Month: March 2021

Geographic Expansion of Medicaid Managed Care Organizations

As states have increasingly contracted with managed care organizations (MCOs) to serve their Medicaid populations, many of the counties newly served by Medicaid MCOs within the last decade have been nonmetropolitan counties. This brief assesses access to primary care in nonmetropolitan counties for Medicaid recipients in 15 states that expanded Medicaid MCOs to new geographic areas across the state from 2012-2018.

Researchers calculated and analyzed a “primary care provider (PCP) access score” (summarizing actual driving times to the nearest primary care) using geospatial methods and assessed the relationship between stronger state policies on network adequacy to observed PCP access scores in nonmetropolitan settings. The study found that nonmetropolitan counties that had Medicaid MCOs prior to 2012 experienced better access to primary care than nonmetropolitan counties that expanded to Medicaid MCO coverage after 2012, and that nonmetropolitan counties in states that specify stronger network adequacy travel time requirements for PCPs had better PCP access scores on average than those in states that allow longer travel times. Additionally, researchers estimate that among nonmetropolitan counties that were newly served by Medicaid MCOs in 2012-2018, a segment of roughly 45,000 Medicaid recipients experienced relatively low PCP access scores and thus less access to primary care.

Contact Information:

Timothy D. McBride, MS, PhD
RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
Phone: 314.935.4356
tmcbride@wustl.edu

Additional Resources of Interest:

New Articles Published on Inpatient Volume, Long-Term Care Planning, Emergency Department Telemedicine, Cancer, and Hepatitis C

These journal articles written by the Rural Health Research Centers were recently added to Gateway.

Gateway lists the journal, a brief summary, and a link to additional information and access to the full text of the article, if available. While some journal articles are freely available, many require a subscription or affiliation with a subscribing library.

New Publications Addressing HIV and Hepatitis C in Rural Areas

The Maine Rural Health Research Center released a policy brief examining the ability of rural areas of the U.S. to handle an HIV or hepatitis C outbreak and a chartbook looking at HIV prevalence and services to help these patients in the rural U.S.

Contact Information:

Erika Ziller, PhD
Maine Rural Health Research Center
Phone: 207.780.4615
erika.ziller@maine.edu

Availability of Supplemental Benefits in Medicare Advantage Plan

Enrollment in Medicare Advantage (MA) plans has consistently increased since the program’s redesignation by the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003. MA plans have long included supplemental benefits not available in original Medicare, such as dental and vision coverage. Additional supplemental benefits are becoming available through MA plans, such as those serving beneficiaries with chronic conditions. Yet in 2019, a considerable gap remained between rural and urban MA enrollment. Given these gaps in plan availability, rural beneficiaries may also lack access to plans offering supplemental benefits not covered in original Medicare. This brief identifies differences in MA plans that include supplemental benefits available to rural (nonmetropolitan) and urban (metropolitan) enrollees.

RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis finds that beneficiaries in noncore and micropolitan counties have significantly fewer MA plans to choose from, with most of the difference attributable to lower availability of health maintenance organization and local preferred provider organization plans. Among the 13 most common MA supplemental benefits, 11 are available in fewer nonmetropolitan counties compared to metropolitan counties. The difference in supplemental benefits is most prominent for hearing exams, eye exams, preventive dental care, fitness programs, remote access technologies, health education, and over-the-counter items.

Contact Information:

Keith J. Mueller, PhD
RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
Phone: 319.384.3832
keith-mueller@uiowa.edu

What Clinicians Need to Know About Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine

Date: March 2, 2021

Time: 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm CST

A few minutes before the webinar starts, please click on the Zoom link below to join:
https://www.zoomgov.com/j/

1603748312?pwd=anlmUURkSEtmdz

BLSmNOV0pJSzZUQT09

Passcode: 893944

Or Telephone:

US: +1 669 254 5252 or

+1 646 828 7666 or

+1 551 285 1373 or

+1 669 216 1590

This COCA Call will give clinicians an overview of the J&J Janssen COVID-19 vaccine. Clinicians will learn about vaccine characteristics and administration, vaccinating special populations, and contraindications. They will also get answers to a number of clinical questions the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has received about this new vaccine. 

Webinar: Nurse Preceptor Academy

Date: March 15, 2021

Time 9:00 am- 2:00 pm CST

Click here to Register.

The Illinois Critical Access Hospital Network (ICAHN) Nurse Preceptor Academy combines a virtual workshop with online course work to give preceptors ideas and confidence in the ability to teach new hires important skills that will lead them to be safe, competent, and independent practitioners. This is an interactive Academy with pre-work, group discussion, and casework.

Webinar: Grants 101

Date:  Monday, March 8th – Tuesday, March 9th

Time: 8:45 AM- 12:45 AM CST (both days)

Who Should Attend:  Community and Faith-based Organizations, Tribes, Hospitals, Health Centers, Rural Health Organizations, Health and Social Services Providers, Coalitions, Colleges and Universities, Public Health Departments

Topics at a Glance:

  • The Federal Grant Application Process
  • Federal Funding Opportunities Panel
    • Health Resources and Services Administration
    • Administration for Community Living
    • U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
    • Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
    • U.S. Department of Agriculture
  • Technical Resources Demonstration
    • HRSA Data Warehouse
    • Rural Health Information Hub (RHIhub)
    • Uniform Data System (UDS) Mapper
  • State Funding Opportunities
  • Engaging and Collaborating with Foundations
  • HRSA Grantee Perspective:  Best Practices and Lesson Learned
  • Creating a Competitive Proposal

Please register here.

Webinar: Learn how to access your Auto-HPSA 2021

Dates:

March 4, 2021 Click here to Register

March 9,2021 Click here to Register

Time: 1:00 pm- 2:00 pm CST

This summer, the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) will conduct the National Shortage Designation Update (NSDU) 2.0, for all Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) (Geographic, Population, Other Facility and Automatically Designated Facility).

In the past, Auto-HPSA Facility points-of-contact (POCs) received their update previews via email. HRSA will begin releasing update previews via Auto-HPSA portal accounts.

This training will provide participants information on:

-How to access and view Update Preview results within the Auto-HPSA Portal

-How to Submit a system data rescore request

-The system data rescore review processes and timelines.

Outreach & Education Resources for Partners during the Pandemic

As COVID-19 vaccines begin rolling out across the country, CMS is taking action to protect the health and safety of our nation’s patients and providers and keeping you updated on the latest COVID-19 resources from HHS, CDC and CMS.

With information coming from many different sources, CMS has compiled resources and materials to help you share important and relevant information on the COVID-19 vaccine with the people that you serve. You can find these and more resources on the COVID-19 Partner Resources Page and the HHS COVID Education Campaign page. CMS looks forward to partnering with you to promote vaccine safety and encourage CMS beneficiaries to get vaccinated when they have the opportunity.

Promoting COVID-19 Vaccines in Your Community

CDC has designed a COVID-19 vaccine toolkit to help your organization educate community members about COVID-19 vaccines, raise awareness about the benefits of vaccination, and address common questions and concerns. It is full of free digital resources, templates, posters and ideas for how to work within your community to help promote the COVID vaccine.

HOW CAN YOU GET STARTED?

Know the COVID-19 Vaccine Resources that are Available to You

Arabic | Spanish | Korean | Russian | Simplified Chinese | Tagalog | Traditional Chinese | Vietnamese

 

Use the COVID-19 Resources to Share your Messages

  • Adapt the key messages to the language, tone, and format that will resonate with your community. You know what works in your community.
  • Customize this template letter and send or email it to your community members to introduce your COVID-19 vaccine educational activities.
  • Print copies of the posters and use them as handouts or to hang in highly visible places in your community.
  • Organize a COVID-19 vaccine presentation for your community members and promote it via digital and community communication channels. If your community has internet access, organize a virtual presentation. If it does not, organize an in-person presentation following COVID-19 safety precautions. Ask if your local health department can provide a speaker if you do not have a health educator on staff.
  • Continue to educate your community via articles, blog posts, and CDC social media posts or retweet and share CMS Medicare social media messages on Twitter and Facebook.
  • Invite community members to wear stickers once they have been vaccinated and post vaccination selfies on social media.

Communicate with Your Community

  • Send an introductory letter to encourage your branches, chapters, or affiliates to review and use the toolkit materials, or a letter to members of your organization.
  • Drop the newsletter content into your e-newsletters or listservs to distributed and share information widely on COVID-19 vaccines.
  • Use the COVID-19 Vaccine Basic slide deck for virtual town halls or other informational meetings within your communities. You can use all or part of the set or also include your own organization’s information. Slides are also available in Spanish.
  • Share these key messages about COVID-19 vaccine to educate your communities. These key messages are also available in a printable PDF version.      
  • Use the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) to help answer questions about COVID-19 vaccine in your communities. FAQs also available in a printable PDF version.      
  • Share credible and accurate COVID-19 vaccine information from the Myths & Facts page.
  • Encourage your community members who are vaccinated to enroll in v-safe an after vaccination health checker.

Questions? Please e-mail: Partnership@cms.hhs.gov

FREE Rural Health Clinic Education and Training Program: The Clinic Connection – Register Now!!

The Missouri Office of Rural Health and Primary Care, in partnership with The Compliance Team (TCT), is providing all Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) across Missouri with a FREE education and training program: The Clinic Connection. The program will feature three informative online sessions that will cover everything you will need to know about the regulations and accreditation for your clinic.

Noted rural health expert and speaker, Kate Hill, VP Rural Health, from TCT, will lead each session along with members of her team. They will share insights and expertise ranging from the requirements to become an RHC, evidence of compliance/specialty standards, key components of accreditation, and the necessary preparation required for the survey process and ongoing compliance.

March 9, 16, & 24, 2021

11:00 AM – 1:00 PM Central

REGISTER HERE!

FREE RHC Training Flyer