The Colorado Rural Health Center is proud to acknowledge two clinics in the Southeast region of the state for achieving Level III Patient Centered Medical Home ( PCMH) recognition. Way to go!!! Both St. Thomas More Physician Group of Canon City, CO and Spanish Peak Family Clinic in Walsenburg, CO have been working hard to reach this goal since 2009. These two clinics have successfully traveled the difficult journey toward this achievement and are leading the way in transforming patient care and healthcare services in Colorado! Thank you for your dedication to the patients you serve in your rural communities and keep up the good work!
Colorado Health Benefit Exchange (COHBE) Update
A new website was for the Colorado Health Benefit Exchange (COHBE), the state health insurance marketplace for Colorado, was launched last month. The website contains information and resources for consumers and small businesses, as well as updates on the development of the state health insurance marketplace and COHBE board activities. Click here to read more.
Last month officials from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services came to Denver to listen to local stakeholder groups discuss their views about the types of medical care that should be covered by qualified health plans sold on new state and federal health insurance exchanges. The first proposed rules are expected to be released for public comment in the spring.
Also in November, the Board elected Gretchen Hammer to serve as the Chair of the Board. Previously, she had been serving in that position in an interim capacity. Richard Betts of Telluride was elected Vice-Chair, and Arnold Salazar of Alamosa was elected Secretary.
Patty Fontneau started her position as the Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of the COHBE this week. Fontneau will lead the development and implementation of the state health insurance marketplace. The press release can be viewed here.
The Implementation Review Committee is scheduled to meet today to discuss and take action on the Board’s application for a Federal Planning and Establishment grant due December 30th. The Review Committee declined to approve an earlier version of the grant due September 30th.
The Colorado Rural Health Center will continue to monitor the development of the Exchange and provide input as it relates to rural needs. For more information, contact Alicia Haywood at ah@coruralhealth.org or by calling 720-248-2748.
Only a Few Weeks Left in 2012 Membership Drive!
Thank you to those who have already renewed your membership!
With your support, we can continue to ensure all Coloradans have access to high quality healthcare services in 2012 and beyond.
CRHC has three levels of membership to suit your organizational/individual needs:
Joining is easy. Click here to join today!
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NPR on CAHs: An Overlooked Perspective
by Brock Slabach, National Rural Health Association
The December 8 NPR piece produced by Kaiser Health News (KHN) didn’t report that Medicare costs are lower for rural patients than their urban counterparts. Medicare spends 4.5% less per beneficiary for rural residents compared to those living in urban areas, according to a recent Stroudwater report which used 2008 Dartmouth Atlas data. The value that rural providers (including Hood Memorial Hospital in Amite, La.) bring to the Medicare program is evident, even including alternative payment methodologies applied to small, rural facilities. Closing Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) and sending their patients to large, urban hospitals will in fact not save money, but cost more.
Rural communities struggle with disproportionate share of poverty, obesity and chronic conditions when compared to an urban environment. Independent studies have affirmed the quality of rural health care providers. For example, rural hospitals have lower risk-adjusted rates of potential safety-related events (Jollife, 2003), rural hospitals have significantly lower adverse event rates than urban counterparts (Whitener and McGranahan, 2003) and rural hospitals have significantly lower rates of post-operative hip fracture, hemorrhage and hematoma (Cromartie, 2002).
The article accurately portrays the difficulty that small, rural hospital administrators have in running a hospital located in a rural environment. NRHA congratulates Hoppie Jones, Hood Memorial CEO, for doing an outstanding job in the midst of daunting circumstances.
Fall 2011 CROP Awardees Announced!
Congratulations to these providers, who were awarded Colorado Rural Outreach Program (CROP) retention grants!
| Awardee | Provider Type | Type of Award | Award Amount |
| Colorado West, Inc. | Psychiatrist | Loan Repayment | $10,000 |
| Grand County EMS | EMS/Prehospital Care | Loan Repayment | $4,170 |
| Kremmling Memorial Hospital District | Physical Therapist | Loan Repayment | $4,876 |
| Rio Grande Hospital | Emergency Room Physician | Loan Repayment | $10,000 |
| Valley-Wide Health Systems, Inc. | Physical Therapist | Loan Repayment | $5,000 |
| TOTAL AWARDS | Fall 2011 | $34,047.00 | |
Colorado Rural Health Care Grant Program Application Available!
The application and materials for the fifth cycle of the Colorado Rural Health Care Grant Program, administrated by the Colorado Rural Health Center, are now available.
- DEADLINE: Online Intent to Apply Forms — January 13, 2012 ; Applications — Noon (12:00 pm) February 15, 2012
- ELIGIBILITY: Organizations that are located outside of Colorado's urbanized areas that provide outpatient primary care services—including medical, oral, and mental health
- FUNDING PRIORITIES: Projects that support rural health infrastructure and strengthen the capacity of rural entities to provide outpatient primary care services
- AWARD AMOUNT: Maximum award is $50,000 per applicant
For more information on the grant application process, additional eligibility requirements and complete timeline, visit www.coruralhealth.org/programs/crhcgp.
Questions? Contact Shelly Collings at 720.248.2742 or sc@coruralhealth.org.
Tax Credits Available for Rural Facilities for Capital Projects
by Ronald A. Bell, Partner, Peck, Shaffer & Williams LLP and Mary L. Groves, Partner, Peck, Shaffer & Williams, LLP, CRHC Classic Sponsors
The New Markets Tax Credit Program (“NMTCP” or “Program”) and the applicability of new markets tax credits (“NMTCs” or “tax credits”) as a financing tool for healthcare facilities is a new trend under discussion in many circles. The NMTCP may be used to finance various types of capital projects related to the healthcare industry (e.g., data centers, surgical units, clinics, expansions) if located in eligible jurisdictions. This article gives a general overview of how NMTCs may be used to help meet capital financing needs.
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