1. The Continuing Resolution (CR) passed last Saturday extended both appropriated and mandatory funding for CHCs, the NHSC, and THC-GME at FY23 levels until the Friday before Thanksgiving. While we avoided a government shutdown this week, there's a distinct possibility that one will occur in November, when the current CR expires. The outcome of the race to be the next House Speaker will strongly influence the changes of such a shutdown. See page 4 for more about the bill, and page 9 for Steve's latest analysis of the Speaker race.
2. CHCs should be receiving 25% of every allotment of new COVID vaccines that their state (or local) immunization programs receive via the CDC Bridge Access program. See page 7.
3. Another week, another couple new 340B lawsuits. The latest is from a hospital arguing that HRSA's annual recertification requirements are illegal. See page 5.
Here are the Recommended Action Items. Please pay particular attention to #1:
1. Alert your CHCs with multiple sites that there is a legal/ compliant way for them to have more than one contract pharmacy site receive 340B-priced drugs from manufacturers with a "single contract pharmacy" restriction in place. However, getting to this outcome is neither fast nor simple, and CHCs must take the first step by Monday October 16. For a summary of the approach, and detailed instructions, see pages 4 and 11 and/or this link.
2. Please keep up your advocacy to get Congress to move on funding for CHCs, the NHSC, and THC-GME. In the Senate, we are particularly interested in getting more Republican Senators -- beyond those on the HELP Committee – to commit to supporting the Bipartisan Primary Care and Health Workforce Act. On the House side, the NACHC Advocacy website makes it easy to write or call your Representative about the need to advance the bill with this funding included. See page 3.
3. This month's Today with Macrae, on Oct. 17, will focus entirely on responding to questions submitted by the field. PCAs and CHCs who want BPHC to answer questions directly must submit them via the BPHC Contact Form (General/Other HRSA > Other Topics). See page 6.
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Drilon Gojani
Senior Director of Member Services
dgojani@kypca.net
859-797-6134
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