Lance's Corner

HRSA Issues Regulatory Update

Jun 20, 2024

The United States Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) has issued an update on its regulatory activities.  You can read the complete HRSA regulatory update, with links to additional resources, below.

eNews banner LGBTQIA pride month option 1
June 20, 2024

HRSA Announces Major Expansion of Funding Available for Montana Home Visiting Program

carole in montana
On Tuesday, June 11, Administrator Carole Johnson visited Montana for the latest Enhancing Maternal Health Initiative convening, where she announced $5.4 million in eligible funding to Montana to expand its Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting program, an evidence-based initiative providing direct in-home services to expectant families and families with young children. Administrator Johnson met with HRSA grantees from across the state, including home visitors, health care providers, universities, Tribal members, and new mothers who shared their stories about how critical HRSA programs were in supporting them and their babies. The next day, Administrator Johnson spoke at the 2024 Meadowlark Initiative Conference hosted by the Montana Healthcare Foundation. She highlighted HRSA’s ongoing efforts to integrate behavioral health services into primary care and prenatal care, as well as investments to improve maternal health outcomes and maternal mental health. Administrator Johnson also visited the Montana State University College of Nursing to talk about their HRSA-funded Advanced Nursing Education Workforce Program, which trains nurses to serve in rural and frontier communities. Her visit concluded with a tour of Community Health Partners – Bozeman Clinic.

Read the release.

 

Biden-Harris Administration Invests $11 Million to Expand Medical Residencies in Rural Communities

xavier becerra wisconsinOn Thursday, June 13, HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra and White House Domestic Policy Advisor Neera Tanden announced more than $11 million in HRSA awards to 15 organizations to establish new residency programs in rural communities while visiting a rural health clinic in Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin. Building on HRSA’s Enhancing Maternal Health Initiative, one program will create the first obstetrics and gynecology Rural Track Program in the country, and six others will develop new family medicine residency programs with enhanced obstetrical training in rural communities.

Read the release.

 

$56 Million Awarded to HRSA-Funded Health Centers to Support Improving Quality Health Services in High Need Communities

udsHRSA has awarded $56 million to support HRSA-funded health centers’ commitment to high-quality care through new investments in modernized technology and data. HRSA-funded health centers provide primary care to 30 million people and serve patients regardless of ability to pay. They are also leaders in health care quality, and HRSA is taking the next step in quality improvement by adopting a modernized Uniform Data System (UDS+) for health centers. UDS+ will create automated reporting platforms for quality and performance management, streamlining backend work.  

Read the release.

 

Register for the National Telehealth Conference

national telehealth conferenceNavigating the latest in telehealth? Join health care professionals, policymakers, and industry stakeholders from around the country at the National Telehealth Conference on Tuesday, July 16 for insights on balancing telehealth solutions and vital in-person services.

Register to learn how others are integrating telehealth into their practice and working to give patients a choice in how they receive their care. 

Sign up to receive announcements from the Office for the Advancement of Telehealth.

 

New Research Suggests Health Centers Provide More Cost-Effective Care

bphc elibrary doctor showing patient ipadA new study highlights differences in health care use among high-need Medicaid beneficiaries who receive primary health care at HRSA-funded health centers versus other settings. It shows that health center patients had fewer high-cost specialty care, emergency room, and hospital visits but received equal or more primary care services. This suggests that, by providing less costly care, health centers lower health care costs for this group.

Read the published article, “Differences in Health Care Utilization of High-Need and High-Cost Patients of Federally Funded Health Centers Versus Other Primary Care Providers,” in the Health Center Library.

 

Extension to Complete Grantee Satisfaction Survey: Participate and Have Your Say

Picture of a customer survey with a pen in a hand checking a box. There is a pair of glasses next to the survey form..Calling all HRSA grantees! The 2024 Grantee Satisfaction Survey is open!

HRSA has updated the survey to streamline it and gather feedback about your experience. Your confidential responses help HRSA take concrete actions to better serve our grantees and the populations we serve.

The last day to complete the survey is Monday, June 24. Share your feedback and help us enhance our support to better serve you. Your feedback matters. Together, we can make a difference!

Questions or concerns about the survey? Email HRSA Grantee Survey.

 

HRSA Funding in the Community

image of a calendar

June

  • Men's Health Month
  • Alzheimer's and Brain Awareness Month
  • PTSD Awareness Month
  • Men's Health Week (10-16)
  • World Sickle Cell Day (19)
  • National HIV Testing Day (27)

Funding Opportunities

 

Bureau of Health Workforce

NHSC New Site Application (provider recruitment and retention benefits) - apply by June 25

Faculty Loan Repayment Program - apply by June 27

Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Recovery (STAR) Loan Repayment Program - apply by June 27

Pediatric Specialty Loan Repayment Program - apply by July 9

Nurse Education, Practice, Quality and Retention (NEPQR) - Workforce Expansion Program (WEP) - apply by July 26

Bureau of Primary Health Care

Expanded Hours - apply by June 24

Service Area Competition (HRSA-25-012) - apply by July 29

Service Area Competition (HRSA-25-013) - apply by July 29

Service Area Competition – Additional Areas - apply by August 5

New Access Points - apply by August 15

Federal Office of Rural Health Policy

Delta Health Systems Implementation Program - apply by June 24

Rural Northern Border Region Outreach Program - apply by June 25

Rural Maternal Health Data Support and Analysis Program - apply by July 15

Maternal and Child Health Bureau

Supporting Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Screening and Intervention - apply by June 21

Center for Maternal and Child Health Medicaid Partnerships - apply by July 10

Maternal and Child Health Policy Innovation Program - apply by July 10

Maternal and Child Health Services - apply by July 15

View All Funding Opportunities

USDOL Issues Comprehensive Employer Guidance on Long COVID

The United States Department of Labor (USDOL) has issued a comprehensive set of resources that can be accessed below for employers on dealing with Long COVID.

Supporting Employees with Long COVID: A Guide for Employers

The “Supporting Employees with Long COVID” guide from the USDOL-funded Employer Assistance and Resource Network on Disability Inclusion (EARN) and Job Accommodation Network (JAN) addresses the basics of Long COVID, including its intersection with mental health, and common workplace supports for different symptoms.  It also explores employers’ responsibilities to provide reasonable accommodations and answers frequently asked questions about Long COVID and employment, including inquiries related to telework and leave.

Download the guide

Accommodation and Compliance: Long COVID

The Long COVID Accommodation and Compliance webpage from the USDOL-funded Job Accommodation Network (JAN) helps employers and employees understand strategies for supporting workers with Long COVID.  Topics include Long COVID in the context of disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), specific accommodation ideas based on limitations or work-related functions, common situations and solutions, and questions to consider when identifying effective accommodations for employees with Long COVID.  Find this and other Long COVID resources from JAN, below:

Long COVID, Disability and Underserved Communities: Recommendations for Employers

The research-to-practice brief “Long COVID, Disability and Underserved Communities” synthesizes an extensive review of documents, literature and data sources, conducted by the USDOL-funded Employer Assistance and Resource Network on Disability Inclusion (EARN) on the impact of Long COVID on employment, with a focus on demographic differences.  It also outlines recommended actions organizations can take to create a supportive and inclusive workplace culture for people with Long COVID, especially those with disabilities who belong to other historically underserved groups.

Read the brief

Long COVID and Disability Accommodations in the Workplace

The policy brief “Long COVID and Disability Accommodations in the Workplace” explores Long COVID’s impact on the workforce and provides examples of policy actions different states are taking to help affected people remain at work or return when ready.  It was developed by the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) as part of its involvement in USDOL’s State Exchange on Employment and Disability (SEED) initiative.

Download the policy brief

Understanding and Addressing the Workplace Challenges Related to Long COVID

The report “Understanding and Addressing the Workplace Challenges Related to Long COVID” summarizes key themes and takeaways from an ePolicyWorks national online dialogue through which members of the public were invited to share their experiences and insights regarding workplace challenges posed by Long COVID.  The dialogue took place during summer 2022 and was hosted by USDOL and its agencies in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Surgeon General.

Download the report

Working with Long COVID

The USDOL-published “Working with Long COVID” fact sheet shares strategies for supporting workers with Long COVID, including accommodations for common symptoms and resources for further guidance and assistance with specific situations.

Download the fact sheet

COVID-19: Long-Term Symptoms

This USDOL motion graphic informs workers with Long COVID that they may be entitled to temporary or long-term supports to help them stay on the job or return to work when ready, and shares where they can find related assistance.

Watch the motion graphic

A Personal Story of Long COVID and Disability Disclosure

In the podcast “A Personal Story of Long COVID and Disability Disclosure,” Pam Bingham, senior program manager for Intuit’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in Tech team, shares her personal experience of navigating Long COVID symptoms at work.  The segment was produced by the USDOL-funded Partnership on Employment and Accessible Technology (PEAT) as part of its ongoing “Future of Work” podcast series.

Listen to the podcast

HHS OIG Issues Annual Report on State MFCUs

Per the notice below, the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) of the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has issued its annual report on the performance of state Medicaid Fraud Control Units (MFCUs).

Medicaid Fraud Control Units Fiscal Year 2023 Annual Report (OEI-09-24-00200) 

Medicaid Fraud Control Units (MFCUs) investigate and prosecute Medicaid provider fraud and patient abuse or neglect. OIG is the Federal agency that oversees and annually approves federal funding for MFCUs through a recertification process. This new report analyzed the statistical data on annual case outcomes—such as convictions, civil settlements and judgments, and recoveries—that the 53 MFCUs submitted for Fiscal Year 2023.  New York data is as follows:

Outcomes

  • Investigations1 - 556
  • Indicted/Charged - 9
  • Convictions - 8
  • Civil Settlements/Judgments - 28
  • Recoveries2 - $73,204,518

Resources

  • MFCU Expenditures3 - $55,964,293
  • Staff on Board4 - 257

1Investigations are defined as the total number of open investigations at the end of the fiscal year.

2Recoveries are defined as the amount of money that defendants are required to pay as a result of a settlement, judgment, or prefiling settlement in criminal and civil cases and may not reflect actual collections.  Recoveries may involve cases that include participation by other Federal and State agencies.

3MFCU and Medicaid Expenditures include both State and Federal expenditures.

4Staff on Board is defined as the total number of staff employed by the Unit at the end of the fiscal year.

Read the Full Report

View the Statistical Chart

Engage with the Interactive Map

GAO Issues Report on Medicaid Managed Care Service Denials and Appeal Outcomes

The United States Government Accountability Office (GAO) has issued a report on federal use of state data on Medicaid managed care service denials and appeal outcomes.  GAO found that federal oversight is limited because it doesn't require states to report on Medicaid managed care service denials or appeal outcomes and there has not been much progress on plans to analyze and make the data publicly available.  To read the GAO report on federal use of state data on Medicaid managed care service denials and appeal outcomes, use the first link below.  To read GAO highlights of the report on federal use of state data on Medicaid managed care service denials and appeal outcomes, use the second link below.
https://www.gao.gov/assets/d24106627.pdf  (GAO report on federal use of state data on Medicaid managed care service denials and appeal outcomes)
https://www.gao.gov/assets/d24106627_high.pdf  (GAO highlights on federal use of state data on Medicaid managed care service denials and appeal outcomes)

CMS Issues Latest Medicare Regulatory Activities Update

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has issued its latest update on its regulatory activities in the Medicare program.  While dentistry is only minimally connected to the Medicare program, Medicare drives the majority of health care policies and insurance reimbursement policies throughout the country.  Therefore, it always pays to keep a close eye on what CMS is doing in Medicare.  To read the latest CMS update on its regulatory activities in Medicare, use the link below.
https://www.cms.gov/training-education/medicare-learning-network/newsletter/2024-03-14-mlnc