Category: HRSA

New Pricing Transparency Tool for Hospitals

January 2, 2024

New Pricing Transparency Tool for Hospitals

To empower decision-making for patients, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) made new requirements and provided tools for making standard charges for all items and services available to the public. Beginning January 1, 2024, institutions that are licensed as hospitals will be required to update their websites with a link labeled “Price Transparency” that goes directly to a machine-readable digital file.

CMS provides resources and tools to support these new requirements and provides details on enforcement measures for hospitals that do not comply.

Hospital Pricing Transparency Tool

CMS Resources and Tools

Enforcement Measures

FentAlert: Empowering Youth for Safer Choices – SAMHSA Fentanyl Awareness Youth Challenge

January 2, 2024

FentAlert: Empowering Youth for Safer Choices – SAMHSA Fentanyl Awareness Youth Challenge

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is conducting this challenge under the America Creating Opportunities to Meaningfully Promote Excellence in Technology, Education, and Science (COMPETES) Reauthorization Act of 2010, as amended [15 U.S.C. § 3719].

In this challenge the best ideas from U.S. youth, aged 14-18, on a community strategy to increase youth awareness, education, and prevention around the dangers of fentanyl, especially the hidden dangers of fake pills and other contaminants that can lead to drug overdose deaths.

These are the facts:

  • Among adolescents aged 10-19, from 2019 – 2021:
    • Monthly drug overdose deaths increased 109%
    • Deaths involving illicitly manufactured fentanyls increased 182%
    • About 90% of these deaths involved opioids and 84% involved illicitly manufactured fentanyls
    • Counterfeit pills present in nearly 25% of these deaths
    • Two-thirds of those who died had one or more potential bystanders present
      • most didn’t provide overdose response
      • many bystanders were in another room or didn’t know that drugs were being used
  • Criminal drug networks are mass-producing fake pills, and falsely marketing them as legitimate prescription pills.
    • Look just like prescription drugs such as:
      • oxycodone (Oxycontin®)
      • Percocet®)
      • hydrocodone (Vicodin®)
      • alprazolam (Xanax®)
      • or stimulants like amphetamines (Adderall®).
  • 7 out of 10 fake prescription pills (seized by the DEA) contain a potentially lethal dose of fentanyl
  • Xylazine (often known as “tranq”), is a central nervous system depressant and animal tranquillizer that has been showing up in combination with fentanyl and has been involved in a growing number of overdose deaths.

SAMHSA wants to hear ideas, pitched by community, that educates youth in their communities (among friends, at school or within an organization to which they belong) about fentanyl and fake pills, and prevents overdose. Ideas could include any innovative ways to reach youth on this topic like social media posts, vlogs, podcasts, video journals, etc.

View the Challenge Here

How to Participate:

Awards:

  • Top 6 ideas – $5,000 prize
  • $2,000 to up to 25 youth for honorable mention

Submissions accepted December 1, 2023 – February 26, 2024

Mobilizing Health Care Workforce via Telehealth

January 2, 2024

Mobilizing Health Care Workforce via Telehealth

ProviderBridge.org was created through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act by the Federation of State Medical Boards and HRSA’s Office for the Advancement of Telehealth.

The site provides up-to-date information on emergency regulation and licensing by state as well as a provider portal to connect volunteer health care professionals to state agencies and health care entities.

Go to ProviderBridge.org

HHS/DoD National Emergency Tele-Critical Care Network

January 2, 2024

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. Teams of critical care clinicians critical care physicians, nurses, respiratory therapists, and other specialized clinical experts are available to deliver virtual care through telemedicine platforms, such as an app on a mobile device.

Hear from participating clinicians

Email matthew.t.quinn3.civ@mail.mil to learn more and sign up

New Notice of Funding Opportunity – Physician Assistant Rural Training in Behavioral Health (PCTE-PARB) HRSA-24-019

December 29, 2023

New Notice of Funding Opportunity – Physician Assistant Rural Training in Behavioral Health (PCTE-PARB) HRSA-24-019

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) released a new Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) to increase the number of trained physician assistants who choose to practice in rural areas after graduation.

The Primary Care Training and Enhancement: Physician Assistant Rural Training in Behavioral Health (HRSA-24-019) aims to address the need to train primary care physician assistants to prevent, identify, diagnose, treat, and refer services for behavioral health conditions.

Eligible Applicants:

Only an academically affiliated physician assistant training program accredited by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education t=for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA) may apply. To be eligible, your organization must be in:

  • The United States,
  • The Commonwealth of Puerto Rico,
  • The Northern Mariana Islands,
  • American Samoa,
  • Guam,
  • The US Virgin Islands,
  • The Federated States of Micronesia,
  • The Republic of the Marshall Islands, or
  • The Republic of Palau

The following program objectives must be met:

  • A 3-month minimum integrated behavioral health clinical rotation(s) in a rural primary care setting(s)
  • Develop program curriculum to address behavioral health and substance use disorders
  • Establish strategic partnerships that support primary care behavioral health integration in rural areas

HRSA anticipates awarding approximately $5 million to approximately 12 recipients through this funding opportunity.

For questions please contact:

View Funding Opportunity

Apply Now

Resources for Billing for Telehealth

December 28, 2023

Resources for Billing for Telehealth

Reimbursements for telehealth continue to evolve. Find resources on billing and reimbursement for:

Additional Resources

Targeted Technical Assistance for Rural Hospitals Program – Apply by January 31

December 14, 2023

Applications are being accepted to receive two years of technical assistance through the  Targeted Technical Assistance Program. This is a Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP) supported program for rural hospitals struggling to maintain health care services.

Over a two-year period, selected hospitals are supported through a systematic and evidence-based process for identifying, prioritizing and implementing short-term, mid-range and long-term strategies for positioning their organizations for financial sustainability. During their tenure in the program, hospitals receive comprehensive technical assistance in financial and operational assessment, financial sustainability planning, strategy implementation, monitoring and evaluation.

Technical assistance for this project is provided by the Center for Public Health Practice and Research at the Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health, Georgia Southern University, and will begin March 2024. Applications must be received by January 31, 2023.

Learn More

Apply Now

Now Available – White House Social Determinants of Health Playbook

December 14, 2023

Now Available – White House Social Determinants of Health Playbook

The social and economic conditions of the environments where people are born, live, learn, work, play, worship, and age affect a wide range of health, functioning, and quality-of-life outcomes. The following resources build on the Administration’s work to advance health equity by acknowledging that peoples’ social and economic conditions play an important role in their health and well-being.

Virtual Conference: Medical Leadership in Disaster Preparedness and Response, February 7-8, 2024

December 14, 2023

Virtual Conference: Medical Leadership in Disaster Preparedness and Response, February 7-8, 2024

Are you currently responsible for the medical direction of a health care entity in the event of a disaster? Are you interested in serving in that role in the future? The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) Technical Resources, Assistance Center, and Information Exchange (TRACIE) is hosting the Medical Leadership in Disaster Preparedness and Response Virtual Conference February 7-8, 2024.

This two half-day virtual, interactive conference will feature individuals who have a medical direction role during disasters for their health care facility, public health department, emergency medical services agency, health care coalition, or other entity discussing the spectrum of their medical leadership responsibilities and some of the specific challenges of the role.

All participants are encouraged to attend the entire virtual conference, but participants must register for each day they would like to attend

What to Expect:

Day 1 – February 7 12:30 – 5:00 PM ET

  • Providing a framework for disaster medicine leadership
  • How we can measure our effectiveness
  • The intersection of clinical care and emergency management
  • Preparing future leaders for the role

View Agenda

Register Here for Day 1

Day 2 – February 8 12:30-5:00 PM ET

  • Medical Operations Coordination Centers
  • Crisis Standards of Care
  • Disaster medicine in rural areas
  • Equitable disaster planning and access to care
  • The role of public/private partnerships

Register Here for Day 2

Register Now as space is limited

Technical Assistance Webinar – Geriatric Workforce Enhancement Program (GWEP) – HRSA-24-018, Monday, December 11 from 2:30 – 4:00

December 11, 2023

Technical Assistance Webinar – Geriatric Workforce Enhancement Program (GWEP) – HRSA-24-018, Monday, December 11 from 2:30 – 4:00

Don’t miss today’s Technical Assistance (TA) webinar for the Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program.

When: Today, Monday, December 11, 2:30 – 4:00 p.m.

The Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program (GWEP) aims to have applicants maximize patient and family engagement to address care gaps and improve health outcomes for older adults by integrating geriatrics with primary care and other appropriate specialties using the Age-Friendly Health Systems Framework.

Eligible Applicants include:

  • Schools of Allopathic Medicine, Osteopathic Medicine, Nursing, Allied Health, Pharmacy, Dentistry, Public Health, Optometry, Chiropractic, Veterinary Medicine or Podiatric Medicine
  • Physician Assistant Education Programs
  • Graduate programs for Health Administration or Behavioral Health and Mental Health Practice, including:
  • Clinical Psychology
  • Clinical Social Work
  • Professional Counseling
  • Marriage and family therapy
  • Health care facilities
  • Programs leading to certification as a certified nurse assistant
  • Partnership of a school of nursing and health care facility
  • Partnership of a program leading to certification as a certified nurse assistant, and a health care facility
  • Community-based organization, if otherwise eligible
  • Tribes, and Tribal organizations, if otherwise eligible

HRSA anticipates awarding $43 million to approximately 43 recipients through this funding opportunity.

Applications accepted until 11:59 p.m. ET on February 26, 2024

Read More about HRSA-24-018

Register Here for TA Webinar