New Life After 40 Case Study Released: Innovation at Publicly Operated Health Centers
The case study and companion workbook are now available on NFPRHA’s website.
 

The publicly operated family planning providers share valuable strategies for sustainability around three topic areas:

• Partnerships
• Operational efficiency
• Billing and collection efforts

While the practices examined in this case study were developed by Title X programs operated by state and local health departments, many of the strategies can be applied to other types of family planning organizations who are assessing their service delivery and administration. The case study companion workbook provides sample technical tools and resources. 

Attendees of NFPRHA's 2013 National Conference will receive a printed version of the Innovative Practices Among Publicly Operated Family Planning Centers case study and companion workbook at the conference. Download the case study and companion workbook today!

Visit NFPRHA at the Planned Parenthood Federation of America Conference

NFPRHA will be exhibiting at the Planned Parenthood Federation of America Conference, April 24 – 26, in Washington, DC. NFPRHA President & CEO Clare Coleman, and Lily Davidson, Director of Membership & Special Projects, will be attending conference sessions and staffing NFPRHA’s booth #207 in the exhibit hall.

Please stop by the booth to say hello and learn more about NFPRHA’s work to increase low-income access to family planning and to help publicly funded family planning providers prepare for ACA implementation. Conference attendees, who are not already NFPRHA members, will also be welcome to enter a drawing to win a free NFPRHA professional membership, so please encourage your non-member colleagues to stop by the NFPRHA booth. NFPRHA’s “I ♥ family planning” t-shirts will also be on sale at the booth for a discounted price.

June Trainings in San Antonio Available for Title X Grantees

The National Clinical Training Center is offering preceptor, long-acting reversible contraception (LARC), and billing and coding trainings for Title X grantees and sub-recipients June 5-8, 2013, in San Antonio, Texas. Billing and coding trainings are offered in collaboration with NFPRHA’s Life After 40 project. Find more information and register at http://www.ctcfp.org/clinical-training/.

New CMS Fact Sheet Available on Ways to Help Consumers Apply for Health Insurance

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released a new fact sheet last week, with information on how health centers and providers can offer help to consumers navigating the new health insurance exchanges. The fact sheet briefly describes and defines how health centers can become navigators, in-person assistance personnel, and/or certified application assistors to help consumers in the process. The fact sheet describes what type of help will be available in states depending on exchange types and details the levels of training necessary for providers to become certified to provide an aforementioned type of assistance. Click here to access the fact sheet. Additional resources for health care providers interested in helping patients understand the ACA can also be found at: http://marketplace.cms.gov/.

For more information on ACA navigators and insurance assistors, please contact Julie Lewis at jlewis@nfprha.org or 202-293-3114 ext. 214.

Bipartisan Group of Senators Releases Immigration Bill

On Wednesday, April 17, a bipartisan group of senators, commonly referred to as the “Gang of Eight,” released a nearly 850-page immigration reform bill. While the new proposal includes a pathway to citizenship for undocumented individuals living in the US, the bill includes limited health care support for this population. Under the Senate proposal, immigrants on a path to citizenship would be required to wait 10 or more years before being eligible to apply for resident status, and would then be subject to an additional five-year mandatory delay before gaining access to affordable health care.

Although eager to help advance immigration reform, immigrant-rights groups have expressed disappointment with the lack of health care policy in the bill. They argue that aspiring citizens who are contributing to the economy and local communities, including paying taxes, should also have the opportunity to participate in the same health care system (including insurance exchanges and Medicaid) as their neighbors.

NFPRHA will continue monitoring congressional action over immigration reform and advocate for a proposal that ensures access to health care for all living in the US, regardless of their citizenship status.  

For more information on the immigration reform bill, please contact Nici Paterson at npaterson@nfprha.org or 202-293-3114 ext. 211.

Family Planning Resources Available

New resources and webinar registrations are now available online for family planning providers to assist with sexual and reproductive health advocacy and education efforts.

ARHP – CME Webinar Series
The Association of Reproductive Health Professionals (ARHP) is hosting several upcoming online CME courses on a range of issues including contraception, vaginal insert therapies, and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). The next webinar, “Gout in the Golden Years: Clinician Education to Improve the Diagnosis and Treatment of Postmenopausal Women,” will take place on April 25, 2013, at 2:00 p.m. ET. View the full list of webinars and register for them here.

NHeLP – Guide to Medicaid Expansion
The National Health Law Program (NHeLP) has released a step-by-step guide designed to help state advocates understand the benefit options in the Medicaid expansion under the ACA. The guide is available here. For more information, materials, and updates related to Medicaid expansion, NHeLP also has a Medicaid expansion toolbox available.

CMS – New Resources Available
CMS’ website now has a number of resources for organizations and providers to use as they educate adolescents and their families about their health insurance options after ACA implementation and help them enroll. These resources include training materials, research, and promotional applications for organizations’ websites, including widgets and badges. Some of the information is available in multiple languages. Providers should also take note of CMS’ InsureKidsNow.gov website, which has information about the Children’s Health Insurance Program.