Month: May 2021

Administering COVID-19 Vaccines to Adolescents

On Wednesday, May 12, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommended approval of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for use in adolescents age 12 to 15. This followed the announcement on Monday, May 10, that the FDA had authorized the Pfizer vaccine for use in this age group.

You are encouraged to make the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine available to adolescents age 12 to 15 as soon as possible. In addition, it is emphasized that the CDC’s recommendation that COVID-19 and other vaccines may now be administered to everyone age 12 and up without regard to timing. This includes simultaneous administration of COVID-19 and other vaccines on the same day, as well as co-administration within 14 days.

With the decline in routine pediatric immunizations and well-child visits during the COVID-19 pandemic, health centers are encouraged to help children and adolescents catch up on preventive care. Well-child visits are a good venue for routine and COVID-19 vaccinations, as well as a variety of important screenings and assessments.

Here are some key CDC resources related to this update:

A new site for patients specifically about COVID-19 vaccines for children and teens. Please share this with parents to help them understand why they should get their child vaccinated.

Webinar: RHC COVID Initiatives

Date: May 19, 2021

Time: 11:00 AM CT

Click to Register. 

Speakers:

  • Bill Finerfrock, Executive Director, National Association of Rural Health Clinics (NARHC)
  • Nathan Baugh, Director of Government Affairs, NARHC

Topics will include:

  • Rural Health Clinic (RHC) Grant money for Vaccine Confidence,
  • RHC Funds for COVID Testing and Mitigation, and
  • RHC Direct Access to COVID Vaccines.

 

Federal Office of Rural Health Policy Announcements

May 13, 2021

CDC and USDA Team Up for Vaccine Education Effort. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is providing $9.95 million in funding to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) to improve vaccine confidence in rural areas. NIFA will work with local partners through the Land Grant University System and its Cooperative Extension System, a nationwide educational network that provides non-formal higher education and learning to farming communities.

HRSA COVID-19 Coverage Assistance Fund. The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) will provide claims reimbursement at the national Medicare rate for eligible health care providers administering vaccines to underinsured individuals. This may be particularly helpful in rural communities given higher rates of uninsured and underinsured.

HHS/DoD National Emergency Tele-Critical Care Network. A joint program of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) and the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) is available at no cost to hospitals caring for COVID-19 patients and struggling with access to enough critical care physicians, nurses, respiratory therapists and other specialized clinical experts. Teams of critical care clinicians are available to deliver virtual care through lightweight telemedicine platforms, such as an app on a mobile device. Hear from participating clinicians and email to learn more and sign up.

HHS Coordinates New Effort to Vaccinate Migratory/Seasonal Workers in Agriculture. The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) is working with several divisions, including the Food and Drug Administration and the Health Resources and Services Administration to boost vaccination rates in a workforce often at heightened risk of COVID-19 infection.

RAND/RWJF Report: COVID-19 and the Experiences of Populations at Greater Risk. The RAND Corporation joined with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) to examine the way people view health issues. Researchers asked people in the United States about their experiences related to the pandemic, and their views on issues such as freedom, racism, and the role of government.

FORHP Special Announcement – New Funding Opportunity

May 11, 2021

Rural Northern Border Region Planning Program- Application Deadline June 14

The Health Resources and Services Administration’s (HRSA) Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP) will be making approximately 4 awards of up to $190,000 each for the 2021 Rural Northern Border Region Planning Program. This eighteen-month program will support eligible applicants located in the Northern Border Regional Commission (NBRC) service area to help underserved rural communities identify and better address their health care needs.

The Rural Northern Border Region Planning Program supports planning activities to identify key rural health issues, assess rural health challenges, and engage in strategic planning activities to inform rural health plans across the northern border region.

Eligible organizations must be located in a rural or urban area within the four states of the NBRC service area. These states are Maine, New Hampshire, New York and Vermont. All activities supported by this program must be provided in HRSA-designated rural areas (as defined by the Rural Health Grants Eligibility Analyzer) within the NBRC service area.

As FORHP continues to focus on sharing program outcomes, the identification and dissemination of rural evidence-based models maintains a priority. The Rural Health Information Hub (RHI hub) consists of a number of resources, including successful program models and evidence-based toolkits.

FORHP will hold a webinar for applicants on Thursday, May 20, 2021 from 2 – 3 P.M. EST. A recording will be made available for those who cannot attend. For dial-in information, view the NOFO on Grants.gov, click the Package tab, then Preview, and Download Instructions; technical assistance information is on page (ii).

If you have any questions about the program, please contact Maribel Nunez: MNunez@hrsa.gov or 301-443-0466.

New Rural Innovation Profile – Northern Michigan Community Health Innovation Region

May 12, 2021

New from Rural Health Value:

The Rural Health Value team recently released a new Rural Innovation Profile focused on the efforts of a ten-county partnership across rural Northern Michigan that is addressing social determinants of health through systems change and collaboration.

Northern Michigan Community Health Innovation Region
This partnership of health and community providers across ten rural counties in Northern Michigan addresses social determinants of health through systems change and collaboration, including development of a Community Connections Hub Network, a clinical community linkages model that connects individuals and families to community resources.

Link: https://ruralhealthvalue.public-health.uiowa.edu/files/NMCHIR%20Profile.pdf

Top resources on the Rural Health Value website:

  • Value-Based Care Assessment – Assess capacity and capabilities to deliver value-based care. Receive an eight-category readiness report.
  • Physician Engagement – Score current engagement and build effective relationships to create a shared vision for a successful future.
  • Board and Community Engagement – Hold value-based care discussions as part of strategic planning and performance measurement.

Social Determinants of Health – Learn and encourage rural leaders/care teams to address issues to improve their community’s health

Contact information:

Keith J. Mueller, Ph.D.

Co-Principal Investigator

keith-mueller@uiowa.edu

Complimentary Webinar – Ask the Telehealth Experts

Date: May 26, 2021

Time 1:00- 2:00 PM CST

Click here to Register!

It’s referred to by many terms in our industry: virtual care, telehealth, telemedicine, remote care, and digital health. No matter what you may call it, one thing is for certain – it’s here to stay!

This 60-minute webinar was created just for you. Join BRI Network as they dialogue and answer the burning questions you likely have:

  • How do I pivot to a long-term strategy?
  • Will the temporary regulatory changes remain in place?
  • How do I integrate in-person visits with virtual visits?
  • What are the best ways to drive provider adoption?
  • How can I harness the power of virtual care to enhance patient outcomes, retain patients and reduce costs?

FORHP Announcements- May 6

HRSA Expanding Community-Based Workforce for COVID-19 Vaccine Outreach – Applications Due May 18. As part of the large federal investment in local-level response to the coronavirus pandemic, the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) will make approximately 10 awards with total funding of $125 million. The funding will support outreach, education and assistance related to the COVID-19 vaccine and go to public and/or private nonprofit organizations with demonstrated experience in public health programs across a broad geographic area. Applicants are expected to have partnerships with health and social service organizations that can directly hire community outreach workers from vulnerable, medically-underserved communities. This is the first of two funding opportunities for community-based vaccine outreach. The second funding opportunity will be released in mid-May and will focus on smaller community-based organizations.

FCC Emergency Broadband Benefit Program – Applications Open on May 12. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) created this temporary program to help eligible individuals and households afford internet service during the pandemic. Eligible households can enroll through an approved broadband service provider or by visiting GetEmergencyBroadband.org. The program will end when the fund runs out of money, or six months after the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services declares an end to the COVID-19 health emergency, whichever is sooner.

HRSA Celebrates National Nurses Week, May 6-12. National Nurse Week is here and the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) is celebrating the significant contributions of our country’s nurses. Did you know certified nurse midwives supported by the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) provide obstetric care in rural communities and other areas where access to such prenatal and postnatal care can be severely limited? With $800 million in additional funding through the American Rescue Plan, the NHSC is providing more support than ever before to certified nurse midwives, nurse practitioners, and other disciplines working in underserved communities. Join HRSA in recognizing the hard work of the nurses by following along on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube and Instagram.

FDA Approves Higher Dosage of Naloxone to Treat Opioid Overdose. Last week, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a higher dose nasal spray that deliver 8 milligrams (mg) of naloxone into the nasal cavity. The FDA had previously approved 2 mg and 4 mg nasal sprays.

Medicare Advantage Enrollment Update

Medicare Advantage Enrollment Update 2020

The 2020 edition of the RUPRI Center’s annual report on Medicare Advantage (MA) enrollment shows that as of March 2020, 36.1% of eligible Medicare beneficiaries were in an MA plan. The proportion of metropolitan enrollment (38.0%) is higher than that in nonmetropolitan counties (27.5%), but the rate of growth in enrollment has been higher in nonmetropolitan counties for the last three years.

Metropolitan MA enrollment in Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) plans remains strong (64.3% in 2020) but has declined since 2016 and is at its lowest level since at least 2009. The plurality of nonmetropolitan MA enrollment has been in local Preferred Provider Organization plans since 2012 (46.6% in 2020), but the percentage of nonmetropolitan enrollees in HMO plans has grown nearly every year since at least 2009. Enrollment in Private Fee-For-Service plans has continued to slide, reaching its lowest levels for both metropolitan and nonmetropolitan enrollees since at least 2009 (0.2% metropolitan and 1.2% nonmetropolitan in 2020).

Contact Information:

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