Coastal Family Health Center receives advocacy training, heads towards ACE status.
Congrats a total of 127 Advocates!
Friday, February 23 rd , MPHCA joined Coastal Family Health Center team in Long Beach for their All Staff Training day. The staff was trained on a variety of key areas, including the MPHCA’s presentation on the history of CHCs and Advocacy.

The message of the presentation is that Community Health Centers have a long history of positively impacting communities across the country. The history of CHCs is tied not just to the Civil Rights Movement, but the history of Mississippi. Anyone who works at or helps a CHC is taking part in a century long movement, the goal of which is to ensure that everyone receives the most cost effective, quality care they possibly can. To keep the movement going, it is key that its participants be vocal advocates for the movement. The most vital way someone can do this is by inviting patients to share, and sharing their stories with members of their community and policy influencers.  
At the end of the presentation, MPHCA staff worked with the audience to register them as advocates with the Health Center Advocacy Network. Registering as an advocate is a great way to get involved for two reasons. First, advocates regularly receive information updates about the Health Center movement in easy to share ways. Of the situation. Second, if a Community Health Center has enough advocates it becomes an Advocacy
A Coastal Group Registers as Advocates
Center of Excellence (ACE). Being an ACE certified health center is a great way to ensure that your messages are being heard. They are listed on the CFAHC website and highlighted on social media. 

Mississippi already has the highest rate of CHC activism in the country. People looking to add to that success should register to become advocates. Click the link below so you can be like the new advocates registered at the Coastal Family Health Center All Staff Training. 

Coastal is well on its way to being ACE. Congratulations, CFHC!
Clinical Scholars Program 2018 Cohort
Deadline: March 14, 2018

Clinical Scholars is a leadership development opportunity for practitioners from diverse fields of health care who seek to tackle complex health problems in their communities and build a culture of health nationwide.
 
The programs seeks audiologists, clinical counselors, dentists, dietitians, nurses, occupational therapist, pharmacists, physical therapists, physicians, physician assistants, psychologists, social workers, speech therapists, veterinarians, and others working in community, clinical or academic settings to build stronger, healthier, more equitable communities through work in their chosen profession.
 
The program includes intensive learning, mentoring and networking that will develop fellows into leaders of transformational change. Working in collaboration throughout the three-year program, scholars will take skills learned and apply them to their jobs and through a project in the community that directly addresses the root cause of inequality in health.
Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 Changes Section 330 Statute    
NACHC reports that the bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 contains numerous "tweaks" to the Section 330 statute. While many of the changes simply "clean up" the statute (e.g., eliminate outdated authority, make the statute mirror actual HRSA Bureau of Primary Health Care (BPHC) practice), there are a couple significant policy changes, including: 

  • requiring health centers to hire their CEOs directly
  • permitting HRSA to explicitly consider Service Area Overlap when making new awards, and
  • limiting new grantees to a one-year project period if they have outstanding conditions at the time of the award.  

NACHC has prepared a one-page summary of the changes , and a Track Changes version of the statute . For more information, contact Colleen Meiman at cmeiman@nachc.org . 
Is Your Health Center Getting Paid an additional 34% for new Medicare Patients?

Section 10501 of the Affordable Care Act of 2010 modified how payment is made for Medicare services furnished at Federally qualified health centers (FQHCs). In 2014, FQHCs began transitioning to a prospective payment system (PPS) in which Medicare payment is made based on a national rate which is adjusted based on the location of where the services are furnished. 

The rate is increased by 34.16 percent when a patient is new to the FQHC, or an Initial Preventive Physical Exam (IPPE) or Annual Wellness Visit (AWV) is furnished. Please visit the FQHC Center page for more information on understanding the methodology and payment rates for the FQHC PPS.
340B Recertification Ends March 7
As re-certification recently began, we want to remind you Authorizing Officials (AOs) and Primary Contacts (PCs) must create individual user accounts. Without an account, you will not be able to conduct re-certification—a requirement for continued participation in the 340B Drug Pricing Program.

To set up a user account, covered entities can go to the 340B OPAIS site a nd choose “I am a participant.” AOs and PCs will receive daily email alerts to complete re-certification tasks until the tasks are completed. Re-certification ends on Wednesday, March 7. For questions or assistance, contact the 340B call center at apexusanswers@340bpvp.com o r 888-340-2787 (Monday-Friday, 9:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. ET). If they cannot assist you, they will direct you to the Office of Pharmacy Affairs.
Submit your best Patient Stories for a chance to win a Free MPHCA Annual Conference Registration ($300 value).

MPHCA is looking to make a series of videos highlight positive patient outcomes at Mississippi CHCs. The Spring Stories Series will consist of videos posted to social media that will have patient and provider interviews. The top video will earn its CHC a free Annual Conference Registration.
Training Opportunities
Last chance to Register:


MS State Medical Association designates this live activity for a maximum of  5.75 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)
6.08 contact hours awarded for nursing
This continuing nursing education activity was approved by Mississippi Nurses Foundation, Inc. an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation.
Boxing with Opioids (March 7th)

The Quality Improvement Workgroup will host their Spring One-Day Clinical Conference for community health centers and interested safety net providers. This training is critically important for all health center staff.

Read more
mphca.com
Become A Community Health Or Rural Health Coding & Billing Specialist (CH-CBS Or RH-CBS)
*** Approved For 11 Continuing Education Units By The AAPC And ARHPC***

Date : April 17-18, 2018
Time : 9:00 am - 3:30 pm
Cost : $399 Buy 1 get 1 Free if you register before March 16, 2018

Meeting Location :
Hilton Garden Inn
109 US 11
Meridian, MS 39301

Room Block : (H otel reservation cutoff date is April 2, 2018)
$110 per night
Group Name: MS Primary Health Care Assoc
Book Room Online: http://group.hiltongardeninn.com/
MSPrimaryHealthCareAssoc
(Copy & Paste link into web
browser)

Questions?
Best Place to Work Contest

The Mississippi Business Journal is holding a "best places to work" contest. If you work for a CHC, and you enjoy it, consider nominating your CHC for this award. It would be a great way to give recognition. The Application only takes 1 minute.
News to Use
Remember To Update Your Sliding Fee Scale
U.S. FEDERAL POVERTY GUIDELINES UPDATED

Federal Poverty Guidelines updated January 2018. Ensure that these are updated on your sliding fee tables. There are two slightly different versions of the federal poverty measure: poverty thresholds and poverty guidelines.

Read more
aspe.hhs.gov
Registration Opening March 15th!
Hotel Registration can be completed at https://aws.passkey.com/e/49278075
  FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES 



Application Deadline: April 2018
HEALTH: Since its founding, hospitals and health agencies have been recipients of foundation awards. Equipment, outreach programs, staff positions, screening and education materials are just a few examples of grants given. Health education programs for at-risk children and their parents, support for the critically ill, AIDS/HIV education programs, and nursing scholarships have all received awards in the past decade. Specific institutions and specific programs, rather than national organizations, are usually given priority.
Telephone: (501) 324-2233
Contact: Anna Kay F. Frueauff, V.P., Communications & Programs Or Alma Willett, Office Mgr.

 
HOW TO APPLY:
Grantseekers are encouraged to visit the foundation's web site for additional information prior to calling or submitting a letter of inquiry. Please re-visit the foundation's website periodically for an update on the funding status
Application form not required.
Applicants should submit the following:

SUBMIT IN APRIL 2018
Copy of IRS Determination Letter
Copies of proposal: 1
Board meeting date(s): May and Nov.
Final notification: After May and Nov. meetings
Funds Care Coordination, Among Other Projects

Application Deadline: Varies
See UnitedHealthcare's free Grant Guide that features more than 50 opportunities from state and federal government and national foundations. You can also register for UHC's Creating a Competitive Proposal webinar, facilitated by experienced grant writer Allison Rojas, offered on the second Wednesday of each month.

Application Deadline: Rolling
Support well-established nonprofit organizations across the nation that address issues within four major areas of interest: education, health, culture, and social service. Health interests include cancer, geriatrics, neonatology, perinatology, pediatrics, women's health, and the disabled.