HRSA Now Accepting New Applications to Support Loan Repayment at NHSC Sites
Posted 6-5-09
National Health Service Corps (NHSC) Loan Repayment Program (LRP) Starting June 3rd, the NHSC Loan Repayment Application is open and it will remain open until September 2010 or until all Recovery Act funds are expended. Please share this loan repayment opportunity with all eligible providers.
Important NHSC LRP Information
· NHSC LRP applicants should apply as soon as possible. Awards will be made on a first-come, first-served basis. The initial NHSC LRP award is for up to $50,000 for providers who want to work for two years at NHSC outpatient/ambulatory care site.
· LRP awards are no longer tied to sites with the highest HPSA score and there is no cut-off of HPSA scores.
· The maximum number of new LRP awards per site has been greatly increased (see attached document). There are no changes in Scholarship at this time.
· Fully complete LRP applications will be reviewed more quickly, most applicants eligible for awards will be notified within 8 weeks.
· More NHSC practice sites and vacancies are being approved every day making more choices available for eligible providers, who are applying for the NHSC LRP. (All NHSC LRP providers must practice at an NHSC site.)
· Providers who applied for LRP in the last cycle (by Jan. 31st) do NOT need to re-apply, if they submitted complete applications. If they are not approved for the last cycle, their applications will be rolled into this new cycle. Providers who previously submitted incomplete applications, will be notified by e-mail to re-apply for this new cycle.
· NHSC LRP information and application are available at: http://nhsc.hrsa.gov/loanrepayment/
· The State Primary Care Office can also help with questions – please contact Char White (608-264-6528) or charlotte.white@wisconsin.gov
NHSC Site Application Information
· Clinics can submit a NHSC Multi-Year Recruitment & Retention Assistance (site) Application. To download the site application and instructions go to: http://nhsc.hrsa.gov/communities/apply.htm · NHSC sites can get vacancies posted on the NHSC “Job Opportunities” web site at: http://nhscjobs.hrsa.gov/. In addition, sites can also have clinicians already employed apply for loan repayment.
· To check if a site address is located in a HPSA and potentially eligible for NHSC, go to: http://datawarehouse.hrsa.gov/GeoAdvisor/ShortageDesignationAdvisor.aspx.
· Submit site applications to both the NHSC and the Primary Care Office.
Compliance Process in Blue Cross Blue Shield Settlements in Effect
Posted 5-29-09
(The following was received from Physicians Advocacy Institute)
Dear State Medical Association Executives:
We would like to remind you that the coding provisions of the Blue Cross Blue Shield class action settlements went into effect in January 2009, and other provisions were effective on April 21, 2009. Click here for a one pager that describes the compliance dispute process and the benefits physicians have received from using it in past settlements. This one page WORD document is provided to you so you can use it or portions of it in your publications and on your web sites, as well as distribute it at meetings with your members. Click here for the form to file a compliance dispute. There is absolutely no cost to physicians to file disputes.
In addition, if your state or county medical association is a signatory to the Blues settlements, the medical association may file a compliance dispute on behalf of your physicians. Even if the Blues plan in your state did not sign the Love settlement, your members may have rights as a result of treating Blue card patients insured by settling Blues plans.
To aid all Federation staff in understanding the benefits of the Blues settlements and the compliance dispute process, the Physicians Advocacy Institute (PAI) will be offering three webinars for any of your staff who would like to know about the process to explain it to your members or to help file compliance disputes. We ask you to forward these attachments and webinar information to any of your staff (legal, practice management, communications, and membership) and county executives who wish to know more about the compliance dispute process and how it can help your members. There is real monetary benefit to your physicians who tell us about and file compliance disputes. We need to know if the Blues are living up to their commitments under the settlement.
We are offering the webinars on two different dates at three different times to provide your staff with the most flexibility to participate in the webinars.
WEBINAR DATES AND TIMES: “How to Help Your Members Get What They’re Entitled to Under the Love and Other MDL Settlements” (Instructions for accessing webinars below, all times are CENTRAL)
Thursday, May 21, 10:00 a.m. CDT
Wednesday, June 10, 9:00 a.m. CDT and 1:00 p.m. CDT
We hope these materials and webinars will provide value to your staff and allow you to help your members file compliance disputes. We appreciate your assistance with this. Bob and Sandy.
Instructions for accessing Webinars:
1. Please join my meeting, Thursday, May 21 at 10:00 a.m. CDT.
https://www1.gotomeeting.com/join/199239264
To Join the conference call:
Dial 712-338-7116
Access Code: 199-239-264
Audio PIN: Shown after joining the meeting
Meeting ID: 199-239-264
2. Please join my meeting, Wednesday, June 10 at 9:00 a.m. CDT.
https://www1.gotomeeting.com/join/647337009
To Join the conference call:
Dial 916-233-3080
Access Code: 647-337-009
Audio PIN: Shown after joining the meeting
Meeting ID: 647-337-009
3. Please join my meeting, Wednesday, June 10 at 1:00 p.m. CDT.
https://www1.gotomeeting.com/join/266355576
To join the conference call:
Dial 213-286-1203
Access Code: 266-355-576
Audio PIN: Shown after joining the meeting
Meeting ID: 266-355-576
