Hello, just a reminder you are receiving this email because you expressed an interest in the West Virginia Primary Care Association. Don't forget to add paula.beasley@wvpca.org to your address book, so you don't miss any issues of the WVPCA Weekly Outlook! |
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WVPCA Weekly Outlook
A Newsletter on Community Centered Healthcare
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WVPCA News - Outreach and Enrollment - National News
Funding Opportunities Upcoming - Training Opportunities
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CVS Health launches virtual primary care for Aetna members
Read the entire article from Modern Healthcare here.
Ownership of former Mylan plant could be transferred to WVU
Read the entire article from WVNews here.
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2021 Annual CHC Leadership Retreat |
Please mark your calendars for our upcoming "Annual CHC Leadership Retreat" that will take place on September 19-21, 2021. After careful consideration, we have decided to have this year's conference as an in-person event and it will be held at the Stonewall Resort in Roanoke, WV. Registration and additional details will be coming soon.
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The West Virginia Primary Care Association (WVPCA) is sponsoring in collaboration with the national School-Based Health Alliance and the West Virginia Department of Education this learning opportunity.
School-based health center (SBHC) staff and school nurses share a vitally important mission which is to advance the health and well-being of our state’s school-aged children and maximize their potential. While each system has distinct and complementary functions, students win when we work collaboratively to provide effective and efficient health care. When this is done, there is improved quality of health care and academic outcomes for school-aged children and youth.
Please join this cross-system webinar and learn how a shared vision of collaboration can impact students, schools and families. Participants will hear from WV SBHCs and school nurses about how they collaborate.
Through this webinar, you will be able to:
- Identify national resources on how to work across HIPAA/FERPA to meet students’ healthcare needs
- Identify strategies for supporting students across HIPAA/FERPA through individual consent, MOUs, and data sharing agreements
- Discuss examples of best practices related to consents, well care visits, immunizations, and partnerships
TARGET AUDIENCE: School Based Health Center staff and School Nurses.
Registration closes on September 15, 2021 at NOON.
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Please join the West Virginia Primary Care Association (WVPCA) and Michelle Fox with Apexus as we host “Maintaining a Compliant 340B Program with Confidence” virtual webinar series. In this series, we will discuss topics common to FQHCs: how to build, maintain and self-audit your compliance program and have confidence that you are audit-ready. We will cover the areas of registrations/eligibility, auditing, oversight, prevention of diversion and duplicate discounts, inventory management, retail and contract pharmacy compliance and operations.
Webinar Series includes:
August 26, 2021 | 1:30 PM - 3:00 PM
Program Introduction, Compliance Cornerstones, Self-Auditing Best Practices
September 9, 2021 | 1:30 PM - 3:00 PM
MFR Audits and GFI, Grantee Considerations, Medicaid, Inventory Management
September 23, 2021 | 1:30 PM - 3:00 PM
Implementing and maintaining compliant contract pharmacies followed by Implementing and maintaining compliant entity-owned retail pharmacies
October 7, 2021 | 1:30 PM - 3:00 PM
Pricing and State 340B Issues
The following is an overview of what will be covered:
- Review 340B compliance considerations that are especially important to FQHCs
- Discuss available resources for helping maintain a compliant program
- Introduce topics that grantees frequently ask about
TARGET AUDIENCE: Anyone in your CHC involved in 340B compliance, i.e. CEO, COO, CMO, FQHC 340B Managers, Pharmacy Leadership, etc.
Registration closes on August 25, 2021 at 5:00 PM ET.
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The Health Resources and Services Administration's (HRSA) Ending the HIV Epidemic: A Plan for America is a ten-year initiative beginning in FY 2020 to achieve the important goal of reducing new HIV infections to less than 3,000 per year by 2030. As HRSA has noted, community health centers are an integral partner in reducing HIV in the communities they serve. Please join the West Virginia Primary Care Association (WVPCA), HITEQ, MAAETC, and Gilead for an exciting five-part webinar series to assist health centers with preparing to meet the goal of the Ending the HIV Epidemic initiative by sharing useful strategies both with data/HIT and clinical interventions.
HIV prevention is one of the four pillars of Ending the HIV Epidemic as outlined by HRSA.
Please join the WVPCA in welcoming Jarrod Coffey, PharmD and Senior Medical Scientist in HIV Prevention as he defines PrEP, reviews prescribing guidelines and follow-up care, and describes how PrEP in primary care is integral in the prevention of HIV.
PRESENTER: Jarrod Coffey, PharmD, AAHIVE Senior Medical Scientist HIV Prevention Medical Sciences, Gilead Sciences
OBJECTIVES:
Following this webinar, participants will be able to:
- Define Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP)
- Discuss the importance of implementing PrEP in a primary care setting
- Describe the process of prescribing PrEP
- Discuss strategies for leveraging resources
See webinar series information here.
TARGET AUDIENCE: Physicians, Physician Assistants, Nurse Practitioners and Nurse Midwives, Pharmacists, Quality Improvement staff, Nurses, Nurse Managers, and Data/HIT staff.
This event is intended only for Community Health Center Staff.
Registration closes on September 27, 2021 at 4:00 PM ET.
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More than 2.5 Million Americans Gain Health Coverage During Special Enrollment Period |
New data released by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) show more than 2.5 million people enrolled in health coverage on HealthCare.gov and state Marketplaces during the Biden-Harris Administration’s 2021 Special Enrollment Period (SEP), which will close in two days on August 15th. Additional data released by CMS show that a record high of nearly 81.7 million people are now receiving coverage through Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) as of March 2021. |
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Final Days of Open Enrollment |
The final days of the Special Enrollment Period (SEP) are here, with the last day being August 15, 2021.
While we want to finish strong with the 2021 enrollments, it is time to prepare for 2022. The State Agencies are not yet permitted to meet in person due to pandemic restrictions. In October, we will hold virtual meetings to review the 2022 plans and prepare for OE9. Over the next month if you think of topics that would be of interest to include in the training, or if you have information to share with the group, please contact Joylynn Fix or Ellen Potter.
We appreciate the work you do with our consumers, especially with the added obstacles during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Assister List - this is the link to the list on the OIC website. If updates or changes are needed, please contact Ellen Potter.
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HIMSS21: Data Silos Hindered COVID-19 Response |
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology are seeking to more closely tie public health data systems with IT systems at hospitals.
Officials at the two HHS agencies are co-leading a work group to assess the "effectiveness, interoperability and connectivity of public health data systems" used to detect public health threats, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, as mandated by President Biden's January executive order. They're required to issue a report summarizing their findings and offer recommendations.
Public health in the U.S. runs into challenges because it's "not really … a system," ONC chief Micky Tripathi said during a session on interoperability at the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society's trade show.
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Biden Shutting the Door on Medicaid Work Requirements |
President Joe Biden's administration all but shut the door on Medicaid work rules after CMS Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure notified health officials in Ohio, South Carolina and Utah Tuesday that the agency would no longer allow them to require Medicaid enrollees to work, volunteer or attend training to access health coverage.
CMS started unwinding President Donald Trump's policy in February, when it advised states that work requirements would disappear unless they could prove the policy doesn't cause coverage losses or excessive hardships. Federal officials were unpersuaded.
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2021 National Training and Technical
Assistance Needs Assessment Available Now
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The 2021 Health Center Training & Technical Assistance Needs Assessment portal is now open, and your feedback is being requested. Please see the below information as provided by National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC).
About the National Needs Assessment: The Health Resources and Services Administration’s Bureau of Primary Health Care (HRSA/BPHC) has requested a national health center training needs assessment. This one-time assessment will inform the development of training and technical assistance (T/TA) necessary to support health centers improve access to primary health care as well as to advance quality and impact over the next two-three years.
All health center staff are invited to take the 20-minute assessment using the link here.
Objectives: This Needs Assessment will:
- Minimize response burden by reducing the number of needs assessments deployed to health centers.
- Improve ease in response through a streamlined questionnaire.
- Identify priority training topics for BPHC, NTTAP, PCA and HCCN attention.
Who: All health center staff! Your input will influence future T/TA offered by BPHC’s training entities, like PCAs, HCCNs and NTTAPs.
How: The assessment will take approximately 20-30 minutes to complete. Access the assessment via an easy on-line portal on the NACHC website. If you’re experiencing technical difficulties accessing the hyperlink above, please use the link below to access the assessment:
https://www.nachc.org/trainings-and-conferences/health-center-needs-assessment/
Timeframe: August 12 – October 1, 2021.
Your health center’s response is critical! Thank you for your participation!
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U.S. Sets New Record for Drug Overdose Deaths |
Overdose deaths skyrocketed during the pandemic reaching a record 95,000 last year, new federal projections show.
The pandemic worsened the ongoing opioid crisis, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC) revealed. Overdose deaths increased 31% from January 2020 to January 2021 compared to the previous 12-month period, which took place prior to the coronavirus pandemic. The findings are provisional and may be revised.
These rising deaths highlight the importance of removing barriers to support for people with substance use disorder, Regina LaBelle, acting director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, said in a news release. Just 10% of the 20 million people who need substance use treatment get it, according to the U.S. Surgeon General.
CDC data show overdose deaths had begun to rise prior to the pandemic, a reversal from declining deaths from late 2017 through the middle of 2019.
Vermont experienced the biggest increase in overdose deaths among states, with 64% more fatalities. California, Kentucky, Louisiana, South Carolina, Tennessee and West Virginia saw increases of at least 45%. New Hampshire, New Jersey and North Dakota are expected to record fewer deaths.
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HHS Joins Trend, Orders COVID-19 Vaccine |
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is requiring employees who provide care or services for patients to get their COVID-19 shots, officials announced Thursday.
The order from Secretary Xavier Becerra will affect more than 25,000 clinicians, researchers, contractors, trainees and volunteers with the National Institutes of Health, the Indian Health Service, and the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps. It applies to employees who regularly interact with patients or whose duties could put workers in contact with patients.
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Funding and Financial Opportunities |
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HRSA Announces $50 Million in Funding to Optimize Use of Virtual Care in Health Centers |
The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) has announced the availability of up to $50 million for HRSA-funded health centers to further efforts to advance virtual care. This competitive, one-time funding opportunity will support health centers in optimizing the use of virtual care to increase access and improve clinical quality for medically underserved communities and vulnerable populations.
Application Due Date:
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Tuesday, August 17, 5 p.m. ET in HRSA’s Electronic Handbooks (EHBs)
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Upcoming Training Opportunities |
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Schedule Changes for Today with Macrae Webcasts
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HRSA has made changes to upcoming Today with Macrae: Health Center Program Updates webcasts.
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The Aug. 19 session was canceled.
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The Sept. 30 session is moved to Tuesday, Sept. 21 at 3:00 PM.
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Better Assess Your Community Using the UDS Mapper Webinar |
The UDS Mapper is a collaboration between the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) and the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) and is part of the HealthLandscape online mapping platform.
Attend this session to learn how to leverage the UDS Mapper tool to further understand the communities and populations served by the Health Center Program.
The webinar is geared toward users who are familiar with the UDS Mapper.
The webinar is open to the public and free of charge.
Friday, September 10, 2021
2:00 PM ET
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Back to School, COVID-19, and the Value of School-Based Health Centers |
Nationwide, the staff of nearly 2,000 school-based health centers strive to meet the needs of students and communities in assuring equitable and immediate access to health prevention and care.
As we look towards the 2021/2022 school year and the continued impact of the COVID-19 virus, this webinar brings together national leaders in school-based health to discuss plans for a safe return to school, adolescent and COVID-19 vaccination efforts, the value of having a health center available within a school setting, and successful collaborations with government and community-based organizations to improve the wellbeing of the students and families they serve.
Tuesday, August 31, 2021
2:00 PM ET
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Staffing Transformation Following Patient-Centered Medical Home Recognition |
Join this HRSA webinar exploring how Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) recognition at health centers has affected staffing capacity to deliver team-based integrated care.
HRSA will feature findings from a recent analysis of data from the UDS and the HRSA accreditation and PCMH recognition initiatives to identify changes in health center staffing infrastructure.
Thursday, August 26, 2021
1:00 PM ET
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Community Health Center Resources |
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Jackson Kelly attorneys provide limited consultation to all members of the WVPCA at no charge, as part of the WVPCA contract. There is no limit to the number of calls which any member may make. All inquiries within the scope of professional competence of firm attorneys will be addressed. Inquiries which require expertise not available through the firm will be promptly identified and, when requested, Jackson Kelly will assist in referring the matter to accounting firms, insurance agents, or others as circumstances warrant.
All inquiries, responses and consultation services provided by the firm lawyers will be provided without additional charge beyond the retainer amount, except for matters which require formal opinions, representation of record in litigation, transactional work, e.g. the purchase or sale of real property, or matters which require continued representation, research or consultation beyond a single inquiry or document review.
Justin M. Harrison is a labor & employment lawyer with Jackson Kelly PLLC. He is available for consultation through a special retainer relationship with the WVPCA. Justin can be reached at 304.340.1358 and via email at justin.harrison@jacksonkelly.com.
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Risk Management Manual for Health Centers Now Available! |
The Risk Management Manual for Health Centers is now available on the ECRI Institute Clinical Risk Management Program website! Designed to support a proactive approach to risk management at health centers and free clinics, the Manual provides background, tips, and how-tos in a manageable format.
Specific areas that are covered include:
Risk Management Programs & Plans
Claims and Lawsuits
Role of the Risk Manager
Patient Grievances and Complaints
Communication with Patients
Credentialing and Privileging
Communication among Providers, Staff, and Community Partners
Tracking Systems for Diagnostic Tests, Referrals, and Hospitalizations
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Debra Boyd | Chief Financial/Chief Operations Officer
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To sign up to receive the WVPCA Weekly Newsletter: |
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1700 MacCorkle Avenue, SE
Charleston, WV 25314
Phone: 304.346.0032
Toll Free: 1.877.WVA HLTH
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