Deadline: June 10, 2021 Scholarship & Abstract Awards Scholarships are now available for the Anticoagulation Forum’s 16th National Conference, which will be held in-person in San Francisco, CA from October 28 30, 2021, as well as broadcast virtually. This forum provides the largest venue for open discussion and education on advances in anticoagulant therapy and …
16th Annual National Conference on Anticoagulation Therapy Read More »
Deadline: May 19, 2021 The Anticoagulation Forum’s Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Allyship (IDEA) Initiative is developing a multi-part webinar series to highlight the critical topic of structural racism and health disparities. We are seeking both providers and patients to share their experiences on how racism has impacted them asthey sought or provided healthcare. If you …
Call for Stories: IDEA Initiative Structural Racism & Health Disparities Read More »
HRSA COVID-19 Coverage Assistance Fund (CAF) On May 3, 2021, HHS, through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), announced a new program covering the cost of administering COVID-19 vaccines to patients enrolled in health plans that either do not cover vaccination fees or cover them with patient cost-sharing. This new program is called the …
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? Devastating Impact of COVID-19 on Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities Limited Progress in Increasing Proportion of Black Physicians HHS Releases New Buprenorphine Practice Guidelines CMS Proposes to Enhance the Medical …
During May, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Office of Minority Health recognizes Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month as part of our commitment to understanding the health needs of this diverse population. Included in the Asians and Native Hawaiians or Other Pacific Islanders (Asian and NHOPI) population is a wide variety of …
Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Read More »
In tough times, communities find strength in people—and people find strength in their communities. In the past year, we’ve seen friends, neighbors, and businesses discover new ways to support each other. In our communities, older adults are a key source of this strength. Through their experiences, successes, and difficulties, they built resilience that helps them …
May’s Older Americans Month: Communities of Strength Read More »
Proposed Rule Would Require Hospitals to Report Vaccination Rates Among Healthcare Staff CMS News – April 27, 2021 |The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a proposed rule (CMS-1752-P) today for inpatient and long-term care hospitals that builds on the Biden Administration’s key priorities to close health care equity gaps and provide greater …
As of April 25, 2021, the CDC and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommend use of Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen (J&J/Janssen) COVID-19 Vaccine resume in the United States. Following the FDA and CDC’s decision, the Public Health Communications Collaborative updated their Tough Q&A with messaging to help you address questions from the community.
The Global Council on Brain Health’s report, COVID-19 and Brain Health (PDF), recommends steps to safeguard brain health in adults ages 50 and older, especially during the pandemic. According to the report, research shows that people living with dementia are twice as likely to get COVID-19, and their caregivers are experiencing additional stress amid the …
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released new telehealth resources to further support health care providers and patients during the pandemic, as they continue to adjust to virtual appointments and services. To help make virtual care as seamless as possible, these resources include instructions for providers and shareable information in a variety of …
We’re sharing the following information from the FDA Safety Information and Adverse Event Reporting Program. Updated: April 14, 2021 Why are the FDA and CDC recommending a pause in the use of the Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine? The FDA and CDC are reviewing data involving six cases reported to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) …
Updated Janssen (J&J) COVID-19 Vaccine Frequently Asked Questions Read More »
Information Provided by the Anticoagulation Forum Following six reported cases of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) in individuals after receiving the Johnson & Johnson (J&J) COVID-19 vaccine in the US, the CDC and FDA are recommending a pause in the use of the J&J COVID-19 vaccine pending further review. Per the CDC Health Alert (April …
Resources on Johnson & Johnson Vaccine Suspension Read More »
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a Health Alert, about the CDC and FDA’s recommended pause in the use of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine. We’re sharing to ensure that the health care provider community is aware of the potential for adverse events and can provide proper management due to the …
Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 Vaccine: Health Alert Read More »
As COVID-19 vaccines continue 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 up-to-date resources and materials to help you …
COVID-19 Vaccine Resources: Reaching Vulnerable Populations Read More »
The HHS COVID-19 public education campaign is a national initiative to increase public confidence in and uptake of COVID-19 vaccines while reinforcing basic prevention measures such as mask wearing and social distancing. Through a nationwide network of trusted messengers and consistent, fact-based public health messaging, the campaign helps the public make informed decisions about their …
HHS’s We Can Do This: Increase COVID-19 Vaccine Confidence Read More »
CDC’s new web page reviews information and training on how to enroll as a COVID-19 vaccinator CDC posted a new web page, How to Enroll as a Healthcare Provider, for providers seeking to become COVID-19 vaccinators. This web page contains the information on how to become a COVID-19 vaccinator, and the training and resources available to …
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? April: National Minority Health Month Large Federal Investments to Build Vaccine Confidence and Uptake Hospitalized Black Patients at Higher Risk for Poor Safety Outcomes Updating Health Literacy for Health …
Updates as of April 2, 2021 Highlights Fully vaccinated people can: Resume domestic travel Do not need to get tested before or after travel Do not need to self-quarantine after travel Fully vaccinated people do not need to: Get tested before leaving the United States (unless required by the destination) Self-quarantine after arriving back in …
Interim Public Health Recommendations for Fully Vaccinated People Read More »
More than 100 Americans die every day from an opioid overdose, and millions are addicted to opioids. Proper disposal of unused or expired opioids can help save lives. Remove the Risk The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) launched Remove the Risk, an education and outreach campaign to raise awareness about the serious risks of keeping …
FDA Encourages Americans to Dispose of Unused Prescription Opioids Safely Read More »
Are you #VaccineReady?
March 29, 2021 – As COVID-19 vaccines continue rolling out across the country, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is taking action to protect the health and safety of our nation’s patients and providers by sharing the latest COVID-19 resources from the Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), the Centers for Disease …
COVID-19 Vaccine Resources: What Partners Need to Know Now Read More »
Stay up-to-date on the latest COVID-19 resources. This month, we’re highlighting new resources from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ Office of Minority Health (CMS OMH), and local health departments. Updates include: CDC: COVID-19 vaccine PowerPoint for staff meetings and community presentations (Available in English and Spanish) CDC: …
CMS, CDC, and HHS released new guidance and resources related to the COVID-19 vaccine to serve our beneficiaries.
CMS – March 15, 2021 | Today, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is increasing the Medicare payment amount for administering the COVID-19 vaccine. This new and higher payment rate will support important actions taken by providers that are designed to increase the number of vaccines they can furnish each day, including establishing …
Biden-Harris Administration Increases Medicare Payment for Life-Saving COVID-19 Vaccine Read More »
The COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately impacted minority and vulnerable populations. The COVID-19 vaccine can reduce the spread of the virus and help end the public health emergency. Community partners working with racial and ethnic minorities, people with disabilities, people with limited English proficiency, sexual and gender minorities, and rural populations are critical in helping consumers …
New CMS OMH COVID-19 Vaccine Resources for Vulnerable Populations Webpage Read More »
Women’s Role in Health Literacy March is Women’s History Month, a perfect time to highlight Dr. Ruth Parker. Not only is she nationally recognized for her health literacy research, teaching, and advocacy, but she’s a professor of medicine at the Emory University School of Medicine and a professor of epidemiology at the Emory University Rollins …
Check out the March Population Health Spotlight newsletter from the National Institute for Health Care Management (NIHCM) Foundation In this edition, learn more about the latest news and resources on COVID-19, including the drop in life expectancy, vaccine access and the impact of new variants, as well as new initiatives for supporting vulnerable communities. Highlights …
Drop in Life Expectancy, Vaccine Access & Devastating Winter Storm Read More »
The COVID-19 pandemic highlights the importance of updated emergency response plans. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) compiled a list of resources to assist state survey agencies; state, tribal, regional and local emergency management partners; and healthcare providers in developing emergency plans that are compliant with the CMS Emergency Preparedness Rule. Highlighted Resources …
CMS Resources for the Emergency Preparedness Rule Read More »
A year of missed preventive care is endangering minority communities. And people with serious heart conditions are at higher risk for severe illness with COVID-19. In response, Million Hearts® and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) developed a digital media toolkit to encourage people to continue their preventive cardiovascular care. The Toolkit includes: …
Million Hearts® and CDC COVID-19 and Cardiovascular Disease Partner Toolkit Read 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? AHRQ Chartbook on Patient Safety Rural N.C. Community’s Strategies to Distribute COVID-19 Vaccine National Evaluation of Social Determinants of Health COVID-19 and Food Insecurity Health Equity Webinar Materials April …
Biden Administration Strengthens Requirements that Plans and Issuers Cover COVID-19 Diagnostic Testing Without Cost Sharing and Ensures Providers are Reimbursed for Administering COVID-19 Vaccines to Uninsured CMS NEWS – February 26, 2021 | In accordance with the Executive Order President Biden signed on January 21, 2021, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), …
Each March, we celebrate National Nutrition Month. It’s a great time to discover and make informed food choices. Health eating can mean different things as we age. We need fewer calories, and are ability to absorb certain nutrients is reduced, especially among those with chronic health conditions. That means it’s important to choose foods that …
Patient Safety Awareness Week both acknowledges and celebrates improved safety and care practices throughout all healthcare settings. Medical errors are the third leading cause of death in the United States. The World Health Organization estimates that health care errors impact one in every 10 patients globally. We are part of a national effort working to …
Patient Safety Awareness Week: March 14–20, 2021 Read More »
Patient Safety Awareness Week is March 14–20, 2021 Patient Safety Awareness Week both acknowledges and celebrates improved safety and care throughout the health system. Medical errors are the third leading cause of death in the United States. The World Health Organization estimates that health care errors impact one in every 10 patients globally. We are …
Encouraging Improved Patient Safety Practices and Celebrating Successes Read More »
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 »
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 »
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 »
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 …
