HCC Membership Meeting is February 13.
|
|
Greetings,
The next HCC Network Membership meeting will be held on Tuesday, February 13, 2018, 12:00 pm, at the Lexington United Methodist Church located at 1211 S Hwy 13 in Lexington.
The guest speaker will be Ultimate Fitness.
Please send any fliers and information you would like for me to include with the agenda by this Friday. Also be prepared to give a brief update on your organization at the meeting.
Please accept or decline this invitation so I can plan accordingly for lunch!
Hope to see you there!
Shelly Harden
Community Health Worker
shelly.harden@hccnetwork.org
|
|
Community Health Centers to Receive Long-Awaited Funding
|
|
The House of Representatives has just passed a short-term spending measure that will fully fund community health centers for the next two years.
|
|
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), community health centers have provided underserved rural and urban communities with primary care and behavioral and mental health services, regardless of a patient’s ability to pay, for the past 40 years. From 2006-2008, the CDC averages that 31.1 million annual visits were made to community health centers by patients who were either poor or publicly insured. However, The Hill reports that 20% of centers have implemented hiring freezes due to recent funding uncertainty. Some centers have also been forced to delay expansion and renovations, and have had to lay off staff or tap into reserves.
|
|
|
|
Although both Republicans and Democrats generally support the funding of community health centers, debates on budgets outside of that funding has led to months of inaction on behalf of Congress. The Community Health Center Fund, which provides 70% of funding to centers across the country, expired on September 30, 2017. Community health centers have been in limbo since then, waiting for the government to act.
|
|
Statement from NACHC:
On behalf of the nation’s nearly 1400 health centers and the 27 million patients they serve, the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) wants to express our sincere appreciation for the $7.8 billion dollars in federal grant funding for the Community Health Center program that was included in the bipartisan budget deal passed by Congress early this morning.
We are especially appreciative that Congress recognized the growing value of health centers by including an additional $600 million dollars to further support health center operations and address unmet need in communities across the country, as well as $60 million dollars to assist health centers in areas impacted by recent natural disasters. We are also grateful for the funding extensions of the National Health Service Corps and the Teaching Health Centers Graduate Medical Education program, two vital resources that support the health center workforce.
Throughout these last challenging months, we were buoyed by the unrelenting support of our bipartisan Congressional champions, and in particular want to thank Senator Roy Blunt, Senator Debbie Stabenow, and Congresswoman Elise Stefanik for their leadership and dedication to resolving this crisis. They were joined by so many of their colleagues in highlighting the critical role that health centers play in more than 10,000 communities across the country, and we look forward to continuing to work with Congress to come up with solutions to our most pressing health care challenges.
With uncertainty around their funding now put to rest, health centers can return to focusing solely on what they do best – caring for their patients and communities. Our work is far from done, and we look forward to building off these successes by continuing to lead the way in providing high quality, affordable, and accessible care to all those in need.
|
|
HCC Continues to Benefit the Communities it Serves. Check Out Value Report.
|
|
Federally Qualified Health Centers and other safety-net clinics such as Health Care Collaborative of Rural Missouri provide tremendous value and impacts to their
communities.
|
|
Heart Disease Prevention for Women
|
|
According to the American Heart Association (AHA), heart disease is the number one killer of women in the United States. However, only eight percent of women know the right age to begin regular heart screenings with their doctor. The average woman believes that they should start heart screenings at age 41, while experts recommend that women begin at age 20. With a two decade gap in between what experts recommend and what women actually believe, it is no surprise that approximately one woman dies of heart disease every minute.
|
|
What else do women need to know about their heart health? There are several early symptoms of heart disease that are brushed off or go unnoticed. According to the AHA, many women who are experiencing symptoms of a heart attack mistake them for acid reflux, the flu, or normal aging. However, the Mayo Clinic outlines several symptoms as signs of a heart attack in women, including:
|
|
- Neck, jaw, shoulder, upper back or abdominal discomfort
- Shortness of breath
- Pain in one or both arms
- Nausea or vomiting
- Sweating
- Lightheadedness or dizziness
- Unusual fatigue
|
|
|
|
These symptoms can be much more subtle than the chest pain and fainting often dramatized in television and movies. Furthermore, chest pain in women often manifests as pressure and/or tightness. With the onset of these symptoms, it is important to reach a hospital as soon as possible. The longer it takes to receive medical attention, the more heart tissue there is that dies.
What are some steps women can take to protect and maintain their heart health? First, schedule an appointment with your doctor and assess your risk for developing heart disease. If you are a smoker, quitting reduces your risk of heart attack by 50% after the first year of being tobacco free.
|
|
Additionally, walking for just 30 minutes a day minimizes your risk for heart attack and stroke. Finally, a healthy diet helps maintain good cholesterol levels and keeps the bad cholesterol at bay.
We know that women often put the well-being of their family above their own, but women also need to be aware of the danger they pose to themselves by ignoring their own needs. It’s never too late to visit your doctor. Begin your journey to a healthier heart today.
|
|
Department of Health and Human Services Releases 2017 Report
|
|
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services last week released
a report highlighting accomplishments from 2017. The report provides a synopsis of the tremendous scope of activities at HHS and the actions the department took last year, under President Trump, to enhance and protect the health and well-being of the American people.
Providers are encouraged to look over the report and note the progress in areas that affect their organization.
Key highlights include:
- HHS provided over $800 million to communities to help fight the opioid crisis.
- The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved more than 1,000 generic drugs – the most in a single year in FDA history.
- HHS finalized a proposal to change reimbursement for Medicare Part B drugs purchased through the 340B program that could save seniors on Medicare up to $3.2 billion in co-pays over ten years.
- 70 regulatory actions were withdrawn and 68 more withdrawals were suggested in the fall 2017 Unified Agenda.
- The Office of Inspector General (OIG) brought 1,106 criminal and civil actions and recovered close to $3.1 billion for HHS programs and victims.
“In 2017, HHS took bold action to advance its mission to protect and enhance the health and well-being of the American people. From a newly aggressive approach to combat the opioid crisis to round-the-clock responses to three major hurricanes, the men and women of HHS did extraordinary work this past year to foster healthier Americans, stronger communities, and a safer country.”— Caitlin Oakley, HHS Press Secretary
|
|
Missouri Sees 1,300 New Cases of the Flu
|
|
According to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS), the number of lab-positive flu cases has jumped by 1,300, as of January 27. Missouri's season total has reached over 66,000 cases with the influenza A strain (H1N1 and H3N2) outweighing the others.
Northwest Missouri leads the state with 3,100 flu cases and eastern Missouri follows with 2,500 in the latest figures. One hundred and twenty-one deaths involving pneumonia and influenza have also been reported to the Bureau of Vital Records.
With flu season in full effect, now more than ever is the time to get vaccinated if you haven't already.
|
|
Contact a location near you:
Live Well Community
Health Center - Buckner
324 S. Hudson
Buckner, MO 64016
816.249.1521
Live Well Community
Health Center - Carrollton
1413 N. Jefferson
Carrollton, MO 64633
660.329.9005
|
|
Live Well Community
Health Center - Concordia
206 N. Bismark, Ste. A.,
Concordia, MO 64020
660.463.0234
Live Well Community
Health Center - Waverly
608 Missouri St.
Waverly, MO 64096
660.493.2262
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
