We’re getting a lot of questions about the proposed rule on CY 2019 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule issued by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). This rule has drawn a lot of attention, as CMS is proposing major changes in the way Medicare reimburses providers paid on the Physician Fee Schedule. This is an …
Supporting Local Providers When Disaster Strikes
In fall 2017 a string of natural disasters, including hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria, devastated Texas, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. In the wake of these crises, NACHC spoke with health centers, primary care associations, and disaster aid organizations to discuss lessons learned and other takeaways from being in the eye of these …
Update on Health Centers In the Aftermath of Hurricane Florence
NACHC has been closely following the developments in the destructive aftermath of Hurricane Florence and we are still patching together field reports from various sources. Widespread flooding is still being reported in North and South Carolina, making transportation and emergency medical aid difficult. Continued flooding is expected through the week. According to a dispatch from …
Bringing Power to Resiliency Efforts in Puerto Rico – Foundations Step Up to Bring Solar Power to Puerto Rico
Power outages and interruptions remained a common occurrence on Puerto Rico – nearly a year after the island was devastated twice in short order by Hurricanes Irma and Maria. Nearly a year after the hurricanes, power was completely restored. As many across the U.S. watched the response efforts in the days and weeks after the …
A New Medicare Shared Savings Proposed Rule Could Affect Health Centers
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has released a proposed rule that would transform their Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP), pushing accountable care organizations (ACOs) to take on increasing levels of financial risk. CMS’s proposal, which it is calling “Pathways to Success,” would consolidate and streamline the ACO track options; require that participating …
Beyond Borders – Responding to Disasters from Afar
The health center model is unique. Community Health Centers offer patients and the community a seat at the table through a board that’s majority—at least 51 percent— patients served by the health center. But it isn’t just the board that represents the local population, often times the health center’s staff does too. It’s this community-focused …
Heroes at the Center – Managing the Emotional Well-being of Staff Impacted by Natural Disasters
For many, the onslaught of natural disasters during 2017 are still top of mind. Hurricanes pounded islands, floods washed away roads, and wildfires burned down homes. Mother Nature created emergency after emergency, and as many of us watched from afar, looking for opportunities to help, there were Community Health Centers on the ground working to …
Health Centers Helping with ABCS in Cardiovascular Disease Prevention
Achieving the goal of preventing 1 million heart attacks and strokes by 2022 will take a village. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s just-released Vital Signs report, there is still a lot of work to be done. Nearly 1 in 3 American adults have high blood pressure, a leading cause of heart …
All Communication in Puerto Rico Collapsed
When Hurricane Maria struck Puerto Rico it left behind a massive trail of destruction. Whole homes were levied, roads were washed away by floods, the power grid and water table were completely incapacitated, and thousands of Puerto Ricans were displaced – putting many at risk for illness, injury and death. Despite communication and transportation challenges, …
“It’s just really hitting me now.”
In early October 2017 more than a dozen wildfires broke out in the state of California. Burning simultaneously in eight different northern California counties, the event was called the Northern California Firestorm and burned 245,000 acres and forced 90,000 people from their homes. It also destroyed an estimated 8,900 structures including Santa Rosa Community Health …