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Potential Path to Medicaid Expansion
The Virginia Senate is currently considering a budget proposed by Governor Northam and adopted by the House of Delegates that includes expanding Medicaid eligibility to Virginians at or below 138% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) ($16,642 for one, $33,948 for a family of four). Do you have patients or clients who would be helped by Medicaid expansion? If so, please consider contacting legislators who are key to covering the 400,000 Virginians who would be eligible if it passed. Eighty-three percent of Virginians
support Medicaid expansion
. It's easy!
- Thank House Republicans who supported Medicaid expansion in the House Budget
- Ask Senate Republicans to vote for expanding Medicaid
- Tell them about some of your patients or clients who would benefit.
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Delegates to Thank
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Senators to Urge for their Support
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Austin, Terry
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Black, Richard
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Bloxom, Bill
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Carrico, Bill
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Cox, Kirk
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Chafin, Ben
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Davis, Glen
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Chase, Amanda
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Edmunds, James
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Cosgrove, John
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Helsel, Gordon
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DeSteph, Bill
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Hodges, Keith
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Dunnavant, Siobhan
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Ingram, Riley
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Hanger, Emmett
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Jones, Chris
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McDougle, Ryan
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Kilgore, Terry
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Newman, Steve
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Knight, Barry
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Norment, Thomas
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Marshall, Danny
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Obenshain, Mark
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Morefield, Will
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Peake, Mark
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Peace, Chris
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Reeves, Bryce
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Stolle, Chris
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Ruff, Frank
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Thomas, Bob
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Stanley, Bill
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Yancey, David
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Stuart, Richard
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Sturtevant, Glen
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Suetterlein, David
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Vogel, Jill
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Wagner, Frank
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Nurse Practitioner Transition to Practice Bill Becomes Law
Legislation (
House Bill 793
) which authorizes nurse practitioners to transition to independent practice was approved by the 2018 General Assembly and signed by Governor Northam. It will become effective July 1st.
The Joint Boards
of Nursing and Medicine seek comment by May 4th
on the enactment of regulations to implement HB 793. If you wish to submit comments, you may do so on the
Virginia Regulatory Town Hall site
or by emailing
Elaine Yeatts
.
Please note that the Boards are seeking public comment on the enactment of regulations to implement the bill. HB 793 has been signed into law and, therefore, the Boards are NOT seeking public comment on changes to the legislation.
The Virginia Health Care Foundation's Nurse Practitioner (NP) Roundtable on June 19th will include a full briefing about the legislation
and related regulations by Judy Collins and Cindy Fagan
(VCNP Government Affairs Chairperson).
To learn more about the upcoming roundtable, email
Cat Hulburt
or click
here
to register.
2018 Profile of Virginia's Uninsured is Now Available
Utilizing the most recent in-depth data available (2016), the Virginia Health Care Foundation's
2018 Profile of Virginia's Uninsured
provides a detailed picture of the Commonwealth's uninsured. Here are a few key takeaways:
- This is the first time Virginia's uninsured rate (10.3%) is higher than the national uninsured rate (9.9%).
- 10.3% of Virginians under age 65 are without medical insurance - equaling 718,000 uninsured Virginians.
- More than 40 percent of all uninsured Virginians live below the Federal Poverty Level (43%), and over 70 percent of uninsured adults have incomes at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level (71.7% or 504,000).
- 58.5% of uninsured Virginians work full-time and their families live in households earning less than 200% FPL.
Remember to Take Advantage of the Medicaid Dental Benefit for Pregnant Women!
It's no secret that oral health care during pregnancy can improve the health of mom and baby and lead to lower health care spending in the Medicaid and FAMIS programs. Make sure your staff and patients are aware of the comprehensive dental coverage for pregnant women enrolled in Medicaid and FAMIS that was made available in March of 2015. Pregnant women who are no longer minors (over 21 for Medicaid and over 19 for FAMIS) can receive routine care and preventive dental benefits under this regulation. Learn more about this important benefit
here
.
DentaQuest Institute Announces "Lunch & Learn" Webinar Focused on Tracking Broken Appointments & Improving Hygiene Scheduling Protocols
During this webinar, Dr. Isaac Zeckel, Dental Director at HealthLinc, will share his experience assessing and improving his clinic's broken appointment rate and overall hygiene scheduling system. This will include his clinic's shift scheduling out 6 months for hygiene patients, to scheduling out no more than 1 month. This webinar will be held on June 13, 2018 from 1-2 p.m.
Click here to register
Did you miss the Resilience Roundtable?
Last Tuesday, April 24th,
Dr. Allison Jackson
joined VHCF for a special Mental Health Roundtable that went "beyond the basics" of Trauma and Resilience. Did you miss this opportunity? Keep an eye on your inbox! You will soon receive an email with the link to her full presentation, available as an on-demand video webinar. In the meantime, if you'd like to learn more about trauma and resilience, please visit this
resource page
.
Upcoming VHCF trainings/meetings
For additional training dates or more information click
here
or contact
Lisa Hueston
, TPC Coordinator, at (804) 828-5803.
Don't Forget About the Professional Development Funds Available to You!
Ledwith-Lewis Free Clinic plans to utilize Professional Development Funds to help cover the costs of Pharm Tech certification for its Medication Assistance Caseworker. Are you (or a staff member) considering taking advantage of learning opportunities in the community? VHCF has a variety of informational resources to help you and your staff meet your goals. Check out some of our resources for providers
here
! Don't see what you are looking for? Let us know!
VHCF also offers funding for capacity building, including:
- Up to $3,500 to underwrite the development of a new strategic plan
- Up to $650 per organization per year to pay for professional development opportunities that enhance the skills or knowledge of health safety net staff or board members
Contact a Program Officer at (804) 828-5804 to learn more.
Does your clinic have any innovative programs or creative solutions to share?
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