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October 23, 2012
 

Facing the Fiscal Cliff: A Look at the Current Federal Budget and Deficit Reduction Proposals
New series in Reproductive Health Watch features a closer look at the various budget and deficit reduction proposals that Congress could consider post-election to avoid “sequestration.”
 

Just 4 Days Left to Request Free Travel and Lodging for NFPRHA’s December Regional Meeting
Register now to attend NFPRHA’s FREE meeting in New Orleans, LA, December 2-4.
 

ACOG Releases New Cervical Cancer Testing Guidelines
Recommends most women only need Pap tests every 3 to 5 years.
 

October Membership Call: The ACA's Women's Preventive Health Services Benefit 2.0
Register now for the call, scheduled for Wednesday, October 31.
 

Grants to Help Fund Pap Tests Still Available from NFPRHA
Short online applications are due Wednesday, October 31.
 

NFPRHA to Exhibit at APHA’s Annual Meeting and Exposition
Stop by the NFPRHA booth to say hello and encourage your colleagues to join NFPRHA!
 

Register for the National Cervical Cancer Coalition’s National Conference
The conference is scheduled for January 19-20, 2013, in Atlanta, GA.
 

New Family Planning Resources and Webinars Available
New online resources are now available for family planning providers and advocates.


Facing the Fiscal Cliff: A Look at the Current Federal Budget and Deficit Reduction Proposals

Last year’s Budget Control Act (BCA) put into place a set of spending caps on defense and non-defense discretionary programs, and created a Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction (often referred to as the “Super Committee”) to create a plan to reduce the federal deficit by $1.2 trillion over the next ten years. The BCA also contained a provision that would trigger a projected $984 billion in across-the-board spending cuts, known as “sequestration,” in the event that the Super Committee failed to reach an agreement – which it did. Now, without further action by Congress, the first installment of sequestration – an estimated $110 billion for fiscal year (FY) 2013, evenly divided between defense and non-defense programs – is scheduled to take place beginning January 2, 2013. Over the coming weeks, NFPRHA will take a closer look at the various proposals being considered to reduce the deficit and avoid sequestration in its new series, “Facing the Fiscal Cliff: A Look at the Current Federal Budget and Deficit Reduction Proposals.”

“The Path to Prosperity: A Blueprint for American Renewal” and the “Sequester Replacement Reconciliation Act of 2012”

Two proposals crafted by House Budget Committee Chairman and current vice-presidential candidate Paul Ryan (R-WI) could garner significant discussion when Congress returns after the November elections. Earlier this year, the House passed “The Path to Prosperity: A Blueprint for American Renewal” (H. Con. Res. 112) by a largely party-line vote of 228-191, with ten Republicans and all Democrats voting against the bill. Often referred to as “The Ryan Budget,” “The Path to Prosperity” served as the House Budget Committee’s budget resolution for FY 2013. The budget is premised on a full repeal of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and conversion of Medicaid and the food stamp program into block grants. “The Path to Prosperity” also calls for the replacement of the current sequestration levels through a process that would require six House committees to achieve a minimum specified amount of deficit reduction from programs within their jurisdictions. These committees would be charged with finding a total of at least $18 billion in cuts in the first year, $116 billion over the first five years, and $261 billion over the first ten years.

In order to reach the level of savings dictated in “The Path to Prosperity,” the House subsequently passed the “Sequester Replacement Reconciliation Act” (H.R. 5652), also authored by Ryan, by a vote of 218-199, with all Democrats and sixteen Republicans voting against its passage. “The Path to Prosperity” would enact deeper cuts to both the food stamp program and other social services funding (including the elimination of the Social Services Block Grant) than those originally identified in the House-passed budget. The bill would achieve most of its savings through reductions in public health funding, including by repealing key ACA provisions including the Prevention and Public Health Fund and the Medicaid expansion. CBO estimates that enactment of this legislation would cut federal spending by $328 billion over ten years.

One of the committees tapped with finding savings under H.R. 5652 included the House Energy & Commerce Committee (E&C), which maintains jurisdiction over most public health programs, including the Title X family planning program. The Health Subcommittee of E&C is currently chaired by Representative Joe Pitts (R-PA), a staunch opponent of reproductive and sexual health rights who has more recently questioned the need for the 340B Drug Pricing Program.

What NFPRHA Members Should Know: The policies outlined in “The Path to Prosperity” would most likely result in substantial cuts to both discretionary and mandatory spending. A Medicaid block grant would mean a fundamental change in the program from one in which everyone who meets certain criteria is eligible for the program, to one in which a limited number of poor and low-income Americans get access to coverage. Additionally, the level of cuts to discretionary spending outlined in both “The Path to Prosperity” and the “Sequester Replacement Reconciliation Act” could mean significant cuts to programs including Title X, the Title V Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Block Grant, and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)-supported sexually transmitted disease (STD) programs.

For more information on budget and appropriations, please contact Annie Walden-Newman at awaldennewman@nfprha.org or 202-293-3114.


Just 4 Days Left to Request Free Travel and Lodging for NFPRHA’s December Regional Meeting

This is the last week to register and request travel and lodging assistance for NFPRHA’s FREE December regional meeting in New Orleans, LA. Make sure your health center is doing all it can to prepare for ACA implementation by attending the meeting, which will place December 2–4.

Critical content includes:

  • Post-election outlook

  • Innovative practices and projects at publicly operated family planning centers

  • Practical tips for building new partnerships

  • Hands-on billing and coding training at multiple levels

  • Advice on whether to make, buy, or outsource services

  • Lessons learned from successful health insurance enrollment programs

  • Update on Medicaid family planning expansion programs

  • The ACA and Medicaid expansion

  • Health insurance exchanges and Medicaid

  • Medicaid and the federal budget

To view the meeting agenda, register, or request travel assistance, visit www.nationalfamilyplanning.org/nola. October 26 is also the last day to make a hotel reservation at NFPRHA’s special reduced rate at the Loews New Orleans Hotel. To make sure you receive our negotiated rate of $163 per night, click here or contact the hotel at 800-235-6397 and specify that you are with the NFPRHA meeting. Rooms are limited.

Registration for the December meeting will remain open until the meeting space capacity has been reached. Register early to ensure your spot. For more information or if you have questions, please contact Lily Davidson at ldavidson@nfprha.org or 202-293-3114.


ACOG Releases New Cervical Cancer Testing Guidelines

On Monday, October 22, 2012, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) released a new set of guidelines on the frequency with which most healthy women should have Pap tests to screen for cervical cancer. ACOG now recommends that most women ages 21 to 29 have a Pap test no more than every three years. Women ages 30 to 65 should now have a Pap test, along with a test for human papillomavirus (HPV), every five years. Women younger than 30 do not need to have an HPV test, according to ACOG. The organization also advises that women younger than 21 not be tested for cervical cancer, regardless of whether they are sexually active. Cervical cancer screening can be discontinued for women older than 65 if they have no history of certain medical problems. See ACOG’s press release for more information.


October Membership Call: The ACA's Women's Preventive Health Services Benefit 2.0

Register today for NFPRHA’s October membership-wide call, which will provide an in-depth look at the women’s preventive health services benefit. August 1, 2012, marked the start of the newly accessible benefit, designed to improve women’s access to a broad range of preventive health services, most notably all FDA-approved contraceptive methods, family planning counseling, and an annual visit. While a tremendous victory for family planning, questions remain about the implementation and functionality of the benefit. The October membership-wide call will explore these issues, including the legal challenges against the contraceptive benefit, the barriers some employees face in accessing the services, and the advocacy work needed to strengthen the coverage. Julianna Gonen, Acting Director of Government Relations at the Center for Reproductive Rights (CRR), and NFPRHA staff will speak on the call.

The call will take place on Wednesday, October 31, 2012, at 2:00 p.m. ET. If you would like to join the call, please RSVP by completing the online registration form. If you have any questions or for more information, please contact Kaitlin Froom at kfroom@nfprha.org or 202-293-3114.

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Grants to Help Fund Pap Tests Still Available from NFPRHA

NFPRHA is pleased to announce the availability of grants for member health care centers that currently receive funds from the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection program, to supplement the cost of Pap tests for women who qualify for the program or to offset the expense for women who do not qualify for the program.

Three grants of $8,000 are available through a NFPRHA partnership with the American Social Health Association (ASHA), and with the support of Hologic. In addition, one grant of $5,000 will be awarded to a health center in New Jersey thanks to the generous contribution of Sandy Fischer, leader of the New Jersey chapter of the National Cervical Cancer Coalition, made in memory of her sister, Cary Anne Cowan.

Any NFPRHA member organization that currently receives funds from the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program is eligible to apply. Grant recipients will be selected at random from all eligible applicants.

Grant funds may only be used for Pap testing and not to supplement other screening tests or treatment. Once grant funds are expended, grant awardees will submit a one-page report detailing how many women were served as a result of the grant.

To apply, NFPRHA member organizations should complete a short online application by October 31, at www.surveymonkey.com/s/paptests. Grant recipients will be notified the first week of November.

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NFPRHA to Exhibit at APHA’s Annual Meeting and Exposition

NFPRHA will be exhibiting at the American Public Health Association’s (APHA) 140th Annual Meeting and Exposition, which will take place October 27-31 in San Francisco, CA. Senior Policy Director Dana Thomas will participate in a panel at the conference entitled, “State of the Field: Health Care Reform and Implications for Reproductive Health.” Additionally, Lily Davidson, Director of Membership & Special Projects, will be staffing NFPRHA’s booth, #3105, in the exhibit hall.

Please stop by NFPRHA’s booth to say hello and learn more about NFPRHA’s work to increase low-income access to family planning and to help family planning providers prepare for health care reform implementation. Look your best at the conference in a NFPRHA t-shirt! NFPRHA’s “I ♥ family planning” and “Family Planning, Everybody’s Doing It” t-shirts will be on sale at the booth.

Conference attendees who are not already NFPRHA members are welcome to enter a drawing to win a free NFPRHA professional membership. Please encourage your non-member colleagues to stop by the NFPRHA booth! To learn more about the APHA’s national meeting, visit APHA’s website.

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Register for the National Cervical Cancer Coalition’s National Conference

The National Cervical Cancer Coalition (NCCC) is now preparing for its 2013 national conference. The conference will bring together local NCCC chapter leaders, cervical cancer survivors, survivors’ friends and family members, medical and scientific experts, and partner organizations to offer information and insight on the subject of HPV and cervical cancer. The conference will feature sessions on personal stories from cervical cancer survivors, sex and pleasure after cancer, how to advocate for cervical cancer prevention policies, and how to talk about cervical cancer with family and friends.

NCCC’s 2013 National Conference will take place at the W Hotel in downtown Atlanta, GA, January 19-20, 2013. Please visit NCCC’s website to register, see an agenda, and find out more information.

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New Family Planning Resources and Webinars Available

New resources, including an electronic health records (EHR) incentive webinar, a report on Medicaid expansion in Idaho, a telehealth webinar, and a health information technology (HIT) implementation webinar, are now available.

CMS - EHR Incentive Program Webinar
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will be hosting a hosting a webinar on EHR technology entitled, Stage 2 EHR Incentive Requirements: What Providers Need to Know. The webinar will highlight key points in the agency’s EHR Incentive Program Stage 2 Final Rules for providers and EHR technology. Issues that will be covered include: Medicare and Medicaid EHR eligibility, program differences, and available incentive payments; what the Stage 2 requirements mean to non-hospital providers; program payment years and Stage 2 timing; and a comparison of Stage 1 and Stage 2 requirements. The webinar will be held on Wednesday, October 24, at 5:00 p.m. ET, and Tuesday, October 30, at 12:00 p.m. ET. Visit CMS’ website to register for the webinar.

State of Idaho – Medicaid Expansion Report
The government of Idaho has released a report prepared for its Department of Health and Welfare by Leavitt Partners, a research firm hired by the state. The report provides an analysis of the state’s potential newly eligible Medicaid population, as well as a review of and recommendations for possible Medicaid benefit design options. These options are structured to meet the requirements for a Medicaid expansion as envisioned by the ACA. The information and data provided in the report are meant to inform state officials of what Idaho’s Medicaid environment may look like in an expansion scenario and to provide evidence as state officials evaluate their decision to expand eligibility. Read the report on the Idaho government’s website.

HRSA - Telehealth Resources Webinar
The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) has released video of a webinar on telehealth technology and how it can be valuable in a wide variety of health care settings. The webinar provides an overview of activities and programs available to improve health care delivery, education, and health information services to meet the needs of the underserved. Presenters provide an overview of Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and HRSA programs available to support the use of telehealth. View the webinar through HRSA’s Youtube channel.

HRSA – HIT Implementation Webinar
HRSA has also released video of a webinar focusing on the importance of leadership in successfully steering an organization through HIT implementation. The webinar features established leaders who have conducted more than 70 HIT implementations in health centers, including rural health centers and critical access hospitals. The presenters also focus on how leadership is important in helping staff, clinicians, patients, safety-net providers' boards, and partners adjust to and overcome the barriers that typically accompany HIT implementation and impede success. View the webinar through HRSA’s Youtube channel.


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