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Clinical

Deadline Tomorrow to Designate Single Contract Pharmacy Under New Merck 340B Restrictions

Effective June 12, drug manufacturer Merck is expanding its 340B contract pharmacy restrictions such that health centers with one or more in-house pharmacies will no longer be able to obtain 340B-priced Merck drugs at any contract pharmacies.

However, for CHCs with no in-house pharmacies, they will be able to receive 340B-priced Merck drugs at a single contract pharmacy location, but they must log into 340B-ESP to select the single contract pharmacy location by tomorrow, Friday, May 26. This requirement applies even if you have previously indicated a single contract pharmacy on 340B-ESP for Merck or any other manufacturer.

CDC Warns of New Mpox Outbreak This Summer

The CDC are raising the alarm about a “substantial risk” of a resurgence of monkeypox (mpox) cases this summer and are urging high-risk individuals to get vaccinated. Highlighting the importance of vaccination, the CDC notes that although vaccinated individuals can still get infected, vaccination can reduce the severity of the infection, lowering the chances of hospitalization.

New Briefs Highlight Virtual Care Best Practices and Benefits for Health Centers

The Bureau of Primary Health Care recently released a series of briefs regarding the Optimizing Virtual Care (OVC) program and health center experiences and strategies related to virtual care implementation. Based upon monthly reports from participating health centers, from March to August 2022, the top three most reported awardee implementation activities were around staffing, technology selection, and related patient perspectives and insights, resulting in the following three briefs:

Improving Outcomes with Behavioral Health Integration

JBS International is hosting a webinar this afternoon titled, "Addressing Social Drivers of Behavioral Health in Integrated Care: Screening for Social Need at the Patient Level"
Today, Thurs., May 25 | 2:00 - 3:30 pm
Presenters: Natalie Slaughter MS, PPM, Linzi Jack, MA
Register

Addressing Suicidality in Men Within a Primary Care Setting
Thursday, June 1, 2023 | 1:00 – 2:00 pm
Register

This webinar will address suicide care management and evidence-based treatment for suicidal ideation among adult male patients in a primary care setting. Earn 1 CE for attending.

Opioid Use Disorder in Pregnant and Postpartum Women: Treatment & Policy Landscape
Wed., May 31 | 3:00 - 4:00 pm
Register

At this National Council for Mental Wellbeing webinar, participants will hear from a physician, a clinic director and an individual with lived experience to broaden our understanding of the treatment and policy landscape for pregnant and postpartum women with OUD.

Member Spotlight

The CW Williams Community Health Center Will Host Back to School Community Health Fair August 5

Shout out to the CW Williams Community Health Center for having National Health Center Week preparations underway, with a Back to School Community Health Fair and Giveaway announced for Saturday, August 5. It's wonderful to see CHCs starting early on promoting NHCW events with the community and partners.

Please share your NHCW week events with Stacie Borrello! Get NHCW resources on NACHC's website and at the Communications and Marketing Workgroup. Contact Stacie for information on joining this workgroup.

Medicaid

Great News: Managed Care Claims Timely Filing Window Extending to 365 Days Starting July 1

In a new Prompt Payment Fact Sheet, NC Medicaid announced a change that NCCHCA and health centers have been working toward for quite some time – extending the timely filing requirement under managed care to 365 calendar days, starting for claims with dates of services on or after July 2023.

See the excerpts below from the fact sheet:

For claims with a date of service on or after 7/1/2023, the Managed Care timely filing will be changing to 365 calendar days of covered service or discharge, or a time period set by the health plan that is no less than 365 calendar days.
For claims with a date of service falling between 7/1/2021 – 6/30/2023, the Managed Care timely filing will remain within 180 calendar days of covered service or discharge, or a time period set by the health plan that is no less than 180 calendar days.

Medicaid Provider Re-verification Issues

As referenced in a prior newsletter, NCCHCA continues to engage with NC Medicaid about challenges with the provider reverification process jeopardizing the enrollment status of health centers’ sites that are not enrolled with Medicare. Before making any changes to your NCTracks enrollment, such as changing from an FQHC taxonomy to a single-specialty or multi-specialty taxonomy, please contact NCCHCA, and stand by for further guidance.

NC Medicaid Managed Care Provider Update – May 22, 2023

This Medicaid bulletin includes updates on provider verification, billing requirement modifications; Tailored Plan implementation, upcoming key milestones, playbook updates and more.

Federal Guidance on Medicaid School-Based Services

Last week, CMS released a comprehensive guide on Medicaid School-Based Services that offers new flexibilities and consolidates existing guidance, making it easier for all schools to deliver Medicaid-covered services.

While the Guide is not directed to CHCs or other providers, CHCs may find it helpful when working with local school districts to arrange school-based services. A separate CMCS informational bulletin provides an overview of the new flexibilities that are immediately available regarding school-based Medicaid billing, documentation, and claiming.

Medicaid Bulletin Roundup

The following recent bulletin(s) from NC Medicaid may be of interest to health centers:

Provider Payment and Claims Submission Fact Sheets (May 22, 2023)

Follow this link to view all NC Medicaid Bulletins.

Health Access

Enrollment Assister Conference Welcomed More than 100 Attendees in Greensboro

This week, NCCHCA hosted more than 100 attendees at our Enrollment Assister Conference in Greensboro, along with our valued partners, the NC Navigator Consortium and Care Share Health Alliance.

Thank you to all the presenters and participants at this event, titled: "Helping Consumers Navigate the 'Unwinding & Expanding' Road Ahead." We hope you found this training to be valuable and that you gained practical tips to help connect people to health insurance coverage.

Policy & Advocacy

Less Than One Week to Respond to NACHC 340B Health Center CEO Survey

NACHC is conducting a survey to understand the current state of the 340B program and the impact of manufacturer restrictions on health centers’ ability to provide affordable medications to their patients. The survey has been sent out via Survey Monkey from research@nachc.org directly to health center CEOs. Please complete the survey by Wed., May 31.

House Committee Held Key Votes on Health Center & Workforce Funding, 340B

Yesterday, the House Energy and Commerce, the key House committee for health centers, unanimously passed (49-0!) the bill to increase funding for Community Health Centers, National Health Service Corps, and the Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education (THC GME) program.

Health center funding would go to $4.2 billion for the next two years. National Health Service Corps would go to $350 million for the next two years, and then the THC GME program would be extended by six years and eventually more than double. Significantly, during consideration of the bill, the Committee added an extra three months of funding for health centers and NHSC to ensure that funding goes until December 2025.

With regard to 340B, the Committee approved HR 3290, a bill introduced by Rep. Larry Bucshon (R-IN) which would impose 340B reporting requirements on DSH hospitals. The bill permits – but does not require -- HHS to extend these requirements to other covered entities (CEs), such as CHCs. Combined with the Medicaid-specific reporting requirements discussed below, this marked the first time that a Congressional committee has voted to impose 340B reporting requirements on any covered entities.

In addition, the full committee approved Medicaid-related language that has two key provisions related to 340B:

Allows states to decide whether CEs can retain 340B savings on drugs reimbursed under Medicaid managed care – at least for in-house pharmacies.
Imposes reporting requirements specific to 340B Medicaid MCO savings on all CE types.

With one exception, all the provisions discussed above (plus many others) were folded into one large bill, called the PATIENT Act of 2023 (or HR 3561.) The Committee passed this consolidated bill unanimously (49-0.) Rep. Bucshon’s bill (R-IN) on 340B reporting requirements was voted on separately, receiving a mostly-party-line vote.

How Would CHCs Be Impacted if the US Hits the Debt Ceiling?

As the U.S. government has never reached its debt ceiling in history, there is no precedent for predicting exactly what the impacts would be. However, we speculate that while section 330 grant funding already received by CHCs would not be affected, payments from Medicare and Medicaid could be delayed. Hitting the debt ceiling would also likely trigger an economic recession and cause borrowing costs to increase, among other indirect impacts.

NEW! Community Health Center Chartbook 2023

The annual Community Health Center Chartbook highlights data on Federally Qualified Health Centers, including federal Health Center Program Grantees and Look-alike organizations. The chartbook includes summary data on health center patients, services, staffing, quality outcomes, and impact on access to care and health equity. The 2023 Community Health Center Chartbook is now available here.

Funding Opportunities

New: Rural Maternity and Obstetrics Management Strategies Program (RMOMS)
Deadline: July 7, 2023
More info

The Federal Office of Rural Health Policy is pleased to announce that the Rural Maternity and Obstetrics Management Strategies Program (RMOMS) is now open on grants.gov (announcement number: HRSA-23-049) and accepting applications through July 7, 2023. A total of $2 million is anticipated to fund up to two health networks in this cooperative agreement program.

HHS Children and Youth Resilience Challenge: $1 Million in Funding
Deadline: Fri., July 7
More info

In response to the youth mental health crisis, the US Department of Health and Human Services announced a $1 million Children and Youth Resilience Challenge. The challenge will fund community-led innovations and solutions that promote resilience in children and adolescents, birth to age 24, impacted by COVID-19 and other disasters.

Workforce

NCCHCA June Workforce Workgroups: **Special Educational Session*

Jumpstart Your Comprehensive Workforce Plan!
Wed., June 14, 2023 | 10:00 - 11:00 am
Register

Join us to take a deep dive into the Comprehensive Workforce Plan definition and associated planning resources. We'll discuss each section and share examples, applications, and potential ways to include JEDI initiatives where appropriate.

You and your CHC will benefit from a practical overview of comprehensive workforce planning timelines, goals, and examples of content, as well as how to approach planning and maintain momentum.

The 2023 NCCHCA Salary and Benefits Survey Closes this Friday!

The 2023 NCCHCA Salary and Benefits Survey is open and ready for submissions, with participant CHC responses due by May 26, 2023. This survey is exclusively for use by NC federally qualified health centers and FQHC look-alikes, and has been sent to all 23/24 Board Voting members and the NCCHCA Human Resources Workgroup.

Aggregated results will be disseminated to FQHC/LAL participants of the survey in October, 2023. Please make time to participate in this important effort! Questions? Contact Josie at lane-kuzniarj@ncchca.org.

Health Center Workforce Well-being Survey: Preliminary Reports Now Available

Thank you to all of the health centers that participated in HRSA’s Health Center Workforce Well-being Survey. National data is expected to be shared later this year. Preliminary data reports have been sent by email to the main contact people at all participating centers.

If you have not located that email, or have questions about the data report you received, please reach out for assistance by emailing workforce_survey_help@jsi.com or by calling 833-408-3322. You may also visit HRSA’s Health Center Workforce Well-being Initiative webpage for more information and technical assistance (TA) resources available to all health centers.

Workforce Development: NTTAP Learning Collaborative Opportunity for Health Center Staff

With a goal of optimizing health and well-being for Black and African American, Transgender, and Gender Diverse Communities, this learning collaborative with cover culturally inclusive and affirming approaches designed to help health centers meet the needs of Black and African American transgender and gender diverse people. Participants will learn strategies for mitigating risk by identifying and amplifying individual and community-level protective factors and strengths. Registration page.

HCCN

Cybersecurity Tabletop Exercises
Tues., May 30, 2023 | 2:00pm-3:00pm
Contact

The HCCN is hosting a series of trainings around cybersecurity tabletop exercise. A Cyber Attack Tabletop Exercise is a test of your organization’s ability to respond to a cyber-attack. It helps you evaluate how effective your cyber incident response plans are. It also shows you how aware the organizational stakeholders are of their roles and responsibilities in case of a cyber incident.

The tabletop exercise is a verbally simulated scenario that mimics a real cybersecurity incident which could have a damaging impact on your business continuity.

The series will consist of an overview session (1 hour) which will provide an outline on tabletop exercises, including what to expect when conducting tabletop exercises, expected participants, what is needed to conduct a tabletop exercise and why it’s important to conduct tabletop exercises.

Who should attend: Health Center IT, risk management and compliance staff that are participating in the HCCN.

What will be covered:

A brief description of tabletop exercises
The importance of conducting tabletop exercise
Who should participate in tabletop exercise
What to expect when you participate in a tabletop exercise.

Following the overview session, the HCCN is offering 4 options to attend a 3-hour long tabletop exercise scenario session. This tabletop exercise scenario will present a narrative of a cybersecurity event, with timed injects of different changing circumstances throughout the narrative.

During these webinars, participants will have the opportunity to analyze the scenario and internally walk-through individual incident response plans.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Lauren Ray (NCCHCA) or Sanga Krupakar (NCCHCA).

Events and Trainings
Click "view entire message" below or this link to view the complete events section.

NCCHCA Events

Join Nearly 300 Colleagues at NCCHCA's Primary Care Conference
June 7-9, 2023 | Washington Duke Inn and Golf Club, Durham, NC

Our 44th annual Primary Care Conference event provides a fantastic opportunity to expand your knowledge, exchange best practices, and broaden your network. This year’s theme is “Transformation: Embracing a New Tomorrow."

Add-On Workshops Offered on Wednesday June 7:

Building an Effective & Engaged Health Center Board
Wed, June 7 | 1:00-5:00pm | $225

This dynamic seminar, led by the Woods-Liddell Group, will offer essential tools to maximize the value of the health board for the health center and for board members. This Board Governance Workshop will be offered as a hybrid workshop, with options to join in-person or virtually. Registration is required for both options.

Medicaid Provider Enrollment
Wed. June 7 | 10:00am-12:00pm | $128

An optional addition to our Finance Essentials Track, NC Medicaid staff will present on the unique NC Medicaid provider enrollment process specific to FQHCs.

*To register for these add-on workshops, select the appropriate ticket bundle on the conference registration page.

Our Washington Duke Inn & Golf Club and JB Duke hotel room blocks are now closed. Please refer to this list of nearby hotels to secure your lodging accommodations.

Hotel guests can reserve a tee time up to 30 days in advance by calling the Golf Shop at 919.681.2288.

NCCHCA's Primary Care Conference is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of an award totaling $1,557,131 with 99 percent financed with nongovernmental sources. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by HRSA, HHS or the U.S. Government.

Partner Events

Training Opportunity from BPHC Behavioral Health Technical Assistance
Topic: Behavioral Health Integration Skills and Practices for CHCs
Dates: Five remaining sessions on alternating Tuesdays, from May 30 | 2:00 – 3:30 pm
Presenters: Joseph Hyde, LMHC, CAS and Laura Ross, LMFT
Register

Over a series of eight 1.5 hour sessions, participants will learn about the most current, best, and promising practices for effective integrated behavioral health care in primary care settings, including multidisciplinary teamwork, treatment to target, brief counseling techniques, behavioral health consultations, and care management. Participants may earn 1.5 CEs per session (12 CEs total).

2023 Healthy Grants Workshops

The Manage Your Grants Workshop page has more details, including links to the 2022 Healthy Grants Workshop recordings.

Reconnect for Resilience in Healthcare Virtual Training
Thurs., June 15 & Friday, June 16 | 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Register

Care Share Health Alliance will host a FREE Reconnect for Resilience in Healthcare Virtual Training in partnership with Resources for Resilience. The free training is open to any healthcare worker in North Carolina!