LabCorp Laboratory Services Group Discounts

In partnership with the Colorado Community Health Network (CCHN), CRHC is pleased to offer a group purchasing opportunity for CAHs and RHCs to purchase reference laboratory services through Laboratory Corporation of America (LabCorp) at discounted rates from LabCorp’s published fee schedule. For more information email Michelle Mills at mm@coruralhealth.org.

Slips, Trips, Falls Prevention

A workbook, "Slip, Trip, and Fall (STF) Prevention for Healthcare Workers," has recently been released by CDC/NIOSH to address work-related slip, trip and fall incidents that frequently result in serious disabling injuries that impact a healthcare employee's ability to do his or her job, often resulting in lost workdays, reduced productivity, expensive worker compensation claims, and diminished ability to care for patients. The workbook is intended for healthcare facility administrators, safety and health professionals, facility managers, housekeeping managers, food service managers, and workers who are responsible for safety.

Online Antimicrobial Resistance CME

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in partnership with the Infectious Diseases Society of America, The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America and Medscape, offer a free continuing education activity titled "Antimicrobial Resistance Across the Continuum of Care: Winning the War One Battle at a Time." The CME and CE offer includes a roundtable discussion with antimicrobial resistance and stewardship experts and is intended for clinicians who regularly prescribe antibiotics. At the completion of the 45-minute program, clinicians should be able to identify the most important contributing factors for development of antimicrobial resistance; recognize patient and provider pressures for prescribing antibiotics; and identify ways to optimize antimicrobial therapy through stewardship initiatives. For more information, click here.

MEASLES ADVISORY:Guidance for Emergency Departments and Healthcare Providers

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) was notified that a person with measles flew into Denver International Airport (DIA) February 22, Concourse C at approximately 9pm and remained in that area for several hours before flying on to New Mexico.
This notice is to inform you that individuals being seen with rash illness and fever who were at DIA – Concourse C on the date and time above should be assessed for measles. The earliest onset of measles symptoms for individuals exposed on February 22 would be March 1, and the last expected onset would be March 12 (the incubation period for measles ranges from 7 to 18 days).
For the full news release please click here

HCPF Medicaid Provider Bulletin Electronic Only

HCPF will no longer be mailing or emailing the Medicaid Provider Bulletin beginning March 1, 2011. The bulletin will be on HCPF’s Web site as of the 3rd of every month. The link to the bulletin is found on the HCPF home page under “Communication”. For more information, click here.

PEPPER Reports to CAHs in April

In April, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will roll out its Program for Evaluating Payment Patterns Electronic Report (PEPPER) to CAHs. The free report provides hospital-specific data on Medicare discharges identified as being at high risk for erroneous payment, such as short stays, improper coding, and potentially avoidable readmissions. The PEPPER files will be sent to the CAH's QualityNet administrator. CAHs without a QualityNet administrator account may work with their QIO to access the reports. For more information and a sample CAH report, visit www.PEPPERresources.org

HealthONE Regional Healthcare Summit

March 10, 2011; Copper Mountain
In line with HealthONE’s commitment to support quality healthcare throughout the region, the Rocky Mountain Regional Healthcare Summit provides a full day of experts, interaction and inspiration. Created for
clinical leaders and executives, this forum offers up-to-the-minute answers to the questions you’ve been asking. There is no charge to attend. For more information please, click here.

CMS Rural Health Open Door Forum

March 8, 2011, 12:00-1:00MST
The next CMS Rural Health Open Door Forum is scheduled for Tuesday, March 8, 2011 from 12:00pm-1:00pmMST. If you wish to participate dial 1-800-837-1935 Conference ID 39059367. The Rural Health ODF addresses RHC, CAH and FQHC issues, as well as some inclusion of other questions and concerns that occur in clinical practice pertaining to other CMS payment systems that also extend into these settings.

Webinar: Diabetic Foot Care

DFCon 2011 is the premiere interdisciplinary diabetic foot conference in North America. And we are now making it available to you via a webinar. You can view the event at any time you wish-in addition you will have unlimited access to the conference for an entire year.

This year's event features the presentation of the 8th Annual Edward James Olmos Award for Advocacy in Amputation Prevention.

The course is designed for the wide spectrum of generalists and specialists who diagnose and manage the diabetic foot. It will delve into diagnostic and interventional strategies for diabetic foot ulcers and amputation prevention. Featuring a world-renowned faculty, it offers the opportunity to review state-of-the-art concepts and techniques.

International Conference Management, Inc. in joint sponsorship with Valley Presbyterian Hospital has approved this conference for a maximum of 24 continuing medical education contact hours of CPME credit.

Conference Objectives:

• Explain significant advances in treatment and incorporate these into their practice as appropriate.
• Incorporate into their practice the latest strategies in the use of pharmacologic agents and local treatments in the care of diabetic foot pathologies.
• Commit to one new non-surgical and surgical option emerging in treatment of problem foot wounds due to diabetic complications.
• Commit to change in one of the following areas: wound healing, neuropathy, infections, revascularization, debridement of the ulcer and biomechanics.
• Commit to change in surgical, non-surgical and other therapies for limb salvage.

I do hope that you will take advantage of this wonderful educational opportunity. To register online-and receive a discount, please click here and enter deb in the promo code area. I will then automatically be notified so that I can send the materials for the conference as well as CE credit's.

TrailBlazer CAH and RHC Manuals – Update

TrailBlazer has made recent updates to its CAH and RHC Manuals. To access the revised CAH manual, click here. To access the updated RHC Manual, click here.

TrailBlazer J4 Ask the Contractor Teleconference – Medicare Part B

March 15, 2011, 11:00-1:00MSTTrailBlazer ACTs provide a forum for providers to ask TrailBlazer specific questions concerning Medicare billing policies and procedures, identify provider issues and share information. For more information and to register, click here.

Webinar: TrailBlazer CAH Policy and Billing

March 8, 2011 12:00-1:30MST
This TrailBlazer class is customized for CAHs and will cover the billing instructions and requirements specific to CAH services. Method I and Method II selections will be discussed. The presentation will also include information on the nature, intent and current findings of the Comprehensive Error Rate Testing (CERT) program and the Recovery Audit Contractor (RAC). For more information and to register, click here.

Webinar: Gestational Weight Gain: Is Less Truly More for Mother and Infant Health?

Friday, March 4, 2011; 1:00-2:00 MST

Lynn A. Barbour, MD, Professor of Medicine and Obstetrics and Gynecology with the University of Colorado Health Science Center, will compare the 2009 Institute of Medicine (IOM) guidelines for weight gain during pregnancy to the 1990 IOM guidelines for weight gain during pregnancy, review the key data in justifying the new guidelines, present data that challenges the 2009 recommendations, and underscore other risk factors in pregnancy that increase the risk for childhood obesity. For more information click here.

Kaiser IHI Travel Support Program

Through a generous grant from Kaiser Permanente, CRHC is pleased to offer limited funding opportunities to help Colorado’s Rural Health Clinic leadership attend select Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) courses. For more information and to apply, email jd@coruralhealth.org.

Regional CAH QI Workshops – Register Now!

Registration is now available for CRHC’s 2011 Regional CAH Quality Improvement Workshops. These workshops, geared towards CAH Quality Directors, provide an opportunity for participants to learn about quality and performance improvement activities in an interactive educational setting that they can then take back and implement in their own CAHs. This year’s workshops will be held:

• April 7 in Craig, CO
• April 12 in Yuma, CO
• April 14 in Walsenburg, CO

For more information and to register, click here.

Potential Funding Opportunity for Rural Health Clinics

Thursday, February 24, 2011; 11:30am-12:30pm
CRHC and the Association of Rural Health Clinics offers an open forum with The Colorado Health Foundation. Please be watching for an email with the agenda and call in information.

If you have any questions please contact Michelle Mills, Director of Programs at 303.407.0410 or mm@coruralhealth.org.

Webinar: Mental Health First Aid for Eating Disorders

Thursday, February 24, 2011; 12pm MT
According to the National Eating Disorders Association, nearly 11 million people in the United States are fighting a life and death battle with an eating disorder. Eating disorders affect people from all walks of life regardless of age or gender, and are treatable. If you know someone suffering from an eating disorder, what can you do to help?

This free webinar reviews the prevalence and risk factors for eating disorders and explains why early intervention, treatment, and support are essential. Presenters discuss how to identify the signs and symptoms of eating disorders and present the Mental Health First Aid 5-step action plan to help those who are developing these signs and symptoms or are in crisis. After the presentation, the webinar is open for your questions.

Please sign in early for the live event; attendance is limited to the first 1,000 participants. A free audio recording and a copy of the webinar presentation will be available after the event.

Click here for more information and to register.

Brain Injury Dialogues Documentary

Brain Injury Dialogues will be airing on 15 PBS stations across the USA beginning February 19th. The scheduling was timed for March, 'Brain Injury Awareness Month'. Some brain in jury statistics:

• About 20,000 US military TBI's (traumatic brain injuries) occur each year, with a smaller number attributable to Gulf War injuries
• Over 1.5 million TBI's occur each year to US citizens
• Currently over 5 million US citizens are disabled due to a TBI
• TBI is only one of many types and causes of brain injury

Brain injury is a profoundly under-addressed subject and effects millions of Americans every day both directly and indirectly. The Brain Injury Dialogues documentary is an effort to help raise this issue to the level of dialogue it deserves both culturally and socially, as well as help generate an accurate identity and representation for this disability.
Click here for more information.

National Council Fact Sheet

Now available: a new fact sheet developed by the National Council regarding Positive Behavioral Supports (PBS), a school-wide intervention that can maximize academic performance and minimize problem behaviors. As described in this fact sheet, improving student academic and behavior outcomes is about ensuring all students have access to the most effective and accurately implemented instructional and behavioral practices and interventions possible. School-wide Positive Behavioral Supports (PBS) provides an operational framework for achieving these outcomes. More importantly, PBS is not a curriculum, intervention, or practice, but is a decision making framework that guides selection, integration, and implementation of the best evidence-based academic and behavioral practices for improving important academic and behavior outcomes for all students.

This fact sheet provides you with the information necessary to engage your local school in organizing an evidence-based approach to behavioral practices that appropriately targets children based on their level of need. A three-tiered prevention approach provides all students with supports at the universal or primary tier. If the behavior of some students is not responsive, more intensive behavioral supports are provided, in the form of a group intervention or a highly individualized plan for children with more intensive problems.

Download the fact sheet now >

Webinar: Are You On Track? Preparing for ICD-10

Wednesday, February 23, 2011; 1pm MT
Don't miss out on this highly educational webinar! This presentation will provide a general overview of the benefits and financial, operational, and technical impacts of the transition to ICD-10. It will include published requirements and timelines and a listing of additional resources to help health care organizations assess their current level of preparation for the biggest change in US health care since Y2K and HIPAA.

By attending this presentation, participants will receive:

• A recommended timeline for ICD-10 implementation
• General information on the impacts of ICD-10 in health care
• A listing of additional resources

For more information and registration, click here.

CHIPRA Outreach and Enrollment Grants

On February 3, 2011, CMS released a funding opportunity announcement for a second round of $40 million in CHIPRA outreach and enrollment grants to states, local governments, community-based and nonprofit organizations, tribes and others to support outreach activities and enrollment of children who are eligible for Medicaid or CHIP. The grant solicitation encourages prospective grantees to focus their efforts in one or more of the following 5 strategies listed:

1. Using Technology to Facilitate Enrollment and Renewal
2. Focusing on Retention: Keeping Eligible Children Covered for as Long as They Qualify
3. Engaging Schools in Outreach, Enrollment and Renewal Activities
4. Reaching Out to Groups of Children that are More Likely to Experiences Gaps in Coverage
5. Ensuring Eligible Teens Are Enrolled and Stay Covered

For more information, read the press release.
Applications are due April 18, 2011 and awards will be announced in July 2011. CMS will be holding its first applicant teleconference on February 15, 2011 from 2:00-4:00 p.m. EST. The solicitation can be found on http://www.grants.gov/ under CFDA 93.767.

Register now for The Forum 2011: April 19-21

April 19-21, 2011; Aurora, CO
Register now for The Forum 2011: Essential Perspectives for Safety Net Providers. The Forum provides Rural Health Clinics, safety net providers, and SORHs with an opportunity to access unique and targeted education, training, and networking opportunities. This year's comprehensive agenda will address high priority areas including:

• Health Information Technology
• Healthcare Reform
• RHC Compliance, Reimbursement & Advocacy
• Quality and Performance Improvement
• Emergency Preparedness

This event will be held at the Red Lion Hotel Denver Southeast in Aurora, Colorado.  Make your reservation by calling 800.695.1700 and using group code 0518 CORH.  Register by March 18 to receive the discounted rate!

Click here for more information on this event.

Wipfli Rural Health Clinic Forum

March 15-16, 2011; Green Bay, WI
Register today for Wipfli’s 18th Annual Rural Health Clinic Forum! Don’t miss this opportunity to get up-to-date information about the recent developments and initiatives impacting rural health clinics. This year’s topics include:

• Introduction to Rural Health Clinics
• Medicare Cost Report Basics
• Advanced Cost Reporting
• Billing for Rural Health Clinics
• RHC Annual Program Evaluation
• Performance Management in the Rural Health Clinic
• Washington Update for Rural Health Clinics - presented by Bill Finerfrock, Executive Director of the National Association of Rural Health Clinics

Attendees will also have the opportunity to relax and network with their peers during an exclusive Lambeau Field Excursion! Tour the crown jewel of the National Football League and home of the Super Bowl XLV Champions, check out the Packers Pro Shop and enjoy a reception in Curley’s Private Dining Room.

For detailed event information and registration, click here.

Community Paramedicine Insights Forum

Beginning Monday, February 21, 2011
The Community Paramedicine Insights Forum (CPIF) is a project sponsored by the Joint Committee on Rural Emergency Care and the Center for Leadership, Innovation and Research in EMS.

It is intended to serve as a regular meeting place, educational opportunity and discussion group for those folks trying to establish community paramedicine services or systems on a local, regional or statewide basis. On a monthly basis, a 90 minute webinar-based call will be held that features an insightful presentation and Q&A session based on experiences and lessons learned from efforts to establish a community paramedicine program somewhere in the U.S. There will also be a focused discussion on a particular "issue of the month", and an open discussion on issues or questions that participants wish to share.

Calls will be held the third Monday of each month, beginning on February 21st at 3 PM Eastern Time (2 PM CT, 1 PM MT, Noon PT). The call will end at 4:30 PM ET. It precedes the International Roundtable on Community Paramedicine (IRCP) call at 5 PM Eastern Time.

For more information, click here.

To attend a monthly CPIF session, register on the CPIF Home Page. You will be asked to complete a brief registration form, and the call-in and log-on information will be sent to you on the morning of the call. All sessions will be recorded and may be downloaded from the CPIF Home Page.

Webinar: Tips on Open Source EHR Systems in the Safety Net Community

Thursday, February 10, 2011; 2pm-3:30pm EST
This HRSA Health Information Technology and Quality focuses on open source Electronic Health Records (EHR) for the safety net community. Open Source EHRs are systems that are either free or very low cost to implement. The presenters will provide an overview of the types of open source systems, the benefits and challenges of using open source EHRs, and how these systems can be used effectively to meet the Meaningful Use requirements and provide high quality care to meet population health needs. In addition, one speaker will present on how his rural federally qualified health center selected the use of RPMS (a free EHR system which was developed by Indian Health Services) to support its clinical services. A second presenter will talk about his health center’s selection of Worldvista (Based on the Veterans Administration EHR System) and how it supports UDS reporting requirements.

Click here to register.

Please email questions or comments to HRSA’s Health IT mailbox at: healthit@hrsa.gov.  Previous HRSA Health and Quality Webinars can be found at: http://www.hrsa.gov/healthit.

CMS Special Open Door Forum: Hospital Inpatient Value-Based Purchasing Program

Thursday, February 10, 2011; 1:30-3:30pm EST
CMS will hold a Special Open Door Forum on  to discuss the proposed rule for the Hospital Inpatient Value-Based Purchasing (VBP) Program that will go into effect October 1, 2012 (for Fiscal Year 2013). This Special ODF is designed specifically for hospitals and hospital quality experts, Medicare beneficiaries, their families, and advocates in an effort to increase awareness and understanding of the proposed rule.

The proposed rule was published in the Federal Register on January 13, 2011, and can be accessed here. The rule was designed to implement section 3001 of the Affordable Care Act, which requires CMS to establish a new Hospital VBP Program that rewards hospitals for providing high quality, safe care to patients. Under the FY 2013 Hospital VBP Program, hospitals that perform well on quality measures relating both to clinical process of care and to patient experience of care, or those making improvements in their performance on those measures, would receive higher payments. After CMS’ presentation, participants will have an opportunity to ask questions.

Special Open Door Forum Participation Instructions:

• Dial: 800.837.1935
• Reference Conference ID#: 39100886

An audio recording and transcript of this Special Open Door Forum will be posted to the Special Open Door Forum website and will be accessible for downloading beginning on or around March 10, 2011 and will be available for 30 days.

For more information, click here.

11th Annual Wilz Trauma Symposium

Saturday, March 5, 2011; 7:30am-4pm
Join hundreds of health and emergency professionals from Southern Colorado and surrounding areas at the 11th Annual Wilz Trauma Symposium.  Hear presentations by Kenneth L. Mattox, MD, an internationally renowned trauma surgeon who specializes in general and thoracic surgery with an emphasis in trauma, and other healthcare and trauma professionals.

Space is limited, so register today! Registration deadline is Friday, February 25, 2011.  Pre-registration is required. No refunds.  Cost is $45.

For more information and to register, click here.

Thank you for participating in the 800MHz Drill!

The Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment (CDPHE) conducted the first 800MHz radio drill on Feb 9, 2011 at 9am and 30 of the 50 RHCs participated.

The radio drills are one of the 2010-2011 Emergency Preparedness Deliverables and worth $500 per drill. You may request reimbursement after each drill or wait until all the radio drills have been conducted toward the end of the grant cycle (4/30/11).

For additional information about radio drills, click here, or contact Ron Seedorf at rs@coruralhealth.org or your CRHC Field Staff.

Apply now for the Marva Jean Jackson (MJJ) Scholarship!

CRHC created the Marva Jean Jackson (MJJ) Rural Community Health Scholarships Program to encourage rural facilities and communities to “grow their own” healthcare professionals and, when possible, support local scholarship programs. Studies show that persons from rural communities are more likely to return to rural communities for work. Applications can be for anyone pursuing any type of healthcare education (administrative training not included). Examples would be someone studying to be a technician, an employee training to be a diabetes educator, an LPN pursuing an RN degree, or an RN studying to be a Nurse Practitioner, etc. If you are unsure of your applicant’s eligibility, please call and ask. Along the lines of “grow your own”, awards preference will be given to applicants who show a strong likelihood of practicing in your community when they finish their education. CRHC will match, two-to-one, the support provided for the education of a local healthcare professional, up to $1,000 a year.

Eligibility & Application: Download Application

Only rural facilities and communities are eligible to apply, meaning facilities located outside one of Colorado’s 17 metropolitan counties. The Board of Directors will occasionally consider compelling applications from smaller, isolated communities within the larger metropolitan counties. Awards are made for one year, but applicants may reapply in subsequent years. The scholarship recipient must be either currently enrolled in classes or start training within three months of the application date. Applications are accepted year-round. For additional information or with questions please contact:

Cherith Flowerday
303.996.9698
800.851.6782
cfl@coruralhealth.org

Webinar: Overview of ICD-10 Implementation

Wednesday, February 16, 2011; 2:00 - 3:00 PM ET

In this webinar, offered by the National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health, transition to version 5010 and ICD-10 will be discussed and resources to help you prepare will be shared.

How to register:

1. Click here
2. Click "Register"
3. On the registration form, enter your information and then click "Submit"

For additional information, please contact Stephanie Hansen at 208.375.0407 or steph@nosorh.org.

Rural Health Research Report: Toxic Release Inventory Discharges and Population Health Outcomes in Rural and Urban Areas

• Toxics Release Inventory Discharges and Population Health Outcomes in Rural and Urban Areas of the United States (Final Report)
• Toxics Release Inventory Discharges and Population Health Outcomes in Rural and Urban Areas of the United States (Policy Brief)

This study examines whether chemical releases from facilities monitored through the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) program were associated with population mortality rates and birth outcomes for both rural and urban populations. They also examined whether rural and urban areas characterized by poor socioeconomic status or higher percentages of racial minorities had greater TRI releases. The results show significantly higher adjusted total mortality rates associated with greater air and water releases in both rural and urban counties, after controlling for the effects of other risk variables. Effects were found in rural areas for total, cardiovascular, and (marginally) cancer mortality outcomes. Suggestions for reducing emissions, further research to understand human health impacts, and improving rural health care are presented.

Community Health Engagement for Local Elected Officials – Rural Health Works and the National Association of Counties

The National Association of Counties (NACo) is a national organization that represents county governments and like all government entities, counties face many challenges. One of NACo’s primary goals is to help counties meet those challenges and assist them to better serve their residents. To that end they have teamed with the Center for Rural Health Works to develop a manual entitled Rural Health Works: Community Health Engagement for Local Elected Officials. This guide is aimed at helping county officials become more effective leaders about rural health care systems through educational resources, training sessions, and technical assistance.

The Community Health Engagement Process (CHEP) is just one of the many tools developed by the Center for Rural Health Works to get local people to solve local problems and improve a communities health and wellness. SORHs are encouraged to research and take advantage of tools like the CHEP and IMPLAN, an impact analysis tool, to help respond to questions about jobs, services, and impact about their rural health care systems and relate best practices and success stories to stakeholders and policymakers.

LEAP Announces Increase In Benefit Amount For Colorado Families

Colorado’s Low-income Energy Assistance Program (LEAP), which provides financial assistance with home heating bills, has announced that the availability of additional federal funds will allow the State to increase LEAP’s average benefit by 35 percent beginning February 22, 2011.

According to Todd Jorgensen, executive director of LEAP, the average payment will increase to $370 per family from $275. The new maximum payment will be $1,000 and the minimum payment will remain the same at $200. The benefit increase will be automatically sent to qualified families and individuals who have already received assistance from LEAP during the 2010/2011 season.

LEAP is a federally funded program that provides cash assistance to help families and individuals pay winter home heating costs. The program pays the highest benefits to those with the highest heating bills and lowest incomes by family size. Applicant income cannot exceed 185 percent of the federal poverty index, which equals a maximum income of $3,400 per month before taxes for a household of four people.

LEAP eligible households may also qualify for the Crisis Invention Program [CIP] and the Governor’s Energy Office’s Weatherization Program. The CIP operates year-round and provides assistance with a home’s primary heating source such as a furnace or wood-burning stove. The Weatherization Program improves the energy efficiency in homes throughout Colorado, permanently reducing heating costs.

To apply:

• Call 866.HEAT.HELP to have an application mailed to your home
• Visit any county department of social/human services across the State (to locate your county’s office, visit the program’s website)
• Download and print an application

Don’t miss the opportunity to offer loan repayment to your healthcare providers!

Do you have a healthcare provider at your facility who is interested in loan repayment? Let them know that the Colorado Health Service Corps (CHSC) Loan Repayment Program spring 2011 application cycle will open March 1st, 2011. The application cycle is open for one month, closing on March 31st, 2011.

Up to $105,000 for a 3-year commitment is available to your primary care healthcare providers!

CHSC provides loan repayment to fully trained primary care providers in exchange for either a two or three-year full-time service obligation in an underserved community. After completing their initial years of service, loan repayors may apply for additional years of support! Eligible providers include primary care Family Physicians, Internists, OB/GYNs, Pediatricians, Dentists, Psychiatrists, Physician Assistants, Nurse Practitioners, Certified Nurse Midwives, Dental Hygienists and licensed mental health professionals.

Many types of health care facilities are CHSC eligible sites including Critical Access Hospitals, Rural Health Clinics, Community Health Centers, and safety net clinics.

To find out more about the CHSC Loan Repayment Program, please click here.

Would you like to speak with someone to find out if your facility is eligible for loan repayment? Contact Colorado Provider Recruitment (CPR) at cpr@coruralhealth.org or 303.832.7493.

Next Regularly Scheduled CMS Rural Health Open Door Forum

Tuesday, March 8, 2011; 2pm ET

Please join us for the next CMS Rural Health Open Door Forum. The Open Door calls are a great way to learn about key policy and program changes in Medicare payment. It also gives the opportunity for providers to ask specific questions about problems or concerns they have pertaining to CMS policies so bring your questions!

Please dial in at least 15 minutes prior to call start time.

To participate by phone:

• Dial: 800.837.1935
• Reference Conference ID: 39059367

An audio recording of this call that can be accessed by dialing 800.642.1687 and entering the Conference ID, beginning 2 hours after the call has ended. The recording expires after 3 business days.

February is American Heart Month

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States. Approximately every 25 seconds, an American will have a coronary event, yet many cases of heart disease can be prevented. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services reminds healthcare professionals that Medicare provides coverage of cardiovascular screening blood tests for eligible Medicare beneficiaries. These tests can help determine a beneficiary’s cholesterol and other blood-lipid levels such as triglycerides. CMS recommends that all eligible beneficiaries take advantage of this coverage, which can determine whether beneficiaries may be at risk for cardiovascular disease.

Medicare Coverage – The following cardiovascular screening blood tests are covered by Medicare for eligible beneficiaries for the early detection of cardiovascular disease:

• Total Cholesterol Test
• Cholesterol Test for High-Density Lipoproteins
• Triglycerides Test

These blood tests are covered once every 5 years for people with Medicare who have no apparent signs or symptoms of cardiovascular disease; the tests must be ordered by a physician or qualified non-physician practitioner (physician assistant, nurse practitioner, or clinical nurse specialist) treating the beneficiary.

What Can You Do? – CMS needs your help to ensure that all eligible people with Medicare take advantage of the cardiovascular screening blood tests that can help identify beneficiaries who may be at risk for cardiovascular disease.

More Information – For more information about Medicare coverage of cardiovascular screening blood tests, please refer to the following resources:

• Expanded Benefits brochure – This Medicare Learning Network® (MLN) brochure provides Medicare Fee-For-Service providers with an overview of the Medicare-covered cardiovascular screening blood tests as well as the “Welcome to Medicare” Visit and the ultrasound screening for abdominal aortic aneurysms.
• Quick Reference Information: Medicare Preventive Services – This chart provides coverage and coding information on Medicare-covered preventive services including the cardiovascular screening blood tests.
• Cardiovascular Disease Screening Webpage – This CMS webpage provides an overview of the cardiovascular screening blood tests covered by Medicare as well as information on educational resources for healthcare providers.
• The MLN Preventive Services Educational Products Webpage – This webpage provides a list of MLN educational products related to Medicare-covered preventive services. These resources are specifically for Medicare Fee-For-Service providers and their staff.
• Additionally, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s American Heart Month website.

Next RHC Technical Assistance Call: Save the date!

Thursday, February 10, 2011; 2-3pm ETIf you are like most RHCs, small rural hospitals, or critical access hospitals, you have many patients who are uninsured. Sometimes these uninsured patients cannotafford insurance because they have little or no income even though they are relatively healthy. But sometimes, itis because they have a medical condition that causes them to be classified as “high risk” making the cost of health insurance prohibitive or making the individual “uninsurable.”

As part of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, Congress authorized the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish – either in conjunction with the states or independently – an insurance program for so-called “high risk” individuals. The program, called the Pre-existing Condition Insurance Plan is now available.

NARHC and the federal Office of Rural Health Policy have arranged for representatives from the new federal Office of Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight (OCIIO) to make a presentation about this new program as part of the Rural Health Clinic Technical Assistance series. If you or someone in your office handles patient billing and comes into contact with patients who are uninsured, you should plan to listen in on this call. Getting people enrolled in these newly formed high risk insurance plans can benefit both you and the patients.

Call-in information:

• Phone number: 866.288.9872
• Participant Passcode: 13951

Rural Health Clinics 800MHz Radio Drill

Greg Jones with the Colorado Dept. of Public Health & Environment (CDPHE) will be conducting the first 800MHz radio drill for RHCs at 9:00AM on February 8, 2011. The radio drill will be conducted on either the ER MAC or RETAC STWD channel depending on how the channel was labeled on your radio. Please make sure to notify your appropriate staff of this upcoming event, especially if you will not be available to handle the drill yourself.

Make sure your radio is charged, turned on and turned to the correct channel. At 9:00AM CDPHE will announce that the RHC drill is about to commence and then go through the list of RHCs in alphabetical order with, “Akron Clinic, are you there?” the clinic responds with “This is Akron Clinic, we read you loud and clear” CDPHE will confirm with “Akron Clinic, I read you”. After your clinic has responded, your drill is complete and it is not necessary to stay on the radio and listen to the others respond.

The radio drills are one of the 2010-2011 Emergency Preparedness Deliverables (attached) and worth $500 per drill. You may request reimbursement after each drill or wait until all the radio drills have been conducted toward the end of the grant cycle (4/30/11). Use the reimbursement request form and provide a letter of participation on clinic letterhead for the backup documentation. The letter needs to state the date/s of the radio drill/s, and the name and title of the staff completing the drill.

If you have any questions, please contact Ron Seedorf (rs@coruralhealth.org) or Greg Jones (greg.jones.cdphe@gmail.com).

Disabilities Parking Privileges Form Changed

All Colorado Medicaid providers need to be aware that the Colorado Department of Revenue, Division of Motor Vehicles, recently made revisions to the DR 2219 Persons with Disabilities Parking Privileges Application. The changes include the new penalty statements for both the person with a disability as well as the signing provider.

The old forms will be accepted by the local Department of Motor Vehicles office in your area until February 28, 2011. As of March 1, 2011, only the new forms with the revision date of 12/28/10 in the upper left hand corner will be accepted.

A copy of the revised form is available here.
Also, please note that as of 1/1/11 all renewals must be signed by a physician, CNP, PA or other acceptable medical professional. Renewals are no longer being processed without a new medical certification as needed.

Please contact Gina Robinson at 303.866.6167 or gina.robinson@state.co.us with any questions.

Pediatric Emergency and Trauma Outreach Symposium

April 14-15, Pueblo; May 12-13, Fort Collins; August 4-5, Durango; September 15-16, Glenwood Springs
This symposium presented by The Children's Hospital provides updates on pediatric emergency medicine, trauma, burn and pre-hospital care. Topics will include assessment, sepsis, child abuse, endocrine, respiratory and seizure emergencies, toxicology, and orthopedic, brain and spinal cord injuries. Workshops integrating simulation and debriefing will enhance your learning at case-based skill stations. For online registration and conference details, click here.

Webinar: Cracking the Codes - New Rules for Administration of Pediatric and Adolescent Vaccines

February, 8, 15, 23 or March 3, 2011; Times vary
This Webinar features an expert-led review of the new CPT® a codes that took effect on January 1, 2011 and will clarify the changes that impact your practice. The Webinar focus is on the addition of new codes for the administration of combination vaccines. This program is scheduled for several dates and times in February and March. For more information and to register, click here.

Webinar: The Federal Law - What Every Healthcare Facility Should Know

February 9, 2011; 11:00-12:30MST; $225
Join Instruct Online for this webinar which will cover important federal laws that every hospital should be aware of. It will provide information on how to locate a copy of the law and the importance of updating policies and procedures on federal laws. For more information and to register click here or call 319.626.6129.

CMS Proposed Rules – Patient Notification of Right to Access State Survey Organizations and QIOs

CMS has proposed adding new standards for CAHs and RHCs that would require them to provide patients with the mailing address, electronic mail address, and telephone number of the State survey agency if the patient wishes to report complaints. The second proposed standard would require facilities to inform all Medicare beneficiaries by written notice, at the time of service, of their right to file a written complaint with the State QIO. It would also require facilities to provide the beneficiary with the name, telephone number, electronic mail address, and mailing address of the QIO, and to document in the beneficiary's record that they have presented the written notice to the beneficiary or beneficiary's representative. CMS is accepting public comments on these proposed rules until April 4. You can access the proposed rules and instructions for submitting comments by clicking here. If you have any concerns or comments, please contact ss@coruralhealth.org or jd@coruralhealth.org.

CRHCGP Grant Writing Workshops & Webinar Now Scheduled

Planning to submit a grant application for the 2011 Colorado Rural Health Care Grant Program? Both novice and experienced grant writers can benefit from attending a workshop or webinar to learn key information about this particular grant.

• Feb. 8th – Grand Junction Workshop
• Feb. 10th – Pueblo Workshop
• Feb. 24th – Denver Workshop
• March 1st – Webinar (Experience grant writers only)

Click here for details.

Grants: Research, Opportunities & Writing (GROW)

Does your organization need more money? Do you need help writing grants? CRHC has contracted grant writers to help you! These grant writers have over 47 cumulative years of grant writing experience; they have submitted hundreds of grants; their clients have been awarded millions of dollars; and, they have been grant reviewers so they know what it is like “on the other side”.

The grant services being offered are broad – from brainstorming fundraising ideas, to researching available grants, writing portions or complete grants on your behalf, or mentoring you on how to have an office that is “grant ready”.

The service isn’t free, but it could be worth every penny. To learn more, please email Cherith Flowerday, Grants Manager, at cfl@coruralhealth.org or call 303.996.9698. When you email, please give a brief description of what your needs or interest are. You can also visit the GROW webpage for more information.

Colorado Physician Summit on Payment Reform

February 26, 2011; 8:30 am-3:45 pm
Be a part of shaping the direction of payment reform in Colorado!

The Colorado Medical Society and the Systems of Care/Patient-centered Medical Home Initiative are hosting this summit to gather medical and specialty society leaders together to develop a physician strategy on payment reform in Colorado. This daylong summit will be a working meeting with the aim of using the expertise of the physician community to develop specific recommendations for how payment systems should be structured and strategies for implementing them. It is essential that the diverse perspectives of the physician community be understood and incorporated into the recommendations, so please plan to attend personally or send a representative from your organization.

This event is open to licensed, practicing physicians.  Please click here for more information and to register.

34th Annual Rural Hospital Conference

May 4-6, 2011; Cheyenne Mountain Resort, Colorado Springs, Colorado
No matter what changes national policy makers deliver, the sessions offered during this conference will be invaluable for helping rural hospital leaders address the uncertain future. For those who haven't attended the annual Rural Hospital Conference, you are encouraged to make attendance a priority. In addition to the quality of the formal programs, the fellowship with rural leaders from across Colorado provides a priceless opportunity for sharing ideas and experiences during these challenging times.

Registration will be available soon.  Click here for more information.

Medicare Learning Network Resources

Guidance on Hospital Inpatient Admission Decisions
The Medicare Learning Network® has released MLN Matters Special Edition Article #SE1037, “Guidance on Hospital Inpatient Admission Decisions,” to remind inpatient hospitals that medical documentation they submit must demonstrate the clinical need for the patient to be admitted to the inpatient facility. This documentation must also fully, accurately identify any subsequent care that was provided during the inpatient stay. This article is informational in nature and supports current policy cited in the Medicare Program Integrity and Benefit Policy manuals. The article can be accessed here.

Swing Bed Fact Sheet Now Available in Print
The revised fact sheet titled “Swing Bed” (December 2010), which provides information about the requirements hospitals and Critical Access Hospitals must meet in order to be granted approval to furnish either acute- or Skilled Nursing Facility-level care via a swing bed agreement, is now available in print format from the Medicare Learning Network®. To place your order, click here, scroll down to “Related Links Inside CMS,” and select “MLN Product Ordering Page.”

Ambulatory Surgical Center Fee Schedule Fact Sheet Now Available
The revised publication titled “Ambulatory Surgical Center Fee Schedule” (January 2011) is now available in downloadable format here. This fact sheet is designed to provide education on the Ambulatory Surgical Center (ASC) Fee Schedule and includes information about the definition of an ASC, ASC payment, and how payment rates are determined.