2004 News Archives

House and Senate Pass FY 05 Appropriations
November 22, 2004
Early Saturday morning, House and Senate negotiators reached agreement on legislation appropriating federal funds for Fiscal Year 2005. The legislation was promptly considered and passed by both chambers. A preliminary review of the legislation shows that key rural health programs were maintained at the FY04 level.As you may recall, the President’s budget proposed drastic cuts to a number of essential rural health programs. The NRHA undertook a year-long effort to convince Congress to restore these proposed cuts. We are pleased Congress has done just that. Under the legislation, the Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility Grants and the Rural Outreach and Network Grant Program will not see their funding cut from the FY04 level. In addition, we are also pleased that funding for the State Offices of Rural Health and the Rural EMS Training Grant Program was also maintained. We will continue to examine the details of the legislation and will provide more detail in the near future as appropriate. Thank you for your contribution to NRHA’s grassroots efforts to help rural communities. Please contact the NRHA’s Government Affairs staff with any questions at (703) 519-7910 or lynskey@nrharural.org.

Primary Care Network News-11-19-04
November 19, 2004
Their new newsletter is available for download from here: http://www.astho.org/newsletter/newsletters/8/index.php?u=Jmk9OCZwPTEzNCZwX25hbWU9MTEtMTktMDQ%3D

THE PA. SENATE UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED A BILL TO EXTEND MCARE ABATEMENT SUBSIDIES THROUGH 2005.
November 19, 2004
Under the bill, high-risk specialists - including orthopedic surgeons, general surgeons, neurosurgeons, ob/gyns, emergency physicians, nurse midwives and physicians who deliver babies in rural areas - would be relieved of their entire MCARE assessment, while other physicians - and now podiatrists - would pay half of their MCARE assessment, reported the Associated Press. Last year, the Legislature approved two years of subsidies for doctors, covering 2003 and 2004, at an annual cost of $220 million to be paid out of cigarette tax revenues and overflows from a state automobile insurance fund, the Associated Press noted. A doctor who accepts the subsidy must stay in Pennsylvania through the end of the following year, the Associated Press added.

NRHA eNews Vol. 5, No. 20
November 18, 2004
Their new newsletter is available for download from here and is available for members only: http://www.NRHArural.org

New NCI Tobacco Cessation Fact Sheets
November 18, 2004
Thirteen new fact sheets on tobacco cessation are now available from NCI's Cancer Information Service. These materials were adapted from fact sheets created by the Tobacco Education and Prevention Program of the Arizona Dept of Health Services and the Arizona Smokers' Helpline of the University of Arizona, providing tips for those who have quit smoking. For those who have recently quit smoking, different social situations may increase the desire to smoke. These comprehensive fact sheets review helpful strategies for those specific circumstances such as during meals, traveling in a car or when dealing with anxiety. To view the collection of new tobacco cessation fact sheets, click here: http://cis.nci.nih.gov/asp/FactSheetPub/AlphaSubList.asp?alpha=101

Fall 2004 issue of the Rural Assistance Center's Quarterly newsletter
November 18, 2004
The Fall 2004 issue of the Rural Assistance Center's quarterly newsletter, The Rural Monitor is now available online at http://www.raconline.org/newsletter/index.html. This issue focuses on human services in rural areas.

400 Mini-grants Available
November 16, 2004
National Youth Court Center at the America Probation and Parole Association and the U.S. Department of Justice/OJP/OJJDP - 60 Mini-Grants (Now Available) to support National Youth Service Day 2005. The National Youth Court Center will award up to sixty mini-grants of $250 each for the purpose of providing youth court programs with funds to conduct a service project in support of National Youth Service Day on April 15-17, 2005. Fifteen (15) of the mini-grants have been designated to fund projects that are related to traffic safety issues (including underage drinking). The remaining forty-five mini-grants will be awarded for any project that meets a community need. For more information, please visit www.youthcourt.net. Applications can be downloaded at <http://www.youthcourt.net/NYSD/2005_NYSD_info.htm>.

Building Partnerships for Youth E-Bulletin - Issue 07 Citizenship and Contribution
November 16, 2004
Their new newsletter is available for download from here: http://msg.calsnet.arizona.edu/fcs/newsletters/bpy_ebulletin_issue07.html

Rural Assistance Center Health Update
November 15, 2004
Their new newsletter is available for download from here: http://www.raconline.org/listserv/health/111504.html

The Research to Practice Series Is Now Available on the Division of Nutrition and Physical Activity Website!
November 13, 2004
The first installment in the Research to Practice series entitled “Can Eating Fruits and Vegetables Help People to Manage Their Weight?” is now available on the Division of Nutrition and Physical Activity website. This piece, developed for health professionals, summarizes the evidence that substituting fruits and vegetables in place of higher density foods is an effective way to decrease caloric intake in order to lose weight. A brochure for the general public is coming soon! It outlines helpful strategies to incorporate fruits and vegetables into the diet. Look for Research to Practice under the “What’s New” button on the DNPA home page or link to it from the Nutrition section, the Overweight and Obesity Resources section, or the 5 A Day Coordinators section. You can also access it by clicking on the link below: http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/nutrition/pdf/rtp_practitioner_10_07.pdf The second installment in the Research to Practice Series is in progress and will address portion size.

Fall 2004 Issue of the "Rural Monitor:" the Rural Assistance Center's (RAC) quarterly newsletter
November 11, 2004
The Rural Monitor can be found in HTML and PDF formats on RAC's web site at http://www.raconline.org/newsletter/index.html. The Rural Assistance Center would like your feedback about the Rural Monitor. In an effort to continually improve our products, we’d appreciate it if you would take the time to fill out a brief survey regarding the Rural Monitor. The survey should only take about 5 minutes to complete, but the information you provide will be invaluable in our ability to provide a publication that meets the needs of our readers. The survey can be completed at http://www.raconline.org/survey/ruralmonitor.php .

Work in Rural Ghana to Prevent and Treat Blindness!
November 11, 2004
Dates: March 1, 2005 ­ May 1, 2005
Application deadline: December 1, 2004.
4 positions available The Ghana Health and Education Initiative has partnered with Unite for Sight (www.uniteforsight.org) to improve eye health in Humjibre. This work has three components: screening for cataracts and arranging surgeries, eye health education and eyeglasses/sunglasses distribution. Volunteers are trained to recognize cataracts using an ophthalmoscope. The volunteers then bring the patients to a clinic in a city, stay with them through their surgery, take them back to the village and manage post-operative care. Eye education is conducted in local schools- volunteers must collect information for this curriculum prior to arriving in Ghana. For more information, see www.ifmsa-usa.org/ghana and click on Volunteer in Ghana and then short term or contact apolkwilliams@yahoo.com for an application. This position is not subsidized by GHEI, which means that volunteers pay fees. The fee for this session is $1,700 US. The fees pay for language instruction, housing, project supplies and general overhead.

Health Department To Distribute 340,000 Doses Of Flu Vaccine For People at Hight Risk
November 10, 2004
Today's release announces plans to distribute about 340,000 doses of influenza vaccine to Pennsylvanians most in need. Clicking on the link below will take you directly to the release. News Release

$2.8 MILLION PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP TO EXAMINE HOW SURROUNDINGS CAN ENCOURAGE ACTIVE LIFESTYLES
November 10, 2004
A new $2.8 million effort, partnering public and private funding agencies, will examine how better community design encourages people to be more physically active in their daily lives. Researchers will identify how our built environment contributes to obesity and how environmental changes can combat a growing public health problem. "We need to be as creative and inventive as we can to encourage Americans to make physical activity a part of their daily lives," Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy G. Thompson said. "This new partnership is one more example of how we are working to promote physical activity and improve public health." The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences is paying for the five- year evaluation of communities located across the U.S. to assess the impact on physical activity and obesity of local design and transportation changes. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's Active Living by Design Program is supporting 25 community partnerships to develop and implement collaboration among a variety of organizations in public health and other disciplines, such as city planning, transportation, architecture, recreation, crime prevention, traffic safety and education, as well as key groups concentrating on land use, public transit, non- motorized travel, public spaces, parks, trails, and architectural practices that advance physical activity. The program establishes innovative approaches to increase physical activity through community design and communications strategies. The NIEHS will examine the program's impact on physical activity, obesity, and other health indicators. Results from these 25 communities will be compared against communities that haven't improved their surroundings to encourage physical activity. The built environment encompasses buildings like houses, schools, and workplaces; industrial or residential land uses; public areas like parks and museums; zoning regulations and transportation systems. "We'd like to determine if simple changes in the built environment and in individual behavior can enhance physical activity and reduce obesity for residents," said Dr. Kenneth Olden, director of the NIEHS, which is the public agency funding the effort. "Local municipalities could then look at the results and determine if modifying the built environment might affect the public's health and reduce health care costs." The World Health Organization declared excess weight as one of the top ten health risks in the world. The U.S. is no exception to the epidemic, 64 percent of American adults are either overweight or obese. Obesity, like most chronic health problems, is caused by complex interactions between genetic, environmental, and behavioral factors. The Surgeon General's "Call to Action to Prevent and Decrease Overweight and Obesity" (2001) pointed out that multidimensional communication, research, and evaluation would be needed to reverse the obesity epidemic. Environmental factors provide the greatest opportunity for actions and interventions designed for prevention and treatment of obesity, and behavior change can occur only in a supportive environment with accessible and affordable healthy food choices and opportunities for regular physical activity. For these reasons, the NIEHS has entered into a collaborative relationship with The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to evaluate how environmental interventions impact individual weight management. One practical intervention is to modify the environmental contributors responsible for the majority of the obesity epidemic, such as food availability, sedentary lifestyles and behaviors, and the built environment. "Community design and limited transportation choice often prevent people from leading physically active lives," said Richard Killingsworth, director of Active Living by Design. "The partnership with NIEHS will allow us to identify how design and transportation can increase active living for everyone -- young and old." "The value of these community partnerships goes beyond the physical infrastructure" said Kate Kraft, senior program officer at The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. "This pioneering program is more than just adding trails and sidewalks but investing in diverse partnerships that bring together citizens, local government and the private sector to build physical activity back into our communities. By creating and promoting environments that support physical activity, we can expand the opportunities for people to tackle obesity." Physical activity can reduce the risk of a wide variety of chronic and acute illnesses including cardiovascular disease, stroke, high blood pressure, diabetes, colon cancer, obesity, depression, back pain and osteoporosis. Research shows that physical inactivity is a primary cause of overweight and obesity in the U.S. "Less than half of all Americans reach the recommended amount of physical activity," said Dr. Allen Dearry, NIEHS associate director. "By looking at these communities around the country, we'll be able to better understand the relationship among the built environment, physical activity and obesity." Part of the National Institutes of Health, NIEHS supports research to understand the effects of the environment on human health. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, based in Princeton, N.J., is the nation's largest philanthropy devoted exclusively to health and health care. Located at the University of North Carolina's School of Public Health at Chapel Hill, the Active Living by Design Program was established to increase physical activity through the built environment. For more information, go to: National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences at <http://www.niehs.nih.gov>

Diabetes Hospitalization Report
The Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council
November 10, 2004
The Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council (PHC4) is pleased to announce the release of its latest report, the Diabetes Hospitalization Report, 2003 Data. This new report includes information on hospital admissions for diabetes, as well as two major complications of diabetes – lower extremity amputation and end-stage renal disease. The report provides a snapshot of diabetes hospitalizations in Pennsylvania during 2003 and some trends over the previous few years. To view and/or download the report, visit us on the web by clicking the following link: Diabetes Hospitalization Report

HRSA Genetics Workgroup - FYI: The U.S. Surgeon General's Family History Initiative
November 8, 2004
We're writing to update you about an important new national program, The U.S. Surgeon General's Family History Initiative. We think that you and your organization will find this initiative of great interest. Several offices and agencies within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, including the Office of the Surgeon General, the National Institutes of Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Health Resources and Services Administration, and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality - as well as other organizations are coordinating efforts to increase America's awareness of the importance of family health history. Our goal is to provide accessible methods for easily obtaining an accurate family health history and to increase use of the family health history in disease prevention and health promotion. Together, we are teaming up to make Thanksgiving Day the annual National Family History Day. Thanksgiving Day 2004 will serve as the inaugural National Family History Day. In a few years, sophisticated genetic testing and other related advances will dramatically change how health care is practiced. However, genetic information can already be used today to improve health. Most diseases are due to the interactions of multiple genes and environmental factors. Although these interactions are complex, almost everyone has available now, at no cost, a personalized genomic tool that captures these interactions and can serve as the cornerstone for individualized disease prevention. This valuable tool is the family history. Many individuals are unaware of their relatives' medical histories. The U.S. Surgeon General's Family History Initiative encourages family discussion of health history. The initiative includes an easy-to-use, downloadable, web-based family history tool, "My Family Health Portrait," which will be available November 8 at http://www.hhs.gov/familyhistory. This tool will also be available in print and in English and Spanish. The campaign will be launched during a press conference at 10 a.m., Monday, November 8, 2004, at the National Press Club (529 14th St. NW, 13th Floor, Holeman Lounge, Washington, D.C., 20045). Space at the press conference is limited, but if you would like to attend, please RSVP to this e-mail address. Non-media will be admitted on a first come, first served basis. We encourage you to notify your organization's members about this historic event. We have drafted the attached short article for you to consider using in your organization publication(s). Also, please consider posting information on your organization's website describing the U.S. Surgeon General's Family History Initiative with a link to http://www.hhs.gov/familyhistory. We welcome any other efforts that you can contribute to this initiative - now or in the future. Thank you for all your work to improve the nation's health. Article

Building Better Rural Places
November 8, 2004
"Building Better Rural Places” is a comprehensive guide to over 75 federal programs supporting innovative enterprises in agriculture and forestry; sustainable land and resource management; value-added and diversified enterprises; and community and economic development. Now in its fourth printing, the guide is available at www.attra.org/guide.

IOM Report on Rural Health Care
November 6, 2004
This report examines the quality of health care in rural America and offers recommendations for addressing the challenges associated with providing quality care. IOM Report on Rural Health Care

2005 Health Policy Fellowship
November 4, 2004
Application deadline: Monday, January 10, 2005. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) and AcademyHealth are seeking applicants for their 2005 Health Policy Fellowship. This program brings visiting scholars in health services research-related disciplines to NCHS to collaborate on studies of interest to policymakers and the health services research community using Center data systems. Up to two individuals to be selected. Fellows will conduct their research in residence at NCHS in Hyattsville, Maryland. Duration: 13-24 months, beginning in September, 2005 to January 2006. Applicants must demonstrate training and/or experience in health services research and methodology, reflecting disciplines such as: public health, sociology , public administration, economics , health care administration, behavioral sciences , statistics.

AHRQ Awards
November 4, 2004
I wanted to share with you the newly awarded grantees of the State and Regional Demonstrations in Health Information Technology from the Agency for Healthcare Research Quality. There are several rural based projects located with the Delta region that may be of interest to many of you. The URL is http://www.ahrq.gov/research/hitfact.htm

Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Program
November 4, 2004
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is announcing a five-year "Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Program" as mandated under section 410A of the Medicare Modernization Act. Congress included this provision in the law in response to financial concerns of small, rural hospitals that are too large to qualify as Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs). The demonstration will test the feasibility and advisability of reasonable cost reimbursement for small rural hospitals. Fourteen small rural hospitals in eight sparsely populated States were selected to participate. The demonstration is aimed at increasing the capability of the selected rural hospitals to meet the needs of their service areas. CMS will conduct an evaluation of the demonstration. More Info

NRHA eNews Vol. 5; No. 19
November 4, 2004
Available for Members only. Click here for their homepage.

Surgery Choices for Women with Early-Stage Breast Cancer
November 4, 2004
Surgery Choices for Women with Early-Stage Breast Cancer is a new resource to help patients understand their breast cancer surgery options and facilitate decision making. It was developed through a partnership between the National Cancer Institute's Office of Education and Special Initiatives, the National Research Center for Women & Families, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, the Offices of Women's Health at the NCI and the Department of Health and Human Services, and the Office of Research on Women's Health at NIH. The booklet is designed to explain the different surgery choices-breast-sparing surgery, mastectomy, and mastectomy with breast reconstruction surgery-so women can weigh the pros and cons of each. A unique feature of this resource is the "Compare Your Choices" chart, an easy-to-use decision-aid format that presents a balanced view of the surgical options. The chart helps patients compare surgery choices based on multiple factors, including surgery side effects, additional treatments, and the chance of cancer recurrence for each surgery type. The NCI is asking the HRSA Office of Rural Health Policy to assist in promoting this new resource by distributing information to your constituents via email, through an organization listserv, or through other electronic means. A listserv announcement that you can use is pasted below and is also attached. Other suggested promotional activities include distributing promotional flyers, including a Web posting or linkage on your Web site, and/or placing an article in your newsletters and/or other periodicals. Promotional materials to assist your organization in these activities are available at www.ncipoet.org. To order FREE copies of the booklet, call 1-800-4-CANCER or visit www.cancer.gov/publications. View the booklet online at http://cancer.gov/cancertopics/breast-cancer-surgery-choices.

NRHA Supports Rural Veterans
November 4, 2004
Take Action! Write a letter to the editor today. As a part of our campaign to draw attention to rural veterans, the National Rural Health Association (NRHA) is asking for your help. Please take a moment to write a letter to the editors of your local newspapers and share your experiences as a rural veteran or a family member or friend of a rural veteran. If you do not have a veteran in your life but would still like to share your thoughts on rural veterans’ access to health care, please use the attached letter. This action alert is the first step of a multi-tiered campaign designed to draw attention to the hardships that many rural veterans face daily. As we draw closer to Veterans’ Day, be on the look-out for more NRHA news on rural veterans and what you can do to help. The NRHA will be hosting a special, limited-run web site with more information on NRHA endorsed legislation and other informational tools. In a few days, you will be able to find this site at www.NRHArural.org. We hope that you will use these resources in your community and that you will share your thoughts and experiences with your members of Congress. Thank you for your contribution to NRHA’s grassroots efforts to help rural communities. Please contact Courtney Yohe in the NRHA’s Government Affairs office with any questions at (703) 519-7910 or dc@nrharural.org.

RHCD Newsletter
October 22, 2004
Their new newsletter is available for download from here: Newsletter

Primary Care Network News-10-22-04
October 22, 2004
To check out this new release, visit their webpage: http://www.astho.org/newsletter/newsletters/8/index.html

HHS Awards $139 Million To Drive Adoption of Health Information Technology
October 21, 2004
Washington, DC The National Opinion Research Center (NORC) at the University of Chicago and a unique partnership of organizations has been awarded a multi-million dollar, multi-year contract to establish and operate the National Health Information Technology Resource Center (the National HITRC). This contract was awarded by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and was included as part of a broader announcement from DHHS on October 13th 2004. [ More Info ].

New Reports from the Flex Monitoring Team
October 21, 2004
Critical Access Hospital Patient Safety Priorities and Initiatives: Results of the 2004 National CAH Survey. This report describes the patient safety results from a national phone survey of 474 CAH administrators conducted in early 2004. Survey respondents were asked about: 1) top patient safety priorities; 2) familiarity with the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) National Patient Safety Goals and implementation of initiatives related to the goals; 3) factors that limit or support their ability to implement patient safety interventions; and 4) pharmacist staffing and computer software to improve medication safety. The survey findings provide encouraging evidence of CAH interest in patient safety, but should be interpreted cautiously, because of the significant number of CAHs that reported that financial resources, staff time, and technology are limiting factors in their ability to implement patient safety interventions.

Rural Assistance Center Health Update
October 19, 2004
Check out their latest update here: http://www.raconline.org/listserv/101804.html

NRHA eNews Vol. 5; No. 18
October 17, 2004
You can view their newest release here in their Member's Only Section: http://www.nrharural.org/.

Understanding Prostate Changes: A Health Guide for Men
October 13, 2004
An updated version of the resource Understanding Prostate Changes: A Health Guide for Men is now available at www.cancer.gov.

NIH Loan Repayment Programs -- Dec. 15 Application Deadline
October 13, 2004
On September 1, 2004, NIH started accepting applications for its Loan Repayment Programs. These NIH Loan Repayment Programs are a vital component of our nation's efforts to attract health professionals to research careers in areas of national need. The programs are the Clinical Research LRP, Pediatric Research LRP, Contraception and Infertility Research LRP, Clinical Research for Individuals from Disadvantaged Backgrounds LRP, and Health Disparities Research LRP. National Institutes of Health Loan Repayment Programs (LRPs) can repay up to $35,000 a year of qualified educational debt for health professionals pursuing careers in clinical, pediatric, contraception and infertility, or health disparities research. The programs also provide coverage for Federal and state tax liabilities. Applicants must have a doctoral-level degree, devote 50% or more of their time (20 hours per week based on a 40 hour work week) to nonprofit- or government-funded research, and have educational debt equaling at least 20% of their institutional base salary. U.S. citizens, permanent residents, or U.S. nationals may apply. Please share this e-mail with the researchers and other individuals in your organization who may benefit from LRP participation. All applications for 2005 awards must be submitted by December 15, 2004. Visit www.lrp.nih.gov for further information and to apply online.

Senate Passes Conrad 30 J1 Visa Program Legislation
October 13, 2004
On Monday, the U.S. Senate passed S. 2302 by unanimous consent. This bill provides for a two-year reauthorization of the Conrad 30 J1 Visa Waiver program, establishes a nationwide pilot project giving states geographic flexibility in placing 5 of their 30 state waiver physicians, exempts the federal J1 waiver program from the H1-B Visa Cap, and applies the federal J1 program to specialists along with primary care physicians. The House passed a similar measure last week. In order to secure passage in the Senate, a provision was added requiring verification of a specialist shortage when seeking a waiver for a specialist. This change makes it necessary for the House to pass the Senate bill before it can be sent to the President. While the House leadership agreed to the change, the House adjourned before the Senate was able to pass the bill. We expect the House will be able to pass the Senate bill when it returns after the elections for a lame-duck session. We will continue to keep you apprised of any relevant developments

THE 2005 NEW PROVIDER PRACTICUM IN MIGRANT HEALTH
October 13, 2004
What is the New Provider Practicum in Migrant Health? The Practicum provides a four-month working and learning experience in a Migrant Health Center for new health care professionals. The purpose of the Practicum is to increase the understanding of migrant health care issues for the participants as they consider careers working with underserved populations. A stipend of approximately $15,000 is paid for this experience. Who is eligible to apply? The Practicum is designed for:

LEWISTOWN HOSPITAL IS THE RECIPIENT OF A $500,000 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE RURAL DEVELOPMENT GRANT.
October 12, 2004
The hospital will utilize the funds to provide telemedicine service to other rural areas covering more than 800 square miles in the Juniata Valley region, and a telemedicine network will be created where practitioners can access their patients' records and test results, and monitor patients' vital statistics while under treatment, reported the Sentinel. The hospital also will use the funding to reorganize its data gathering, storage and patient clinical record systems, while a multimedia record for each patient will be created that will integrate various clinical data repositories into a single unified system, the Sentinel added. Sentinel, October 8, 2004 http://lewistownsentinel.com/articles.asp?articleID=2100

Department of Health News Release
October 12, 2004
Yesterday's release announces the partnership of the Department of Health, the Pennsylvania Medical Society and the Hospital Association to address the flu vaccine shortage. Clicking on the link below will take you directly to the release. http://www.dsf.health.state.pa.us/health/cwp/view.asp?Q=239725&A=190

International Health Opportunities
October 10, 2004
Find all the information you need plus the application here: www.uniteforsight.org

Primary Care Network News-10-08-04
October 8, 2004
To check out this new release, visit their webpage: http://www.astho.org/newsletter/newsletters/8/index.html

NRHA Press Release
October 8, 2004
(Park City, UT) Today the National Rural Health Association (NRHA), National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health (NOSORH) and National Association of State EMS Directors (NASEMSD) announce the release of a new agenda providing a roadmap to restructure and strengthen rural and frontier Emergency Medical Services (EMS). Released in conjunction with the NASEMSD Conference in Park City, the Rural/Frontier EMS Agenda for the Future offers recommendations to support and improve emergency services in rural and frontier communities by focusing on restructuring, reimbursement and recruitment issues. "The NRHA is extremely proud of this agenda and we are optimistic that the guidelines we present will help further enhance rural and frontier EMS services," NRHA President D. David Sniff said. The NRHA has been working with the National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health (NOSORH), the National Association of State EMS Directors (NASEMSD), and state, local and national rural and frontier EMS policy-makers and service providers to develop the Rural/Frontier EMS Agenda for the Future. The Agenda was authored by Kevin K. McGinnis, MPS, WEMT-P and is the result of an extensive, multi-year consultation process that included all of the major rural and frontier EMS stake-holders. "We took a long look at where the EMS delivery system now stands and where we believe it should be headed," NRHA EMS Issue Group Chair Gary Wingrove said. "Any rural person s life could at some point depend on a responsive and well-trained EMS delivery system. This is not an aspect of our health continuum of care that we can leave unattended. "It is absolutely crucial that we continue to move forward with the agenda so that we can maintain the health and safety of our rural and frontier communities." A copy the Agenda is at http://www.nrharural.org/EMSagenda/EMS_Book_9_17A.pdf

NRHA eNews Vol. 5; No. 17
October 5, 2004
You can view their newest release here in their Member's Only Section: http://www.nrharural.org/

Technical Assistance Funding Available from the NRHA
October 4, 2004
Assistance for Rural Communities Interested in Applying for Community or Migrant Health Center Funds The Community and Migrant Health Center (C/MHC) program is a way for rural primary care providers and rural communities to obtain federal assistance to pay for care for low-income individuals who do not have health insurance. C/MHCs are comprehensive local health care providers that are governed by a community board. Congress and President Bush have been working together for the past several years to increase funding for C/MHCs so that more underserved Americans can get access to quality health care. The NRHA is offering technical assistance to all rural communities interested in learning more about this program and/or applying to become a C/MHC. We can answer basic questions. We can send C/MHC experts to your community to educate local leaders about the program. We can also provide funds to help write and/or edit your application. Direct all inquiries to Shelly Ten Napel at tennapel@NRHA.orgf or 703-519-7910.

PHC4 Releases Hospital Performance Report 2003: Hospital Mortality Rates Down, Readmission Rates Up
October 4, 2004
Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council The Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council (PHC4) is pleased to announce the release of its Hospital Performance Report 2003. The Hospital Performance Report 2003 contains 29 conditions based on ICD-9-CM codes, which specify the clinical reasons for a patient's hospitalization. Of the 29 code-based conditions, there are 19 diagnoses and 10 procedures. There are also 20 additional treatment categories posted on the PHC4 Web site. To view and/or download the report, visit us on the web by clicking the following link: Hospital Performance Report 2003 Copies of the report can also be ordered by calling PHC4 at (717) 232-6787.

New Joint Publication from the RUPRI Center and the North Carolina Center: "Definition of Rural in the Context of MMA Access Standards for Prescription Drug Plans"
October 2, 2004
A new joint publication is available from the RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis and the North Carolina Rural Health Research and Policy Analysis Center. This paper is especially important to those who are writing comment letters that are due October 4: Definition of Rural in the Context of MMA Access Standards for Prescription Drug Plans How will the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Action of 2003 (MMA) affect access to local pharmacy services? The answer is, in part, a function of the extent to which private prescription drug plans offering the Medicare benefit will incorporate local rural pharmacies into their provider networks. Their actions will be based on market considerations and on the requirements for local access contained in the MMA and regulation, which in turn will be shaped by how the meaning of "rural" is defined. This paper assesses how the definition of rural affects the potential impact of the specific access standards in the Proposed Rule to implement Title I of the MMA. Please visit one of the following links to download this document: http://www.rupri.org/ruralPolicy/publications/p2004-7.pdf | http://www.shepscenter.unc.edu/research_programs/rural_program/wp79.pdf

Rural Assistance Center Health Update
October 2, 2004
You can view their newest release here: http://www.raconline.org/listserv/092704.html

Department of Health News Release
October 2, 2004
Today's release announces receipt of $7.5 million grant from DHHS for "STEPS to a Healthier US." Clicking on the link will take you directly to the release. http://www.dsf.health.state.pa.us/health/cwp/view.asp?Q=239669&A=190

Penn State News
September 24, 2004
RURAL ELDERLY AND CAREGIVERS BENEFIT FROM ADULT DAY SERVICES The graying of America is showing its roots in rural Pennsylvania. According to the 2000 census, Pennsylvania's rural elderly population, which includes those aged 65 and over, increased by about 9 percent since 1990, and it is projected to increase by 27 percent over the next 20 years. As this population continues to grow, so too will its need for health care -- and research into community-based adult health and social support services have typically not included rural populations. To address this research gap, in 2003 the Center for Rural Pennsylvania tabbed Janet Melnick, an instructor at Penn State Worthington Scranton, to review these services in rural Pennsylvania. Study findings reveal that the rural elderly are more likely than their urban counterparts to have self-care deficits with activities such as eating, dressing and walking. The rural elderly also have an increased risk of developing a dementing illness, further limiting their abilities for self-care. Read the full story at http://live.psu.edu/story/8220

Primary Care Network News-09-24-04
September 24, 2004
To check out this new release, visit their webpage: http://www.astho.org/newsletter/newsletters/8/index.html

Department of Health News Release
September 23, 2004
Today's release announces receipt of a $250,000 grant to implement new cancer plan for Pennsylvania. Clicking on the link will take you directly to the release. http://www.dsf.health.state.pa.us/health/cwp/view.asp?Q=238990&A=190

SAMHSA's Mental Health Program and Policy Resources
September 22, 2004
SAMHSA’s Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS) has developed six Evidence-Based Practice Implementation Resource Kits to encourage the use of evidence-based practices in mental health. These kits contain many useful resources, including information sheets for all stakeholder groups, introductory videos, practice demonstration videos, and a manual for practitioners. Some sections include Spanish translations. You can view and download these materials at http://www.mentalhealth.samhsa.gov/cmhs/communitysupport/toolkits/defaul t.asp. SAMHSA/CMHS expects to identify additional practices for future kits.

NRHA eNews Vol. 5; No. 16
September 21, 2004
New NRHA enews available. Click here to go to their homepage. Must be a member to view.

Medicare Report
September 21, 2004
Families USA has produced a new report called Gearing Up: States Face the New Medicare Law. Issues covered in the report include:

Designation Will Improve Hospital's Medicare Reimbursement
September 17, 2004
Huntingdon, PA, 9/16/04: Congressman Bill Shuster announced today that J.C. Blair Memorial Hospital in Huntingdon has received Sole Community Hospital status through the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Since J.C. Blair is located in a rural area and does not have a similar hospital nearby, it has been placed in this category. As a Sole Community Hospital, J.C. Blair will now receive more federal funding to help meet the needs of its local residents. "It is essential that we make certain our local hospitals are receiving all of the funding they deserve," said Congressman Shuster, a member of the Rural Health Care Coalition. "The residents in this community will now have access to better service, better technology and more efficient health care overall." On average, J.C. Blair will receive an additional $1,000 per day because of this status change. J.C. Blair meets the requirement because it is located more than twenty-five miles from the nearest similar hospital. "We are extremely grateful to Congressman Shuster for making this issue a priority and expediting the approval process with CMS," said J.C. Blair Board Chairman Frank DeMar. "Many in our community deserve credit for keeping this issue in front of the Congressman, through their participation in the community forums and our grassroots advocacy campaigns. Each post card, phone call and letter has made a difference." J.C Blair Hospital is located at 1225 Warm Springs Avenue in Huntingdon. The non-profit, community hospital serves the health care needs of Huntingdon County and the surrounding communities, and will now be more capable of delivering quality care to everyone. The other Medicare reimbursement categories available through CMS are either Medicare Dependency status or Critical Access status.

Senate committee approves Appropriations Measure
September 17, 2004
Yesterday, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved its legislation allocating federal funding to rural health programs. We were pleased to see the Senate measure restores the spending cuts proposed by the President. Under the Senate measure, Rural Hopspital Flexibility Grants, Rural Outreach and Network Grants, State Offices of Rural Health, and Rural Research would all be funded at FY04 levels. In addition, Community Health Centers, the National Health Service Corps, and the Health Professions Program would see modest overall increases. While the NRHA views this as a very positive step, it is unclear when, or even if, this measure will be considered by the full Senate. It is likely the appropriations process will continue well toward the end of the year and possibly into next year. Thank you to all of you who participated in NRHA's grassroots efforts on this issue. We will continue to update you as events unfold. Please contact the National Rural Health Association's Government Affairs office at (703) 519-7910 with any questions.

A MAJORITY OF PENNSYLVANIANS IN A RECENT POLL SAY THEY ARE HAVING TROUBLE PAYING FOR HEALTH CARE, WHILE ONE IN FOUR SAY THEY HAD TO SWITCH DOCTORS BECAUSE OF THE STATE'S MEDICAL MALPRACTICE CLIMATE.
September 15, 2004
The results from a statewide poll conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates International showed that 55 percent of adults surveyed said their families had trouble affording health care or getting insurance coverage in the last year, while the poll found it was common for people to save money by delaying treatment, cutting pills in half or using medicines obtained by relatives to get drugs they cannot afford, reported the Inquirer. Thirty-one percent of those surveyed cited malpractice lawsuits as the most important reason for rising health care costs, while the Pennsylvania Medical Society pointed to the poll's finding that one in four respondents said the state's liability insurance crisis forced their family to change doctors within the past year because their doctor moved, stopped practicing, or gave up certain procedures - a percentage that climbs to one in three in the southeastern part of the state. The Medical Society noted that 68 percent of the poll's participants said the solution is to cap non-economic malpractice awards through a constitutional amendment. The poll also found that 70 percent said the government should expand its role in health care to reduce the number of people without health insurance, while 40 percent believed that the quality of care would diminish if the government guaranteed health insurance to everyone, the Inquirer added. Philadelphia Inquirer, September 9, 2004 http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/news/front/9613650.htm

National Institute of Mental Health. Reorganization
September 15, 2004
The National Institute of Mental Health has reorganized and has issued a new description of its priorities and divisions, all to be effective October 1, 2004. Here is the link for the new announcement of restructuring: http://www.nimh.nih.gov/researchfunding/reorganization.cfm
Here is the link to NIMH's new priorities:
http://www.nimh.nih.gov/strategic/strategicplanmenu.cfm

FARM SAFETY AND HEALTH WEEK CALLS ATTENTION TO HAZARDS OF FARMING
September 13, 2004
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- In 2003, 31 people died of injuries suffered in farm-related incidents in Pennsylvania. As the agricultural community prepares to observe National Farm Safety and Health Week, Sept. 19-25, a farm safety specialist in Penn State's College of agricultural Sciences reminds farm workers and residents that most farm injuries and deaths are preventable. "Farm safety is a management issue," says Dennis Murphy, Distinguished Professor of Agricultural and Biological Engineering. "Managing farm safety and health requires a proactive stance toward the elimination, prevention and control of work-related hazards and risk. "In addition to fatalities, the estimated number of temporary lost-time work injuries on Pennsylvania farms is nearly 5,000 annually," Murphy says. "The estimated annual economic toll of these injuries to Pennsylvanians and the rural economy is well over $153 million." The 31 farm-related deaths in the state last year was an increase from 2002's 20 fatalities and was slightly higher than the five-year annual average of 29.4 since 1999. Nationally, between 700 and 800 farmers are killed each year, and about 100 of those deaths involve children aged 19 and younger. "A positive trend in Pennsylvania is that only three children under the age of 10 died on farms last year," says Murphy. "That's down from five in 2002 and eight in 2001." At the other end of the age spectrum, about one-third of the state's 2003 farm fatalities involved people aged 65 and over. "In other industries -- particularly in hazardous industries -- people at that age have retired," he says. "But farmers often don't fully retire." Historically, about half of Pennsylvania's farm fatalities involve tractors, and 2003 was no exception. Many tractor-related injuries and deaths are caused by roll-overs, and Murphy believes that a contributing factor is the lack of roll-over protective structures, or ROPS. Yet the presence of a ROPS, combined with proper seatbelt use, can dramatically reduce the chance of injury and death due to roll-overs. "The average age of tractors in Pennsylvania is 25 or 26 years, and many tractors that age have no ROPS," he explains. "Tractors older than that often can't even be retro-fitted with ROPS. A national study showed that Northeast states have the highest percentage of tractors without ROPS compared to other regions. That probably stems from the fact that our farms tend to be smaller than those in other regions, and we have a less robust farm economy, so many farmers here tend to hold on to older equipment as long as they can." Although hazards abound on farms, says Murphy, injury is not inevitable if risks are identified and proper precautions are taken. "There are a number of areas on a farm that easily can be made safer with a little effort and investment." For more information, including free fact sheets on various aspects of farm safety and health, contact your county Penn State Cooperative Extension office or visit the Penn State Agricultural Safety and Health site on the Web at http://www.abe.psu.edu/extension/agsafety/index.htm.

Alert Follow-Up
September 13, 2004
Last week, you received an NRHA action alert regarding an amendment by Representative John Peterson (R-PA) to increase funding for the Rural Medicare Hospital Flexibility Program and the Rural Outreach and Network Grant Program up to Fiscal Year 2004 levels. Representative Peterson opted not to offer the amendment after receiving a commitment from House leadership to work with him to restore the funding during the final stages of the appropriations process. This maneuver will expand the pool of potential spending offsets that can be used to pay for the increased funding. The NRHA thanks Representative Peterson for his strong leadership on rural health funding. We view this as a positive development and are optimistic a suitable agreement will be reached in the end. Thank you to all of you that took time to participate in NRHA’s grassroots efforts on behalf of millions of rural Americans.

BLUE CROSS OF NORTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA IS OFFERING $750,000 IN SCHOLARSHIPS OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS TO LESSEN THE SHORTAGE OF NURSES IN THE REGION.
September 9, 2004
The health insurer cited a drastic shortage of nurses and the accompanying medical problems as the reason for encouraging nursing education, and announced that it will give $250,000 a year for three years to the Nursing Education Initiative of the Pennsylvania Higher Education Foundation, reported the Scranton Times Tribune. State Rep. Phyllis Mundy criticized the grant offering as an inappropriate way for the nonprofit insurer to spend its multi-million dollar surplus, and said its mission is instead to keep premiums at the lowest level possible for the 600,000 individuals it serves in 13 counties, the Citizens Voice added. Scranton Times Tribune, September 9, 2004 http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=12885549&BRD=2185&PAG=461&dept_id=416045&rfi=6 Citizens Voice, September 9, 2004 http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=12882714&BRD=2259&PAG=461&dept_id=455154&rfi=6

September 2004 PA Health Law Newsletter
September 12, 2004
The September 2004 PA Health Law newsletter is available, check it out here

National Cancer Institute Announces New Publication: "Women, Tobacco and Cancer: An Agenda for the 21st Century"
September 10, 2004
The Women, Tobacco, and Cancer Working Group has published its report entitled Women, Tobacco and Cancer: An Agenda for the 21st Century. The Women, Tobacco, and Cancer Working group is a public/private partnership with participation and support from federal agencies, nonprofit organization and public and private research institutions. This document builds on the 2001 Surgeon General's Report, Women and Smoking, which presented a comprehensive overview of the health effects of smoking on women and girls. The new report articulates a set of strategies that focus on five areas of tobacco control: discovery, development, delivery and evaluation/surveillance. Currently, in the U.S. 170,000 women die each year from smoking, and lung cancer has surpassed breast cancer as the leading cause of cancer death in women since 1986. In an effort to address the rising rates of tobacco use in specific populations of women, the report represents a collaborative effort of the scientists, clinicians and advocates determined to address tobacco use as a "women's issue". To view this report, click on: http://planning.cancer.gov/whealth/reports/wtobacco.pdf

CALL FOR PAPERS: SPECIAL ISSUE ON DISABILITY AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
September 10, 2004
People with disability make up a substantial proportion of the population. A community's environment significantly affects their ability participate in community life. The Journal of the Community Development Society announces a call for manuscripts for a special issue on disability and community development. The purpose of this issue is to highlight how community development strategies can promote participation in community life of people who experience disability, and how disabled people and disability service organizations contribute to community development. Manuscripts may address across-disability issues, people who experience disability due to any impairment or chronic condition, including disability due to injury and chronic disease, mental illness, sensory impairments, and cognitive impairments. Topics may include housing, environmental design and community accessibility, advocacy, community leadership, transportation, telecommunications, demographics, community health issues such as long-term care or health promotion, employment and economic development, citizen involvement, programs and services, or planning and policy. Papers may address adult and children's issues, as well as rural and urban contexts. Manuscripts that report research, program demonstrations, unique service collaborations, and policy studies are encouraged. Book reviews are also welcome. To be considered, manuscripts should be received by January 3, 2005. To discuss whether your potential submission falls within this topical area, call or e-mail: Tom Seekins, Guest Editor (406) 243-2460 ruraldoc@ruralinstitute.umt.edu .

House Democratic leaders renew call for improved access to health insurance
September 8, 2004
Check out the news release here: http://www.pahouse.com/pr/Veon/014090804.htm

NRHA Press Release
September 8, 2004
(Washington, D.C.) Today the National Rural Health Association (NRHA) called on Congressional leaders to restructure and adequately finance rural and frontier Emergency Medical Services (EMS). By focusing on restructuring, reimbursement and recruitment, the NRHA hopes to improve and strengthen emergency services provided in rural and frontier communities. "This briefing is a great opportunity to speak directly to Congress about where the EMS delivery system now stands and where we believe it should be headed," NRHA EMS Issue Group Chair Gary Wingrove said. "Any rural person s life could at some point depend on a responsive and well-trained EMS delivery system. This is not an aspect of our health continuum of care that we can leave unattended." The NRHA will host a briefing today to provide an opportunity for Congressional leaders and their staff to learn more about the Rural/Frontier EMS Agenda for the Future. Briefing on behalf of rural EMS and the National Rural Health Association will be Wingrove, Mayo Clinic Ambulance Service, Min.; Chris Tilden, Office of Local and Rural Health, Kan.; Fergus Laughridge, Chair, Rural EMS Committee for the National Association of State EMS Directors; and Kevin McGinnis, principle author, Rural/Frontier EMS Agenda for the Future "It s absolutely crucial for EMS providers to be able to speak to policy makers," Wingrove said. "By expressing our concerns and thoughts, we are able to have an immediate, direct impact. By taking our message to Capitol Hill, we enable our leaders to help prepare and equip rural and frontier EMS providers for the future." The NRHA has been working with the National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health (NOSORH), the National Association of State EMS Directors (NASEMSD), and state, local and national rural and frontier EMS policy-makers and service providers to develop the Rural/Frontier EMS Agenda for the Future. This Agenda will be released in Park City, Utah on October 8, 2004. It is the result of an extensive, multi-year consultation process that included all of the major rural and frontier EMS stake-holders. For more information, visit: www.nrharural.org/EMSagenda/.

House Appropriations Coming This Week
September 7, 2004
As Congress returns from its summer recess, the House of Representatives is currently scheduled to consider the Labor, HHS, and Education Appropriations bill on Wednesday and Thursday of this week. This bill includes funding for vital rural health programs. As you may recall, the President’s budget contained drastic cuts to a number of rural health programs. While the bill that will be considered by the House restores a sizable portion of those cuts, the Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility (Flex) Grant Program and the Rural Outreach and Network (Outreach) Grant Program still face a reduction in funding. As it now stands, Representative John Peterson (R-PA) intends to offer an amendment on the floor that would restore the Flex and Outreach programs to FY04 levels. It is of great importance to millions of rural Americans that these programs are maintained.Therefore, the NRHA strongly supports Representative Peterson’s efforts to restore funding to these critical programs. Please contact your Representative today and ask them to oppose any cuts to rural health programs and to support the Peterson rural health amendment! Thank you for your contribution to NRHA’s grassroots efforts to help rural communities. Please contact the NRHA’s Government Affairs staff with any questions at (703) 519-7910 or dc@nrharural.org.

Intergenerational newsletter and new publication (IG environmental education)
September 7, 2004
Here's the latest issue of the Ideas for Intergenerational Living Newsletter, and is available on-line (at http://intergenerational.cas.psu.edu/Newsletters.html -- see Vol. 4, #3, Aug. 2004). We're continuing with the shortened 6-page format.
A new report, entitled, Generations United for Environmental Awareness and Action, is now available. This publication provides a theoretical framework as well as examples and activities to help those interested in developing intergenerational environmental programs. I see this as the forerunner of a series of Extension publications designed to support intergenerational initiatives with an environmental focus, e.g., efforts to recruit and involve older adults in 4-H Camp experiences. Nike Liu (former grad student in the Dept. of Agricultural and Extension Education) and I wrote the report, and it was published by Generations United and funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Carolyn Wissenbach (FCS Extension Educator in Greene County) and Alyssa Dodd (Senor Extension Associate - Agricultural Environmental Policy) provided valuable feedback on earlier drafts of the report. To download a copy, go to http://www.gu.org/Files/GU%20Environmental.pdf

National CAH Survey Report now available from the Flex Monitoring Team
September 7, 2004
As part of the monitoring efforts for the Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility Program (Flex Program), the Flex Monitoring Team conducted a national telephone survey of 500 CAH administrators between January and April 2004. The purpose of the survey was to document the program-related experiences of CAHs over the past two years, in order to help shape public policy to improve the effectiveness of the Flex Program and CAHs. The CAH survey was developed by Flex Monitoring Team members at the Universities of Minnesota, North Carolina, and Southern Maine and fielded by the Survey Research Center in the Division of Health Services Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota. The report was prepared by Michelle Casey M.S., Senior Research Fellow and Jill Klingner, M.S., R.N., Research Associate at the University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center. The full report may be viewed and downloaded from the Flex Monitoring website at http://www.flexmonitoring.org/documents/CAHSurveyNational.pdf

Special Edition of "The Pulse of CMS"
September 3, 2004
The Philadelphia Regional Office of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services would like to share with you this special one-page edition of "The Pulse of CMS." It focuses on a very important provision of the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement and Modernization Act (MMA) of 2003: Section 641, the Medicare Replacement Drug Demonstration. The provision calls for Medicare to pay for certain drugs (for a number of diseases) that can be taken by the patient in their homes that replace drugs currently covered when administered in a Part B setting. We are asking that all of our partners help to publicize this demonstration project to both the provider and beneficiary communities. Please forward this newsletter to any e-mail distribution lists or list servs you may have. Also, if your organization has a website, this newsletter may be posted there as well. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to e-mail me with your issues. Thank you.

Dissertation fellowship in Women's Health: due Oct 11, 2004
September 2, 2004
Purpose: The Woodrow Wilson -- Johnson & Johnson Dissertation Fellowships in Women's Health encourage original and significant research about women that crosses disciplinary, regional, or cultural boundaries. Previous Fellows have explored such topics as postpartum depression; contraceptive law; sex hormones and ovarian cancer; dietary determinants of morbidity; sex and violence in everyday life; and sexuality on the Internet. The Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation offers both Women's Studies Dissertation Fellowships and WW-Johnson & Johnson Dissertation Fellowships in Women's Health. See Women's Studies for more information. [ More Info ]

New NRHA eNews Available
September 1, 2004
Click here to view: http://www.NRHArural.org .

NIH Loan Repayment Programs -- Now Accepting Applications
September 1, 2004
Starting today, September 1, NIH will start accepting applications for its five Loan Repayment Programs. National Institutes of Health Loan Repayment Programs (LRPs) can repay up to $35,000 a year of qualified educational debt for health professionals pursuing careers in clinical, pediatric, contraception and infertility, or health disparities research. The programs also provide coverage for Federal and state tax liabilities. Applicants must have a doctoral-level degree, devote 50% or more of their time (20 hours per week based on a 40 hour work week) to nonprofit- or government-funded research, and have educational debt equaling at least 20% of their institutional base salary. U.S. citizens, permanent residents, or U.S. nationals may apply. The NIH Loan Repayment Programs are a vital component of our nation's efforts to attract health professionals to research careers in areas of national need. The programs are the Clinical Research LRP, Pediatric Research LRP, Contraception and Infertility Research LRP, Clinical Research for Individuals from Disadvantaged Backgrounds LRP, and Health Disparities Research LRP. Please share this e-mail with the researchers and other individuals in your organization who may benefit from LRP participation. All applications for 2005 awards must be submitted by December 15, 2004. Visit www.lrp.nih.gov for further information and to apply online.

NRHA Press Release
August 31, 2004
(August 31, 2004; Kansas City, MO) The National Rural Health Association (NRHA) is pleased to announce the release of a special issue of the Journal of Rural Health, which focuses on establishing and maintaining quality and safety in rural healthcare environments. This journal is published in conjunction with the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) and will be available mid-September. Editor Dr. Tom Rosenthal emphasizes the Journal s focus on the unique factors that make rural healthcare different. "Americans too often equate technology with quality. Yet rural providers, hospitals and physicians want to provide health care equal to or better than the best health care available anywhere," Rosenthal said. "They seldom have the newest scanner to hide behind. Rather they are in the front line, exposed and responsible. AHRQ and NRHA have provided financial support and infrastructure to make rural personal health care the best, and the Journal of Rural Health is proud to be able to document the achievements and challenges in this special issue." [ More Info ]

Primary Care Network News and Rural Assistance Center Updates
August 30, 2004
Newest Briefs are online, check them out:

Financial Analysis 2003, Volume Two: An Annual Report on the Financial Health of Pennsylvania's Non-General Acute Care Facilities
August 30, 2004
The Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council (PHC4) is pleased to announce the release of its Financial Analysis 2003, Volume Two. Volume Two, the second report in PHC4 s Financial Analysis 2003 series, addresses Pennsylvania's Non-General Acute Care hospitals including rehabilitation, psychiatric, long-term acute and specialty hospitals, as well as ambulatory surgical facilities. The information contained in this report, which focuses primarily on Fiscal Year 2003 (FY03), was derived from annual financial statements supplemented with additional data that was supplied by each facility. To view and/or download the report, visit us on the web by clicking the following link: Financial Analysis 2003, Volume Two

Rural Uninsured Continues to Rise
August 28, 2004
(Washington, D.C.) The National Rural Health Association called on lawmakers to act now to address the rising number of uninsured Americans. The Association expressed great concern regarding statistics released by the U.S. Census Bureau, showing America's uninsured population rising to 45 million people. The increase represents an alarming 3.2 percent increase in uninsured Americans between 2002 and 2003. This rise in the number of uninsured Americans is particularly alarming for those who live in rural communities, because rural Americans are more likely to be uninsured and are less likely to have employer-sponsored coverage. [ More Info ]

Rural Physicians' Acceptance of New Medicare Patients
August 28, 2004
The percentage of family physicians accepting new Medicare patients declined between 2000 and 2003. That decline is cause for concern about Medicare beneficiaries’ access to health care services. National trends for all physicians may mask different trends among rural physicians. The data in this policy brief describe the trends for urban and rural physicians who no longer accept new Medicare patients. Among the findings in this brief is that the trend among all physicians is to not accept new Medicare patients. This trend is more pronounced among family practice physicians than among all physicians. For other findings and policy implications, please visit the following link to download PB2004-5: http://www.rupri.org/ruralPolicy/publications/PB2004-5.pdf

Number of uninsured reached 45 million in 2003
August 26, 2004
The number of uninsured in the U.S. reached 45 million in 2003, a 3.2% increase over the 43.6 million people without insurance in 2002, according to data released today by the U.S. Census Bureau. The rate of uninsured among the population rose to 15.6% last year, up from 15.2% in 2002. A decline in coverage by employer-sponsored plans is mostly responsible for the overall drop in coverage, according to the bureau. The percentage and number of people covered by their employers fell to 60.4%, or 174 million people in 2003 from 61.3%, or 175.3 million people in 2002. Hispanics continued last year to be the least insured of any ethnic group at 32.7%, unchanged from 2002. According to the data, 243.3 million people had health insurance coverage in 2003, an increase of 1 million over 2002. More information on the new census data, which is part of the bureau's income, poverty and health insurance report, can be found here.

TAKE BACK YOUR FAMILY TIME
August 24, 2004
With the start of the school year, as our schedules change and often become busier, it may be a good time to schedule a community discussion on Family Time.
"Children are mirroring the busyness of their parents, leading more and more frantic lives," Doherty explains. Children are spending 12 fewer hours a week in overall free time than kids did in 1981, including a 25 percent drop in play time and a 50 percent decline in unstructured outdoor activities. Meanwhile, children's time in structured sports has doubled, and time spent on homework has risen by 50 percent.
A resource to help you in your work with parents and family is the _Take Back Your Family Time_ video, featuring Dr. Bill Doherty as he discusses the problem of overscheduled kids and underconnected families with a community. It captures Dr. Doherty at his best as he talks about the frantic, anxious culture of parenting and outlines ways families and communities can reclaim quality time. A Facilitator Guide is also available to aid you in leading your local community discussion. For more information on the concept and resources, including video samples and a summary of the research behind this program, visit: http://edprojects.che.umn.edu/takeback/

New PHC4 Research Brief
August 13, 2004
The Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council (PHC4) has just released a new Research Brief on the topic of Obesity-Related Surgery in Pennsylvania. The Brief can be found on the PHC4 Web site at www.phc4.org under Agency Spotlight.

Rural Assistance Center Health Update
August 12, 2004
The Rural Assistance Center is a collaborative effort of the University of North Dakota Center for Rural Health, the Rural Policy Research Institute (RUPRI), and the Welfare Information Network (WIN); and is funded by a grant through HRSA's Office of Rural Health Policy [ Click Here for Health Update ]

U.S. Administration on Aging Seeks Partners to Promote Healthy Aging
August 11, 2004
WASHINGTON, D.C. The U.S. Administration on Aging (AoA) will soon announce that it has begun enrolling partners in a new campaign called "You Can! Steps to Healthier Aging." The campaign aims to boost physical activity and improve food choices among older Americans, and is based on growing awareness among public health officials and medical experts that even modest improvements in diet and activity can promote healthy aging. [ More Info ]

Community Health Leadership Program - $120,000 award
August 11, 2004
http://www.communityhealthleaders.org/index1.cfm
Each year, the Robert Wood Johnson Community Health Leadership Program (CHLP) honors ten outstanding individuals who overcome daunting odds to expand access to health care and social services to underserved and isolated populations in communities across the United States. Each is awarded $120,000: $105,000 for program support and $15,000 as a personal stipend. "We welcome nominations from consumers, community leaders, health professionals, government officials and others who have been personally inspired by people providing essential community health services. We regret that nominations from development and public relations departments or professional grant writers cannot be accepted. Our nomination process begins with a Letter of Intent (LOI). The LOI can be sent to the Community Health Leadership Program (CHLP) at any time during the year but is due no later than September 22. Nominators of selected candidates will receive full nomination packages. Completed nominations are due in our office by November 10."

New report on rural impact of the Medicare Advantage and Prescription Drug Plan regulations
August 10, 2004
The RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis and the NORC Walsh Center for Rural Health Analysis have published an analysis of the Medicare Advantage and Prescription Drug Plan regulations with a focus on the rural issues. The report is available online: http://www.rupri.org/ruralPolicy/publications/P2004-6.pdf

Department of Health News Release
August 4, 2004
This release concerns a State Health Improvement Plan White Paper addressing current nurse workforce issues. Clicking on the link will take you directly to the release. http://www.dsf.health.state.pa.us/health/cwp/view.asp?Q=238360&A=190

NIH, Cultural Competence and Health Disparities Academic Award
July 29, 2004
HHS, NIH National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) have announced awards for Cultural Competence and Health Disparities Academic Award. The program is designed to enhance the culturally sensitive abilities of health care professionals to address disparities of cardiovascular, pulmonary, hematological, and sleep disorders among various population groups in the United States. For more information, visit www.omhrc.gov/OMH/WhatsNew/2pgwhatsnew/funding586.htm

AHRQ Hospital Disaster study
July 29, 2004
As part of its public health and emergency preparedness portfolio, AHRQ has released the new evidence report, Training of Hospital Staff to Respond to a Mass Casualty Incident. Developed by AHRQ's Johns Hopkins University Evidence-based Practice Center in Baltimore, the new report is a followup to a 2002 report entitled Training of Clinicians for Public Health Events Relevant to Bioterrorism Preparedness. It identifies key elements to be used in evaluating hospital disaster drills. The new evidence report provided the science behind another recently released AHRQ tool entitled Evaluation of Hospital Disaster Drills: A Module-Based Approach. Select to access the evidence report http://www.ahrq.gov/clinic/epcsums/hospmcisum.htm

Department of Health News Release
July 29, 2004
Today's release announces the results of the second report on the status of PA nursing education programs. Clicking on the link below will take you directly to the release. [ More Info ]

GSPH to Host Statewide Asthma Summit, August 10th
July 27, 2004
GSPH is teaming up with the Pennsylvania Department of Health (PADOH) to host the commonwealth's first-ever summit on asthma, aimed at developing an asthma control program. The free, daylong event will take place here at GSPH on Tuesday, August 10th, and is open to GSPH and other university faculty and staff, members of the healthcare and asthma communities, and the general public. Please register in advance (preferably by July 30) at http://www.publichealth.pitt.edu/specialevents/asthma/index.html if you would like to attend the summit.

INFORMATIONAL ALERT
July 26, 2004
Today, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services released for public comment its proposed rules implementing a major portion of the Medicare Modernization Act (MMA). The rules released today will govern the implementation of Medicare’s prescription drug benefit and the creation of Medicare Advantage plans. The public comment period will run through October 4, 2004. Undoubtedly, these rules will substantially impact the future of Medicare in rural areas. Please be assured, the NRHA will carefully review these regulations and submit the appropriate comments. The regulations can be found at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/medicarereform

RURAL POVERTY AT A GLANCE
July 26, 2004
This publication provides the most recent information on poverty trends and demographic characteristics of the rural poor. The rate of poverty is not only an important social indicator of the well-being of the least well off, but it is also widely used as an input in shaping Federal policies and targeting program benefits. While metro and nonmetro areas have shared similar patterns of reductions and increases in poverty rates over time, there continues to exist a wide and persistent gap between nonmetro and metro poverty rates. The six-page report also documents large metro-nonmetro gaps when poverty is analyzed by race, ethnicity, age, and family structure.

Monitoring the Health Care Safety Net: Developing Data-Driven Capabilities to Support Policymaking
July 16, 2004
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), has developed a new publication to help State policymakers with policy decisions related to the healthcare safety net. The new publication, Developing Data-Driven Capabilities to Support Policymaking, can help states better define and identify their safety net, determine the appropriate data for supporting policy decisions, assess what the data say, and initiate a plan of action for developing policy options that are supported by the data. To view the publication, please visit: http://www.ahrq.gov/data/safetynet/weinick.htm.

July Issue of PHC4 FYI: The Rising Utilization and Costs of Prescription Drugs
July 14, 2004
The July PHC4 FYI aims to deliver a balanced statement about prescription drug cost and utilization increases -- offering perspective from both allies and critics of the pharmaceutical industry, as well as useful information and suggestions. [ More Info ]

Department of Health News Release
July 14, 2004
Today's release announces new outreach programs as part of the department's anti-tobacco advertising campaign. Clicking on the link below will take you directly to the release. [http://www.dsf.health.state.pa.us/health/cwp/view.asp?Q=237975&A=190]

Governor's press release
July 14, 2004
Here is the link to the press release: Press Release

Four New Members Are Appointed to Rural Health and Human Services Advisory Committee; Annual Report Available
July 14, 2004
HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson recently appointed four new members to serve on the National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services and released the committee's yearly report. [Office of Rural Health Policy]

UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH CENTER FOR PUBLIC HEALTH PREPAREDNESS EX ECUTIVE DIRECTOR RETIRES
July 8, 2004
J. David Piposzar, MPH, retired as executive director of the University of Pittsburgh Center for Public Health Preparedness on July 1, 2004 after fulfilling his two-year commitment. A former administrator at the Allegheny County Health Department, Piposzar agreed to come out of retirement in 2002 to launch the center and lend his expertise and experience to the new field of public health preparedness. Housed in the Graduate School of Public Health Center for Public Health Practice, the preparedness center is part of the network of Academic Centers for Public Health Preparedness funded with a grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. As executive director, Piposzar worked tirelessly to integrate the center's programs with the nine Regional Counter Terrorism Task Forces, Pennsylvania Emergency Management, and the state's Office of Homeland Security. Additionally, he strengthened partnerships with the Pennsylvania Department of Health, the 10 local county health departments, and the Pennsylvania Office of Rural Health. Under his leadership, the center launched the Pennsylvania Preparedness Leadership Institute in partnership with the Pennsylvania Department of Health's Public Health Institute. Piposzar was also instrumental in developing the Public Health Preparedness and Disaster Response Certificate Program at the Graduate School of Public Health. Piposzar began his career in public health in 1974 when he was hired by the county health department as an environmental health specialist in a lead poisoning prevention project and as a food and housing inspector. Over the course of his 30-year career, Piposzar moved into public health program management and public health preparedness. In 1994, he received the EPA Region III, SARA Title 3 Partnership Award for extraordinary contributions to hospital chemical emergency preparedness. Piposzar's preparedness activities have included: directing the development of the Metropolitan Medical Response System (MMRS) in Western Pennsylvania (the MMRS is a collaboration of more than 150 agencies and 65 hospitals organized under the Pennsylvania Region 13 Counter-Terrorism Task Force); and serving as the interim hospital bioterrorism coordinator for the Pennsylvania Department of Health.

$100-million for rual responders
July 7, 2004
USDA announces $100-million commitment to help rural emergency responders
[More Info]

Call For Papers - Rural and Remote Health
July 2, 2004
Innovative health education oriented towards rural and remote communities Two international publications for the effort of one! In late 2005, Education for Health and Rural and Remote Health will publish a unique, joint issue of their journals. This provides authors the opportunity to have their article published simultaneously in The Network: TUFH's acclaimed MEDLINE indexed print-based journal Education for Health and the freely accessible web-based Rural and Remote Health journal. Consideration for this special issue will focus on articles that jointly address themes of the two journals: innovative health education oriented towards rural and remote communities. Authors can submit suitable articles to either journal and should ensure that they clearly indicate their wish to be considered for the joint EfH/RRH issue in their covering letter/email.

New from the RUPRI center:
June 24, 2004
A new policy brief is available from the RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis: An Analysis of the Agreement of Financial Data Between the Medicare Cost Report and the Audited Hospital Financial Statement This policy brief presents findings from a study that used statistical methods to examine the agreement between the Medicare Cost Report and the audited hospital financial statement of a series of financial measures in rural hospitals. The results show the limitation inherent in relying on a single source of data to evaluate the financial performance of rural hospitals. Please visit the following link to download PB2004-4: http://www.rupri.org/ruralPolicy/publications/PB2004-4.pdf

Press Release
June 21, 2004
A new PRHA press release is available. Click here for the Document

Summer 2004 Edition of "The Pulse of CMS"
June 18, 2004
The Philadelphia Regional Office of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is pleased to share with you the Summer '04 edition of "The Pulse of CMS." included in this edition are articles on new CMS Administrator Dr. Mark McClellan, in-depth information on the new Medicare Advantage program, national Donate Life Month, among many other topics. We hope that you find the information informative and useful. Please feel free to share this electronic newsletter to any and all members of your provider audiences. Also, you may post the newsletter on your organization's website. If you have any questions regarding this edition, please contact me either via e-mail, or by telephone at 215.861.4097. The next regularly-scheduled edition of "The Pulse of CMS" is scheduled to be released in September. Thank you. Click Here for the Document

Release from Governor Rendell
June 17, 2004
Yesterday's release from Governor Rendell announcing the rollout of expanded long-term care Choices program may be of interest to you. Clicking on the link below will take you directly to the release. http://www.state.pa.us/papower/cwp/view.asp?Q=437174&A=11

Gun Death and the Rural-Urban Continuum:
June 10, 2004
A look at firearm homicides and suicide for the US, across an urban-rural classification of place.
Charlie Branas PhD and Mike Nance MD
Firearm and Injury Center at Penn (FICAP)
08/10/04 -2:00 PM to 3:00 PM
For more information on how to register for this seminar, go to the webinar series home page: http://www.circl.pitt.edu/home/seminars.htm

PND News Brief
June 9, 2004
ONE PENNSYLVANIA CHILD IN THREE RELIES ON THE FEDERAL OR STATE GOVERNMENT FOR HEALTH INSURANCE, AND HALF OF THE STATE'S RURAL CHILDREN LIVE IN FAMILIES BELOW 200 PERCENT OF POVERTY. According to a report released by Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children, one child in two is low- income in rural and mixed-rural Pa. counties, while the rate is one in three in urban and mixed-urban counties. The report also noted that one child in seven is born to a mother who lacks a high school diploma, one child in 11 is born to a mother under age 20, and one child in 12 is born at low birth weight. Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children, June 9, 2004 http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/06-09-2004/0002190010

PHC4's 2003 Annual Report - Making an Impact on Health Care Quality and Cost
June 3, 2004
Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council The Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council (PHC4) is pleased to announce the release of its 2003 Annual Report - Making an Impact on Health Care Quality and Cost. Since 1986, PHC4 has provided Pennsylvanians with valuable information on the cost and quality of health care. In 2003, PHC4 expanded its flagship reports, advanced its abilities to collect and disseminate data, and furthered its education and outreach efforts. To view and/or download the report, visit us on the Web by clicking the following link: PHC4's 2003 Annual Report - Making an Impact on Health Care Quality and Cost A very limited number of hard copies are available as well, which can be ordered by calling PHC4 at (717) 232-6787.

Prescription Drug Safety
June 2, 2004
The May PHC4 FYI focuses on patient safety and medication errors, which have become prominent issues on the national health care agenda. To view and/or download the May issue of PHC4 FYI, visit us on the web by clicking the following link: Prescription Drug Safety.

National Academies' 2003 Report to Congress
June 2, 2004
The National Academies' 2003 Report to Congress is now available online. This annual report highlights major studies completed in 2003 and provides listings of current congressionally mandated activities, completed reports and projects, and institutional sources of revenue for 2003. http://www.national-academies.org/annualreport

Department of Health Press Release
May 13, 2004
Clicking on the links below will take you directly to the releases. WIC celebrates 30th Anniversary: http://www.dsf.health.state.pa.us/health/cwp/view.asp?Q=237534&A=190
Simple steps to improve women's health: http://www.dsf.health.state.pa.us/health/cwp/view.asp?Q=237520&A=190
Data from survey of registered nurses: http://www.dsf.health.state.pa.us/health/cwp/view.asp?Q=237527&A=190

RHP2010 Volume 3- on the web
May 10, 2004
Just as an FYI, Volume 3 of RHP2010 is now posted on our RHP2010 website. A copy of the revised brochure is also on the website. http://www.srph.tamushsc.edu/rhp2010/litrev.htm

Celebrating Mental Health Month at SAMHSA
May 5, 2004
May is National Mental Health Month and the theme this year is “Mental Health Matters: In Your Life.” To help you celebrate this national health observance, we have included this event among our special online features this month. Visit http://www.mentalhealth.samhsa.gov/highlights/may2004/mentalhealth/ to learn about programs and resources that can improve the lives of individuals with mental illness and help families enjoy better mental health. Below are descriptions of our other online features, publications, and resources. These may be useful to you also. Please feel free to post these resources on your Web site or listserv, or use them in any other way that is convenient for you with a link back to SAMHSA’s National Mental Health Information Center Web site citing the Center as your source. Some publications are available only for downloading online. To order printed materials, go to http://store.mentalhealth.org/publications/ordering.aspx, or call 1-800-789-2647 for bilingual information services (TDD: 866-889-2647).

Urge Members of Congress to Support Reauthorization Legislation
May 5, 2004
Efforts are underway in both chambers to reauthorize the State 30 J1 Visa Waiver program before it expires later this year. In the House, Representative Jerry Moran (R-KS) has introduced H.R. 4156. In the Senate, Senator Kent Conrad (D-ND) has introduced S. 2302. These bills would reauthorize the State 30 program for five years, exempt the State 30 program from the H1-B Visa limitations, and give states increased flexibility in determining eligibility for the State 30 program. It is essential the state flexibility language is included in the final legislation. Without this language, HRSA could conceivably impose the same restrictions on the State 30 program as it has on the federal J1 Visa Waiver program. These restrictions prohibit hospitals and many underserved rural areas from participating in the waiver program. Please contact your Representative and Senators today and ask them to co-sponsor the State 30 reauthorization legislation. In addition, please specifically stress the importance of the language granting states the flexibility to locate State 30 physicians. Thank you for your contribution to NRHA s grassroots efforts to help rural communities. Please contact the NRHA s Government Affairs staff with any questions at (703) 519-7910 or lynskey@nrharural.org.

Financial Analysis 2003, Volume One
April 30, 2004
Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council The Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council (PHC4) is pleased to announce the release of its latest report, Financial Analysis 2003, Volume One. This is the first report in PHC4's Financial Analysis 2003 series. This volume presents a profile of the financial health of Pennsylvania's 185 General Acute Care (GAC) hospitals and focuses primarily on Fiscal Year 2003 (FY03). The information contained in this report was derived from the annual hospital financial statements supplemented with additional data supplied by each hospital. To view and/or download the report, visit us on the web by clicking the following link: Financial Analysis 2003, Volume One Report. Copies of the report can also be ordered by calling PHC4 at (717) 232-6787.

Common Threads from the RTC
April 26, 2004
As many as 80% of people with disabilities report pain as a secondary condition. In RTC: Rural's previous work on identifying and removing barriers to health promotion and physical activity, rural people with mobility impairments identified pain as a greater barrier than their needs for transportation, accessibility and personal assistance. Two new brief reports describe how Medicaid recipients with disabilities in two rural counties experience pain as a secondary condition and how they rate 14 different pain treatments for efficacy. Each report is available full-text on our web site. Pain as a Secondary Condition Experienced by Rural Medicaid Beneficiaries with Disabilities: Rural Rehabilitation Research Progress Report #20 is at: http://rtc.ruralinstitute.umt.edu/health/pain.htmThe Prevalence and Treatment of Pain Among Rural Medicaid Beneficiaries with Disabilities: Rural Rehabilitation Research Progress Report #21 is at: http://rtc.ruralinstitute.umt.edu/health/paintreatment.htm

Department of Health News Release
April 23, 2004
Today's release announces an anti-tobacco initiative to encourage mothers to quit smoking for their children. Clicking on the link below will take you directly to the release. http://www.dsf.health.state.pa.us/health/cwp/view.asp?Q=237359&A=190

HRSA Awards More Than $3.1 Million
April 22, 2004
HRSA Awards More Than $3.1 Million to Improve Health Care in Rural Communities http://newsroom.hrsa.gov/releases/2004/rural-april19.htm

NRHA Testifies Before Appropriations Committee
April 20, 2004
Dr. Beth Hudnall Stamm, Chair of the NRHA Government Affairs Committee, testified this morning before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education. Dr. Stamm discussed NRHA s concerns over a variety of funding cuts proposed by the President in his Fiscal Year 05 budget. The NRHA was one of a limited number of national organizations chosen to provide public testimony before the Subcommittee. A copy of Dr. Stamm s testimony is available on the NRHA Web site at http://www.NRHArural.org/dc/FY05approps.pdfThank you for your contribution to NRHA s grassroots efforts to help rural communities. Please contact the NRHA s Government Affairs staff with any questions at (703) 519-7910 or lynskey@nrharural.org.

New HIPAA Educational Article
April 19, 2004
CMS has developed a new Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) educational article titled "Medicare Providers: Their Vendors, Clearinghouses, or Other Third Party Billers, and the HIPAA/Medicare Contingency Plan." You may view this Medlearn Matters article at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/medlearn/matters/mmarticles/2004/SE0414.pdf

New Policy Paper
April 16, 2004