Hello from the CEO
It’s hard to believe that I joined California Primary Care Association (CPCA) only a short time ago, in March of 2022. Life is strange like that, where weeks can feel like months and years can feel like days. In many ways, I am simultaneously starting several new chapters in my life – not only as the CEO of CPCA – but also my journey of fatherhood as I send my oldest kids to college while also welcoming my newborn son Alec Javier to the world.
Medi-Cal Rx Implementation Update: Addressing Concerns and Finding Solutions
Medi-Cal Rx Background
On January 7, 2019, Governor Newsom issued Executive Order (N-01-19) to create a single-purchaser system of drugs in California. Specifically, the Executive Order directs the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) to transition all pharmacy services for Medi-Cal managed care (MCO) to Fee for Service (FFS), which went into effect on January 1, 2022.
Protecting Access to Healthcare for Immigrant Communities
Public Charge Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM) On February 24, 2022, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published the Public Charge Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM) on the Federal Register, which was available for public comment until April 25, 2022. The NPRM closely mirrors the 1999 guidance currently in place today. This means that under the proposed rule, DHS would redefine “likely at any time to become a public charge” as “likely to become primarily dependent on the government for subsistence.”
Looking Back at the First Year of CPCA’s Membership Ambassador Program
In March 2021, Ginger Smith, Vice President of Member Relations, embarked on an effort to better connect CPCA member health centers with regular, intentional and comprehensive support through staff connection and technical assistance.
CPCA 2022 Conferences: From Virtual to In-Person…Finally!
2022 Virtual Quality & Technology Conference
CPCA’s 2022 Quality & Technology Conference on February 24-25 was originally planned to be hosted in-person in Santa Rosa and had to be quickly pivoted to a virtual conference when Sonoma County, at the height of the Omicron surge, issued a month-long public health order prohibiting gatherings over 12 people.
2022 CPCA Virtual Symposia: Focused Learning and Engagement on Timely Topics
Workforce Symposium
CPCA hosted the second annual Workforce Symposium to bring experts and partners across the state to discuss new and innovative solutions for complex and multi-layered healthcare workforce challenges.
CPCA WELCOMES NEW TEAM MEMBERS
We’re excited to have welcomed the following new members to our growing CPCA team!
Let’s Get Connected!
CPCA’s Connected Community is an amazing resource available to members when looking for information or networking with their peers. Since January 2022, CPCA members have logged into the site more than 1,600 times whether to ask questions, download or share resources, support their peers, or look for answers.
CPCA Programs Update
Leadership Equity Program Launch
In March 2022, CPCA hosted the official kickoff of the inaugural Leadership Equity Program (LEP) cohort at CPCA headquarters. The Leadership Equity Program offers both a cohort-based program for participating emerging leaders and capacity-building for their respective community health center (CHC) organizations - to achieve our vision to collectively strengthen community health centers' capacity to achieve just, healthy and equitable communities across California.
APM Opportunity Coming soon
FQHCs will soon have the chance to submit a letter of interest and apply for a new payment opportunity in California. This historic moment comes after approximately two decades of the Prospective Payment System (PPS) being in place. This new opportunity - an alternative payment methodology (APM) - aims to build on the best parts of PPS, while helping FQHCs stabilize payment and leverage more of their care teams to deliver even better patient-centered quality care.