Legislative Update May 26, 2010

I. Health Poll Shows Confusion about Healthcare Reform Persists

II. AAMC Coalition Testifies Before House Appropriations Subcommittee for 2011 Funding

III. Initial Notices on Reform Provisions for Undeserved Areas

IV. House Subcommittee Holds Hearing on Health Care Price Transparency

Health Poll Shows Confusion about Healthcare Reform Persists

A recent Poll of the Kaiser Family Foundation showed that confusion over health reform has declined but remains widespread; In May, 44 percent of the public said they were confused about the new law, compared to 55 percent in April. Moreover, more than a third of Americans (35%) say they do not understand what the impact of the law will be on themselves and their families.

AAMC Coalition Testifies Before House Appropriations Subcommittee for 2011 Funding

Heidi Chumley, M.D., Senior Associate Dean for Medical Education and Associate Professor in the Department of Family Medicine at the University of Kansas School of Medicine, May 12 testified on behalf of the Health Professions and Nursing Education Coalition (HPNEC), a coalition of over 60 national organizations coordinated by the AAMC during the House Labor-Health and Human Services-Education Appropriations Subcommittee's public witness hearing on FY 2011 appropriations.

Dr. Chumley testified regarding HPNEC's FY 2011 appropriations recommendation of $600 million for the existing Title VII health professions and Title VIII nursing education programs in FY 2011, and called for an additional investment in the newly-authorized health professions programs under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (P.L. 111-148). In her testimony, Dr. Chumley stated that this level of funding "will not only help sustain the expansion in the health workforce supported in recent years, but will also help to ensure the programs are able to fulfill their mission of improving the supply, distribution, and diversity of health professionals nationwide." She also noted the significant role Title VII and Title VIII programs play in boosting the supply of primary care professionals, improving the diversity of the health care workforce, and providing a number of interdisciplinary training opportunities for students.

Initial Notices on Reform Provisions for Undeserved Areas

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) May 10 published a Notice of Establishment for a negotiated rulemaking committee on the designation methodology for Health Professions Shortage Areas (HPSAs) and Medically Underserved Populations (MUPs). The rulemaking session was mandated by the Patient Protection and Affordability Act of 2010 (PPACA, P.L. 111-148) as part of health care reform.

House Subcommittee Holds Hearing on Health Care Price Transparency

The House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee May 6 held a hearing to discuss legislation addressing transparency in health care pricing. Specifically, the hearing focused on H.R. 4700, the Transparency in All Health Care Pricing Act of 2010; H.R. 2249, the Health Care Price Transparency Promotion Act of 2009; and H.R. 4803, the Patients' Right to Know Act. During the hearing, Subcommittee Chair Frank Pallone (D-N.J.) expressed the need for greater transparency across the health care spectrum. Ranking Member John Shimkus (R-Ill.) raised concerns that the transparency provisions included in the recently enacted health care reform legislation (P.L. 111-148) only apply to the new state insurance exchanges established under the law.

Rep. Steve Kagen (D-Wis.), sponsor of H.R. 4700, testified his legislation would require all health care providers and manufacturers to disclose publicly the prices of their services, procedures, and products. He said, "Without transparency in all health care pricing, there will continue to be opportunities for fraud and price manipulation."

Testifying on behalf of the American Hospital Association (AHA), Steven J. Summer, President and CEO of the Colorado Hospital Association, explained that the hospital community supports H.R. 2249 and ongoing state efforts regarding price transparency. He said states should work with their hospital associations and health insurers to expand upon existing requirements that provide "understandable and useful information about health care costs."

In a May 17^th Opinion Piece in the Washington Post, the president of Dartmouth College and the president of the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Clinic co-authored “Health Reform’s Next Test.” This editorial shares similar themes to those published by AAMC leaders in the past.

Your Legislative Affairs Team,

Nathan Copeland, Southern Region

Elizabeth Davlantes, Central Region

William Stevens, Western Region

Frank Bauer, Northeast Region

Thure Caire, National Delegate

Summer Public Health Internship

Vacancy Announcement

Job Title: Project Coordinator - Temporary (3 months)

Department: Alice! Health Promotion Program, Health Services at
Columbia

Anticipated Start Date: May 31, 2010 End Date: September 1, 2010

General Description:
The Project Coordinator will act as the primary manager of Go Ask
Alice!, Columbia University's health Q&A Internet resource along with
the web-based outreach functions of CU Move online fitness promotion
program, a!sleep website, and 21st Birthday E-card initiative. This
includes, manage weekly schedule of postings, including their live
publication on Fridays; coordinate, organize, write, edit and publish
site content and mix/schedule of content postings via the content
management system. As part of the Alice! Health Promotion Program team,
the Project Coordinator will assist with other health promotion and
education efforts and will be available for administrative duties as
requested.

Characteristic Duties and Responsibilities:

1. Manage and produce the Go Ask Alice! web site as follows: (75%
time)
a. Supervise work of e-mail admins, researchers, writers, editors,
web admin, and other Go Ask Alice! staff.
b. Manage weekly schedule of postings, including their live
publication on Fridays.
c. Coordinate, organize, write, edit and publish site content and
mix/schedule of content postings via the content management system.
d. With the Director of Alice!, review and/or work on press and
media requests and Go Ask Alice!-related promotional events.
e. Coordinate, oversee, and participate in Go Ask Alice! process
meetings.
f. Seek, audition, and train new Go Ask Alice! staff, such as
writers and information specialists, on a continual basis.
g. Working with HSC communications staff, coordinate marketing of
Go Ask Alice!
h. Recommend enhancements to Go Ask Alice! writing process, content
and overall program management.

2. Support the CU Move online fitness promotion program, a!sleep
website, and 21st Birthday E-card initiative as follows: (15% time)
a. Disseminate e-mails to program participants in conjunction with
other Alice! health promotion staff.
b. Manage weekly schedule of updates, events and other website
activities.
c. With the Director of Alice! and HSC communications staff review
and/or assist with program-specific press and media requests, and
related marketing and promotional events.

3. Attend regularly scheduled administrative and/or task force
meetings as requested. (5% time)

4. Work with Alice! team on other appropriate health promotion
projects and activities. (5% time)

5. Other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications:
Bachelor's degree required. Must possess an understanding of
undergraduate and graduate students' development issues, health needs,
and interests. Excellent and well-documented writing, editing, and
communication skills required. Must be detail-oriented, possess strong
organizational and follow-up skills and demonstrates ability to design
health-related initiatives that reflect the social, cultural, political,
and economic diversity of students. Strong computer skills required,
including PC literacy in a Windows environment, Microsoft Office Suite,
and ability to learn technology quickly. Familiarity with internet
applications and content management systems preferred.

Application Process:
Qualified candidates should submit a cover letter, resume, references,
and a writing sample via e-mail to mm3117@columbia.edu.


_________________________________
Michael P. McNeil, MS, CHES, FACHA
Director, Alice! Health Promotion
Health Services at Columbia

212-854-5453
mm3117@columbia.edu

CDC 6 month internship (Divisin of Global Migration and Quarantine)

Dear Sir/Madam:

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), New York Quarantine Station at John F. Kennedy International Airport is seeking student(s) to participate in a three to six months field internship (Public Health) program. The Quarantine Station is part of the Division of Global Migration and Quarantine (DGMQ) which has the statutory responsibility to make and enforce regulations necessary to prevent the introduction, transmission, or spread of communicable disease from foreign countries into the United States.

The Division has twenty quarantine stations located across the country, the CDC New York Quarantine Station is one of the leading location for implementing the comprehensive federal guidelines and mandates across several jurisdiction including the preclearance ports in Bermuda, Ireland, Canada and all port in New York, Connecticut, and Vermont.

The Primary Objectives of the Student Internship Programs are:

1. To put Public Health theory into practice on site via hands-on learning, observation, and didactic learning.
2. Learn basic tenets of Quarantine Station policy and practice to include processing immigrant visas, illness response, non-human primate importation, clearance of items of potential public health threat, and land border, maritime and aviation illness protocols.
3. To obtain knowledge of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention organization and how Division of Global Migration and Quarantine fits within that structure.
4. To fulfill the role of a Quarantine Public Health Officer (QPHO) while on site, “shadowing” staff initially and functioning independently by close of internship.
5. Complete 300 hours, approximately 25 hours per week for 12 weeks during Fall Semester. The length of time can be extended if necessary.

Please find below the point of contact for this internship program.

Internship Point of Contact:

Donald J. Spatz

Acting Officer in Charge

CDC New York Quarantine Station

John F. Kennedy International Airport

718-553-1685

djs2@cdc.gov

If you would like to learn more about our Division, you may visit our website at http://www.cdc.gov/ncpdcid/dgmq/mission.html or refer to the enclosed Fact Sheet. All inquiries regarding the student internship program may be forwarded to the above contact person.

Thanks for your cooperation; we look forward hearing from you.

Sincerely,

Marsha Williams, MPH

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

New York Quarantine Station

John F. Kennedy International Airport

Terminal 4, Rm 216.219

Jamaica, New York 11430

idj6@cdc.gov

718-553-1685 (Office)

718-553-1524 (fax)