January 8, 2010 Vol. 4 #1 Michigan Primary Care Association www.mpca.net 517.381.8000 Visit Our Blog Visit us on Facebook Follow Us on Twitter Upcoming MPCA Events Finance Officers Workshop (held in conjunction with UDS Training) January 13 12-5 pm Radisson Hotel Lansing, MI UDS Training January 14 8 am-4 pm Radisson Hotel Lansing, MI MPCA Executive Committee Conference Call January 19 3:30 pm MPCA Membership Committee Conference Call January 21 10:30 am MPCA Budget & Finance Committee Conference Call February 1 1 pm MPCA Board Meeting February 1 5-8 pm (dinner followed by meeting) Radisson Hotel Lansing, MI 2010 MPCA Legislative Forum February 2 Anderson House Office Building Lansing, MI Click here to learn about more MPCA events. Upcoming State & National Events Click here for a list of upcoming events to be held by other organizations in Michigan and across the country.     The MPCA e-Update is a weekly e-bulletin intended to keep MPCA members updated on issues important to Community Health Centers. Please feel free to forward this to interested individuals, or they may request to be added to the distribution list by registering here. Information from outside organizations does not represent an endorsement by MPCA, and opinions expressed by outside authors are not necessarily official positions or policies of MPCA.

STATE NEWS   Registration for 2010 MPCA Legislative Forum Now Open This year is sure to be an action-packed, life-changing legislative year, with the majority of State Senate seats and the governorship up for election, the continuation of Michigan's economic crisis, and landmark efforts to reform the U.S. health care system forging ahead. Educating our elected officials is critical to ensure that Community Health Centers and the issues that most affect them, their patients, and their communities remain top-of-mind, namely developing Michigan's health care workforce; providing health coverage for all of the state's low-income residents; modernizing Michigan's outdated revenue structure; maintaining the integrity of Medicaid; and reinstating the Medicaid adult dental benefit. So please join us in Lansing on February 2 for the annual Legislative Forum to learn how together we can impact the future and to nurture relationships with your state legislators through one-on-one visits - they need to hear from you!  Click here to read more about the importance of this event in an MPCA blog post.   Two Thumbs Up to State, Federal Legislators After years and years of hard work, several exciting, life-changing events are taking place at the state and federal level:  the smoking ban finally passed in Michigan, and the Senate passed its landmark health care reform bill.   MSLRP Expands Areas Eligible to Participate in Loan Repayment  The Michigan State Loan Repayment Program (MSLRP) has made a determination to offer loan repayment to communities with a HPSA status of "no data submitted" or "proposed for withdrawal."  These communities are not eligible for National Health Service Corps placements, and had been previously ineligible for MSLRP.  This will notably increase the number of communities eligible to participate in MSLRP.  Click here to see lists and maps showing newly eligible MSLRLP counties, and then read under the section of the page titled: "Special Information for the Michigan State Loan Repayment Program."  Questions about the HPSA status of practice sites should be directed to Ian Horste, HPSA Analyst, at 517.241.9947 or horstei@michigan.gov.   MSLRP Funds Available for FY2010 Contracts  FY 2010 First-Come, First-Served Application Period will begin January 1, 2010, and continue until all program funds are committed or until August 31, 2010.  During this application period, Sign-On Bonus and Provider Retention Loan Repayment Contracts (also known as Local Match Contracts) will be awarded to eligible providers submitting complete application packages postmarked January 1, 2010, or later, on a first-come, first-served basis, regardless of priority status.   Attention Nurses Renewing Licenses in 2010 Due to the enactment of Public Act 216 of 2009, the license renewal fee to practice nursing as a registered nurse or a licensed practical nurse have increased.  The increased license fees provide for additional fees to be credited to the Nurse Professional Fund. The purpose of the fund, in part, is to promote safe patient care in all nursing practice environments and operate a nursing scholarship program. Please be advised that due to technical revisions related to changing the licensure fees, license renewal applications for registered nurses, registered nurse specialties, and licensed practical nurses will not be mailed to those whose licenses expire in 2010 until the week beginning January 20, 2010. Nurses will also not be able to renew their licenses online until January 20, 2010 at www.michigan.gov/elicense.     NATIONAL NEWS   Health Care Reform Update Democratic leaders and President Obama resumed discussions this week on health care reform legislation.  "At a White House meeting that stretched into Tuesday evening, the president and Democratic congressional leaders agreed on fast-track negotiations that would bypass the need for a formal conference to resolve differences between the House and Senate health care bills (Detroit News, 1/6). Click here for NACHC summaries of each chamber's bill.  The following is from NACHC:   "The process is far from over, with the House and Senate needing to resolve their differences and pass a final agreement before anything can be signed into law by the President. We are on the cusp of some historic developments, but success will require a true team effort." - Craig Kennedy and Kaitlin McColgan, Health Centers on the Hill Perspective: Opinions Are Not Facts Fact sheets, glossary, video and more at our Advocacy and Health Reform page Contact Your Members of Congress TODAY to Advocate for Health Centers in Health Reform. HRSA Releases PIN 2009-06 HRSA has made available Policy Information Notice (PIN) 2009-06, "Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) Look-Alike Guidelines and Application," to announce revisions to the guidelines and application requirements for the FQHC Look-Alike Program. PIN 2009-06 supersedes Policy Information Notice (PIN) 2003-21, "Federally Qualified Health Center Look-Alike Guidelines and Application," dated August 26, 2003 and all corresponding amendments to PIN 2003-21, including PINs 2005-17, 2006-06, and 2009-04, "Revisions to PIN 2003-21, FQHC Look-Alike Guidelines and Application."  Click the link above to access the PIN.   CMS and ONC Issue Regulations Proposing a Definition of 'Meaningful Use' and Setting Standards for Electronic Health Record Incentive Program The Centers for Medicare & Medicare Services (CMS) and the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) encourage public comment on two regulations issued recently that lay a foundation for improving quality, efficiency and safety through meaningful use of certified electronic health record (EHR) technology. The regulations will help implement the EHR incentive programs enacted under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act).  Click here for CMS' proposed rule and fact sheets.  Click here for ONC's interim final rule. Early this year, ONC intends to issue a notice of proposed rulemaking related to the certification of health information technology. HRSA Issues Updated ARRA Reporting Guidance Consistent with New OMB Guidance The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has released updated guidance that modified the methodology to calculate and report the number of ARRA-supported jobs created and/or retained. On December 30, HRSA issued an updated Health Center Quarterly Reporting (HCQR) Manual (as well as an updated HCQR Frequently Asked Questions and HCQR User Guide) reflecting these changes. Click here to access the updated HCQR Manual, as well as the other updated HRSA reporting guidance.  (Source:  NACHC)   Recovery Act Audits Begin for New Community Health Center Grantees Per NACHC, the Office of Inspector General (OIG) has initiated an audit of a new grantee that received Recovery Act funds for the establishment of a new Community Health Center access point. The other new grantees should expect to undergo the same type of audit.   NACHC Accepting Nominations for 2010 Community Health Care Awards of Excellence Each year the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) honors outstanding men and women of the Community Health Center Movement.  The 2010 NACHC Community Health Care Awards of Excellence will be presented during the NACHC Annual Community Health Institute, September 10-14, 2010, in Dallas, Texas.  The awards span the spectrum of health center service and we invite you to nominate board members, clinicians, administrators, and public officials whose accomplishments best exemplify excellence in community health care and contribution to the health center mission.  NACHC will be accepting nominations through Monday, March 1.  Note:  You must be an Individual Member of NACHC for the 2009-2010 year (July 1, 2009-June 1, 2010) in order to submit nominations. Momentum Building for the 2010 Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service The upcoming Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service, taking place on January 18, 2010, provides an ideal opportunity to answer Dr. King's challenge of "Life's most urgent and persistent question is: What are you doing for others?"  Click here for everything you need to plan a King Day project - including tips on getting started, building partnerships, organizing the day, fundraising, and MLK Day mobilization resources, service-learning guide for schools and organizations, project examples, and marketing tools.     H1N1 & SEASONAL FLU   Information About Flu and Diabetes Available on CDC Web Site Individuals with diabetes are more likely to get flu-related complications like pneumonia and even be hospitalized or die from the flu than other people. The CDC web site provides information for keeping people with diabetes healthy during the flu season.    Next Week is National Influenza Immunization Week National Influenza Vaccination Week (NIVW) is a national observance that was established to highlight the importance of continuing influenza vaccination, as well as foster greater use of flu vaccine after the holiday season into January and beyond. This year's NIVW (originally scheduled for December 6-10, 2009) will be held January 10-16, 2010. One of the many goals for NIVW is to engage at-risk audiences who are not yet vaccinated, hesitant about vaccination, or unsure about where to get vaccinated. Every year, certain days during NIVW are designated to highlight the importance for certain groups, like health care workers and children, to get vaccinated. Click the link above to access this year's national schedule.   Ready or Not? Protecting the Public's Health from Diseases, Disasters, and Bioterrorism Trust for America's Health (TFAH) and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) released the seventh annual Ready or Not? Protecting the Public's Health from Diseases, Disasters, and Bioterrorism report, which finds that the H1N1 flu outbreak has exposed serious underlying gaps in the nation's ability to respond to public health emergencies and that the economic crisis is straining an already fragile public health system.   Continue to Encourage Vaccination Against H1N1 Even though H1N1 virus activity has significantly declined in Michigan, now is not the time to become complacent. MDCH encourages you to take the opportunity now to vaccinate yourself and your patients against the 2009 H1N1 flu since it is the most effective prevention method. Flu activity is expected to continue throughout the season, which can last until May each year. Now there is plenty of vaccine available at physician offices, local health departments and retail pharmacies. Federal, state and local health officials do not know what will happen with the H1N1 flu virus over the coming months, but recommend getting vaccinated in anticipation of a third wave and ongoing outbreaks of disease. Vaccination is still the single best way to prevent the flu. Please direct your patients to the user-friendly Google flu vaccine locator, www.google.com/flushot, Michigan's 2-1-1 public information hotline or flu Web site, www.michigan.gov/flu, for more information on availability of seasonal and 2009 H1N1 flu vaccines. (Source: MDCH Medical Care Provider Update)   HEALTH CENTERS IN THE NEWS   Benton Harbor Health Center Expands with Federal Funds During a time when many in Michigan have lost health insurance, Bangor-based InterCare Community Health Network is working to expand its Benton Harbor health center and help provide care to at-risk populations.  InterCare, a community and migrant health center, last month received an $8.5 million stimulus grant to help fund its new outpatient facility, which replaces two existing clinics in Benton Harbor. Stimulus Award Increases Manpower at Sterling Area Health Center Thanks to the Sterling Area Health Center's ambitious establishment of an after hours clinic service, the center has been injected with $170,965 in stimulus funds over two years to run the clinic and bring new employees on board.  Tax Credits Boost $26.4M Health Center State brownfield tax credits provide another piece of the financing package for Cherry Street Health Services to develop a $26.4 million health center in Grand Rapids.  The not-for-profit health care provider for low-income individuals plans to break ground within weeks on the new Heart of the City Health Center, which will consolidate medical and behavioral care into a single location. Completion is targeted for spring 2011. Mobile Dental Program Fills a Need in Jackson County More requests from schools in the county, coupled with a simplified consent form for parents, have resulted in major growth in the two-year-old program, said coordinator Charisse Green. A total of 599 children were treated from February 2007 through 2008, compared to 1,023 children seen so far in 2009, she said. Michigan CHC Makes NACHC Newsletter Terri Karnes at InterCare Community Health Network's answer to NACHC's question, "What's your health center's holiday wish?" was featured in the NACHC Washington Update.  Terri said, "We at InterCare Community Health Network got our holiday wish! We will be breaking ground on a new facility for our Benton Harbor Health Center in March 2010!" Click here to respond to NACHC's current question posted on its Facebook page.  Click here for more about CHCs in the News.  Do have news or testimonials from patients, board members, or staff to share?  Please e-mail information to dhughes@mpca.net.     REPORTS & RESOURCES   CMS Issues Report on National Health Care Spending Nominal health spending in the United States grew 4.4% in 2008, to $2.3 trillion or $7,681 per person.  This was the slowest rate of growth since the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services started officially tracking expenditures in 1960. Despite slower growth, however, health care spending continued to outpace overall nominal economic growth, which grew by 2.6% in 2008 as measured by the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The findings are included in a report by CMS' Office of the Actuary, released this week in the health policy journal Health Affairs.  2010 Census Tools Available Nonprofits Count 2010 is a national campaign that the Michigan Primary Care Association has been actively involved with for the past year. The campaign focuses on giving nonprofit organizations the tools and support they need to actively participate in the census by providing motivation and education about census participation to the communities they serve. A complete and accurate census count impacts a decade of federal funds, political representation, allocation of human services and the future locations of hospitals, schools, public infrastructure, new businesses and more. Just think, for every 100 people not counted a community risks losing an estimated $1.2 million in federal funds over the subsequent 10 years- there is a lot at stake! Click here for information about how your organization can get involved, and to access tools to help you. MSA Releases MSA 09-65 Coverage of Occupational Therapy Services in Physician Offices   FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES   Click here for a list of funding opportunities posted on the MPCA web site.     CAREER OPPORTUNITIES   Workforce Development Program Specialist, MPCA, Lansing, MI Community Health Planning Specialist, MPCA, Lansing, MI Financial Analyst, Covenant Community Care, Detroit, MI Physician Assistant, Family Medical Center of Michigan, Temperance, MI Click here for a list of career opportunities in Michigan Community Health Centers.