Citing Lack of Funds, White House Pivots from Replenishing PPE Stockpiles to Purchasing More Vaccines
Last week, the White House announced that due to a lack of funds, it is diverting resources intended to replenish stockpiles of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to purchase more COVID vaccines. This is the second time the administration has dipped into other COVID-19 funding to prepare for a fall and winter vaccine campaign. Congressional Democrats reportedly are also looking at the possibility of adding COVID-19 relief to the pared-back reconciliation bill they are negotiating with Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV).

Monkeypox Update for Providers
Thursday, July 28, 2022 | 6:00 - 7:15 p.m.
Register

NC AHEC is partnering with NCDHHS to hold a webinar to provide timely and relevant information about the monkeypox outbreak and response efforts in North Carolina. Providers will have an opportunity to ask questions of NCDHHS leaders regarding access to testing, treatment, vaccines and other issues related to this outbreak. Please share webinar details with other providers who would benefit from this update.

Updated guidance from NCDHHS for evaluation, testing and prevention of monkeypox and response to possible cases is at this link.

Bethesda, MD – As the spread of the monkeypox virus continues, marginalized groups are having difficulty accessing tests and vaccines. In response the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) has joined a coalition of more than 30 organizations in sending a letter to congressional leadership calling for more resources and support. The letter comes as the World Health Organization has declared monkeypox a global health emergency with cases surging in a matter of weeks. Co-signed by public health organizations and LGBTQ+ advocates, the letter calls for a robust federal response, including additional resources to ramp up efforts on the ground to contain the spread in communities.

“We are concerned with how quickly this outbreak has been allowed to spread in the U.S. In the span of four days last week, the number of cases in the U.S. more than doubled from 866 identified cases to 1,814, and persistent obstacles to testing suggest that the actual case count is underreported,” the letter states. “Additional funding is needed for clinical services such as testing, treatment, and vaccine distribution to respond effectively.”



Community Health Centers are educating patients about the risks of the monkeypox virus. See examples from Callen-Lorde and Whitman Walker.

NACHC is putting together information resources and other clinical guidance, working in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO), and other stakeholders to bring the latest and most up to date tools to health centers in the field.

View NACHC’s compilation of monkeypox resources.

Medicaid and CHIP Continuous Enrollment Unwinding: What to Know and How to Prepare, A Partner Education Monthly Series
Wednesday, July 27, 2022 | 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM ET
Register for the webinar here.

You are invited to join the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for the third webinar in the monthly partner education series on Medicaid and CHIP Continuous Enrollment Unwinding. The recordings, transcripts, and slide decks from the previous webinars can be found on the CMS National Stakeholders Call Webpage.

This month’s webinar will focus on related outreach and engagement geared towards children, specifically highlighting a back-to-school “mini campaign” and resources for partners to help share information with families during the back-to-school season. We still encourage you to encourage members in your network to update their contact information with their state Medicaid agency (find contact information at Medicaid.Gov/Renewals). 

If your organization serves or interfaces with people that have health insurance through Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) then this call is for YOU! 

12 Days Out: National Health Center Week (August 7-13)

Please submit your National Health Center Week events on this form so the Association can join you in celebrating the work you do! You can also reach out to our new board liaison and executive assistant, Jennifer James, to communicate your event details.

Remember to invite state legislators, members of Congress, and candidates to your NHCW event. You can adapt this template invitation letter. Find more resources at https://healthcenterweek.org.

Save the Date for NCCHCA’s 2022 Clinical Conference - October 20-21 in Winston-Salem

We look forward to welcoming you at our 2022 Clinical Conference, Breaking Down Barriers: Meeting Patients Where They Are, which will be a valuable opportunity for professional development and networking. The event will be held at Twin City Quarter in Winston-Salem. Please mark your calendars for October 20-21 and be on the lookout for more details and a registration link coming soon.

Health Advocates Gathered in Raleigh for Medicaid Expansion Vigil
North Carolinians gathered in front of the N.C. General Assembly on July 26 to remember the lives of people who have died in the coverage gap and to urge the General Assembly to quickly take action to expand Medicaid. One of the speakers was Dr. Joel Lutterman, Chief Medical Officer at Advance Primary Care.


“Medical school doesn’t prepare our doctors for when patients face easily treatable and preventable disability and early death, but don’t have the resources to pay,” Dr. Joel Lutterman, Medical Director of Advance Community Health said. “More than ever, we need to pass Medicaid expansion now.”

Every year, an estimated 350 people die in North Carolina because they’re unable to access long-term care disease management for illnesses such as cancer. In addition, North Carolina has had a significant increase in overdose deaths since 2020 and the numbers rose even higher in 2022. By expanding Medicaid, North Carolina could connect people to substance use disorder treatment and care.  

NC Legislature Won’t Hold Votes at Raleigh Return This Week

The North Carolina General Assembly won’t work when it’s scheduled to reconvene this week, legislative officials said Friday, setting aside -- for now -- any attempts to override new vetoes by Gov. Roy Cooper or consider legislation related to Medicaid expansion. Read more from WSOC.

U.S. House Advancing Bill to Extend Medicare Telehealth Reimbursement for FQHCs Beyond PHE

Yesterday Reps. Liz Cheney (R-WY) and Debbie Dingell (D-MI) introduced a bill to extend several Medicare telehealth flexibilities for two years following the end of the Public Health Emergency (PHE) – including payment to FQHCs for medical visits provided via telehealth at the fee schedule rate of around $95. The House Rules Committee is planning to move the bill for an accelerated floor vote, which could occur later this week. 

NC Attorney General Won't Move to Enforce State's 20-Week Abortion Ban
With Roe struck down, North Carolina's 20-week abortion law is expected to take effect, but there's some legal procedure first, and Attorney General Josh Stein says he won't engage in it. Read more from WRAL.

Resources on Health Center 330 Compliance and Reproductive Health Services
In light of the recent Roe v. Wade Supreme Court Ruling, NACHC developed several resources to help answer questions related to Title X and referrals. These documents provide important information on compliance for 330 grant requirements as it relates to the Hyde Amendment. Documents include:

1. An overview of the Hyde amendment, which prohibits use of federal funds to support abortion services in CHCs;

2. Frequently asked questions on the legal parameters associated with reproductive health services; 

3. Title X FAQs and how the new Biden-Harris Administration rules changed Title X; and 

4. Sample Policy and Procedure on Family Planning Services that health centers can tailor to fit their needs. 

Annual Essential Community Provider (ECP) Petitions Submission 

Deadline: August 17th for inclusion in the final Plan Year 2024 ECP List. 

The Essential Community Provider petition submission is an annual process that works prospectively. HHS updates this ECP list annually to assist issuers with identifying providers that qualify for inclusion in an issuer's plan network toward satisfaction of the ECP standard under 45 CFR 156.235. 

Per CMS, “For ongoing provider updates, the ECP petition process remains open year-round. Provider petitions submitted between August 19, 2021, and August 17, 2022, will be reviewed for inclusion on the final Plan Year 2024 ECP List. Provider petitions submitted after August 17, 2022, will be reviewed for inclusion on the final Plan Year 2025 ECP List. 

Click here to download a detailed memo with important reminders and instructions.

Click here to visit the CMS website to view all sites currently associated with your organization and submit a petition for each of your facilities. All FQHCs should submit a petition for each of their facilities even if they do not see errors or omissions that require correction.

Questions? Contact Chaundra Cureton, Member Management Specialist, curetonc@ncchca.org. 

Please Respond to NCCHCA Survey on Radiology Services Reimbursement Change
In response to the recent Medicaid Bulletin stating that, effective Aug.1, 2022, only the technical component of an onsite radiology service performed at federally qualified health centers will be separately reimbursable, NCCHCA is requesting input from your health center.

Please complete our brief survey at this link. We will use information gathered from this survey to determine if advocacy action is needed on this issue.

Contracting with Tailored Plans

Beginning Dec. 1, 2022, NC Medicaid will transition approximately 170,000 beneficiaries who may need services for a severe mental health disorder, severe substance use disorder, intellectual/developmental disability (I/DD) or traumatic brain injury (TBI) to Behavioral Health and I/DD Tailored Plans (Tailored Plans). 

Key Tailored Plan Dates

• Aug. 15, 2022 – Beneficiary Choice Period begins. Enrollment Broker begins mailing Enrollment Packets to beneficiaries, and beneficiaries can choose a PCP and Tailored Care Management provider by contacting their Tailored Plan.
• Sept. 15, 2022 – Last day for PCPs to have fully executed contracts with Prepaid Health Plans (PHP) for inclusion in PCP Auto-Assignment.
• Oct. 14, 2022 – Last day for beneficiaries to choose a PCP and Tailored Care Management provider before auto-assignment.
• Post Oct. 14, 2022 – PCP and Tailored Care Management Provider Auto-Assignment for beneficiaries who have not chosen a PCP or Tailored Care Management provider.
• Dec. 1, 2022 – Behavioral Health I/DD Tailored Plans launch.

Find Tailored Plan contact information here. It is important to contract with multiple, if not all, networks who serve beneficiaries in your community so that existing patients and their families can remain in network.

Find more contracting information and a map of Tailored Plan catchment areas here.

Key Reminders from Previous Newsletter Editions

• July 16 Tailored Plan Contracting Deadline for Inclusion in Beneficiary Choice Period (June 1 Medicaid Bulletin)

• Taxonomy Enrollment Requirement Reminders to Prevent Claim Denials

• NCCHCA Managed Care Help Desk - Email mmc@ncchca.org or Call (919) 655-0394 (8-5, M-F)

• PHPs Must Pay Interest and Penalties for Inappropriate Claim Denials & Delays 

Rural Communities Opioid Response Program – Medication Assisted Treatment Access
Deadline: July 29, 2022

The goal of this HRSA funding opportunity is to improve health care in rural areas by establishing new medication-assisted treatment (MAT) access points and increasing the capacity for sustainable MAT service provision in rural areas.

Building Bridges to Better Health: A Primary Health Care Challenge
Deadline: August 2, 2022

Building Bridges to Better Health is a national competition with a total of $1 million in cash prizes to encourage innovation through technical assistance to health centers. Competition participants will accelerate the development of low-cost, scalable solutions to help HRSA-supported community health centers improve patient access to primary care and strengthen the link between health care and social services.

Phase 1 (concept design) will include initial awards totaling $300,000 for up to 30 winners. Phase 1 submissions are due Tuesday, August 2. Visit Challenge.gov for more information.

NCCHCA Workforce Development Workgroup
July 27, 2022, 10 AM ET 
Click Here to Register.

Join your CHC colleagues to share information, challenges, and best practices on workforce planning, development, and partnerships in your CHCs. Our July meeting will focus on your recently submitted HPET Plans, how to optimize and augment, plus your own workforce priorities. We’ll also include a new staff resiliency highlight!

NCCHCA HPET/Workforce Update Survey
Deadline This Friday, July 29, 2022
Survey Link

This HPET/Workforce update survey is conducted twice a year to collect data on any Workforce Programs/Partnerships at your CHC. This will let us know how to best support you in developing and strengthening your existing workforce, and your efforts to expand your workforce pathways! This survey is designed to be quick (10-15 minutes) and simple, and allow you to efficiently share updates and request T/TA.

Please complete by July 29, 2022, and feel free to share with colleagues as needed. Reach out with any feedback or questions: lane-kuzniarj@ncchca.org.

Congratulations to Two Members on Facility Expansions
NCCHCA would like to congratulate two members, Triad Adult and Pediatric Medicine and Mountain Community Health Partnership, who recently announced the opening of new locations. Triad's new location is on Northwood Street in Greensboro, and MCHP's new location is on Blue Ridge Lane in Burnsville.

In celebration, both Community Health Centers will host public tours during National Health Center Week. Please submit your National Health Center Week events on this form so the Association can join you in celebrating the work you do!