Health centers who want to opt out can still do so by contacting Health Center Program Support online or via phone at 877-464-4772, 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. ET, Monday-Friday (except federal holidays). 

The WVPCA congratulates all Health Care Heroes recognized by “West Virginia Living” magazine. The following are community health center staff who were recognized. Thank you for your tireless work for patients and your communities—both day-to-day and on pandemic response!

As a Marketplace assister, it is important to understand the special benefits that American Indians/Alaska Natives (AI/AN) are entitled to. For example, American Indians/Alaska Natives who are members of a federally recognized tribe and have an income between 100% and 300% of the federal poverty level, can enroll in a “zero cost sharing” qualified health plan on the Marketplace. This means they will not have to pay out-of-pocket costs -- like deductibles, copayments, and coinsurance -- when they receive care, even if they pick a bronze plan which will likely have the lowest premiums. And all American Indians/Alaska Natives who are members of a federally recognized tribe, regardless of income, are eligible for a “limited cost sharing” qualified health plan on the Marketplace. This means they will not have to pay out-of-pocket costs when they receive care through an Indian health care provider.

The Biden administration announced Tuesday that a special enrollment period opened in February to allow people to sign up for health insurance through the federal health insurance marketplace is being extended until Aug. 15.

The marketplace was initially reopened earlier this year until May 15, allowing people in 36 states to sign up or change their health insurance plan outside of the annual open enrollment period or a qualifying life change.

In response to the increased use and expanded coverage of telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic, From Coverage to Care (C2C) released two new resources to support providers and patients in making the most of virtual care:

Providers and partners can download graphics to post on their social media channels and help spread the word about these new resources. All of these resources can be downloaded at go.cms.gov/c2ctelehealth.

The Mountaineer Health Initiative and WV Clinical and Translational Science Institute will convene a virtual panel focusing on child development, nutrition, mental health, education, and physical activity for the Spring 2021 Meeting of the Minds: Building Child Resilience After COVID. The panel composed of experts and those working on the front of lines with children will be held on Thursday, April 15th from 4-6 p.m.

For detailed information on how this funding is being distributed to health centers, including an interactive map of which health centers will receive funding here.

In addition, the WVPCA’s official press release about the funding can be found here.

Registration is now open for this year’s Strive to Revive Symposium on Wednesday, March 31, 2021 at 10:00 AM EST. Strive to Revive is designed to educate healthcare professionals on the latest innovations in resuscitation science and research.

The Mid-Atlantic Telehealth Resource Center will be going ALL VIRTUAL this year. They are committed to providing a great virtual experience and one way to do that is to break up the normally packed full days into smaller blocks of time across multiple days. The draft agenda is now available and will become even more detailed in the upcoming weeks. Stay tuned – they will be sharing periodic updates about the innovative things they will be doing to make sure it’s not “just another Zoom meeting”!

The 2021 National Health Service Corps Scholarship Program (NHSC SP) awards scholarships to students pursuing an education in eligible primary care health professions. 

About the Program: 

The NHSC Scholarship Program applicants include health professional students studying to become physicians, dentists, nurse practitioners, nurse midwives or physician assistants with a commitment to practice in underserved communities. In exchange, they commit to serve a minimum of two years in high-need, underserved communities. Scholars receive one year of financial support (up to four years) for each year of service at an NHSC-approved site. Accepting applications through May 11, 2021 at 7:30 PM EST.

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) is accepting applications for fiscal year (FY) 2021 for the Dental Faculty Loan Repayment Program. This program will increase the number of dental and dental hygiene faculty in the workforce. Grantees will create and manage a loan repayment program for individuals who serve as full-time dental faculty.

Please note: The funding opportunity has been modified to include grant award preference to applicants who provide loan repayment to pediatric dentistry faculty.

Visit page 9 of the funding opportunity for eligibility information.

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) has announced that registration for the 2021 Healthy Grants Workshop – Presented as a Web Series, in now open. Register now for up to eight sessions.

HRSA has released a first-of-its-kind Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), the fiscal year (FY) 2021 Health Center Program Service Expansion - School-Based Service Sites (SBSS, HRSA-21-093). Funding is available from HRSA to community health centers for new in-person and/or virtual sites in or on school grounds or expanding of an existing site. Twenty-five grants of $200,000 per year for two years will be awarded. The expansion can be for medical, dental, vision, behavioral health, substance use disorder, or enabling services. Deadline is April 2, 2021.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture wants to clear up three myths about rural America: 1. It is not all White; 2. It is not all about farming and 3. It is not dying. A senior advisor and economist with the USDA makes that case on a recent podcast episode of “The Indicator” from NPR’s Planet Money.

Breaking generational patterns of obesity can start at a child’s preschool, a recent study published in “JAMA Pediatrics” found. The study’s results show a 20-30% reduction in obesity, based on BMI, more than three decades after attending a comprehensive, high-quality preschool program in Chicago, Illinois. 

An Urban Institute survey and issue brief shows that 36% of U.S. adults have delayed or forgone treatment due to fear of the coronavirus or because of limits placed on health care services due to the virus. Nearly a third of adults who reported delaying or forgoing care said that their health conditions worsened or limited their ability to work or perform other daily activities.

If you come across something worth sharing, please feel free to forward to Joshua Austin, WVPCA Policy and Communications Director at joshua.austin@wvpca.org.

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.

The Pandemic Operational Recovery Guide for Health Centers and Free Clinics was written to assist health centers and free clinics in identifying and minimizing risks as they recover from operational disruptions related to a pandemic.

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.

View an archived webinar that provides a guided tour of the Manual and key features. For access to the ECRI Institute Clinical Risk Management Program website or any other questions, email clinical_rm_program@ecri.org.