NOVEMBER POLICY AND ADVOCACY

Transcription

1 NOVEMBER POLICY AND ADVOCACY WEBINAR Fixing the Primary Care Cliff: OCTOBER POLICY AND ADVOCACY WEBINAR Where do we stand, Where are we headed, Fixing the Primary Care Cliff: What can we DO Landscape, Action Steps and What it Will Take to Succeed

2 Audio today will be provided via computer. On September Please double 28 th check, Congress that your passed speakers a 3-month your extension computer of are TCHGME funding to avoid program closure to listen. working and/or plug in a headset You can adjust the volume of the audio on your computer or by using $15 million the Audio for three Broadcast months allows control all box. 732 Residents to continue their residency while Congress works to secure a longer term solution

3 This webinar is being recorded You will be able to access the webinar recording on pastevents The link to the recording will be distributed in the Washington Update

4 Questions? Use the chat box to ask your question at any point in the webinar. We want to see all of your questions! We ll try our best to respond to all of them.

5 In this briefing, we ll cover: Health Center Funding Cliff The path to a fix The Current State of Play House vote, moving on to the Senate, scenarios for action What about everything else quick updates on: 340B, Opioids, Marketplaces/CSRs November Advocacy Action Steps

6 The Cliff Basics Health Centers Program (Sec. 330) Annual Funding, FY11-FY18 What is it? 2010: ACA created a dedicated 5- year fund for growth in CHCs (red) This was in addition to regular annual funding (blue) Every New Access Point, Service Expansion, Quality Award, Capital Grant, Base Adjustment etc. since 2011 has come from this fund. In 2015, CHC advocates succeeded in getting a 2-year extension (orange) which expired on 9/30/17: 70% drop in 330 grant funding

7 The Uncertainty Created by the Cliff Possible changes to grant award at the beginning of your NEXT budget period new funding will reflect any new limitations on Section 330 dollars. 235 health center organizations have new budget periods starting on 1/1/18. Cliff is already creating uncertainty and forcing hard decisions Based on a recent survey of health centers, many reported that they are considering, or have already taken, actions that will have an immediate impact on their ability to provide high-quality care to their patients

8 The Path to the Cliff Fix April House Representatives sign Bilirakis-Green letter sent to the Appropriations Cmte supporting CHCs September 28 S. 1899, Bipartisan CHIME Act is introduced in the Senate; currently 18 co-sponsors October 3 H.R. 3922, CHAMPION Act is introduced in the House November 3 CHAMPIONING Healthy Kids Act passes the House, May Senators sign onto Stabenow-Wicker letter sent to Appropriations Committee supporting CHCs September Senators sign onto bipartisan letter sent to Senate HELP Committee leaders urging Health Center Funding Cliff Fix October 4 House Energy and Commerce Committee markup CHAMPION Act to extend health center funding November 2 CHAMPION Act goes to Rules Committee and passes with amendments June 23 House E&C Subcommittee on Health holds hearing on extending Community Health Center Fund September 13 H.R. 3770, Bipartisan CHIME Act is introduced in the House; currently 210 co-sponsors October 19 Energy and Commerce Committee pass CHAMPION Act October House Representatives sign onto bipartisan letter sent to House Leaders supporting CHCs

9 House Bill Moves to Senate CHAMPIONING HEALTHY KIDS Act Passed in the House on 11/3/17 5 Year Extension of Children s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) 2 Year Extension of: Community Health Center Fund (CHCF) ($3.6b/yr) National Health Service Corps (NHSC) ($310m/yr) Teaching Health Centers Graduate Medical Education (THCGME) ($126.5m/yr) Several other extensions (Special Diabetes Program for Indians, Family-to-Family information centers, DSH, etc.) Controversial Pay-fors: Prevention Fund, Grace Period, Medicare Could slow path to needed bipartisan support in Senate Now Its the Senate s Turn to Act Momentum is there (CHIME Act, Blunt-Stabenow Letter, etc.) Blunt-Stabenow Letter got 70 Sens we just need 60 Turn up the Pressure!!!

10 Senate Potential Paths Forward Senate waits for year-end or disaster supplemental package Becomes part of bigger fights (debt ceiling, DACA/wall, etc.) November 3 CHAMPIONING Healthy Kids Act passes the House, Senate adds amendments to bill and votes Senate and House negotiate Conference agreement House and Senate Vote on Conference Bill President Trump signs Bill into Law Senate passes H.R with no changes President Trump signs Bill into Law

11 Quotes from Members on House Floor Re- authorizing these historically bipartisan programs is critical If we can t find the funding for these important bipartisan programs, then we don t deserve to be members of congress. Rep. Eshoo CHC s have a proven track record of providing high quality cost efficient health care Rep. Bilirakis Everybody knows that these centers do remarkable work. They deliver quality care at lower cost. More than 330,000 veterans relied on them for healthcare last year alone. - Rep Slaughter I happen to be in an area in the southern part of Texas,, where Hurricane Harvey devastated our community People were not able to access healthcare. The community health clinics are the best neighborhood source of healthcare. - Rep S. J. Lee [This bill] provides funding for CHC s, an important, key part of health care in communities across the country that enjoy broad bipartisan support Rep. Burgess These health centers, and I visited many of them, are prevention and public health in action often serving as the main provider of care for people hundreds of miles around Rep. Walden

12 We re Still Going to Get There BUT WE STILL NEED TO KEEP THE PRESSURE UP!

13 Tips for Spreading the Word Best practices from Rich Napolitano - Senior Vice President, External Relations/Chief Development Office at Greater Lawrence Family Health Center, Lawrence, MA GLFHC is a GOLD Advocacy Center of Excellence the highest performing ACE and the gold standard for engaging their network and colleagues in advocacy on an ongoing basis.

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15 Some Quick Updates 340B Hearings, inquiries and continued scrutiny Focus on how 340B savings are calculated and used by the covered entity Opioids Pres. Trump declared the opioid epidemic a Public Health Emergency Final Opioid Commission Report Released Removed concerning provision to require all FQHC physicians, PAs, NPs, have waivers to prescribe buprenorphine Cost Sharing Reductions Proposals offered by Sens. Alexander (R-TN)/Murray (D-WA) and Sen. Hatch (R-UT)/ Rep. Brady (R-TX) Both bills include 2 years of CSR funding in addition to several other provisions; neither will likely move forward prior to an end of year package

16 What can YOU do? 1) Stay Informed 2) Take Action 3) Fight til the Cliff is Fixed!! hcadvocacy.org

17 The Message is Simple & Unchanged It is time for Congress to do its job and act to fix the cliff. The clock is ticking health centers are coping with uncertain funding which puts their patients, their staff and their business operations in jeopardy. Millions of patients depend on health centers - lives are at stake. We ve come this far because of the POWER and effectiveness of the Health Center Advocacy Network - each advocate is POWERFUL, and we must continued to use our voice and ACT until the cliff is fixed. Hcadvocacy.org

18 Refocusing our advocacy efforts: continue fighting until the cliff is fixed! Your collective advocacy has contributed to huge milestones in our fight to fix the cliff. But the fight isn t over we must continue to stay loud and keep the pressure on Congress. The ball is now in the Senate s court, and that is where we will turn our attention.

19 Our Collective Impact: Our Advocacy Strategy to STAY LOUD! High volume of grassroots activity Your Senators attention! Public expression of support ACTION in the Senate A fix to the funding cliff Templates and examples at

20 Here s what you can do RIGHT NOW! Your Senators ask them to take immediate action to fix the cliff and publicly express their urgent commitment to taking action to fix the Primary Care Funding Cliff. Visit Recommit to Fighting for Health Centers Until the Cliff is Fixed post on social media showing you ll keep fighting! Post pictures, record a short video, or updated your profile picture to show you ll fight til it s fixed! Visit

21 Helpful Resources What Happens After The Cliff FAQ Immediate Impact Cliff Infographic Talking Points Social Media Templates Updated Media Templates CHIME Act Co-Sponsors All Available at Remember you can ALWAYS reach out to NACHC Advocacy & Policy Staff with questions, or if you need something we haven t listed grassroots@nachc.com

22 Advocacy Is the Only Path Forward! Until the cliff is fixed, we need to keep the pressure HIGH and the VOLUME UP! Health centers need to GET LOUD and raise the profile of the health center voice. We are asking all Health Center Advocates recommit to taking action, repetitively and fiercely, until the cliff is fixed. All new action steps are on hcadvocacy.org/takeaction

23 Be Ready to Respond On Short Notice What to expect in the next couple of months: - MANY Calls to Action - Lots of Twists & Turns What you can do to prepare: - Stay Informed - Have a Plan - Commit to Taking Action EVERY TIME! The Future of the Health Center Program Depends on YOUR Advocacy!

24 Questions?