CMS – February 19, 2021 | The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for the investigational monoclonal antibody therapy, bamlanivimab and etesevimab, administered together, for the treatment of mild-to-moderate COVID-19 in adults and pediatric patients with positive COVID-19 test results who are at high risk for progressing to severe COVID-19 …
CMS Memo – February 17, 2021 | As COVID-19 vaccines begin rolling out across the country, CMS is taking action to protect the health and safety of our nation’s patients and providers and keeping you updated on the latest COVID-19 resources from HHS, CDC and CMS. With information coming from many different sources, CMS has …
What Partners Need to Know Now about Health Insurance Coverage during the Pandemic Read More »
Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Allyship (IDEA) Committee The Anticoagulation Forum is proud to launch the Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Allyship (IDEA) Committee. The IDEA Committee was established to address systemic racism and the resulting health disparities. Through the IDEA Committee, the AC Forum will work to increase awareness and promote diversity in our leadership, membership, and programming. We hope our members will …
AC Forum IDEA Committee & Webinar Series Starting March 18 Read More »
April 13, 2021 | $75 Registration Fee You are invited to the virtual 26th Annual Massachusetts Adult Immunization Conference on Tuesday, April 13, 2021. The 2021 theme is Immunizations: Adapting During Challenging Times. This conference is organized by the Massachusetts Adult Immunization Coalition (MAIC), and is one of the largest adult immunization activities in the …
April 13: 26th Annual Massachusetts Adult Immunization Conference Read More »
Join the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Office of Minority Health (CMS OMH) this February as it recognizes American Heart Month and Black History Month by helping those affected by heart disease take steps toward better health. Heart disease is the leading cause of death for people of most racial and ethnic groups in …
Highlighting Health Disparities During American Heart Month and Black History Month Read More »
Raising awareness about heart health and encouraging healthy lifestyles to prevent heart disease.
February is African American History Month, which sheds light on African American culture and health. Heart disease, diabetes, and stroke affect people of all ethnicities. However, certain groups—including African Americans and older individuals—are at greater risk. Knowing more about family health histories and the early detection of predisposed health conditions helps support prevention efforts, effective …
Stay up-to-date on new resources from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), and local health departments. Topics covered include COVID-19 communication toolkits, COVID-19 vaccine resources, and more.
Check out the latest health equity news, health observances, events, and resources supporting the IPRO QIN-QIO efforts to eliminate health disparities for Medicare beneficiaries. What’s inside? Biden Takes Action to Advance Racial Equity & Support Underserved Communities HHS Proposed Modification to HIPAA Privacy Rule will Help Address SDOH Large Majority of Doctors Hold Misconceptions about …
This Learning Toolbox focuses on cultural and linguistic competency and their importance for helping to eliminate disparities in the delivery of quality healthcare. The Toolbox includes a quick primer, and provides useful links to articles, tools, and resources. Quick Primer What is cultural and linguistic competency? Cultural and linguistic competency in healthcare refers to the …
This Learning Toolbox focuses on health literacy as an important determinant of health equity and outcomes. It includes a quick primer on health literacy, and provides links to articles, tools, and resources to improve the health literacy of organizations and patients. Quick Primer What is health literacy? Health literacy is commonly defined as “the degree …
This monthly health observance highlights the importance of educating others on glaucoma. According to the National Eye Institute, over three million people in the United States have glaucoma. This number is projected to reach 4.2 million by 2030 – a 58% increase. As we age, we are at greater risk for developing eye diseases. The …
Stay updated on the latest resources.
The Rhode Island Department of Health developed the COVID-19 Close Contact Quarantine Calculator to help you determine how long to remain in quarantine after exposure. What dose close contact mean? A close contact is someone who has been within 6 feet of someone with COVID-19 for a combined total of 15 minutes or more in …
Hi Rhode Islanders, have you had close contact with someone infected with COVID-19? Read More »
Pfizer recognizes that this is a critical time for planning around COVID-19 vaccination efforts. As such, Pfizer is committed to sharing important updates. The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine website for US healthcare professionals is now available at www.cvdvaccine.com. Pfizer will be hosting a series of training sessions to review information and answer questions on storage, handling, and …
Training Sessions: Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine Read More »
With winter weather comes messy walkways and debris. Add in health conditions and you’ve got yourself one hazardous situation. These conditions lead to loss of balance, mobility, and strength for seniors. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that every second of every day, an older adult (age 65+) suffers a fall in …
CMS Memo | December 9, 2020 – CMS posted updates to FAQs and an infographic about coverage and payment for monoclonal antibodies to treat COVID-19. The FAQs include general payment and billing guidance for these products, including questions on different setting types. The infographic has key facts about expected Medicare payment to providers and information …
CMS Guidance for Medicare Coverage of COVID-19 Antibody Treatment Read More »
It’s more important than ever for everyone to do their part to help prevent the spread of illnesses like the flu. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, fewer people are getting vaccines which puts their communities at greater risk for other preventable diseases, like the flu. When people get the flu shot, it helps protect them and …
Check out the latest health equity news, health observances, events, and resources supporting the IPRO QIN-QIO efforts to eliminate health disparities for Medicare beneficiaries. What’s inside? Mapping Racial and Ethnic Inequities in Health and Opportunity Mobile Apps for mHealth and People with Disabilities Health Literacy as a Social Driver of Poor Health Outcomes Whole-of-Government Response …
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for the investigational monoclonal antibody therapy, casirivimab and imdevimab, administered together, for the treatment of mild-to-moderate COVID-19 in adults and pediatric patients with positive COVID-19 test results who are at high risk for progressing to severe COVID-19 and/or hospitalization. Casirivimab and imdevimab, administered …
According to a report from Trust for America’s Health, the U.S. obesity rate for adults reached 42.4% in 2020, the highest ever recorded, and is based on data from the 2017-2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). The report notes that the national obesity rate has increased by 26% since 2008. Food insecurity due …
The American Heart Association (AHA) recently issued a policy statement in Circulation calling out structural racism as a major driver of health disparities in the U.S. The AHA acknowledged that while it had previously published statements addressing cardiovascular and cerebrovascular risk and disparities among racial and ethnic groups in the U.S., those statements had not …
Policy Statement: AHA Recognizes Structural Racism as a Driver of Health Disparities Read More »
A report by the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH) states that despite significant increases in funding and beds, overall homelessness has been increasing in the U.S. In just five years (2014-2019), unsheltered homelessness increased by 20.5%, and has become a national crisis. In 2020, Congress appropriated over $6.6 billion for targeted homelessness assistance …
Article: Whole-of-Government Response to Homelessness in the U.S. Read More »
Health literacy is the ability to understand and effectively use health information to make decisions about one’s health. People with low health literacy have increased mortality, worse health outcomes, are less engaged in their care, use the emergency room more often, and have higher avoidable healthcare expenditures. In this article, Lisa Fitzpatrick, MD – a …
Article: Health Literacy Should Be Valued as a Social Driver of Poor Health Outcomes Read More »
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) launched a new toolkit designed for state Medicaid agencies to strengthen infrastructure and develop robust home and community-based services (HCBS) for eligible beneficiaries. The toolkit highlights promising state models and practices for strengthening state infrastructure to increase transitions from institutional settings to community-based settings; prevent or delay …
Resource: CMS Home and Community-Based Services Toolkit Read More »
A conference paper presented at the International Conference on Computers Helping People describes data and analysis on the use and unmet needs of mHealth mobile apps by people with disabilities in the U.S. The paper focuses on several key areas related to user experience in order to map the behavior, interests and needs of people …
Article: Mobile Apps for mHealth and People with Disabilities Read More »
A new interactive mapping tool, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, allows users to view and compare data on a range of indicators for each state and for six racial and ethnic groups. The tool uses data aggregated by the Health Opportunity and Equity (HOPE) Initiative. According to their website, HOPE “provides an …
New Tool: Mapping Racial and Ethnic Inequities in Health and Opportunity Read More »
CMS Memo | December 3, 2020 – Today, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is finalizing policy changes that will give Medicare patients and their doctors greater choices to get care at a lower cost in an outpatient setting. The Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) and Ambulatory Surgical Center (ASC) final rules will …
CMS Policies Give Medicare Beneficiaries More Choices around Surgery Read More »
Options to Reduce Quarantine for Contacts of Persons with SARS-CoV-2 Infection Using Symptom Monitoring and Diagnostic Testing CDC Science & Research | December 2, 2020 – Quarantine can be a burden on public health systems and communities, potentially dissuading people from naming contacts. Reducing the length of quarantine will reduce the burden and may increase …
CMS Memo | December 1, 2020 – Today, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released the annual Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) final rule, prioritizing CMS’ investment in primary care and chronic disease management by increasing payments to physicians and other practitioners for the additional time they spend with patients, especially those with chronic …
Clean hands save lives! This awareness week highlights the importance of handwashing—one of the most effective and simple ways to prevent viral infections and improve health outcomes. December is a busy time for most people. Between the abrupt changes in weather, holiday gatherings, and the end-of-year rush, it is easy for immune systems to be …
National Handwashing Awareness Week: December 6-12, 2020 Read More »
This national awareness week focuses on highlighting the importance of influenza vaccination. The IPRO QIN-QIO raises awareness about flu risks and encourages everyone to protect themselves and their communities by getting vaccinated—especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that during last year’s (2018-19) flu season: 35.5 million people …
National Influenza Vaccination Week: December 6-12, 2020 Read More »
About 1 in every 3 American Indian/Alaska Native older adults, age 65 or older, is at risk for dementia. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, heart health is closely connected to brain health. Wisdom Keeper Campaign To raise awareness about dementia and encourage elders to keep their minds and hearts healthy, the …
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) developed the Addressing the Needs of Older Adults in Disasters web-based training. HHS/ASPR designed this free, publicly accessible course to improve public health and emergency medical responders’ capability to address the access and functional needs of community-dwelling older …
HHS/ASPR Training to Help Older Adults During a Disaster Read More »
CMS Memo | November 22, 2020 – Today, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) finalized changes to outdated federal regulations that burdened health care providers with added administrative costs and impeded the health care system’s move toward value-based reimbursement. The Physician Self-Referral Law, also known as the “Stark Law,” generally prohibits a physician …
CMS Announces Historic Changes to Physician Self-Referral Regulations Read More »
This U.S. Antibiotic Awareness Week, register for CDC’s FREE online antibiotic stewardship training course, which offers 10 hours of continuing education (CE) to help you improve antibiotic use and protect patients. The first module is now updated with the latest national antibiotic resistance data from CDC’s recently released report, Antibiotic Resistance Threats in the United …
Earn Free CE: CDC’s Online Antibiotic Stewardship Training Read More »
Rural communities face their own unique challenges when it comes to accessing and receiving quality health care. Approximately 60 million Americans live in rural areas, with nearly every state having at least one rural county. Research has shown that rural Americans are disproportionately affected by certain health conditions compared to their urban counterparts due to factors …
Betsy Lehman Center for Patient Safety released a new video and suite of resources about infection control and PPE for home care and congregate care workers on the front lines of COVID-19. Stay Safe! Your Guide to Wearing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is available in English, Spanish, Haitian Creole and Brazilian Portuguese. We know that …
New infection control and PPE resources for home and congregate care workers Read More »
The article Rapid Implementation of eMOLST Order Completion and Electronic Registry to Facilitate Advance Care Planning: MOLST Documentation Using Telehealth in the Covid-19 Pandemic was posted on the New England Journal of Medicine Catalyst on Tuesday November 3. The article discusses seven lessons learned during the rapid implementation of eMOLST at Mount Sinai Health System …
Rapid eMOLST Implementation to Facilitate Advance Care Planning During COVID-19 Pandemic Read More »
CMS will retire the original Compare Tools on December 1. Use Medicare.gov’s Care Compare to find and compare health care providers. In early September, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released Care Compare on Medicare.gov, which streamlines our eight original health care compare tools. Since then, you’ve had the opportunity to use and …
CMS Will Retire the Original Compare Tools on December 1 Read More »
This annual observance highlights necessary steps everyone should take to improve antibiotic prescribing and use. Antibiotics save lives, but any time antibiotics are used, they can cause side effects and lead to antibiotic resistance. In U.S. doctors’ offices and emergency departments, at least 47 million antibiotic prescriptions each year are unnecessary, which makes improving antibiotic …
U.S. Antibiotic Awareness Week: November 18-24, 2020 Read More »
34 million Americans have diabetes, and 1 in 3 of them also has chronic kidney disease. Once your kidneys have been damaged by diabetes, they cannot be cured. November is National Diabetes Awareness Month and today is World Diabetes Day, making now the perfect time to learn how you can prevent diabetic kidney disease or …
Know the connection between Diabetes and Kidney Disease Read More »
The Pharmacy Partnership for Long-term Care (LTC) Program provides end-to-end management of the COVID-19 vaccination process, including cold chain management, on-site vaccinations, and fulfillment of reporting requirements. The program facilitates safe vaccination of this patient population, while reducing burden on long-term care facilities (LTCFs) and jurisdictional health departments. LTCF staff who have not received COVID-19 …
Understanding the Pharmacy Partnership for Long-Term Care Program Read More »
In anticipation of the availability of a vaccine(s), for the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) in response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the American Medical Association (AMA), working with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), created new codes for the vaccine and the administration of the vaccine. To prepare for the vaccine administration claims, …
COVID-19 Vaccine Codes and PC-ACE Software Update Read More »
Coverage Available at No Cost to Beneficiaries Across Variety of Settings in Health Care System The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced that starting November 13, Medicare beneficiaries can receive coverage of monoclonal antibodies to treat coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) with no cost-sharing during the public health emergency (PHE). CMS’ coverage of monoclonal antibody …
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Office of Minority Health (CMS OMH) is recognizing National Diabetes Month in November. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), an estimated 34 million people in the United States have diabetes, and 1 in 5 of them don’t know they have it. Diabetes occurs because …
Every November, American Diabetes Month is observed to sound the alarm about the diabetes epidemic. The IPRO QIN-QIO works to raise awareness about diabetes, honor those that are affected, and correct myths and misunderstandings surrounding the disease. Check out these resources:
National Family Caregivers Month, celebrated each November, is a time to recognize and honor family caregivers across the country. In November, the IPRO QIN-QIO is celebrating the efforts of family caregivers, supporting stronger relationships with loved ones, and raising awareness of the role that family caregivers play in the care of aging relatives and those …
Salud America! and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation are sharing a research review summarizing current literature on: the social and health impact of poverty the impact of racism and bias on minorities those living in poverty It highlights emerging interventions, policies, and practices that can be implemented to alleviate poverty, improve social cohesion, reduce bias, and …
Report: Achieving a Cohesive Culture for Health Equity in Latino and All Communities Read More »
Community leaders can play a vital role in connecting their communities with important, accurate information about public health and clinical research. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) and The Community Engagement Alliance offers resources that can help organizations talk with their communities about COVID-19, the vaccines being developed, and the importance of minorities being included …
Resource: NIH COVID-19 Communities Responding Together Read More »
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is offering a web-based training course for those who are new to the Long-Term Care Hospital (LTCH) Quality Reporting Program (QRP). This course is designed to provide a general overview of the program as well as a variety of links and resources for additional information. Specific topics …
CMS Releases Long-Term Care Hospital Quality Reporting Program Web-Based Training Read More »
The COVID-19 pandemic caused healthcare providers to change how they operate to continue providing essential services to patients. It is essential to ensure immunization services are maintained or re-initiated. Immunizations help protect individuals and communities from vaccine-preventable diseases and outbreaks while reducing the burden of respiratory illness during the upcoming influenza season. Centers for Disease …
September is National Recovery Month. This national observance is dedicated to helping those with a mental or substance use disorder to live a healthy life through education. Supports like substance use treatment and mental health services can enable those with a mental or substance use disorder to live a rewarding life. The IPRO QIN-QIO is …
September 25-26, 2020 The Anticoagulation Forum moved its course online and now you can learn from anywhere! View the same solid curriculum and bonus content on COVID-19 with 10.75 hours of continuing education (CE) credit. This program is delivered virtually by a phenomenal faculty including Dr. Scott Kaatz, Dr. Geoff Barnes, NP, Diane Wirth, and …
Anticoagulation Forum Virtual Boot Camp: Sept. 25-26 Read More »
August 24, 2-2:45PM EDT Requires Login. You’ll get an email and appointment after registration. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is making improvements to help people with Medicare find information about health care providers and services, as part of the eMedicare initiative to modernize and personalize your experiences with Medicare information. Care Compare …
CMS hosts varied recurring stakeholder engagement sessions to share information related to the agency’s response to COVID-19. These sessions are open to members of the healthcare community and are intended to provide updates, share best practices among peers, and offer attendees an opportunity to ask questions of CMS and other subject matter experts. Lessons from …
August 18, 1–2:30PM EDT The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will host a webinar on August 18, 2020 to provide an overview of the Community Health Access and Rural Transformation (CHART) Model. The CHART Model will test whether upfront investments, predictable capitated payments, and operational and regulatory flexibilities will enable rural health care …
Thursday, August 20, 10:30-11AM EDT Our COVID-19 Workshop Series continues on Thursdays, 10:30–11AM. Join us as we discuss pain management during the COVID-19 pandemic. We’ll cover obstacles and and share insights. Materials Recording Have specific questions? Let us know and we’ll address them in our upcoming webinars. Email us at: QIO-info@ipro.org. Our Speakers Dr. Jeffrey …
COVID-19 Workshop on August 20: Pain Management in COVID-19 Read More »
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) provides a web-based training course for hospices wanting a resource to the many trainings offered related to the Hospice Quality Reporting Program (HQRP). The goal is to assist hospice staff to better determine and access those trainings and documents that meet their learning needs. This course is …
Now Available: Web-Based Course on Hospice QRP Education and Training Resources Read More »
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is proposing several policies that would give Medicare beneficiaries more choices in where they seek care and lower their out-of-pocket costs for surgeries. The proposed rule takes steps that would allow hospitals and ambulatory surgical centers to operate with better flexibility and patients to have what they …
CMS Proposes Policies to Provide Seniors with More Choices and Lower Costs for Surgeries Read More »
