Ryan White Provider News, Feb. 2004

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FEB. 24, 2014


IN THIS ISSUE


CONTACT US

Ryan White Program
Hennepin County
Public Health Department
525 Portland Avenue
Minneapolis, MN 55415
612.348.5964
Email us


ABOUT THIS PUBLICATION

The Ryan White Provider Newsletter is issued semi-annually and provides information about HIV services planning, contract administration, quality management, CAREWare updates and training opportunities.  Your feedback and suggestions for future issues are appreciated. 

Contact Thuan Tran


Cheers and best wishes from your Ryan White team!

Though we’re already now halfway into the 2014 Ryan White Part A and B fiscal year, let’s take a minute to look back at a very successful 2013!

From September 2012 through August 2013, Ryan White Part A, B and State funded programs provided services to more than 4,500 people living with HIV – or roughly 58 percent of all people living with HIV in the state. Even better, 81 percent of those folks were retained in care (had an HIV primary care appointment in the past six months). And it was YOU who helped make this happen!

(To see where in the larger continuum of care your work is making a difference, be sure to check out MDH’s Minnesota HIV Treatment Cascade for People Living with HIV/AIDS.

As we move through 2014 and approach the 2015 Ryan White Part A and B fiscal years, we’re proud to continue working with you in providing the highest quality services to eligible clients.

Cheers and best wishes to you and your staff for a productive and enjoyable 2014.

Kip, John, Kathryn, Sheila, Thuan, Tim and Jonathan


REMINDER: Agency budget worksheets due this month

If you haven’t already done so, please be reminded that your Allocated Agency Budget worksheet needs to be completed and sent to your Ryan White contract manager yet this month.  Once submitted, that worksheet will set your agency’s contract renewal process in motion for the upcoming Ryan White fiscal year.

The Allocated Agency Budget worksheet is an Excel spreadsheet with auto populating features and instructions & was recently sent to you via email.  Please contact your contract manager with any questions.   

Additional information about the worksheet and contracting process is provided in the contracting guide available on Hennepin.us

The guide more broadly explains types of contracts, the contracting process, annual financial and reporting requirements, contract monitoring, invoicing, as well as some of the forms that providers are required to submit as part of their administrative documentation.  This guide can be very helpful in understanding the “what” and “why” of document submission to your contract manager throughout the year.  

Still have questions? Your Ryan White contract manager will be happy to help!


MCM de-duping working A-OK!

When a client gets the same services from multiple Medical Case Management (MCM) providers, unnecessary duplicate costs are incurred – and uses up Ryan White dollars unnecessarily fast.

In 2007, 335 clients received duplicate services from multiple Ryan White-funded MCM providers, and that raised a red flag. Working collaboratively and involving all MCM providers, case managers began conversations with clients about the health improvement and cost management benefits of accessing MCM services from one provider.

The primary goal is to ensure that all Ryan White eligible clients have access to the same quality MCM services and identify any unmet needs.  One of the main goals is to ensure effective coordination and follow-up with clients’ core medical and support services needs based on client’s individual service/care plan.  The secondary goal is to improve cost effectiveness of Ryan White funds.

In 2008, when the new de-duplication protocol was implemented, the number of duplicate-serviced clients went down to 225 -- but still accounted for nearly $340,000 in duplicate costs.

Each year since, though, this positive progress has continued, as the most recent year’s tally clearly indicates.  In 2013, duplicated costs totaled $9,000 and involved just six clients – a far cry from the 335 clients of six years ago.

The success of the de-duplication process not only translates to improved care coordination and follow-up for individual clients, it also means more funds will be available to increase the system’s capacity for MCM or other Ryan White fundable services.

So thank you for your continued efforts towards improvement of services for clients and improving cost effectiveness of Ryan White funding.


Quality improvement update

2013 quality improvement progress

Part A Providers reported in November that their QI plans for FY2013 were off to a good start, with goals ranging from continued increases in clients who are current in HIV medical care to involvement of more clients in health literacy training.

2013 site visit results 
Aggregate results from the client record reviews for compliance with Universal Standards done during 2013 summer site visits included the following:

  • Client records reviewed: 630
  • 98%compliance with HIV status documentation
  • 96% had insurance status
  • 95% showed client's HIV care status
  • 94% had proof of residency (baseline measure of new standard)
  • 90% documented proof of financial eligibility

Q1 plans for 2014

It's not too early to start thinking about what to include in quality improvement plans for FY2014, which are due by April 1. For providers who would like instruction or a refresher on how to develop a strong Q1 plan, Sheila Murphy will offer training on March 5. Invitations and registration information will be sent to all funded providers soon.


Ryan White funding update

The news is encouraging.  After an extended delay, Congress passed an omnibus spending bill that “softens” sequestration by increasing spending on discretionary programs in FY2014 by $45 billion.

As a result, overall Ryan White Program funding will increase by 2 percent with Part A increasing by 5 percent and Part B Care funding (not including ADAP) by 3 percent compared to post-sequestration funding in 2013.

We won’t know exactly what this means for Minnesota until we receive our Part A and B grant awards sometime after March. Still, these increases are a reason to be optimistic.


You and your clients are needed

You have the knowledge and experience in creating effective service delivery systems.  Your clients bring first-hand practical perspectives about real life barriers to HIV services.  So both you and they can make a real difference by getting involved in HIV-related community planning efforts.  The Minnesota HIV Services Planning Council invites your involvement.  Find out more at Minnesota HIV Services Planning Council.