Click here to read the full news release.

Click here to view the full list of grantees.

New Access Points (NAPs): HRSA will make 225-230 awards totaling approximately $150 million. Macrae noted that 80-85 of these awards would be to completely new entities. This level of funding means that applications scoring 94 or higher will likely be funded. Before awarding funding in June/July, those applicants with scores of 94 and above will likely hear from HRSA  for a “re-verification” that they are still able to perform the functions included in their applications.  A COPY of this letter was sent on Tuesday and is posted below.

We’ve also heard that there MAY be a new opportunity for NAP applications in January 2013.

Expanded Services (ES): HRSA will award $15-20 million in ES funding with a focus on recruitment and retention (including the hiring of veterans) and Ryan White Part C services.

Health Center Controlled Networks (HCCNs): HRSA will make 25-30 awards totaling approximately $20 million with a focus on EHR and Meaningful Use (stages 2 & 3). The awards will also focus on data and quality.

Capital Funding: In April/May, HRSA will make 125-150 awards worth about $600 million and fund most facility improvement requests (about 250-300 awards) for a total of about $100 million.

School Based Health Centers: Approximately 150 awards will be made for school based health centers totaling around $75 million. About 50% of these awards will go to 330s.

On Tuesday, Jim Macrae,  sent an email to top scoring NAP applicants (see above) requesting they “verify” their ongoing interest in receiving FQHC Section 330 funding.  A copy of the email is posted below.  Stay tuned for updates!

Dear Applicant:

In fiscal year (FY) 2011, the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Bureau of Primary Health Care released the Health Center New Access Point (NAP) competitive funding opportunity announcement (HRSA-11-017) under the Health Center Program and supported with funds under the Affordable Care Act. HRSA received over 800 NAP applications in response to HRSA-11-017, constituting over $1 billion in requested Federal grant support. Based on the amount of resources that were ultimately available in FY 2011, HRSA funded 67 applications.

In the fall of 2011, many NAP applicants received letters indicating that although their Objective Review Committee scores were not sufficiently high enough in the competitive process to receive funding at that time, their applications were being held in an active status for up to one year. To assess the continued viability of these applications, HRSA has established a verification process to confirm that applicants are able to implement their proposed NAP projects consistent with the original NAP application.

HRSA is requesting that you participate in this verification process by completing and submitting a NAP Verification application in the HRSA Electronic Handbook (EHB). The NAP Verification application will be accessible starting later today, Tuesday, March 27, 2012, and available for completion and submission until Tuesday, April 10, 2012 at 5:00 PM ET.

This email is being sent to the Authorizing Official, Business Official, and Project Director either registered within EHB for your H80 Health Center grant or indicated in your FY 2011 NAP application. You will access the NAP Verification application using a link and four-digit eligibility code to be provided in a follow-up email later today. The organization representative that starts the NAP Verification application may grant access to other individuals within the organization using the “Manage Users” functionality within HRSA EHB. Specific instructions for accessing and completing the NAP Verification application will be included in the follow-up email.

NAP Verification applications must be submitted before the deadline of 5:00 PM ET on April 10, 2012 to be considered for potential funding. Completion of this verification process does not commit HRSA in any way to funding your application.

Sincerely,
Jim Macrae

Click here to read the full release from CMS.

Among notable accomplishments are increased saving to many Americans including over $3.2 billion on prescription drugs savings to 5.1 million seniors and people with disabilities on Medicare and increased service to 45.1 million women – including 20.4 million women with private health insurance and 24.7 million women with Medicare – who received recommended preventive services without having to pay a co-pay or deductible.

HealthCare.gov provides a timeline that highlights the progress of the ACA since its enactment and outlines important milestones ahead. View this timeline.

Read the full release.

CMS has received such a large volume of feedback and inquiries regarding the initiative from potential applicants that it wants to provide the opportunity for more interested organizations to submit their intent to better gauge the size of the applicant pool. The CMS Innovation Center continues to encourage the community to submit questions and comments regarding the Strong Start initiative to StrongStart@cms.hhs.gov.

Letters of Intent to Apply for the Strong Start funding opportunity are now due on May 11, 2012 by 5:00pm ET.  All other dates in the FOA – including the application due date – remain unchanged.

Strong Start is an initiative of CMS targeted at reducing preterm births and early elective deliveries while improving outcomes for newborns and pregnant women. As part of the Strong Start initiative, CMS released a funding opportunity announcement that will award up to $43 million through a competitive process to providers, States, managed care plans, and conveners to achieve better care, improved health, and lower costs for these women and their newborns.

When: Tuesday, March 20, 2012 at 3:00pm – 4:00pm ET

Where: http://www.visualwebcaster.com/event.asp?id=85799

Partnership for Patients is working to dramatically improve patient safety across the country. Two upcoming webinars are listed below.

Creating and Sustaining Successful Partnerships Between Hospitals and Community Organizations: Methods to create effective, dynamic and meaningful relationships with community groups, including health care organizations, government support services, and non-profit groups.

When: Wednesday, February 15, 2012 at 1:00pm-2:30pm EST

Where:  Register to attend this webinar

Using Tools to Enable Rapid Cycle Improvement within Your Organization:  Implementing rapid cycle improvements within healthcare organizations as well as specific tools, resources, and models of care that participants can use in their own organizations.

When: Thursday, February 23, 2012 at 1:00pm – 2:30pm EST

Where: Register to attend this webinar

Strong Start is designed to increase healthy deliveries and reduce preterm births in effort to improve outcomes for newborns and expectant mothers. The initiative involves two components:

1. Public-Private Partnership to Reduce Early Elective Deliveries: This initiative will build on the work of the Partnership for Patients, and will test ways to disseminate best practices and support providers in reducing early electives deliveries while stregthening public awareness efforts.
2. Funding Opportunity for Testing New Approaches to Prenatal Care: CMS will fund efforts to test the effectiveness of enhanced prenatal care approaches to reduce preterm births for at risk women covered by Medicaid.

CMS Innovation Center staff will be hosting a series of webinars that will provide an overview of the Strong Start program and application process.

When:  Wednesday, February 15, 2012 at 3:00pm – 4:00pm ET

Where:  Click here to join.

•  Dr. Rick Gilfillan, Director of the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation
• Cindy Mann, Deputy Administrator and Director of the Center for Medicaid and CHIP Services
• Valinda Rutledge, Director of the Innovation Center’s Patient Care Models Group

Call details:

WHAT:    Discussing a new initiative to improve the health of mothers & newborns

WHEN:    Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 3:00 p.m. (EST)

CALL INFO:    1-866-501-5502

PASSCODE/CONFERENCE ID:    5033114

A recording of the conference call will be available until Friday, February 10, 2012.  To listen to the recording, interested parties should dial 1-855-859-2056.

The session will cover the following:

• Present the value proposition for Post-Acute Care providers participating in BPCI
• Provide a deep dive on the construction of Model 3 episodes
• Highlight key differences between Model 3 and Model 2 which also includes Post-Acute Care in the episode
• Clarify common areas of confusion
• Provide an opportunity for participants to ask questions in real time

When:

Thursday, February 9, 2012
3:00PM-4:15PM ET

How to Join the Webinar:

Click here to join this webinar (Link will go live at start of event)

For more details about presenters and webinar access, please visit CMMI’s website linked here.

There are numerous ways to follow the activities and conversations of today’s summit:

Watch it Live Online

The Care Innovations Summit will be broadcast online in its entirety. Tune into hcidc.org throughout the day Thursday to watch.

Tweet with #cisummit

Join the twitter conversation, and help to take the dialogue even further. Connect fellow tweeters, or just follow the #cisummit conversation.

What:                   Care Innovation Summit 

When:                  Thursday, January 26, 2012 

                             8:30 AM – 6:00 PM 

To view a full list of speakers, details of the summit and the agenda for the day, please visit:  hcidc.org