ANNOUNCEMENT/YOUR INPUT SOUGHT/OF POSSIBLE INTEREST (Washington Update, February 20, 2019)

WORTH REPEATING: ANNOUNCEMENT

The HHS Office of Minority Health (OMH) has announced that the Youth Health Equity Model of Practice (YHEMOP) Summer 2019 Health Equity Fellow Application is now available. Through its YHEMOP program, OMH places students enrolled in higher education studies into short-term health equity fellowships to help meet the needs of diverse organizations. The OMH asks that this announcement be shared with networks that connect students or postgraduates to interesting learning opportunities. This YHEMOP webpage describes the YHEMOP Fellowship experience and requirements, and provides information about how to apply. For more information on the YHEMOP Program please visit the YHEMOP webpage or email us at OMHYHEMOP@atlasresearch.us.

YOUR INPUT SOUGHT

Pain Management Task Force Draft Report – Due April 1, 2019
The Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act of 2016 (CARA), requires that the public be given at least ninety (90) days to submit comments on any proposed updates and recommendations developed by the Pain Management Best Practices Inter-Agency Task Force (Task Force). The Task Force is requesting comments on its Pain Management Best Practices: Updates, Gaps, Inconsistencies, and Recommendations (PDF), which includes sections on Unique Issues Related to Pediatric Pain Management; sickle cell disease; and Health Disparities in Racial and Ethnic Populations, Including African-Americans, Latinos, American Indians, and Alaska Natives. Submit comments.

Electronic Health Information – due early April
On Monday, February 11, 2019, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released a proposed rule intended to facilitate the use of electronic health information and promote patient access to and control over their health information. See the CMS Fact Sheet CMS will accept comments on the major provisions in this proposed rule until early April (exact date will be updated upon posting at the Federal Register).

OF POSSIBLE INTEREST

‘Everyone Is at Fault’: With Insulin Prices Skyrocketing, There’s Plenty of Blame to Go Around (STAT, 2/19/19)

Why Unitedhealthcare Wants To Expand Diagnostic Codes to the Social Determinants of Health (Fierce Healthcare, 2/11/19)