Friday, May 19, 2023
IHA, Chicago Chamber: Hospitals Need More State Funding
Small & Rural Meeting: Focusing on Financial Stability
Federal Subcommittee Moves 340B Reporting Mandate
IDPH Urges Vaccinations as Mpox Cases Rise in Chicago
OMH Announces New Funding Opportunity
Illinois COVID-19 Data
Briefly Noted
IHA, Chicago Chamber: Hospitals Need More State Funding
To preserve access to care and protect the long-term viability of Illinois hospitals, increased state investment in hospitals’ base Medicaid reimbursement rates is critical, said IHA President & CEO A.J. Wilhelmi and Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce President & CEO Jack Lavin in a letter to the editor published yesterday in the Chicago Sun-Times. Click here to read the letter.
Initially scheduled to adjourn May 19, the Illinois General Assembly is expected to need more time as negotiations continue on significant state issues—including the hospital community’s top priority: the first General Revenue Fund increase of the hospital Medicaid base reimbursement rates in 28 years.
Continued engagement and action from the hospital community will be key to secure inclusion of this critical initiative in a final legislative package. If you have not reached out to your state legislators asking for increased state Medicaid funding for hospitals to protect access to quality, equitable healthcare in Illinois, you are strongly encouraged to do so. Click here to access a digital messaging platform with a pre-populated message that will allow you to directly advocate to your state legislators in support of this proposal.
Click here to access IHA’s Protect Patient Care toolkit, offering related resources and advocacy materials.
Small & Rural Meeting: Focusing on Financial Stability
A pivotal session at this year’s IHA Small & Rural Hospitals Annual Meeting will offer strategies from a financial management expert on the most pressing issue facing hospitals: financial stability. Eric Shell, CPA, MBA, who focuses on rural healthcare, will present “Navigating a Changing Market: Strategies for Rural Hospital Financial Stability” during the June 28-29 meeting at the Bank of Springfield Center.
With an eye on current market realities, Shell will share best practices to leverage your market position and improve financial and operational performance—while transitioning from fee-for-service to a global population-based payment system.
Over the past 30 years, Shell has been an industry leader in helping rural providers transition to population health. He also helped develop a national program for rural hospital performance improvement and measurement, as well as new rural demonstration payment programs for clinics and hospitals.
Join IHA President and CEO A.J. Wilhelmi for key insights from Shell and other top speakers and for networking with colleagues. See our program webpage for information on continuing education credits, IHA’s hotel discount and registration options.
Register today.
Contact us with questions.
Federal Subcommittee Moves 340B Reporting Mandate
The U.S. House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health advanced legislation (H.R. 3290) on Wednesday that would impose new transparency requirements on 340B hospitals. The bill now advances to the full Energy and Commerce committee.
The language would establish new reporting requirements for hospitals and providers participating in the 340B drug pricing program. The American Hospital Association (AHA) opposes the legislation, saying the regulations are unnecessarily costly and burdensome. Opponents also argued the bill does not take into account data 340B hospitals are already reporting that reflect their community investment.
IDPH Urges Vaccinations as Mpox Cases Rise in Chicago
Yesterday, the Illinois Dept. of Public Health (IDPH) announced that cases of mpox (formerly known as monkeypox) are on the rise in Chicago and suburban Cook County. IDPH is urging those at risk for mpox exposure to take precautions and to get vaccinated, if they are not already, ahead of the spring and summer festival season.
According to an IDPH news release, 24 mpox cases have been confirmed with an additional two probable cases since March. All cases were among symptomatic men, a majority of whom had received two doses of the JYNNEOS vaccine.
Since the outbreak in 2022, mpox has primarily been transmitted through close, sustained physical contact, almost exclusively associated with sexual contact. Even though mpox infections have been primarily reported among gay, bisexual, nonbinary and transgender people, any person—regardless of sexual orientation—may be at risk for contracting and spreading mpox.
Mpox vaccines continue to be one of the most important protective measures. According to a new study reported by ABC News, the mpox vaccination campaign was highly effective at preventing infection. The study, which was published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), revealed one dose of the JYNNEOS vaccine was 75% effective and two doses of the vaccine were 86% effective. IDPH says cases among vaccinated people can still occur, but people who have completed their two-dose JYNNEOS vaccine series typically experience less severe symptoms and hospitalizations than those who have not. The CDC found that mpox cases were 14 times higher among unvaccinated males compared with those who received at least a first vaccine dose.
For mpox vaccine locations, click here. For more information, visit the Chicago Dept. of Public Health’s mpox dashboard by clicking here. IDPH’s mpox dashboard can be found here.
OMH Announces New Funding Opportunity
The Office of Minority Health (OMH) is seeking applications for projects funded under the Healthy Families Community-Based Perinatal Health Initiative (COPHI) to develop innovative models for integrating community-based maternal support services (COMSS) into perinatal systems of care.
OMH will award up to $10 million to support up to 10 awards, ranging from $975,000 to $1.25 million annually for a project period of up to four years with the possibility of an optional competitive fifth year for transition to sustainability. Click here for additional information, including eligibility criteria. Applications are due July 18 by 5 p.m.
COMSS are social and supportive services that address social determinants of health, such as health literacy; pregnancy, childbirth and parenting education; cultural and linguistic diversity; exposure to trauma; and housing, food and transportation access.
Click here to register for a related technical assistance webinar hosted by the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health, which will be held June 1 at 2 p.m.
Illinois COVID-19 Data
With the state of Illinois and the nation ending the Public Health Emergency (PHE) last week, the Illinois Dept. of Public Health (IDPH)
announced it is shifting to a new cadence for data reporting and will release updates every other week. The next update will be May 26. IDPH will continue to report COVID-19 data on the weekly number of people admitted to hospitals from emergency departments, deaths and vaccinations, as well through the dashboard of the
Illinois Wastewater Surveillance System.
Briefly Noted
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is urging parents to call 911 and seek emergency medical help immediately if they suspect that a child has been exposed to a fentanyl patch. According to the FDA, accidental exposure to medication is a leading cause of poisoning in children. Young children, in particular, have died or become seriously ill after being exposed to a skin patch containing fentanyl, a powerful opioid pain reliever. The FDA continues to warn patients, caregivers and healthcare professionals about the dangers of accidental exposure to the fentanyl patch, and of the need to properly store and dispose of the product. For more safety tips related to accidental exposures, visit the FDA’s website by
clicking here.