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Blogs (1023)

NEW! CMS National Training Program Update

Posted by Cecil H. Doggette on May 13, 2021 at 8:28am in Blogs

 

 

 

 

 

National Training Program

May is Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month

AAPIThroughout May, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) celebrates Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. We are committed to understanding the health needs of this diverse population and strive towards improving the health of all minority populations. We welcome you to view and share our resources on prevention, health equity, and research about health disparities. Also, you can learn about the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) programs to improve the health of Asian American, Native Hawaiian & Other Pacific Islander populations in the United States.

NTP Medicare Update & Education Webinar

May 13, 2021    1:00 – 2:30 p.m. ET

Join us for information about:

  • Medicare updates
  • Older Americans Month
  • Mental Health Awareness Month and Medicare coverage of screenings and counseling
  • Medicare and the Federal Employee Health Benefits Program

To register, go to CMSnationaltrainingprogram.cms.gov/moodle/course/view.php?id=130. After registration, you'll get an email with a calendar appointment. This webinar will be recorded. You don’t need to register to view the recording.

New / Updated Training Materials

Medicare Rights and Protections PowerPoint (Spanish version)

The CMS National Training Program has training materials for many Medicare topics, including PowerPoint modules that can be customized for your audience. Check them out at CMSnationaltrainingprogram.cms.gov/resources.

NTP Webinar Recordings

April NTP Update & Education webinar (recording)

This webinar shared Medicare updates and information on "From Coverage to Care" telehealth resources, alcohol abuse awareness month, Medicare coverage of alcohol misuse screenings and counseling, and the Health Insurance Marketplace ® Special Enrollment Period (SEP). The webinar also included a presentation on Medicare eligibility and coverage for transplant services.

To view all of our webinar recordings, visit the NTP website.

New/Updated CMS Products

Medicare Supplemental Insurance: Getting Started

4 Programs That Can Help You Pay Your Medical Expenses

Guide to Choosing a Hospital

Opioid treatment programs for people with both Medicare and Medicaid (Spanish)

Did You Know?

National Training Program, Office of Communications

 

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HHS Community News, 2021

Posted by Cecil H. Doggette on May 13, 2021 at 8:15am in Blogs

 

 

 

2021 Marketplace Special Enrollment Period Report

Last week, it was announced that 940,000 Americans have signed up for health insurance through HealthCare.gov Special Enrollment Period (SEP) for the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency. Until Aug. 15, 2021, consumers who want to enroll in coverage, compare plan offerings, or see if they qualify for more affordable premiums can visit HealthCare.gov or CuidadoDeSalud.gov or call the Marketplace Call Center at 1-800-318-2596, which provides assistance in over 150 languages.

 

COVID-19 Related News

Vaccines.gov or Vacunas.gov

Community members can now use Vaccines.gov to find a vaccine location near them and then call or visit their website to make an appointment.

 

Community-Based Testing Sites for COVID-19

COVID-19 tests are available at no cost nationwide at health centers and select pharmacies. COVID-19 testing is free to anyone in the U.S., including the uninsured. Find a testing location here.

 

Join the COVID-19 Community Corps

Community Corps members benefit from a steady stream of timely news, resources, and information—including briefing calls with subject matter experts on strengthening vaccine confidence.  Sign up here.

 

CDC Updated Guidance

·       Updated FAQ Frequently Asked Questions about COVID-19 Vaccination

·       COVID-19 Easy to Read Materials in Spanish

·       Support for Teens and Young Adults: The CDC updated their information and resources for teens and young adults. The CDC also added information on how to work through stress, anxiety, depression, and substance abuse during this challenging time.

·       Guidance for Operating Child Care Programs During COVID-19

·       COVID-19 Data Tracker Weekly Review: Go here for CDC’s updated numbers on reported cases, variants, testing, vaccinations, hospitalizations, and deaths. The CDC also included travel information--as many countries and states are now loosening restrictions for visitors—and makes recommendations on travel.

 

Partner Resources and Toolkits*

Highlighted here are a few of the helpful resources that have come our way and we want to share with you.

·       Clinton Foundation’s Toolkit for Faith and Community Leaders.

 

·       Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI) and Interfaith Youth Core’s (IFYC) Religious Diversity and Vaccine Survey and PRRI-IFYC COVID Vaccine Religion Report.

 

·       The Get Vaccinated! Black Faith Community Toolkit, created by the Skinner Leadership Institute in collaboration with the National African American Clergy Network. (Includes a guide for houses of worship who want to host an immunization site.)

 

·       How Can Faith Leaders Help End the COVID-19 Pandemic? Support the COVID-19 Vaccination Effort created by the Association of Immunization Managers (AIM) and includes resources for supporting vaccine access in houses of worship.

 

·       COVID-19 Vaccines: Equity-Centered Approaches

Thurs., May 13, 1:00 p.m. ET. Register. This webinar, hosted by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, will explore current and historical efforts to vaccinate communities of color and indigenous communities to evaluate lessons learned and their applicability to COVID-19 currently.

 

New COVID-19 Funding Announcements

HHS Announces Nearly $1 Billion for Rural COVID-19 Response

This funding is intended to increase the number of vaccines sent to rural health clinics and other providers serving rural communities to expand testing and other COVID-19 prevention services, ensure access to healthcare practices in rural areas, and work to increase vaccine confidence and uptake.

 

HHS Announces $250 Million for a Community-Based Workforce to Increase Vaccinations in Underserved Communities

Funds will be awarded to develop and support a community-based workforce who will serve as trusted voices sharing information about vaccines, work to increase COVID-19 vaccine confidence, and address any barriers to vaccination for individuals living in vulnerable and medically underserved communities.

·       The first of two the funding opportunities was released last week and will award 10 recipients to engage with multiple organizations regionally and locally, including with community-based organizations, health centers, minority-serving institutions, and other health and social service entities. Closing date: May 18, 2021 (11:59 p.m. ET). Applicants should contact CBOVaccineOutreach@hrsa.gov with any questions.

·       The second funding opportunity will be released in the near future and will focus on smaller community-based organizations.

 

Highlighted Grants and Funding Opportunities

Note: A primary reason funding opportunities are highlighted each week is to let you know of potential investments in your community. To participate in these funds, you may need to actively engage with local community partners, health care systems, and/or public health entities and contribute to your community’s collective efforts. Grants are listed in order of due date, note *new listings.

 

*Forecasted: Funding Allocation for Navigators

In April, CMS announced plans to make $80 million available in grants to Navigators in the federally-facilitated Marketplaces for the 2022 plan year. Details about the Navigator grant funding, including eligibility requirements and required Navigator duties, are available through the 2021 Navigator Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) Forecast(CFDA # 93.332).

 

Innovations in Nutrition Programs and Services - Statewide Research

Funding aimed at maximizing the independence, well-being, and health of older adults and allow them to live at home for as long as possible. This opportunity seeks to verify the effectiveness of Senior Nutrition Program (SNP) innovative policies created during the COVID-19 pandemic.  Closing date: May 24, 2021.

 

Distance Learning and Telemedicine Program Grants
Grants to improve telemedicine and distance learning services in rural areas through the use of telemedicine, computer networks, and related advanced technologies. Closing date: June 4, 2021.

 

American Rescue Plan – Health Center Construction and Capital Improvements

Funding opportunity is to support construction, expansion, alteration, renovation, and other capital improvements to modify, enhance, and expand health care infrastructure in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Closing date: June 24, 2021.

 

FEMA Emergency Food and Shelter Program

The application period for $110 million in Emergency Food and Shelter Program supplemental funding has opened. This funding is available to organizations that provided, or will provide, services to families and individuals crossing the southern border into the United States.

 

COVID-19 Funeral Assistance

Families who lost loved ones to COVID-19, FEMA will provide financial assistance for COVID-19-related funeral expenses incurred after Jan. 20, 2020. Read their Funeral Assistance FAQ for more information.

 

Community Health Workers for COVID Response and Resilient Communities

Grants for training and deployment of community health workers to build and strengthen community resilience to fight COVID-19 in geographic areas and populations that experience health disparities. Closing date: May 24, 2021.

 

Mine Health and Safety Grants

Grants to prevent fatalities, disease, and injury from mining and secure safe and healthy working conditions for miners through laws, regulations, safety improvements, education, and training. Closing date: May 28, 2021.

 

Brookwood-Sago Mine Safety Grants

Grants for education and training programs to help identify, avoid, and prevent unsafe working conditions in and around mines. Special emphasis is given to programs and materials that target workers at smaller mines, including training miners and employers about new MSHA standards, high-risk activities, or hazards identified by MSHA. Closing date: May 28, 2021.

 

Distance Learning and Telemedicine Program Grants

Program to help rural communities use the unique capabilities of telecommunications to connect to each other and to the world, overcoming the effects of remoteness and low population density. For example, this program can link teachers and medical service providers in one area to students and patients in another. Closing date: June 4, 2021.

 

*Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Abuse Site-Based Program
Grants to develop, implement, and/or expand comprehensive programs in response to illicit opioids, stimulants, or other substances of abuse. The program provides resources to support state, local, tribal, and territorial efforts to reduce violent crime and drug abuse and enhance public safety while supporting victims. Closing date: Jun 21, 2021.

 

Workforce Opportunity for Rural Communities (WORC)

Grants for projects in the Appalachian region and Lower Mississippi Delta region that will provide career training and support services to eligible individuals in counties and parishes and/or areas currently underserved by other resources. Closing date: July 21, 2021.

 

RWJF/DOT Pioneering Ideas Brief Proposals

Grants for innovative projects that are working to build a culture of health, ensuring that everyone has access to the care they need and all families have the opportunity to make healthier choices. Closing date: Ongoing.

 

Housing Opportunities for Persons With AIDS Competitive Grant: Housing as an Intervention to Fight AIDS
Funding to create and implement new projects that align with initiatives aimed at ending the HIV/AIDS epidemic using housing as an intervention in ending the epidemic. Closing date: July 6, 2021.

 

*FY 2021 Second Chance Act: Adult Reentry Education, Employment, Treatment and Recovery Program

This program provides funding under the Second Chance Act to develop a strategic plan for integrating correctional and employment programming/systems and/or establishing, expanding, and improving treatment for people with substance use disorders during incarceration and to help facilitate the successful reintegration of offenders returning to communities after a prison or jail sentence.Closing date: July 6, 2021

 

Project Talk Initiative Host Site Applications
Partnerships with community-based organization host sites to evaluate the impact of several approaches to promote advance care planning in underserved populations, including those from ethnic and racial minority backgrounds, rural communities, and low-income areas.  Closing date: Ongoing.

 

Rural Business Development Grants

Supports targeted technical assistance, training, and other activities leading to the development or expansion of small and emerging private businesses in rural areas that have fewer than 50 employees and less than $1,000,000 in gross revenues. Applications accepted on an ongoing basis.

 

Finally, on Tues., May 11, 11:00 a.m. ET, FEMA will be hosting the webinar, Get Ready for Hurricane Season, so community members in hurricane-prone areas can take preparedness measures in advance of the storms!(Register here)

 

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Connecting Kids to Coverage National Campaign

Posted by Cecil H. Doggette on May 13, 2021 at 8:13am in Blogs

 

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  A Note About the Significance of CMS’s
“Connecting Kids to Coverage” National Campaign 

A Message from Health & Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra

Today our nation’s children are living through challenging times: social isolation due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the seemingly endless epidemic of mass shootings, and the economic toll that this pandemic has taken on families. And all of this is taking a toll on impacting our children’s mental health.

Our children deserve to be children, but when the conflicts of the world force themselves into their lives, that’s when we need to step in and make sure that they are protected. Fortunately, most children have access to health coverage; unfortunately, millions of children remain uninsured. What’s more, kids in minority communities have disproportionately high rates of uninsurance. These facts make CMS’ Connecting Kids to Coverage National Campaign all the more important.

The Connecting Kids to Coverage National Campaign’s mission is to promote the enrollment of eligible children in Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), thereby affording their families the peace of mind of knowing they have health coverage. Not only do these programs cover preventive care, but they cover much needed mental health services.

On this Mental Health Awareness Month, I want to reiterate HHS’s commitment to extending health insurance to all our nation’s children and to giving parents the tools they need to help ensure their children develop into healthy adults. As Frederick Douglass said more than one hundred years ago, “It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men.” That remains as true today as it did back then.

I want to thank CMS and all the Campaign’s partner organizations for working to amplify the message of this campaign, and I want to encourage parents whose kids are uninsured to enroll in Medicaid and CHIP. Together, we can help this nation’s children grow into healthy adults.

Connecting Kids to Health Coverage
Across the U.S., more than 94% of children have health insurance, however, millions remain uninsured. Among those uninsured, those in minority communities face high rates of uninsurance. In fact, American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) children continue to have the highest uninsured rates by race and ethnicity; followed by Hispanic children. African Americans have the lowest rate of uninsured children apart from Asian, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander children.

There are a variety of reasons that minority populations face barriers to enrolling in health insurance, a few of which include language, lower literacy rates, and limited access to enrollment assistance. It is crucial that children are covered by health insurance to stay up to date on preventive care, promote physical and social development, and succeed academically. Data show that children with health insurance are less likely to miss class and more likely to perform better in school compared to those who do not have health insurance.

Particularly in households that are low-to-mid-income, Medicaid and CHIP are a great option for kids’ health insurance. Not only does Medicaid and CHIP cover preventive care, it also covers routine check-ups, vaccinations, prescriptions, dental care, vision care, and mental health services.

Coverage of mental health services is particularly important right now with the ongoing COVID-19 public health emergency. Prior to COVID-19, as many as one in six U.S. children between the ages of 6 and 17 had a treatable mental health disorder. Since the start of the pandemic, children across the country have been facing additional stressors such as a disruption of familiar routines, schooling and socialization, as well as economic and other impacts on families, leading to a surge of anxiety and depression in young people. In addition, mental health disparities exist across race, gender, and geographic location. Due to COVID-19, many routine well-child visits may have been postponed, keeping children from getting important preventive services. Between March through July 2020, compared to data from the same period in 2019, CMS found in a data snapshot that children insured by Medicaid and CHIP participated in fewer routine care visits, which includes  8.4 million (35%) fewer outpatient mental health services, even after accounting for the increased use of telehealth. 

Coverage with Medicaid and CHIP includes developmental and behavioral health screenings and services delivered via telehealth. Early intervention and access to essential mental health services can help children get the support they need to meet important developmental milestones. While promoting access to mental and behavioral services is a year-round mission for us (and many of you)—May is Mental Health Awareness Month, which is an opportune moment for organizations to focus on this critical benefit in our efforts to enroll eligible children in Medicaid and CHIP, and encourage our current beneficiaries to access these services.

Medicaid and CHIP offer free or low-cost health insurance for kids and teens up to age 19. The Connecting Kids to Coverage National Campaign resources below can help organizations promote health insurance coverage through Medicaid and CHIP and connect children of all backgrounds to health care.

Campaign Resources

  • Mental health resources

Visit the “Mental Health Initiatives” page to find all of the Campaign’s mental health resources in one place, including a :15 second digital video. These resources can be used to encourage parents and caregivers to enroll in Medicaid and CHIP to access important mental health benefits once their children and teens are covered.

  • Print materials in multiple languages

Organizations can use these inclusive, multi-language print materials to assist in outreach. These materials can be placed throughout the community to increase awareness about Medicaid and CHIP. Available languages include French, Marshallese, Spanish, Arabic, Burmese, Chinese, Farsi, Haitian Creole, Hmong, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, Somali, Tagalog, and Vietnamese. These materials can also be customized to include your organization’s name, logo, and other state-specific information. See our customization guide on how to submit your request.

  • Multicultural, AI/AN resources

There are many resources to help reach children and families, including multicultural outreach resources, the Outreach and Enrollment fundamentals guide for AI/AN children, and tips for conducting outreach in rural communities.

Upcoming Observances
There are national observance opportunities for partners to share Campaign materials to spread the word about the services and benefits of Medicaid and CHIP. Upcoming observances include:

  • Mental Health Awareness Month (May)
  • National Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month (May)
  • Safety & Health Week (May 2 – 8)
  • Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day (May 7)
  • Mother’s Day (May 9)­­

Stay Connected with the Campaign 

  • Share our Campaign materials. Our ever-growing, multi-lingual Outreach Tool Library features a variety of targeted resources to use in your outreach and enrollment efforts, available in multiple formats.
  • Contact us. To get more involved with the Campaign, contact us via email at ConnectingKids@cms.hhs.gov.
  • Follow the Campaign on Twitter. Remember to re-tweet or share our messages from @IKNGov with your social network and be sure to use our #Enroll365 and #KidsEnroll hashtags in your posts.

Subscribe to the “Campaign Notes” eNewsletter
The Connecting Kids to Coverage National Campaign eNewsletter “Campaign Notes” is distributed throughout the year and provides updates on Campaign activities. If a friend or colleague forwarded this email to you, we invite you to sign up to receive this eNewsletter directly to your inbox.

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CMS Women's Health Week

Posted by Cecil H. Doggette on May 13, 2021 at 8:09am in Blogs

 

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HealthCare.gov Special Enrollment Period

Women’s Health Week of Action

May 9-15, 2021

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is continuing promoting Weeks of Action!  Each week will focus on engaging a targeted population to encourage action to come to HealthCare.gov during the Special Enrollment Period and enroll in coverage or potentially take advantage of more cost savings.  

The week of May 9-15 is National Women’s Health Week and CMS is recognizing the effort by focusing on our Women’s Health Week of Action running from May 9-15. We encourage you to help spread the word with your partners and members about helping women enroll in health insurance through Healthcare.gov. Weeks of Action focused on other populations will continue to August 15, 2021 when the SEP ends.

We have several resources for promotion this week on our partner toolkit including social media, fact sheets, graphics, etc.

We recently posted our new Week of Action Communications Toolkit which includes talking points, messaging, and a drop in article that can be customized for your organization.

There are also two Twitter chats scheduled this week with our federal partners for your participation:

-          Tuesday, May 11th - FDA & HHS Office of Women’s Health - 2-3pm;

-          Wednesday, May 12th - HRSA Office of Women’s Health - 1-2pm.

For more information, contact the CMS Office of Communications Partner Relations Group at Partnerships@cms.hhs.gov or view our website for further resources.

 

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How To Live Free From Sickness and Disease

Posted by Dwayne and Leia Norman on May 8, 2021 at 2:39pm in Blogs

Hello, I trust everyone is doing great today! I love to teach on faith and healing. My wife and I go into churches and have what we call a "Day of Healing"; where we teach on healing and minister to the sick in Jesus' Name. I have a book called "God's Will is Healing for Everyone" on Amazon if you would like more teaching. One point that I like to bring out is that healing is in Jesus' atonement (the stripes He bore for us, and all that He did at Calvary). The reason that is important is because the atonement was for everyone, and since healing is in His atonement then healing is for everyone. Now listen, that does not mean that healing will be automatically manifested in your body because it's in the atonement; you still must receive by faith and appropriate your healing, just like you did for salvation. Matthew 8:16 says that Jesus healed ALL who were sick.  Since Jesus said that He only did the will of His Father, and He healed ALL who were sick, then healing must be God's will for all people!  Also, our youtube channel is: Dwayne Norman Victory in the Word, and I have 4 video messages entitled "How to Live Free from Sickness and Disease Parts 1-4". It is time that we (Christians) learn how to use the faith God gave us to experience all that Jesus finished for us in His death and resurrection!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9_mOrFFJXQ&t=57s

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UAD Ministries Goes Digital!

Posted by UAD Ministries on May 7, 2021 at 10:23am in Blogs and News
In February UADM embarked on a journey to answer God’s call to reach His people digitally. This started with refreshing our ministry’s brand including an updated vibrant logo, a new website, and a fresh new social media identity.
 
You will begin seeing new and regular updates about our education and learning academy, soul restoration trainings and how to connect, grow and serve with us as we partner with God’s eternal mandate. Take some time to get to know us through our website. We’re happy to answer any of your questions. Also we can be found on most social media platforms (FB, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube).
 
Whether you are in the DMV (District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia) area or anywhere else in the world, our vision is to provide a place for you to remain connected with us, grow in Christ’s purpose for your life, serve in the ministry and lead effectively in God’s Way! 
 
To learn more or to join us, please visit www.uadministries.org
 
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COVID-19 Vaccine Resources

Posted by Cecil H. Doggette on May 4, 2021 at 8:50am in Blogs

 

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COVID-19 Vaccine Resources: What Partners Need to Know Now – 5/3/21

 

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 share important and relevant information on the COVID-19 vaccine with the people that you

serve. You can find these and more resources on the COVID-19 Partner Resources Page and the HHS COVID Education Campaign page. We look forward to partnering with you to encourage our beneficiaries to get vaccinated when they have the opportunity. For more information, visit the CMS COVID-19 Policies and Guidance page.

 

COVID-19 SNAPSHOT OF NEW COVID-19 VACCINE INFORMATION

 

CMS, CDC and HHS have released new guidance and resources related to the COVID-19 vaccine to serve our beneficiaries. This important information is highlighted below for our partners to share with providers and consumers.

 

No Out-of-Pocket Cost for COVID-19 Vaccine. CMS has recently become aware of instances where consumers are being charged to receive a COVID-19 vaccine.  We encourage you to remind vaccine providers of the following information as the vaccine becomes more widely available help curb any consumer barriers to receiving a vaccine.

 

COVID-19 VACCINE PROVIDER REMINDER:

If you participate in the CDC COVID-19 Vaccination Program, you must:

  • Administer the vaccine with no out-of-pocket cost to your patients for the vaccine or administration of the vaccine
  • Vaccinate everyone, including the uninsured, regardless of coverage or network status

 

You also can’t:

  • Balance bill for COVID-19 vaccinations
  • Charge your patients for an office visit or other fee if COVID-19 vaccination is the only medical service given
  • Require additional medical or other services during the visit as a condition for getting a COVID-19 vaccination

 

Report any potential violations of these requirements to the HHS Office of the Inspector General:

 

Submit claims for administering COVID-19 vaccines to:

 

For more information on COVID-19 Vaccine Administration, visit the CMS COVID-19 Vaccine Provider page.

 

COVID-19 VACCINE CONSUMER REMINDER. In addition, we encourage you to share the information below with consumers to help address issues relating to consumers who may have received a charge or paid for COVID-19 vaccination.

 

If you paid to get a COVID-19 vaccine: When you get a COVID-19 vaccine, your provider can’t charge you for an office visit or other fee if the vaccine is the only medical service you get. If you get other medical services at the same time you get the COVID-19 vaccine, you may owe a copayment or deductible for those services.

 

If you paid a fee or got a bill for a COVID-19 vaccine, check this list to see if your provider should have charged you:

 

  • Check the receipts and statements you get from your provider for any mistakes.
  • Call your provider’s office to ask about any charges you think are incorrect. The person you speak to may help you better understand the services you got, or realize they made a billing error.
  • If you have Original Medicare, review your “Medicare Summary Notice” for errors. Report anything suspicious to Medicare by calling 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227).
  • If you have other coverage like a Medicare Advantage Plan, review your “Explanation of Benefits.” Report anything suspicious to your insurer.

 

If you think your provider incorrectly charged you for the COVID-19 vaccine, ask them for a refund. If you think your provider charged you for an office visit or other fee, but the only service you got was a COVID-19 vaccine, report them to the Office of the Inspector General, U.S. Department of

Health and Human Services by calling 1-800-HHS-TIPS or visiting TIPS.HHS.GOV.

 

 

NEW COVID-19 VACCINE RESOURCES

 

CDC Guidance for Fully Vaccinated People: What you Need to Know.

  • If you are fully vaccinated, you can start doing many things that you had stopped doing because of the pandemic.
  • When choosing safer activities, consider how COVID-19 is spreading in your community, the number of people participating in the activity, and the location of the activity.
  • Outdoor visits and activities are safer than indoor activities, and fully vaccinated people can participate in some indoor events safely, without much risk. Additional CDC guidance can be found here.
  • If you haven’t been vaccinated yet, find a COVID-19 near you at Vaccines.gov.

 

NEW CMS COVID-19 Fraud Resources. CMS just launched new materials to help protect Medicare beneficiaries against COVID-19 vaccine fraud.  Spread the word by sharing the resources, graphics and messaging within your communities:

 

Building COVID-19 Vaccine Confidence Webinar: Thursday, May 13th from 12:00-1:00 p.m. E.T. - hosted by the CMS Office of Minority Health.

  • Dr. LaShawn McIver, Director of CMS OMH, will share information and resources to help you address vaccine hesitancy in your community. Dr. McIver will be joined by Dr. Peter Marks, Director of the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER) at FDA, who will give an overview of vaccines and their safety. This webinar will equip you to speak persuasively about the COVID-19 vaccine. Register here: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/6555661473692736014

 

Please note: You will receive an email with login information from GoToWebinar upon registration. If you do not receive an email in a few days’ time, please contact CMSOMHTeam@ketchum.com.

 

For more information on CMS COVID-19 Partner Updates, please contact us: Partnership@cms.hhs.gov

 

 

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Back To The Future

Posted by Dwayne and Leia Norman on April 23, 2021 at 3:56pm in Blogs
Back to the Future is about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is about understanding the finished works of Christ. The finished works of Christ give us the victory. What does the Word say about the future. Even the future of Christianity. That's why we must go back to the future. You don't need a Delorean time machine, only your Bible. When you go back to the past and study what Jesus did at Calvary, then things in your present life can start changing for the good! Going back to the future is learning about all that God accomplished for us through the sufferings, death and resurrection of Jesus, then confessing and acting on that revelation today; that is when we will begin to experience all of the victory and blessings that are already ours in Christ Jesus? For more teaching on this subject, please get our book "The Mystery: Christ in You the Hope of Glory" on amazon.com, thanks.
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Connecting Kids to Coverage National Campaign

Posted by Cecil H. Doggette on April 22, 2021 at 9:16am in Blogs

 

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Webinar on 4/29 – Register Now!
Promoting Mental and Behavioral Health Resources to Help Children and Teens Enroll in Coverage and Access Care

The Connecting Kids to Coverage National Campaign Invites You to Attend a Webinar:

Promoting Mental and Behavioral Health Resources to Help Children and Teens Enroll in Coverage and Access Care

Thursday, April 29, 2021
2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. ET

Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) cover essential mental and behavioral health services for kids and teens. For Mental Health Awareness Month, observed in May, the Connecting Kids to Coverage National Campaign (the Campaign) webinar will cover the current landscape of mental health service usage among children and teens, as well as offer ideas organizations can use to help children and teens in their communities access these important mental and behavioral health services.

Prior to the COVID-19 public health emergency, as many as 1 in 6 U.S. children between the ages of 6 and 17 had a treatable mental health disorder. With additional stressors, such as lack of routine and virtual learning, there has been a surge of anxiety and depression in young people since the start of the pandemic. Despite this surge, mental health services declined sharply among children age 18 and under. Although delivery of care via telehealth has helped connect children to important mental health services, data has shown that many children and teens are still not getting the care they need.

Join this webinar for the latest data on the use of mental health services, hear what partners are doing to help connect children to care, and learn about resources your organization can use in outreach and enrollment efforts. Learn about the Campaign’s many resources to promote mental and behavioral health on InsureKidsNow.gov, which include a digital video, social media, text messages, and newsletter articles.

Webinar speakers feature:

  • Melinda Baldwin, Chief of the Center for Mental Health Services at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
  • Kim Proctor, Technical Director, Data and Systems Group, Center for Medicaid & CHIP Services, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
  • Jamie Poslosky, Senior Director, Advocacy Communications, American Academy of Pediatrics
  • Gillian Ray, Vice President External Relations, Children’s Hospital Association
  • Kelly English, PhD, LICSW, Director of the Children’s Behavioral Health Knowledge Center, Child, Youth, & Family Services Division, Massachusetts Department of Mental Health
  • Darshana Panchal, MPH, Outreach Contractor, Connecting Kids to Coverage National Campaign, Porter Novelli Public Services

REGISTER HERE

We Want to Hear from You!
The Campaign wants to hear how organizations like yours are helping to connect children and teens to mental and behavioral health services. Send us an email at ConnectingKids@cms.hhs.gov. And visit our website to access slides and recordings from previous Campaign webinars.­­­­

Stay Connected with the Campaign 

  • Share our Campaign materials. Our ever-growing, multi-lingual Outreach Tool Library features a variety of targeted resources to use in your outreach and enrollment efforts, available in multiple formats.
  • Contact us. To get more involved with the Campaign, contact us via email at ConnectingKids@cms.hhs.gov.
  • Follow the Campaign on Twitter. Remember to re-tweet or share our messages from @IKNGov with your social network and be sure to use our #Enroll365 and #KidsEnroll hashtags in your posts.

Subscribe to the “Campaign Notes” eNewsletter
The Connecting Kids to Coverage National Campaign eNewsletter “Campaign Notes” is distributed throughout the year and provides updates on Campaign activities. If a friend or colleague forwarded this email to you, we invite you to sign up to receive this eNewsletter directly to your inbox.

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The Road to Equity: Examining Structural Racism Virtual Forum

Posted by Cecil H. Doggette on April 22, 2021 at 9:04am in Blogs

 
Register Today

Join CMS OMH for The Road to Equity: Examining Structural Racism Virtual Forum

Register Today

During National Minority Health Month, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Office of Minority Health (CMS OMH) will host The Road to Equity: Examining Structural Racism in Health Care – a two-day virtual forum to explore the advancement of health equity and efforts to address structural racism.

Guest speakers from various federal and partner agencies will share their insight and experience during the forum. Sessions will discuss the impact of COVID-19 on health disparities and initiatives to promote equity, as well as CMS and other federal agencies’ roles as equity partners in increasing access to care and strengthening the capacity of the health care industry.

A formal agenda detailing each session can be found here. There will be time during each session for attendees to ask questions. Space is limited; CMS OMH encourages early registration to ensure you can attend.

Virtual Forum Details

Title: The Road to Equity: Examining Structural Racism Virtual Forum

Dates and Times:

Please note: if you would like to attend both days of the forum, you will need to register for each day individually, using the links above.

You will receive an email with login information from GoToWebinar upon registration. If you do not receive an email in a few days’ time, please contact OMH@cms.hhs.gov.

 

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What if Clark Kent had amnesia Pt. 2

Posted by Dwayne and Leia Norman on April 9, 2021 at 2:02pm in Blogs

What if Clark Kent had amnesia? What if Superman forgot he was Superman? We know that Clark Kent is Superman, but doesn't he have to do something to become Superman? As Christians, we are new creations in Christ Jesus, but we still must wake up and make the effort to put on the new man. We need to stir up and revive ourselves concerning our true identity; which is only in Christ. This is true revival!

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HELP THE MINISTRIES

Posted by Darshan Church Beltar Nepal on April 1, 2021 at 11:53am in Blogs

Thanks be to our God

We give thanks to all our dear brothers and sisters for the prayer...we were able to join water tap in construction site....though it was hard bringing water to the place from far away but God helped ingetting availability of water on right time
Please continue to pray for Darshan Church and the ongoing construction of Church in village....now the time is to buy cement bricks and iron rods for construction and our hope is only upon God and in prayer....please pray for sufficiency of all required materials for completing the task that is started...we trust our God is not going to put us on shame...He has been always our guide and providing everything we needed......now we need cement, rods and bricks to carry on the works further please keep in your prayer🙏

Glory honour and praises to God for being faithful to us everyday and we are getting provision of workers on time.....please continue prayer that the work not to be stopped due to insufficiency of materials and finance🙏🙏🙏

We appreciate your prayer and any possible help for Darshan Church

  • Blessings to all
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PRAY HELP AND SHARE

Posted by Darshan Church Beltar Nepal on March 29, 2021 at 10:35am in Blogs

We are thankful to God and all dear friends for your prayer and love towards us🙏
Please remember in prayer we have just started to dig a foundation to construct a church for a village where our sister church believers' group can have regular fellowship prayer and services after completing this construction.
There is no water connection we are working to bring water tap by joining from far town....there is electricity problem we also need to join electricity......there is no good roads and its hard to take materials from far city.....and it takes long time to run works.....many things needed for completing the construction so we need your prayer and love always now we need cement rods bricks and all materials required for construction of complete church
please pray for us and provide possible help to build a house of prayer and fellowship.
We respect your prayer love and we appreciate any kind help you can make available to Darshan Church🙏🙏🙏
Blessings to all

https://www.darshanchurch.org/

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PRAYER NEEDED

Posted by Darshan Church Beltar Nepal on March 29, 2021 at 10:34am in Blogs

We are thankful to God and all dear friends for your prayer and love towards us🙏
Please remember in prayer we have just started to dig a foundation to construct a church for a village where our sister church believers' group can have regular fellowship prayer and services after completing this construction.
There is no water connection we are working to bring water tap by joining from far town....there is electricity problem we also need to join electricity......there is no good roads and its hard to take materials from far city.....and it takes long time to run works.....many things needed for completing the construction so we need your prayer and love always now we need cement rods bricks and all materials required for construction of complete church
please pray for us and provide possible help to build a house of prayer and fellowship.
We respect your prayer love and we appreciate any kind help you can make available to Darshan Church🙏🙏🙏
Blessings to all

https://www.darshanchurch.org/

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COVID-19 Vaccine Resources-What Partners Need To Know NOW

Posted by Cecil H. Doggette on March 23, 2021 at 2:47am in Blogs

 

Dear Partners,

 

Please share with your members, listservs on your websites and social media. Thank you for your continued partnership!

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COVID-19 Vaccine Resources: What Partners Need to Know Now

Monday, March 22

 

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 share important and relevant information on the COVID-19 vaccine with the people that you serve. You can find these and more resources on the COVID-19 Partner Resources Page and the HHS COVID Education Campaign page. We look forward to partnering with you to promote vaccine safety and encourage our beneficiaries to get vaccinated when they have the opportunity. For more information visit the CMS COVID-19 Policies and Guidance page.

 

If you are a healthcare provider:

 

Both the CDC and CMS have useful resources for your practice. Look to CDC for the latest science, vaccine administration information and patient-focused resources.  We update these resources regularly, so follow them for current information.

 

Follow the CDC Resource for Health Care Providers Page and check out the CDC’s COVID-19 Vaccination Communication Toolkit For Medical Centers, Pharmacies, and Clinicians.  This resource provides ready-made materials to educate healthcare teams and staff and to give them tools they can use to educate patients and answer their questions about the vaccines.  Also, navigate to the CDC COVID-19 vaccination page which has information for a number of audiences.

 

What’s New?

Additional Resources

 

CMS maintains a COVID-19 Provider Toolkit to ensure health care providers have the necessary tools to respond to the COVID-19 public health emergency. The toolkit includes information on:

You can also review the set of COVID-19 FAQs, which has information specific to health care providers who bill Medicare for administering COVID-19 vaccines.

 

Here's what else you should know:

  • Medicare covers the COVID-19 vaccine, so there will be no cost to your patients with Medicare.  Medicare will reimburse you for administering the vaccine.
  • State governments are handling the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines. Look for updates from your state and local officials as more doses of the vaccine become available for additional priority groups.
  • For individuals who are uninsured, providers may submit claims for reimbursement for administering the COVID-19 vaccine to individuals without insurance through the Provider Relief Fund, administered by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA).
  • CMS also published guidance to group health plans and health insurance issuers regarding COVID-19 related benefits.
  • Most professional associations have pages devoted to COVID-19 vaccination.  Your association may have advice tailored to your discipline, specialty and/or location.

How can you help educate your patients?

  • You are a trusted source…encourage your patients to get the vaccine when it is available to them.
  • Let them know the vaccine is no cost and will help keep them from getting COVID-19. Learn more about the benefits of the vaccine.
  • Let them know the vaccine is safe and that safety is a top priority for COVID-19 vaccines.
  • Remind them to continue practicing the 3Ws (Wear a Mask, Watch your distance, Wash your hands).

Questions?  Please e-mail us:  Partnership@cms.hhs.gov 

 

 

 

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WE NEED YOUR PRAYER AND HELP

Posted by Darshan Church Beltar Nepal on March 18, 2021 at 8:50am in Blogs

Darshan Church offers heartly thanks to all dear brothers and sisters for your prayer
please continue to pray for the ministry of Darshan Church in Nepal
This little Church from eastern part of Nepal
our sister Church from a small village in Jhapa district of Nepal

We are serving among backward communities and we need always your prayer and support

This Church needs your prayer and help
It needed the replacement of roof and floir with tin and carpets on the floor

Please remember in your daily prayer for Darshan Church its not always easy to be among the people who go through lot and we are doing everything in faith upon God and trusting in prayer
please pray that God make provision for the needs of His faithful setvants

Darshan Church always needs your love prayer advice and help to continue all our services all over Nepal in such areas where the people are discriminated and isolated from other societies

Our great hope is in Lord always and we share our hope and love in God with people to have joy and peace in Lord Jesus and preparing every soul for eternal life in the kingdom of God

We appreciate and accept any kind help you can make in the ministry of Darshan Church


God bless all

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Vaccine Resources for Vulnerable Populations Webpage

Posted by Cecil H. Doggette on March 18, 2021 at 7:06am in Blogs

 

Check Out the New CMS OMH COVID-19 Vaccine Resources for Vulnerable Populations Webpage

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 understand how and when they can receive the vaccine, vaccine safety and confidence, and the important ongoing precautions to slow the spread of COVID-19.

To assist our partners, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Office of Minority Health (CMS OMH) has developed a COVID-19 Vaccine Resources website of the many Federal resources and organized them for health care professionals, partners, consumers, and for assistance in additional languages.

To view the page, visit: go.cms.gov/omhcovid19vaccine.

We encourage you to visit the website regularly, as we will continue to update the page with new resources. You can also share this page within your networks to prepare others to get the vaccine as soon as it’s available to them.

For additional COVID-19 information, visit our general COVID-19 website for Federal resources focusing on vulnerable populations: go.cms.gov/omhcovid19 and From Coverage to Care COVID-19: go.cms.gov/c2ccovid19 webpage.

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PRAY HELP AND SHARE

Posted by Darshan Church Beltar Nepal on March 16, 2021 at 7:27am in Blogs

God is gracious and He provides us what we need.
2 Corinthians 9 8
And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.

Darshan Church is requesting all dear friends in Christ to pray for the needs required in ministering different areas of Nepal .
We are currently on work to construct a house for fellowship prayer and services in a rural village of Udayapur district where our sister church believers' group are regularly conducting prayer fellowship and all spiritual activities.
Due to the threaten from Hindu communities and often getting challenged of various problems suddenly we need to construct a place for worship for our believers there and we just brought up ten tractors stones and trying to make own Church building....but its not enough for taking the work forward...the construction needed more stones bricks cement rods and others materials including water facility.
We used all available resources and not having enough with local effort we needed prayer and help from all brothers and sisters in Christ to complete this task
please remember the Church construction ongoing plan in your prayer and please open your hands to contribute something for God' s work in this rural village where everything seems tough but the Lord is our provider

We trust God and are praying day and night for all possible services we are doing to serve God in these discomforting areas.
Your prayer with help can make very big difference  so please pray for us and provide possible help from your side

We appreciate your prayer and any help you can make to Darshan Church for the ministry in Nepal.

Blessings🙏

https://www.darshanchurch.org/

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