November 19, 2010
Vol. 4 #40
Michigan Primary Care
Association
Budget & Finance Committee
Conference Call
December 6, 2010, 1 pm
Health Policy Committee
Conference Call
January 19, 2011
Kellogg Center, East Lansing,
MI
Kellogg Center, East Lansing, MI
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.
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The next issue of the
MPCA e-Update
will be distributed Friday, December 10. The MPCA office will be
closed Thursday, November 25 and Friday, November 26 in observance of the
Thanksgiving holiday. Happy Thanksgiving!
New Date for December
MPCA Board Meeting
The MPCA Board Meeting scheduled
for December 21 has been rescheduled for December 9 (1-3 pm) at the MPCA
office.
Reminder: Registration Now
Open for UDS Training & Finance Officers Workshop
MPCA is once again hosting UDS
Training and a Finance Officers Workshop. The events will be held
January 19-21, 2011, at the Kellogg Center in East Lansing. If you
are responsible for gathering and reporting the data elements included in
the Uniform Data System (UDS), as well as managing staff who need to
understand the definitions and concepts used, then the UDS training is for
you! This two-day workshop will cover the basics of the UDS, as well as
advanced features. Registration and more information
Have You Reached Out to Your
Newly Elected Lawmakers?
We can't stress enough how
important it is that you introduce yourself to your newly elected
lawmakers, at every level, and begin educating them about Community Health
Centers as soon as possible. Many of the freshmen lawmakers may have
never heard of a Community Health Center or stepped foot inside of one, and
the earlier we can help them understand how Community Health Centers
benefit their constituents and communities, the better! In a year when
the state budget deficit is reaching $1.6 billion, it will be easy for cuts
to be made to those areas of the budget that legislators are unaware of or
that they don't understand. It is absolutely essential that we
educate them now. Read more
Seven New Community Navigators
Join MPCA Efforts to Get Children Covered
MPCA is proud to welcome seven
new AmeriCorps Community Navigators in Jackson, Kalamazoo, Wayne, Genesee,
Oakland, and Berrien Counties to our children's health insurance outreach
and enrollment initiative. Community Navigators provide in-person and
over-the-phone assistance to families in a variety of different environments,
not only enrolling children in quality health coverage programs, but also
working to help them better understand their benefits, find a medical home,
and provide referrals to other helpful programs and services. Read more
MPCA Back-to-School Enrollment
Campaign a Success
During MPCA's Back-to-School
outreach and enrollment campaign for low-cost and free children's health
insurance, we distributed over 65,000 pieces of material and received media
coverage from outlets across the state. Read more
MPCA's Outreach and Enrollment
Initiative Featured on National Conference Call
If you weren't able to participate
live in the national conference call hosted by HRSA and CMS on November 15
regarding outreach and enrollment activities, a replay of the call is now
available until December 15 by calling 1-888-566-0697, code 7179.
During the call, MPCA's CHIPRA Program Manager, Phillip Bergquist, shared
details of MPCA's innovative initiative.
MDCH Chief Nurse Executive Named
2010 American Academy of Nursing Fellow
Jeanette W. Klemczak, MDCH Chief
Nurse Executive, was recently inducted into the American Academy of Nursing
as one of the new Fellows. She was chosen for this prestigious honor
based on her outstanding achievements in the nursing profession. Read more
CMS Announces New Innovation Center and Initiatives to
Strengthen Primary Care
The Centers for Medicare &
Medicaid Services (CMS) introduced this week the Center for Medicare and
Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) that will test new, innovative models of payment
and health care delivery designed to reduce Medicare and Medicaid
expenditures while preserving or enhancing the quality of care. In
conjunction with the CMMI launch, CMS also announced several new initiatives
to strengthen primary care, better coordinate care for patients, and test
"health home" and "medical home" concepts. Michigan is one of eight states that were selected to
participate in the Multi-Payer Advanced Primary Care Practice Demonstration
project. A second initiative, the FQHC Advanced Primary Care Practice
Demonstration, will test the effectiveness of health professionals working
in teams to treat low-income patients at CHCs. Read more
Congressional Leaders Elected
This week on Capitol Hill, newly
elected Members of Congress went through orientation, and both parties in
the House and Senate selected their leadership for the upcoming
session. One contentious seat yet to be determined is that of the
House Energy & Commerce Committee Chair. This committee is one of
the oldest standing committees in the U.S. House and provides legislative
oversight over public health, among other issues, and has jurisdiction over
the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. A contender for
that powerful position is Congressman Fred Upton (R) representing
Michigan's 6th District. Word is that the Republican party is looking
for a conservative leader and question whether Upton is conservative
enough. His opponent for the position is Representative Joe Barton of
Texas. Meanwhile, Representative John Boehner of Ohio was named
incoming Speaker of the House, and Representative Nancy Pelosi was elected
by the Democratic party as House Minority Leader. Click here for a list of other GOP leadership positions
in the U.S. House. Senate leadership did not change
much. Click here for a list of the Democratic Senate
leadership for the 112th Congress.
Appropriations Bills Yet to Be
Decided
In addition to electing
leadership, Members of Congress continue to work on legislation.
Fiscal Year 2011 appropriations have yet to be decided, and Congress has
until December 3 to act on the budget bills. As reported in NACHC's Health Centers on the Hill
blog, "There are indications that a significant reduction in overall
discretionary funding may be necessary to achieve passage of a final FY 2011
Omnibus appropriations bills." Action on appropriations bills
are expected the week after Thanksgiving. "NACHC and the Health
Center grassroots continue to make the case for continued investment in the
Health Centers program at no less than the FY 2010 funding level of $2.190
billion, which is the level of funding necessary to realize the goal of
doubling Health Center patients from 20 to 40 million by 2015." Read more
NACHC Hosting Tele-Town Hall
Meeting to Prepare Health Centers for the New Political Landscape
During a free tele-town hall
meeting on December 2, the NACHC Federal Affairs Team and former
Congressman and long-time Health Center champion Henry Bonilla will provide
a post-election analysis on what the new political landscape may mean for
Health Centers in the coming months. More information
HRSA Releases Program Assistance
Letter Regarding HRSA Patient-Centered Medical/Health Home Initiative
PAL 2011-11 describes HRSA's
initiative which supports and encourages Health Centers to gain recognition
under the medical home program offered in partnership with the National Committee
for Quality Assurance. The PAL outlines the processes and
requirements for applying for recognition and highlights the technical
support available under the HRSA PCMHH Initiative. HRSA will host a
technical assistance conference call on Monday, November 22 at 4 pm.
To participate, call 1-888-989-4984 toll-free, participant passcode
2144057. Read
more
HRSA Announces BPHC's New
Organizational Structure
HRSA announced the Bureau of Primary
Health Care's (BPHC) new organizational structure via the Federal
Register. Read more
National Influenza Vaccination
Week Kicks Off December 5
This year's National Influenza
Vaccination Week is scheduled for December 5-11. The CDC has produced
a broad range of communication materials for delivering the message that
vaccination is the best protection against the flu. Click here for NIVW
resources. Meanwhile, the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases
released adult immunization coverage levels this week from the 2009
National Health Interview Survey. In short, although strides have
been made to protect adults from vaccine-preventable diseases, continued
improvement in adult vaccination coverage levels is needed. Read more
HEALTH CENTERS IN THE NEWS
Affordable Care Act Creates
Greater Health Care Role for CHCs
(AAFP)
One of the provisions of the
newly enacted health care reform legislation provides an additional $11
billion in dedicated funding for Community Health Centers during the next
five years. That funding increase will double the size and reach of CHCs by
2015 and give them a much greater role in the evolving health care
system. Read
more
Medicaid Squeeze:
Shrinking Federal Reimbursement Cause Doctors to Limit Care to Needy (Lansing State Journal)
State Medicaid officials confirm
there are fewer doctors today serving Medicaid patients. At the same time,
reimbursements have dropped. Estimates vary - from 375,000 to 800,000
- on how many new enrollees the Medicaid expansion under health reform will
add to Michigan's Medicaid rolls. Another solution may be found right here
in Ingham County, which runs a network of Health Centers for low-income
people and the uninsured. Read more
Medical Clinic Nears Opening (Mining Gazette)
A health clinic on U.S. 41 north
of Hancock will open at the end of November. Joseph Zyble,
communications manager for the Upper Peninsula Association of Rural Health
Services Inc. in Marquette, said the opening of the clinic, which will be
in the former SK Kitchens By Design building, was delayed due to a change
in payments from Medicaid, which dropped dental coverage in June
2009. Read more
Jackson's Center for Family
Health More than Halfway to $10.7 Million Goal for New Downtown Health
Center (Jackson Citizen Patriot)
Jackson's Center for Family
Health has surpassed the halfway mark of its $10.7 million goal for its new
downtown Health Center. The Health Center has raised 75 percent of
the construction cost for its 54,000-square-foot facility at 505 N. Jackson
St, which is scheduled to open next summer. In addition, the Center
for Family Health could receive a $1.6 million donation, with the help of a
match from the Weatherwax Foundation and a federal Medicaid matching
program. Read more
Please share articles, photos,
and stories of your Health Center with Dana Hughes at dhughes@mpca.net.
Click here for media coverage of Community Health
Centers.
Registered Dental Hygienists as
an Enrolled Medicaid Provider
(MSA Bulletin)
MSA Bulletin 10-20 was
distributed to dentists and dental clinics on November 12, which provides
information regarding Medicaid enrollment of registered dental hygienists
(RDHs) as rendering/servicing-only providers for the Medicaid
Program. Enrollment is optional, not mandatory, for RDHs. The
Michigan Oral Health Coalition will be hosting a Medicaid Billing and
CHAMPS webinar on January 10, 2011 (12 to 1 p.m.) related to this upcoming
change. Registration materials coming soon. Read more
Prematurity Issue Brief (Center for Healthcare Research & Transformation)
This report shows that preterm
birth disproportionately affects blacks and contributes to the disparity
between blacks and other races in infant mortality. Read more
Patient Centered Medical Home -
Obstacles and Opportunities
(Center for Healthcare Research & Transformation)
CHRT is hosting a health care
symposium on December 2 (1:30-5 pm) on the University of Michigan
campus. A panel of experts will discuss national and state efforts to
adopt the PCMH model - including the recently announced CMS multi-payer demonstration project in Michigan, the
role of PCMH in health reform, the experience of the nation's largest PCMH
implementation (led by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan), and new
research into PCMH barriers and accelerators that can be applied by
practitioners and policy makers alike. More
information and registration
A Broken Promise to Our
Children: The 1998 State Tobacco Settlement 12 Years Later (Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, American Health
Association, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, American Lung
Association, RWJF)
This report shows that despite
collecting huge sums in tobacco revenue, the states have cut funding for
tobacco prevention and cessation programs to the lowest level since 1999,
when they first started receiving tobacco settlement payments.
Michigan ranks 42nd in funding for state tobacco prevention programs,
spending $2.6 million in FY 2011, which is just 2.1% of the CDC's
recommendation. Read more
Benchmarking Michigan's State
and Local Government Revenues and Expenditures (Michigan Township Association)
This new white paper presents
data showing that Michigan government expenditures have been substantially
driven down by declining resources, even without major reforms to the
Michigan government structure. Read more
Employer-sponsored Health
Insurance Erosion Accelerates in the Recession (Economic Policy Institute)
Between 2000-01 and 2008-09, nearly
1 million Michigan residents lost employer-sponsored health
insurance. This was the largest decline of covered individuals of all
the states. Read more
Click here for
a list of CHC career opportunities posted on the MPCA web site.
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