More information may be found in AzHHA’s summary of the DAP 2022 Final Public Notice.
Legislative update – day 88 of session
Today marks day 88 of legislative session. In theory, legislators should be preparing to adjourn for the year as legislative sessions are only intended to last 100 days, but that is unlikely to happen. Before adjourning, legislators must pass a state budget; however, negotiations do not seem to have progressed beyond the initial stage.
While budget agreements may not be forthcoming, the legislature has been working hard on passing bills. To date, approximately 400 bills are still progressing through the legislative process while 186 have been signed into law by Governor Doug Ducey, including, many of AzHHA’s legislative priorities.
Visit azhha.org/azhha_priority_and_key_legislation to see which bills have been signed into law and other bill status updates.
AHCCCS finalizes differential adjusted payments for 2022
AHCCCS has released its Differential Adjusted Payment (DAP) 2022 Final Public Notice, which establishes two new and notable DAPs with April 30, 2021 and May 14, 2021 participation deadlines. First, the Final Public Notice establishes a new 0.5% DAP available to clinics that bill for behavioral health assessments and that integrate their electronic health records system with the American Society of Addiction Medicine continuum software, with an initial participation deadline of April 30, 2021. Second, the new Social Determinants of Health Closed-Loop referral platform incentive program is a 1% DAP available to behavioral health outpatient clinics, integrated clinics, and other behavioral health providers, with an initial participation deadline of May 14, 2021. The final public notice also reiterates upcoming milestones including the April 30, 2021 participation deadline for the care coordination agreement DAP between a hospital and an IHS/Tribal 638 facility and the May 1, 2021 deadline for participating in Health Information Exchange DAPs. More information may be found in AzHHA’s summary of the DAP 2022 Final Public Notice.
AHCCCS seeks public comment on housing and integration waiver proposals
AHCCCS is requesting public comment regarding two Section 1115 waiver demonstration proposals. The AHCCCS Housing and Health Opportunities (H2O) waiver demonstration seeks to enhance and expand housing services and interventions for AHCCCS members who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. AHCCCS is also seeking authority from CMS to extend the Targeted Investments Program from 2021 through 2026, referred to as the “TI Program 2.0,” which will include current TI Program providers as well as a new cohort of primary care practices, behavioral health providers and integrated clinics with no prior TI participation. AHCCCS is accepting public comment on these proposals through May 3, 2021 via email to [email protected]. See the AHCCCS website for more information.
CMS begins recouping COVID-19 Accelerated and Advance Payments
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) April 1 released an article informing all Medicare providers and suppliers who requested and received COVID-19 Accelerated and Advance Payments that it began recovering those payments March 30, depending on the one-year anniversary of their first payment. “Please be sure your billing staff are aware that the recovery has begun or will begin soon but no sooner than one year from the date we issued the CAAP to you,” the article states. In addition, it provides information on how to identify recovered payments. For more on COVID-19 accelerated and advance payments, visit the CMS website.
CISM self-care sessions because… it’s been a heck of a year
Members and partners of the Arizona Coalition for Healthcare Emergency Response, or AzCHER, now have no-cost access to valuable Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) training and “self-care” sessions. CISM is a confidential, peer-driven and comprehensive crisis intervention system. It covers multiple crisis intervention components including acute stress disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, posttraumatic depression, bereavement or grief. CISM interventions may be applied to individuals, small functional groups, large groups, families, organizations and even communities. AzCHER is currently offering individual and group therapeutic sessions in crisis management as well as group and individual crisis intervention and suicide prevention, intervention and postvention throughout the months of April, May and June. Contact Robin Oothoudt - [email protected] - for more information.
National Healthcare Decisions Day – April 16
National Healthcare Decisions Day (NHDD) held April 16 each year, was created to inspire, educate and empower the public and providers about the importance of advance care planning. Having these thought-provoking conversations—and then documenting them for healthcare providers to access in real-time—ensures your wishes are honored in almost every possible medical situation.
AzHHA’s Thoughtful Life Conversations (TLC) is dedicated to providing education to patients, caregivers and care teams on advance care planning throughout the year. Despite recent gains in public awareness of the need for advance care planning, studies indicate that most Americans have not exercised their right to make decisions about their healthcare in the event they cannot speak for themselves.
Not sure where to start? Thoughtful Life Conversations has the resources you need whether you are a community or care team member. Visit azhha.org/calendar to register for an upcoming workshop.
Health and wellbeing support for our healthcare heroes
In these unprecedented times, our healthcare workers are stressed and need our support. AzHHA is a proud partner of the Wellbeing Collaborative which has created an online community for sharing best practices and stories of support and gratitude for healthcare workers. We ask the healthcare community to share ideas, tips and program information - big and small - for supporting the wellbeing of all healthcare workers. Organizations interested in sharing their stories may record a short video or audio on a phone or other device (under two minutes) and upload it to wellbeingcollaborative.org.
COVID-19 vaccine update
TAs the Arizona weather begins to rise, vaccination sites will begin to move indoors. In a news release Monday, the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) announced a new state COVID-19 vaccination site serving the North Valley area will open at WestWorld, the Scottsdale exhibition center, on Thursday, April 22. In addition, ADHS is transitioning the State Farm Stadium vaccination site to the Gila River Arena indoor location on April 23. As of April 5, according to ADHS, state vaccination sites have administered 1,053,035 doses of COVID-19 vaccine. A total of 3,708,660 doses of COVID-19 have been administered statewide to 2,350,701 individuals, including 1,471,750 who are now fully vaccinated.
Arizonans interested in registering for an appointment may do so by visiting podvaccine.azdhs.gov. ADHS's COVID-19 Vaccine Navigation Help Desk offers additional registration support and bilingual assistance. The help desk may be reached by calling at 1-844-542-8201.
Upcoming Events
April 16 – Introduction to POLST workshop
The one-hour Introduction to POLST workshop equips healthcare professionals with knowledge and resources to begin using POLST, a portable medical order, in Arizona. The objectives are to describe what POLST is at the state and national level, explain why POLST is important, define the population for POLST, when to begin the conversation and who completes POLST, describe the process for completing, reviewing and updating POLST and learn the process of submitting healthcare planning documents to the Arizona Healthcare Directive Registry. Register here.
April 15 & 16 – AzCHER virtual conference
AzCHER’s premiere conference will occur on April 15 and 16, 2021. The two-day event (9 a.m. - 12 p.m. each day) features a packed agenda with keynote speakers addressing the recent Estes Park, Colorado wildfire and the 2017 mass shooting in Las Vegas. Eight breakout sessions will also be offered. Visit the AzCHER website to register and view the full agenda.
June 22 & 23 - Working Together: Forging the Future of Serious Illness Care
In collaboration with partners from California and Hawaii, AzHHA is working to hold a virtual summit, Working Together: Forging the Future of Serious Illness Care, on June 22 and 23. Attendees will hear from inspiring speakers, get the latest information on the state of serious illness care from thought leaders, connect with colleagues and friends in breakouts and group discussions and have the opportunity to rejuvenate the mind and spirit with a variety of activities. Register here.
In the News
Arizona passes 17,000 known COVID-19 deaths
Arizona Republic
Biden says all adults will be vaccine eligible by April 19
NPR