The maternal death rate is 60% higher in rural areas as compared to central parts of metropolitan areas. The important legislation aims to attract more health providers to rural areas and identify the root causes of pregnancy-related deaths in rural communities. As rural hospitals continue to close, distance to obstetric care continues to increase. Fewer than half of rural women live within a 30-minute drive to a hospital with obstetric services. Experts have said that long distances and shortages of obstetric care has contributed to the maternal deaths being experienced in rural areas.

Top Congressional leaders met to discuss the delayed spending bills for the current fiscal year. Reporting shows that talks have shifted from partisan sniping to guarded optimism through options for the next stopgap bill. Following this week’s negotiations, Senate Appropriations Chairman Richard Shelby (R-Ala) has said the next stopgap is more likely to run only until next month, instead of the previously reported longer-term resolution. The top four appropriators from both chambers will meet during the week of November 11 to discuss the spending allocations for the bills need for FY2020, which are already overdue.

During the week of November 4, the Texas Observer published an article detailing the impact of a rural hospital closure in Clarksville, Texas. The reporting highlights stories from Clarksville community members that have been negatively impacted by the loss of local health care access, and it claims that the closure may have contributed to at least 10 deaths since the hospital’s closure in 2014.

TIME published an article that emphasizes why Democratic presidential candidates should prioritize rural health care issues in their campaign platforms: according to former Sen. Heidi Heitkamp, “You cannot, certainly, win the Senate back, but probably not even win the presidency, without increasing the margin of Democratic votes in rural America.”

What Are Social Determinants of Health?

To put it briefly, social determinants of health are the ways that the conditions in which people live affect their health. They might include such factors as transportation, housing, education, or social isolation which can influence health status. These influences are important for healthcare professionals to consider because addressing them is a key part of achieving health equity.

Minority groups, in particular, tend to be disproportionately affected by social determinants of health. There are a number of ways that healthcare providers are beginning to incorporate social determinants of health into patient care.

Example Z Codes in ICD-10-CM

In some situations, a clinician may decide to make a note of a patient’s socioeconomic and psychosocial needs. If this happens, there is a group of codes within ICD-10 that can help record this information – Z codes. Some examples of these Z codes include:

• Z56: Problems related to employment and unemployment
• Z58: Problems related to physical environment
• Z59: Problems related to housing and economic circumstances
• Z60: Problems related to social environment

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is also conducting tests to determine whether finding and dealing with the health-related social needs of Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries can improve their health outcomes or affect their healthcare costs. One of the ways they are examining this potential difference is by asking providers to use the Accountable Health Communities (AHC) Health-Related Social Needs Screening Tool. This tool focuses on five core areas:

• Housing instability
• Food insecurity
• Transportation problems
• Utility help needs
• Interpersonal safety

This screening tool also includes eight supplemental domains covering topics such as financial strain, family and community support, education, and mental health. It is important to note that the AHC Health-Related Social Needs Screening Tool is not yet standard practice nationwide. It is primarily being used as a way to increase awareness of social determinants of health. However, it is a standard tool for the communities that are participating in the AHC Model.

Are Social Determinants Of Health Data Protected Under HIPAA?

Once your organization has collected data about social determinants of health that are potentially influencing a patient, what steps should you take to keep this information secure and protected? Before answering this question, you should first identify whether any of this information might be protected under HIPAA.

• Read the Entire Article, Get Links to Screening Tool and more – Click Here
• Learn Medical Coding – Click Here

From the American Institute for Healthcare Compliance, November 11, 2019

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recognizes a need for new approaches to prevention and, as a first, is requesting input from the public to better understand:

• The barriers to effective chronic disease prevention in the U.S.
• Highlights of effective chronic disease prevention strategies
• The potential of scientific and technological advancements, innovative partnerships, and human-centered design to create and scale new models of chronic disease prevention

Help advance chronic disease prevention in the U.S. by sharing your input. HHS will accept responses to this request for information until Friday, December 13, 2019.

“Trauma can lead to homelessness, and homelessness itself is traumatizing.”  A recent article in Slate notes that people without homes are living with “Trauma in Plain Sight.”  It also discusses the prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder and how it is often overlooked.  Trauma-informed principles need to be incorporated into services and advocacy.  You can learn about trauma and how it affects people without homes and improve your understanding with a trauma-informed care webinar series or contact the National Health Care for the Homeless Council (NHCHC) to learn how your health center can become trauma-informed.

The Rural Health Clinical Congress (RHCC) 2019 is a free, fully-online, multi-topic CME/CE event, designed with the unique needs of rural providers, practices, and patients in mind. National experts will present on a wide range of clinical, practice management, and patient-centric topics. Attendees can test their knowledge by responding to polling questions and ask questions to faculty in real-time through the interactive platform. RHCC 2019 will feature a panel discussion on the award-winning documentary, The Providers. Following segments of the film, panelists will discuss the challenges of providing care in rural communities as well as potential solutions. You can register on the Rural Health Clinical Congress website.

Geisinger and Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine have announced the Geisinger Primary Care Scholars Program to provide debt-free medical school and living assistance to medical students who commit to work within primary care at the health system after graduating. The program will expand access to care for the communities in the Geisinger Service Area. Nationally, medical students carry an average of $200,000 in debt, driving many to seek higher-paying specialty careers. With a nationwide shortage of primary care physicians projected in the coming years (including the areas Geisinger serves), removing financial burden will make it easier for more students interested in primary care to pursue a career in it. Read the press release.

The Pennsylvania Insurance Department (PID) announced that it has fined Aetna $190,000 and UnitedHealthcare $1 million for violating health insurance parity laws, including those requiring that coverage for substance use disorders and mental health be offered at the same level of benefits as medical or surgical treatment. Violations included incorrect application of copays, coinsurance, and visit limits, as well as violations involving prior authorization for treatment according to a news release. PID previously fined Blue Cross of Northeastern Pennsylvania $90,000. PID said it plans to examine all major health insurers in the commonwealth to ensure that they are in compliance with the parity laws.