clinics, the Manual provides background, tips, and how-tos in a manageable format.
Specific areas that are covered include:
- Risk Management Program
- Role of the Risk Manager
- Risk Management Plan
- Credentialing and Privileging
- Communication with Patients
- Tracking Systems for Diagnostic Tests, Referrals, and Hospitalizations
- Patient Grievances and Complaints
- Communication among Providers, Staff, and Community Partners
- Claims and Lawsuits
- And more!
View an archived webinar that provides a guided tour of the Manual and key features. For access to the ECRI Institute Clinical Risk Management Program website or any other questions, email [email protected].
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ECRI Institute
The
ECRI Institute
offers numerous policy templates that can be used as guidance consistent with the needs of community health centers. To take a look at their library of policy templates, click
here
.
If you are not an ECRI member, creating a free account before accessing these materials is required. ECRI Institute resources are provided for free on behalf of HRSA.
To Access Policies:
- From the main page, click on the clinical risk management link on the left hand side of the page
- Click sample policies and tools listed under tool-kits on left side of page
Click on the + sign to access individual templates.
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WVPCA Staff
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Chief Executive Officer
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Chief Financial/Chief Operations Officer
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Data Services & Integration
Speci
alist
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Education & Communications
Coordinator
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Member Relations Coordinator
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Director of Health Center Operations
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Special Programs Coordinator
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Clinical Quality Improvement Coordinator
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To sign up to receive the WVPCA Weekly Newsletter, click
HERE
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West Virginia Primary Care Association
1700 MacCorkle Ave. Charleston, WV 25314| (304) 346-0032 |
WWW.WVPCA.ORG
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