Thursday, December 31, 2009

North Dakota Legislative Higher Education Committee in Bismarck on January 19 and 20, 2010

NORTH DAKOTA LEGISLATIVE MANAGEMENT
Tentative Agenda
HIGHER EDUCATION COMMITTEE
Tuesday and Wednesday, January 19-20, 2010
Roughrider Room, State Capitol
Bismarck, North Dakota
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
9:00 a.m. Call to order
Roll call
Consideration of the minutes from the October 28, 2009, meeting
HIGHER EDUCATION STUDY
9:05 a.m. Comments by the chairman regarding the committee meeting
Comments and discussion with representatives of North Dakota University System fouryear
institutions regarding the following higher education topic areas:
9:10 a.m. • Program evaluation procedures
Nationally recognized analyses tools used by institutions to evaluate programs
and the effectiveness of the tools
Comparisons made by campuses to peer institutions, including comparisons
made using information from program evaluation tools
Use of profit and loss analyses to determine the success of a particular academic
college or program
Criteria used to determine whether to add or remove programs at institutions and
examples of recent program additions and deletions
10:20 a.m. • Faculty engagement and evaluation
Involvement of faculty in developing campus budgets
Availability of discretionary funds to faculty for new ideas and processes
Process of evaluating faculty regarding instructional quality
Process of evaluating faculty regarding the level of student completion
11:20 a.m. • Student involvement
Role of students in the evaluation of programs and instructors at campuses
Role of students in developing academic programs and degree completion
requirements
Extent to which student unit records are used to measure the success of students
and faculty and the value of these measurements
12:00 noon Luncheon recess
Continuation of comments and discussion with representatives of University System
four-year institutions regarding the following higher education topic areas:
1:00 p.m. • Higher education funding
Suggestions for types of measurements or data to use for determining
performance or incentive funding
Appropriateness of using graduation rates; course completions; time to degree
completion; and the advancement of science, technology, engineering, and
mathematics courses as a basis for determining performance or incentive funding
2
2:00 p.m. • Future of higher education
Changes expected in higher education during the next 10 years and the next
20 years
Potential changes in the educational environment resulting from these changes
Potential changes in teaching methods resulting from increases in online courses
Potential changes in the need for physical plant capacity on campuses resulting
from future changes in the educational environment
Potential changes in funding methods resulting from changes in the educational
environment
Plans being developed by campuses to be prepared to successfully provide
higher education programs in the future
3:10 p.m. • Tuition waivers and workforce needs
Campus use of tuition waivers
Campus programs addressing current and future regional workforce needs
4:00 p.m. Committee discussion
4:30 p.m. Recess
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Presentations by representatives of the University System regarding the following
higher education topics:
8:30 a.m. Information regarding higher education data currently collected and evaluated,
additional potential evaluation measures, and recommendations for changes in the
collection and evaluation of the data
9:10 a.m. Institution policies for granting tuition waivers
9:30 a.m. The number of students at each campus that receive a foreign student or graduate
assistant tuition waiver, including the number of these students that reside in the state
following graduation
9:45 a.m. The estimated economic impact of higher education students to campus communities
10:00 a.m. Information regarding estimated 2009-10 academic year revenue collections at each
campus compared to budget estimates
10:20 a.m. The number of remedial education students at each campus as well as provisional
enrollment programs at institutions
10:35 a.m. The enrollment of students in online courses, including the amount of revenue
generated by online courses at each institution
10:45 a.m. The number of resident and nonresident students taking distance education classes
10:55 a.m. The enrollment of adult learners and disadvantaged students, including potential ways
to increase the enrollments of these students
11:15 a.m. The number of student loans and related dollar amount at each campus that are
considered delinquent
11:25 a.m. The status of grants applied for by University System institutions through the American
Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009
11:35 a.m. An update on the use of the $800,000 appropriation provided to the University System
for increasing awareness of two-year institutions and careers
3
11:55 a.m. An update on the activities of the State Board of Higher Education institutional missions
task force
12:05 p.m. An update on the activities of the North Dakota State University presidential search
committee
12:15 p.m. Comments by other interested persons regarding the committee's study of higher
education
12:25 p.m. Committee discussion and staff directives
1:00 p.m. Adjourn
Committee Members
Representatives Bob Skarphol (Chairman), Lois Delmore, Mark A. Dosch, Kathy Hawken, Brenda
Heller, Dennis Johnson, Nancy Johnson, RaeAnn G. Kelsch, Joe Kroeber, Bob Martinson, Darrell D.
Nottestad, Kenton Onstad, Ken Svedjan, Clark Williams
Senators John M. Andrist, Tim Flakoll, Tony S. Grindberg, Ray Holmberg, Karen K. Krebsbach,
Elroy N. Lindaas, Dave Nething, David O'Connell, Larry J. Robinson, Tom Seymour
Staff Contacts: Brady A. Larson, Fiscal Analyst
Allen H. Knudson, Legislative Budget Analyst and Auditor

Technology and North Dakota Health Ideas

Hi everyone,



Here is a link to the fact sheets that CMS has put on their website for meaningful use. http://www.cms.hhs.gov/Recovery/11_HealthIT.asp They start about half way down the page in the “Related links inside CMS” section. Here is the link to the meaningful use information on the HITECH website: http://healthit.hhs.gov/portal/server.pt?open=512&objID=1325&parentname=CommunityPage&parentid=1&mode=2 . (Most of the links go to the same information as the CMS link.)



On the call last night, CMS did indicate that this is a proposed rule with a sixty-day comment period, so the final rule could change. They are looking for feedback on the proposed rules and the measures. If you have comments, you can either send it to them directly, or you can send them to me and I will consolidate them and submit in one document.



Additionally, during the call, CMS indicated that additional rule(s) will be released with stage 2 and stage 3 criteria. These will be issued later to take into consideration advancements realized from stage 1 (technology etc.) See table 1 on page 46 for state 2 and 3 implementation time frames.



Even though I have not had a chance to read the meaningful use document yet, I noted that starting on page 103 of the proposed rule (http://www.federalregister.gov/OFRUpload/OFRData/2009-31217_PI.pdf ) is the list of stage 1 criteria for Meaningful Use (Table2). Additionally, there are about 20 tables following Table 2 that list out all the proposed quality measures for electronic submission. Some of these are for professionals and some are for hospitals.



I am sure that other information will be forthcoming. As other information becomes available, I will continue to pass it on to everyone. If you happen to receive information that you feel would be helpful for everyone, please pass it on to me so I can forward it on.



Happy New Year





Sheldon H. Wolf

ND Health Information Technology Director

600 East Boulevard Ave. Dept 112

Bismarck, ND 58505-0100



Telephone (701) 328-1991

Fax (701) 328-3000

Email: shwolf@nd.gov

North Dakota Human Services Grant - For Youth at Risk in Minot

NEWS from the N.D. Department of Human Services
600 E Boulevard Avenue, Bismarck ND 58505-0250

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 30, 2009

Contact: Marilyn Rudolph, Regional Director, North Central Human Service Center, Minot, 701-774-4684, Bonnie Schriock, Transition Coordinator, North Central Human Service Center, Minot, 701-857-8636, or LuWanna Lawrence, Assistant Public Information Officer, N.D. Department of Human Services, 701-328-1892

Department of Human Services awarded grant to serve transition-aged youth at risk in Minot region

BISMARCK, N.D. – The North Dakota Department of Human Services’ Division of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services announced today that it was awarded a $125,500 federal grant to begin a pilot program to serve transition-aged youth at risk in the Minot region.

The pilot program is based at the department’s North Central Human Service Center and will target youth ages 14-24 with serious mental illnesses who are transitioning to the adult system of care. Beginning in January 2010, it will serve a seven-county region including Bottineau, Burke, McHenry, Mountrail, Pierce, Renville and Ward.

“We are very pleased to receive this funding from the Federal Mental Health Services Administration and to be able to provide these important services beginning in January,” said department Executive Director, Carol K. Olson.

The program will focus on building basic independent living skills, workforce training and placement, healthcare, education, establishing a support network of mentors, providing initial support to address gaps, which would hinder independence, and training for families to achieve transition goals.

“Young people living with serious mental illnesses need both treatment and support to be successful in life,” Wendy LaMontagne, children’s mental health administrator, said. “This program will assist transition-aged youth in getting the help they need to live as independently as possible.”

Legislators this spring passed House Bill 1044, which authorized the department to develop a program and services to meet the needs of transition-aged youth at risk by accepting and receiving grants and other sources of funding to pay for the services.

The project will collaborate with the following community partners to provide the necessary support: Ward County Social Services; Job Service – Workforce Investment Act; Independence, Inc.; Homeless Coalition; Vocational Rehabilitation; Salvation Army; Community Action; Minot Housing Authority; Ward County Social Services; Head Start; Adult Learning Center; Community Food Pantries; Youth for Christ; YWCA and the YMCA.

For more information on the new services for at-risk youth, contact the North Central Human Service Center at 701-857-8500, TTY: 701-857-8666, or toll-free 1-888-470-6968.
# # #

Wednesday, December 30, 2009

The Bucks Montana Progressives

The Bucks/Mont Progressive Events Email is sent on the 15th & 30th of each month. It is a grassroots effort to publicize progressive events in the Bucks and Montgomery County area in Pennsylvania. Please forward this email & share with family and friends!

Email tomulrich@mybluelight.com and ask to be added to the Bucks/Mont list.

Please check these links at the end of the events list - Progressives Online, Progressive Information Sources, Clean Elections 101, Progressive Video Lending Library, & Bucks/Mont Progressive Circle of Friends.
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MONTHLY FOCUS -

Our grassroots effort can use your help! This progressive events email now reaches close to 4,000 in Bucks and Montgomery counties. You can help multiply that number. Please tell your friends about us and suggest that they check it out at BuckMontProgressiveEventsEmail.blogspot.com. Also, please include our link on your web sites and email lists. We do not share or sell emails from our list. This is strictly a grassroots effort to promote local progressive events and action. Thanks for your help!
_________________________

Democracy needs its citizens to Get Involved, Stay Informed, and Take Action. Progressives Online at http://www.ProgressivesOnline.blogspot.com provides a place to do all three. Check it out.
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MONTHLY CALENDAR - (Weekly, Farmers Markets, & Media on right)

1a. Thurs. Dec. 31, 5:30-6:30 PM - Candlelight Peace Vigil sponsored by the Trenton Friends Meeting and CFPA at the Friends Meetinghouse, 142 E. Hanover Street in Trenton. For more info email cfpabuxmont1 @ aol.com

1b. Fri. Jan. 1 - Progressives Online at http://ProgressivesOnline.blogspot.com

1c. Fri. Jan. 1, 7 PM - Peace Center of Delaware County's Just-Reel First Friday Movie Series at 1001 Old Sproul Rd. in Springfield. For more info email brandywine @ juno.com or call 610-544-1818 or go to http://www.delcopeacecenter.org/ . (1st Fri)

1c. Fri. Jan. 1, Noon - New Years Celebration for Peace at Yardley Friends Meeting, 65 North Main Street. Please join us to share an hour of spontaneous prayers for peace in Israel/Palestine, the Middle East, and throughout the world. Movie "Icyizere: Hope" will be shown at 1:30. It is a film-in-process by Kenya-born filmmaker Patrick Mureithi. In August 2007 he went to Rwanda and videographed a workshop of the exciting movement, "Healing and Rebuilding Our Communities" (HROC). NO CHARGE - Please bring snacks to share afterwards
For info call Susan Burger (215) 932-9263 or email peacedoc_1 @ msn.com.

2a. Sun. Jan. 3, 6 PM - Lower Bucks CFPA Meeting at Pennswoods Village, 1382 Newtown-Langhorne Road (Rte 413) near Newtown (new location). Simple desert (no potluck) at 6:00 with the meeting beginning at 6:30. Please bring a simple dessert to share if you are able. All are welcome at this meeting. One of the reasons for the location change is that we feel this is a more centralized location for many of our members and supporters. Go to http://www.cfpabuxmont.org/ for info. (1st Sun)

2b. Sun. Jan. 3, 11:45 AM - Free screening of Food, Inc. at the Buxmont Unitarian-Universalist Fellowship, 2040 W. Street Rod, Warrington, PA 18976. Food, Inc. is a movie about the way a majority of America's food is produced. It is guaranteed to change the way you think about your food supply forever. Childcare will be provided and healthy soups and artisan breads will be served for lunch! We encourage everyone to bring his or her own soup bowl and silverware if possible. For more info email mikeparry @ verizon.net

3. Mon. Jan. 4, 6:30-8 PM - Bryn Mawr Peace Coalition Vigil & Meeting at a location to be announced in Bryn Mawr. For info go to http://www.brynmawrpeace.org/ (1st Mon)

4a. Wed. Jan. 6, 7 PM - Philly for Change at Tritone, 1508 South Street Phila. For more info go to http://www.phillyforchange.com/ (1st Wed)

4b. Wed. Jan. 6, 6-9 PM - Greendrinks of Delaware Valley is a monthly social gathering of all things green, ecological, environmental, organic, renewable, regenerative, and restorative. Check for a meeting near at http://greendrinksdelawarevalley.blogspot.com/ (1st Wed)

4c. Wed. Jan. 6, 10 AM - Bucks County Commissioners' Meeting. For info go to http://www.BucksCounty.org (1st & 3rd Wed)

4d. Wed. Jan. 6, 7:30 PM - Bucks County Foodshed Alliance Meeting at the Village Library, 727 Penns Park Road in Wrightstown, Pa. 18940. The library is located between 2nd Street Pike (Rt. 232) and Rt. 413 in Wrightstown. Free and open to the public with a moderated discussion to follow. For more go to http://www.BucksCountyFoodShedAlliance.org (1st Wed)

4e. Wed. Jan. 6, 7-9 PM - Be The Change North Penn (BTCNP) Meeting at Holy Trinity Church, 407 N. Broad St., Lansdale. For info go to http://www.BeTheChangeNorthPenn.blogspot.com. or email kdipangrazio @ hotmail.com

5a. Thurs. Jan. 7, 7 PM - Sustainable Upper Dublin Meeting (SUDS) at the Upper Dublin Township Building. SUDS is working to build a sustainable community through grassroots action. Non-UDT residents welcome! For more info visit http://sustainableupperdublin.org/ or email info @ sustainableupperdublin.org. (1st Thurs)

5b. Thurs. Jan. 7, 7:30 PM - Montco DFA Meeting will be held at 1207 Claridge Rd in Wyndmoor. For info go to http://www.montcodfa.org/ or call 215-836-9358. (1st Thurs)

5c. Thurs. Jan. 7, 9:30 AM - Montgomery County Board of Commissioners, Salary Board and Election Board will meet in the Board Room on the Eighth Floor of One Montgomery Plaza, Norristown, PA. For more info go to http://www.MontcoPA.org (1st & 3rd Thurs)

5d. Thurs. Jan. 7, 7 PM - Northwest Greens Meeting in the NEW Weavers Way Meeting Room, 555 Carpenter Lane (near Greene Street) in West Mount Airy, Philadelphia. Northwest Greens is a non-partisan neighborhood organization, and its meetings are open to the public. More info at 215-843-4256 and nwgreens @ yahoo.com (usually 1st Thurs)

6a. Fri. Jan. 8, 7 PM - Lepoco Friday Film/Popcorn and Politics in Bethlehem. Please bring a snack or beverage to share. For info go to http://www.Lepoco.org or email lepoco @ fast.net or call 610-691-8730. (1st Fri)

6b. Fri. Jan. 8, 7 PM - Second Friday Warminster Environmental Video/Discussion Series will view "Is suburbia sustainable? Five Years Later" at Warminster Township's administration building Sponsored by the township's Environmental Advisory Council. Admission is free. The Township Building is at 401 Gibson Ave., off Henry Ave. in Warminster (18974). For information: 267.992.8020 or 215.443.5414.

7a. Sat. Jan. 9 , 11 AM - Upper Bucks Organizing for America Meeting (Obama supporters) at Upper Bucks Community Dems Office in Quakertown 328 W Broad in Quakertown at 328 W Broad St. For more info email Vera at veracole @ comcast.net (2nd & 4th Sat)

7b. Sat. Jan. 9, 10-11 AM - Peace Valley Nature Center Winter Lecture Series on Geology of Bucks County at 170 N. Chapman Rd. Doylestown. Learn to understand ecology and how it is important in our community. $5 ($3 for members) Go to http://www.peacevalleynaturecenter.org for more.

8a. Sun. Jan. 10, 4:30 PM - Brandywine Peace Community Monthly Potluck Supper & Program at the University Lutheran Church, 3637 Chestnut Street, Phila. Program will be "Why We Fight". Bring a main dish, salad, or dessert to share. . For info call 610-544-1818 or go to http://www.brandywinepeace.com/ (2nd Sun)

8b. Sun. Jan. 10, 2 PM - Be The Change Baederwood Meeting at Abington Friends School. This meeting will include speakers from a non-profit in International Development in Washington DC and others. The topic is: A Global Human Rights Crisis: Problems and Solutions. For info go to http://www.BeTheChangeBaederwood.com

9a. Tues. Jan. 12, 7 PM - Bucks County NAACP Meeting. For info go to http://www.BucksNAACP.org or call/email John Jordan at 215-364-1057 or j715jordan @ yahoo.com. (2nd Tues)

9b. Tues. Jan. 12, 7-9 PM - Regular joint meeting of DelMont PDA and Main Line Peace Action at 284 S. Roberts Road, Bryn Mawr, 19010. Agenda to follow. For details or to suggest agenda items, please call 610-527-4170 or e-mail tjdugdale @ verizon.net

10a. Wed. Jan. 13, 7:30 PM - Buckingham Friends Meeting Peace & Social Justice Film Series at 5864 York Rd (202) in Lahaska near Peddlar's Village. This month we will show/discuss "Rethink Afghanistan". Free! For info call 215-794-5816 or go to http://www.buckinghamfriendsmeeting.org/ (2nd Wed)

10b. Wed. Jan. 13, 7:30 PM - Bucks County Sierra Club Conservation Committee Meeting at the Northampton Library on Upper Holland Road, Richboro. We will hear a speaker from the Southeastern Utah Wilderness Alliance and view a visually stunning presentation about the Red Rock Wilderness Bill. For more info email Sierraclubbucks @ yahoogroups.com. To receive Bucks Sierra Club emails go to http://groups.yahoo.com/

11a. Thurs. Jan. 14, 6:30 PM - Steering Committee Meeting of Doylestown PA Food Buying Club/Co-0p at The Goddard School at the Farm, 100 Farm Lane, Doylestown. For more info go to http://www.meetup.com/Doylestown-PA-Food-Buying-Club-Co-op/ or email Steph at stephandrob2 @ verizon.net.

11b. Thurs. Jan. 14, 7 PM - Lehigh Valley Thomas Paine Chapter (152) of Veterans For Peace at the LEPOCO office on 4th St. in south Bethlehem, around the corner from the CVS drug store. Call Louise Legun at (610) 437-5314 or Phil Reiss at (610) 282-8077. (2nd Thurs)

12a. Fri. Jan. 15, 7 PM - Warminster Township Environmental Advisory Council Second Friday Film/Discussion Series at the Township Administration Building, 401 Gibson Ave. This series was formerly held at The Centrifuge Museum. For info call 267-992-8020. (2nd Fri)

12b. Fri. Jan 15 & Sat. Jan. 16, 7 PM - Film "Mine" & Post Film Discussion: Annie Trinkle, Animal Alliance (8:45 pm-film only) Hailed as "absorbing," "a must see," and "Oscar material," MINE is a documentary about the essential bond between humans and animals, set against the backdrop of Hurricane Katrina. Not Rated; 81 Minutes; 2009 Tickets: $7 in advance/$10 at the door Buy advance tickets online: https://friends-of-lambertville-library.ticketleap.com/

12c. Sat. Jan. 16, 11:30-1 PM - Peace Vigil at the Army Experience Center at the Franklin Mills Mall. We meet at Knight & Woodhaven Rd. For info call Bill Deckhart at 215-380-6804 or go to http://www.CFPABuxMont.org (3rd Sat)

13a. Sun. Jan. 17, 6 PM - The Lower Bucks Lyme Disease Support Group Meeting at the Middletown Township Municipal Building at 3 Municipal Way, Langhorne. We share information on what has helped us; we work to spread the word about Lyme Disease; and what an under diagnosed problem it is in this area. For info contact Evelyn at (215) 741-5902 or go to http://www.lowerbuckslymegroup.org (3rd Sun)

13b. Sun. Jan. 17, 2-4 PM - Peace Event near the home of Senator Arlen Specter, West Schoolhouse Lane (at Vaux St) in East Falls, Phila. For more info call 215-843-4256. (3rd Sun)

14. Mon. Jan. 18 - Monday, January 18, Noon - Make War No More! Martin Luther King Day of Nonviolent Resistance at Lockheed Martin, Mall & Goddard Boulevards in King of Prussia (behing the mall). Call the Brandywine Peace Community if you are interested in participating in the civil disobedience. For more info call 610-544-1818 or go to http://www.BrandywinePeace.com

15a. Wed. Jan. 20, 7 PM - Sustainable Springfield Meeting at the Flourtown Country Club. For more information about the meeting or Sustainable Springfield email Kat Lewis Sarsfield at sustainablespringfield @ gmail.com (3rd Wed)

15b. Wed. Jan. 20, 10 AM - Bucks County Commissioners' Meeting. For info go to http://www.BucksCounty.org (1st & 3rd Wed)

15c. Wed. Jan. 20, midday - Brown Bag Vigil at Rep. Joe Sestak's Media Office sponsored by DelMontpda and Main Line Peace Action. The purpose: to convince Rep. Sestak of the incrtedible amount of money we're spending on the military. Go to http://www.delmontpda.wordpress.com for more.

16. Thurs. Jan. 21, 9:30 AM - Montgomery County Board of Commissioners, Salary Board and Election Board will meet in the Board Room on the Eighth Floor of One Montgomery Plaza, Norristown, PA. For more info go to http://www.MontcoPA.org (1st & 3rd Thurs)

17a. Sat. Jan. 23, 10-11 AM - Peace Valley Nature Center Winter Lecture Series on Back Yard Birding at 170 N. Chapman Rd. Doylestown. Learn to understand ecology and how it is important in our community. $5 ($3 for members) Go to http://www.peacevalleynaturecenter.org for more.

17b. Sat. Jan. 23, 11 AM - Upper Bucks Organizing for America Meeting (Obama supporters) at Upper Bucks Community Dems Office in Quakertown 328 W Broad in Quakertown at 328 W Broad St. For more info email Vera at veracole @ comcast.net (2nd & 4th Sat)

18. Mon. Jan. 25, 7 PM - Montco Greens Meeting at the FIG CAFE, 437 Old York Rd., Jenkintown. The owner has graciously set aside room for us. For more info go to http://www.montcogreens.org or contact Ed at 267-825-4654 or ebonsell @ earthlink.net.

19. Fri. & Sat. Jan. 29-30 - PA Progressive Summit 2010: Moving PA Forward in Harrisburg at the Sheraton Harrisburg Hershey Hotel. The Early Bird registration (Before November 30) is only $75 for all workshops, both debates, keynote speeches, meals, snacks and beverages. Click here to register: http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/m/4b66041a/1ba324fb/911c7b8/2dee6c61/1303531918/VEsE/ The regular registration fee is $100, and space is limited, so sign up soon.

20a. Fri. Feb. 1, 7 PM - Doylestown First Friday Environmental and Sustainable Living DVD/Discussion Series at Environmental Home Store, 320 North Broad Street in Doylestown. The series is sponsored by Warminster Township Environmental Advisory Council & the ECLA PA. Admission is free. For info call 267-992-8020. (1st Fri)

20b. Mon. Feb 1, 7 PM - Lansdale Main Street Sustainable Film / Discussion Series at the Lansdale Public Library, 301 Vine St. Free! Donations welcome. For info call 267-825-4674. Co-sponsored by ECLA PA, Montco Greens, The Save Alliance, Weavers Way Co-op, and Veterans for Peace Chapter 31 (1st Mon).

21. Sat. Feb 6, 10-11 AM - Peace Valley Nature Center Winter Lecture Series on Lichens & Fungi at 170 N. Chapman Rd. Doylestown. Learn to understand ecology and how it is important in our community. $5 ($3 for members) Go to http://www.peacevalleynaturecenter.org for more.

22a. Sat. Feb. 20, 1 PM - "Uniting the Past and Present" - A Norristown NAACP Black History Month Celebration at the Westover Golf Club. For more info email ntownnaacpblkhist @ yahoo.com or call 484-919-8797 to ask about tickets, ad and/or event sponsorship.

22b. Sat. Feb. 20, 10-11 AM - Peace Valley Nature Center Winter Lecture Series on Critters & Folks: Space for Everyone at 170 N. Chapman Rd. Doylestown. Learn to understand ecology and how it is important in our community. $5 ($3 for members) Go to http://www.peacevalleynaturecenter.org for more.

23. July 10 to Aug. 10, 2010 - FOOD CHALLENGE PROGRAM EVENTS encourages eating local foods, sourced from no more than 100 miles. We are so lucky to live in the Delaware Valley where we have a diverse and abundant variety of foods. Let this challenge open our minds and palettes to this truth. For info go to http://www.100milephila.com/
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Progressives have online participation - Click here to view and participate - http://ProgressivesOnline.blogspot.com
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Progressive Information Sources - With the current state of the "corporate media", we need additional progressive sources of information. Click here for some ideas - http://ProgressiveInformation.blogspot.com
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Clean Elections 101
at http://CleanElections101.blogspot.com is dedicated to the idea that WE THE PEOPLE deserve elected officials that are responsive to WE THE PEOPLE and not beholden (or even perceived to be beholden) to special interest money. If you support the idea of "Clean Elections & Clean Representation", check it out.
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Progressive Video Lending Library - Democracy needs an informed electorate. Help that happen for yourself, your family, and friends. Click here to see available videos - http://ProgressiveVideoLendingLibrary.blogspot.com/
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Bucks/Mont Progressive Circle of Friends - This is a list of Progressive groups in Bucks & Montgomery Counties in Pennsylvania with their contact person and information. If your group has an activity or event you want to promote, please use this list of local progressive groups and the contact people to publicize your activity. With this email network, information about events can be passed quickly to other progressives who might be interested. Click here to see the list! http://ProgressiveCircleOfFriends.blogspot.com

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TAKE ACTION CORNER - Contact Your Elected Officials Every Week

1. US Capitol Switchboard
- 1-800-828-0498 or 1-202-224-3121 & ask for your elected official.

2. White House Comments Line
- 1-202-456-1111

3. USA.gov has a great way to contact your elected officials at http://www.usa.gov/Contact/Elected.shtml

4. Project Vote Smart has a good link to contact elected officials. Plus it gives info about voting records, etc. Click & put in zip code at http://www.VoteSmart.org/index.htm.

5. Congress.org web site has contact info plus good ideas about communicating with elected officials at http://www.congress.org/congressorg/issues/basics/
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ACTION ALERT !!!

Contact your representative now about the Fair Elections Now Act (S 752 & HB 1826) at this easy to use link -http://action.citizen.org/t/6693/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=1301

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DAILY/WEEKLY EVENTS

1. Every 2nd & 4th Mon. 6:30 - 7:30 PM - NAACP Youth Council Meeting at (2nd Mon) Linconia Tabernacle Christian Center on Parris Ave, Trevose Pa at (4th Mon) No Longer Bound Recreation Center on Norton Ave. in Bristol Pa.
2. Every Tues., 6-7 PM - Doylestown Peace Vigil at the intersection of State and Main in Doylestown. All are welcome and we have signs. For info call 215-340-9747
3a. Every Wed., 5-6 PM - Peace Vigil outside the Unitarian Society of Germantown, 6511 Lincoln Drive in West Mount Airy. For info call 215-843-4256 or email nwgreens @ yahoo.com.
3b. Every Wed. 5:30-6:30 PM - Health Care Reform Vigil in Doylestown at State & Main St.
4. Every Wed., 7-8 PM - Peace Vigil outside Border's Book Store in Germantown Ave. at Bethlehem Pike in Chestnut Hill. For info call 215-843-4256 or email nwgreens @ yahoo.com.
5. Every Fri., 5-5:30 PM - Phoenixville Peace Vigil at the corner of Bridge and Main in downtown Phoenixville.
6. Every Sat., 10:30-11:30 AM (starting 11/7/09) - PA Action/CFPA Peace Vigil near the intersection of Rt. 1 and Oxford Valley Rd. (near Oxford Valley Mall). Call Robin at 267-240-9819.
7. Every Sat., 10-11 AM - Sellersville Peace Vigil at Main St. and Temple Ave. sponsored by Upper Bucks Coalition for Peace Action. Call Angela at 215-257-1300 for more info.
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LOCAL FARMERS' MARKETS (check out their web site since most are closed for the season)

1. Lansdale on Sat. 9AM-1 PM at the Lansdale Railroad Plaza - Info at http://www.lansdalefarmersmarket.org/
2. Springtown on Wed. 3-6 PM at Springtown Firehouse, 3010 Rt. 412. For more info go to http://www.springtownfarmersmarket.org/
3. Lower Makefield on Thurs. 3:30-6:30 PM at Veterans Memorial Park, Edgewood Rd & Heacock Rd. For more info go to http://www.farmersmarketonline.com/fm/LowerMakefieldFarmersMarket.html
4. Linden Hill in Ottsville on Fri. 3:30-6:30 PM at Linden Hill Gardens, 8230 Easton Rd (Rt 611)
5. Skippack on Sun. 10-2 PM at Rt. 73 just west of historic Skippack. For more info go to http://www.farmersmarketonline.com/fm/SkippackFarmersMarket.html
6. Upper Dublin on Sat. 10-2 PM at 110 Pennsylvania Ave. near Oreland/North Hills. For more info go to http://www.farmersmarketonline.com/fm/OrelandNorthHillsFarmersMarket.html
7. Doylestown on Sat 7-12 Noon at W. State & Hamilton Ave. For more info go to http://www.buckinghampacivic.org/ .
8. New Hope on Thurs 3:30-7 PM at New Hope-Solebury High School Rain or Shine! For more info go http://www.hopefarmersmarket.com/
9. Wrightstown on Sat 9-1 PM at 2203 2nd Street Pike, adjacent to the Wrightstown Township municipal offices Rain or Shine! For more info go to http://www.buckscountyfoodshedalliance.org/
10. Plumsteadville Grange on Sat. 9-Noon at 611 North across from Kellers Church Rd.. Call Meg at 215-766-9801.

Link to more in PA at http://www.farmersmarketonline.com/fm/Pennsylvania.htm
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WEEKLY TV & OTHER MEDIA

1. "Democracy Now" - watch online at http://www.democracynow.org/ or check with your local cable company.
2. "Countdown with Keith Olbermann" every evening on MSNBC at 8 PM.
3. "The Rachel Maddow Show" every evening on MSNBC at 9.
4. "The Union Edge" every day from Noon to 1 PM at http://www.TheUnionEdge.com
5. "Thom Hartmann Show" every day Noon - 3 PM - on your computer at http://www.thomhartmann.com/. A progressive voice of reason.
6. Frontline on PBS - looks at current issues in the news online. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/view/
7a. "Voices of the Voters" Radio every Wed. 8-9 PM on Voting Integrity and other democracy issues at local "Philadelphia Radio Station" WNJC 1360 AM. Online - http://www.wnjc1360.com/Live_Netcast/live_netcast.html.
8b. " Rob Kall Show" every Wed. 9-10 PM at same location as above. Online - http://www.wnjc1360.com/live_netcast/live_netcast.html.
9. Meet the Bloggers Live every Fri. 1-2 PM at http://www.ustream.tv/channel/meet-the-bloggers Live program with current leaders on current issues.
10a. Bill Moyers Journal on PBS every Fri 9 PM. Watch programs later at http://www.pbs.org/moyers/
10b. NOW on PBS every Fri. 8:30 PM. Watch programs later at http://www.pbs.org/now/
11. Media Matters with Bob McChesney every Sun. 2 PM on 580 AM at http://will.illinois.edu/am/
12. Weekly Email Newsletter About Healthcare Reform at http://www.buckshealthcare.org/.
13. New Progressive on-line monthly - The Philadelphia Jewish Voice is an alternative to the Jewish Exponent. Check us out at http://www.pjvoice.com/
14. Progressive Op-Ed News Web Site -(run by Rob Kall) at http://www.opednews.com/
15. Bucks County Progressive Citizens Activists Web Site (for local Bucks County use) at http://www.oneifbylandbuckscounty.com/.
_________________________

Where can I get event information for the Lehigh Valley, New Jersey, & Chester County?

1. Lehigh Valley- Lepoco Peace has email updates each week. Email (lepoco at fast.net) and ask to be included on the list. For more events and updates go to http://www.lepoco.org/calendar.html
2. Lehigh Valley - Click http://LehighValleyProgressiveEventsEmail.blogspot.com
3. New Jersey- Coalition for Peace Action has a list of activities at http://www.peacecoalition.org/
4. Chester County- Contact Karen at CCPeaceMovement @ Aol.com to get on their email list
5. Phila Area - Go to http://www.ProgressiveNetworkSEPA.org for their calendar

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Current Medicare News..............

Hello Everyone,

Please enjoy the information contained in this edition of Frontier Focus. Please be sure to share it with your members, colleagues, providers and office billing staff. Thank you for your continued efforts to broadcast Medicare information to the providers in Region VIII.





Table of Contents



1. Delay in Implementing Phase 2 of CRs 6417 and 6421



2. CMS Processing Pharmacy DME Accreditation Determinations



3. Special Open Door Forum: 2010 Physicians Quality Reporting Initiative (PQRI) and Electronic Prescribing (eRx) Initiative Programs: Group Practice Reporting Option (GPRO)



4. 2011 Physician Quality Reporting Initiative Listening Session



5. DME MAC Contractors Conduct Teleconference to Introduce National Comprehensive Error Rate Testing (CERT) Education Initiative



6. Protecting You and Your Prescriptions Beneficiary Publication



7. Information Regarding the Holding of Claims for Services Paid Under the 2010 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule



8. Updated Information Regarding the Holding of Claims for Services Paid Under the 2010 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule



9. New from the Medicare Learning Network®



10. REVISED: MLN Matters Article #MM6740 - Revisions to Consultation Services Payment Policy



11. January 2010 Average Sales Price (ASP) File Is Now Available



12. Posting of the January 2010 ASP and Not Otherwise Classified (NOC) Pricing Files and Crosswalks



13. Modification to the Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) Code Set



14. FY 2010 Hospice Wage Index Now Available



15. Security Changes for Home Health OASIS Users



16. Your December Flu Message



17. Extra Help for Medicare Beneficiaries Paying for Prescription Drugs













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1. Delay in Implementing Phase 2 of CRs 6417 and 6421



The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will delay, until April 5, 2010, the implementation of Phase 2 of Change Request (CR) 6417 (Expansion of the Current Scope of Editing for Ordering/Referring Providers for Claims Processed by Medicare Carriers and Part B Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs)) and CR 6421 (Expansion of the Current Scope of Editing for Ordering/Referring Providers for Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics, and Supplies (DMEPOS) Supplier Claims Processed by Durable Medical Equipment Medicare Administrative Contractors (DME MACs)). CRs 6417 and 6421 are applicable to Part B claims only.



The delay in implementing Phase 2 of these CRs will give physicians and non-physician practitioners who order items or services for Medicare beneficiaries or who refer Medicare beneficiaries to other Medicare providers or suppliers sufficient time to enroll in Medicare or take the action necessary to establish a current enrollment record in Medicare prior to Phase 2 implementation.



Although enrolled in Medicare, many physicians and non-physician practitioners who are eligible to order items or services or refer Medicare beneficiaries to other Medicare providers or suppliers for services do not have current enrollment records in Medicare. A current enrollment record is one that is in the Medicare Provider Enrollment, Chain and Ownership System (PECOS) and also contains the physician/non-physician practitioner’s National Provider Identifier (NPI). Under Phase 2 of the above referenced CRs, a physician or non-physician practitioner who orders or refers and who does not have a current enrollment record that contains the NPI will cause the claim submitted by the Part B provider/supplier who furnished the ordered or referred item or service to be rejected.



CMS continues to urge physicians and non-physician practitioners who are enrolled in Medicare but who have not updated their Medicare enrollment record since November 2003 to update their enrollment record now. If these physicians and non-physician practitioners have no changes to their enrollment data, they need to submit an initial enrollment application which will establish a current enrollment record in PECOS.



For physicians and non-physician practitioners who order or refer—



· If you are not enrolled in the Medicare program, or if you enrolled more than 6 years ago and have not submitted any updates or changes to your enrollment information in more than 6 years, you do not have an enrollment record in PECOS. In order to continue to order or refer items or services for Medicare beneficiaries, you will have to submit an initial enrollment application. You may do so either by (1) using Internet-based PECOS (which transmits your enrollment application to the Medicare carrier or A/B MAC via the Internet—be sure to mail the signed and dated Certification Statement to the carrier or A/B MAC immediately after submitting the application), or (2) filling out the appropriate paper Medicare provider enrollment application(s) (CMS-855I and CMS-855R, if appropriate) and mailing the application, along with any required additional supplemental documentation, to the local Medicare carrier or A/B MAC, who will enter your information into PECOS and process your enrollment application. Information on how to enroll in Medicare is found on the Medicare provider/supplier enrollment web site at www.cms.hhs.gov/MedicareProviderSupEnroll.

· If you are already enrolled in Medicare, make sure you have a current enrollment record. You can find out if you have an enrollment record in PECOS by calling your designated carrier or A/B MAC or by going on-line, using Internet-based PECOS, to view your enrollment record. We will be posting information to the Medicare provider/supplier enrollment web site that will guide you through this process. Information about Internet-based PECOS and a link to Internet-based PECOS can be found on the Medicare provider/supplier enrollment web site. Before using Internet-based PECOS, we recommend that you read the information that is posted there and that is available in the downloadable documents section.

· If you are a dentist or a physician with a specialty such as a pediatrics who is eligible to order or refer items or services for Medicare beneficiaries but have not enrolled in Medicare because the services you provide are not covered by Medicare or you treat few Medicare beneficiaries, you need to enroll in Medicare in order to continue to order or refer items or services for Medicare beneficiaries.

· If you are a physician who is employed by the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Public Health Service, or the Department of Defense Tricare program but have not enrolled in Medicare because you would not be paid by Medicare for your services, you need to enroll in Medicare in order to continue to order or refer items or services for Medicare beneficiaries.



If you are a resident who has a medical license but have not enrolled in Medicare because you would not be paid by Medicare for your services, you do not need to enroll in Medicare in order to continue to order or refer items or services for Medicare beneficiaries. The teaching physician—not the resident—should be identified in claims as the ordering/referring provider when a resident orders or refers items or services for Medicare beneficiaries.



CMS actions to mitigate the number of informational messages:



Since many Part B providers and suppliers are receiving a high volume of informational messages in their Remittances, CMS is taking the following actions to reduce the number of informational messages being generated:



1. Prior to the implementation of Phase 2, CMS will systematically add the NPIs to the PECOS enrollment records of all physicians and non-physician practitioners whose enrollment records are in PECOS but do not contain their NPIs. Because the NPI is one of the matching criteria used in implementing the two new edits on the Ordering/Referring Provider, it is essential that the NPI be in the PECOS enrollment record. Because the data file used to implement the two edits contains only the eligible physicians and non-physician practitioners who are in PECOS with NPIs in their enrollment records, this action will add many more physicians and non-physician practitioners to that data file.

2. Prior to the implementation of Phase 2, CMS will make publicly available on the Internet the names and NPIs of the Medicare physicians and non-physician practitioners who are eligible to order or refer in the Medicare program. The name displayed will be that of the physician or non-physician practitioner as it appears in his or her PECOS enrollment record. This will allow Part B providers and suppliers who furnish and bill for items or services based on orders or referrals to determine if the Ordering/Referring Provider being identified in their claims will pass the two new edits prior to submitting the claims to Medicare.

3. Prior to the implementation of Phase 2, CMS will issue instructions to carriers and A/B MACs that will assist them in processing enrollment applications from physicians who are employed by the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Public Health Service, and the Department of Defense Tricare program. The instructions will also state that the teaching physician should be reported as the Ordering/Referring Physician in situations where a resident orders or refers items or services for Medicare beneficiaries. The instructions will also note that dentists and pediatricians, who sometimes order or refer items or services for Medicare beneficiaries, may be enrolling in Medicare in order to continue to order and refer.

4. CMS will be preparing a Special Edition Medicare Learning Network (MLN) Matters Article on the implementation of these two new edits. This MLN Matters Article will expand upon the information currently available in MLN Matters Articles MM 6417 and MM 6421.



Note: If you have problems accessing any hyperlink in this message, please copy and paste the URL into your Internet browser.

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2. CMS Processing Pharmacy DME Accreditation Determinations



CMS will continue to process accreditation determinations for pharmacies after January 1, 2010. The revocation process for those who do not meet the accreditation requirement will be prioritized based on any potential beneficiary access issues as well as the Agency’s workload. Pharmacies should proceed with their accreditation activities and the accrediting organization will notify the National Supplier Clearinghouse of any newly processed accreditations.

CMS encourages pharmacies to complete their accreditation applications as soon as possible and will notify pharmacies that furnish DME items of any changes in the accreditation requirements.

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3. Special Open Door Forum: 2010 Physicians Quality Reporting Initiative (PQRI) and Electronic Prescribing (eRx) Initiative Programs: Group Practice Reporting Option (GPRO)



Thursday, January 14, 2010 3:30-5:00 pm ET

Conference Call Only



The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will host a Special Open Door Forum on the 2010 PQRI and eRx Incentive programs. This Special Open Door Forum will focus on a new reporting option, available for the 2010 PQRI and eRx Incentive Program, known as the Group Practice Reporting Option (GPRO). Group practices that are interested in participating in the GPRO for PQRI and/or the eRx Incentive Program must submit a self-nomination letter to CMS by no later than January 31, 2010. Once a group practice (Tax Identification Number or TIN) is selected to participate in the GPRO for PQRI or eRx, this is the only method of PQRI or eRx reporting available to the group and all individual eligible professionals (National Provider Identifier or NPI) who bill Medicare under the group’s TIN for 2010.



During this call, CMS will:



· Provide information on the eligibility requirements for participating in the 2010 PQRI GPRO and/or the 2010 eRx Incentive Program GPRO;

· Provide instructions for self-nominating to participate in the 2010 PQRI GPRO and/or 2010 eRx Incentive Program GPRO;

· Provide an overview of the data submission process for PQRI and the eRx Incentive Program;

· Describe the measures for the 2010 PQRI GPRO;

· Discuss the criteria for satisfactory reporting of PQRI quality measures under GPRO; and

· Discuss the criteria for successful reporting of the eRx measure under GPRO.



Following the presentation, the telephone lines will be opened to allow participants to ask questions of the CMS subject matter experts as well as of individuals who have experience with the data submission process that will be used for quality reporting under the PQRI GPRO.



The 2010 GPRO for the PQRI and eRx Incentive Programs was finalized in the 2010 Physician Fee Schedule final rule with comment period. The final regulation was published in the Federal Register on November 25, 2009. To view the entire 2010 PFS final rule with comment period, go to the CMS PQRI website http://www.cms.hhs.gov/PQRI and click on the “Statute/Regulations/Program Instructions” section page. PQRI GPRO information is also available by clicking on the “Group Practice Reporting Option” section page of the CMS PQRI website. eRx Incentive GPRO information is available by clicking on the “Group Practice Reporting Option” section page of the CMS eRx Incentive Program website located at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/erxincentive .



We look forward to your participation.



Special Open Door Forum Participation Instructions:

Dial: 1-800-837-1935 Conference ID 45243499

Note: TTY Communications Relay Services are available for the Hearing Impaired. For TTY services dial 7-1-1 or 1-800-855-2880. A Relay Communications Assistant will A Relay Communications Assistant will help.



An audio recording and transcript of this Special Forum will be posted to the Special Open Door Forum website at, http://www.cms.hhs.gov/OpenDoorForums/05_ODF_SpecialODF.asp and will be accessible for downloading beginning on or around January 27, 2010.



For automatic emails of Open Door Forum schedule updates (E-Mailing list subscriptions) and to view Frequently Asked Questions please visit our website at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/opendoorforums/ .



Thank you for your interest in CMS Open Door Forums.

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4. 2011 Physician Quality Reporting Initiative Listening Session



The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is hosting a Listening Session on the 2011 Physician Quality Reporting Initiative (PQRI). The purpose of this listening session is to discuss and solicit feedback on the individual quality measures and measures groups being considered for possible inclusion in the proposed set of quality measures for use in the 2011 PQRI program and key components of the design of the PQRI program, such as possible reporting mechanisms, reporting periods, criteria for satisfactory reporting, the group practice reporting option, and public reporting of 2011 PQRI data.



Measure developers, eligible professionals, professional associations and other interested parties are invited to participate either onsite at CMS’ headquarters in Baltimore, MD., or via teleconference. The listening session will include several speakers as well as interactive question and answer sessions. The meeting is open to the public, but attendance is limited to space and teleconference lines available.



A summary of the measures and measures groups and other background materials for the listening session will be posted on the PQRI section at www.cms.hhs.gov/PQRI on the CMS website in the coming weeks.


The listening session will be held on February 2, 2010 from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (EST) in the main auditorium of the Central Building of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, located at 7500 Security Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21244–1850.



Anyone interested in attending the meeting or participating by teleconference must register by completing the online registration at http://www.usqualitymeasures.org on the internet. Registration for this event opens on Monday, December 21. In order to participate in the meeting, registration must be completed no later than 5 pm EST on January 22, 2010.



For more information, please see the Federal Register meeting notice posted at http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/pdf/E9-30122.pdf on the Internet.

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5. DME MAC Contractors Conduct Teleconference to Introduce National Comprehensive Error Rate Testing (CERT) Education Initiative



DME MAC Contractors Introduce National Comprehensive Error Rate Testing (CERT) Education Initiative In Special “Ask-The-Contractor Teleconference” January 13, 2010.





The Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services recently revised and improved its calculations of Medicare fee-for-service error rates in 2009. Strengthening this process has resulted in increased audits and requests for additional documentation to support payment of supplier claims.



In a unique approach to reducing common CERT error rates, DME MAC Jurisdictions A, B, C, and D have collaborated to form the DME MAC CERT Education Task Force. The Task Force has identified common national errors and has developed consistent educational messages which will be used by all four DME MAC jurisdictions in support of reducing errors. Learn how participation in new CERT education initiatives will help reduce errors and improve your responses to documentation requests.



Shana Olshan, Division Director for the Division of Contractor Provider Communications for CMS will introduce the new education initiative. Members of the DME MAC CERT Education Task Force will share important details on CERT education during the special Ask-the-Contractor teleconference Wednesday, January 13, 2009 at 2 p.m. ET/ 1 p.m. CST.



Conference call details:



Date: January 13, 2010

Conference Title: DME MAC CERT Education Task Force National Call

Time: 2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. ET



In order to receive the call-in information, you must register for the call. It is important to note that if you are planning to sit in with a group, only one person needs to register to receive the call-in data. This registration is solely to reserve a phone line, NOT to allow participation.



Registration will close at 2:00 p.m. ET on January 12, 2010, or when available space has been filled. No exceptions will be made, so please be sure to register prior to this time.



To register for the call participants need to go to:
http://www.eventsvc.com/palmettogba/011310



Fill in all required data.


Verify your time zone is displayed correctly the drop down box.


Click "Register".


You will be taken to the “Thank you for registering” page and will receive a confirmation email shortly thereafter. Note: Please print and save this page, in the event that your server blocks the confirmation emails. If you do not receive the confirmation email, please check your spam/junk mail filter as it may have been directed there.

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6. Protecting You and Your Prescriptions Beneficiary Publication



MEDICARE NEWS

Immediate Release



Protecting You and Your Prescriptions Beneficiary Publication



Medicare wants prescriptions filled only with drugs that are properly listed with the

Food and Drug Administration(FDA)





Today the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a Fact Sheet for Medicare Part D enrollees to help ensure that beneficiaries receive safe and legally marketed prescription drugs. Effective January 1, 2010, CMS will no longer reimburse Part D sponsors for prescription drugs that are not listed with the FDA. This policy is part of a safety initiative to ensure that Medicare Part D enrollees receive prescription drugs that are properly registered with the FDA.



The notice is a beneficiary tip sheet that explains that Part D prescriptions will be filled only with drugs that are properly listed with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Most Part D enrollees should experience no difficulty with filling their prescriptions under this policy as only a small number of the affected products were prescribed to Medicare Part D enrollees in 2009. However, to answer questions, CMS is issuing the attached Fact Sheet. This Fact Sheet provides beneficiaries and people who work with beneficiaries with information about filling their prescriptions with FDA listed products. In addition, to minimize beneficiary disruption, CMS has conducted extensive outreach to inform pharmacies, Part D sponsors, wholesalers, and manufacturers of this new policy.



This Beneficiary Fact Sheet pub. ID 11453 can be found here: http://www.medicare.gov/Publications/Pubs/pdf/11453.pdf

Or click on www.medicare.gov

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7. Information Regarding the Holding of Claims for Services Paid Under the 2010 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule



To the extent possible and in consideration of possible legislative changes, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is working with Congress, health care providers, and the beneficiary community to avoid disruption in the delivery of health care services and payment of claims for physicians, non-physician practitioners, and other providers of services paid under the Medicare physician fee schedule, beginning January 1, 2010. In this regard, CMS has instructed its contractors to hold claims containing services paid under the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) for the first 10 business days of January (January 1 through January 15) for 2010 dates of service. This should have minimum impact on provider cash flow because, under current law, clean electronic claims are not paid any sooner than 14 calendar days (29 days for paper claims) after the date of receipt. Meanwhile, all claims for services delivered on or before December 31, 2009, will be processed and paid under normal procedures.



After 10 business days, contractors will begin releasing held claims into processing under the fee schedule which implements current law. This, of course, could result in claims being processed with the negative 21.2 percent update. If a new law is enacted which changes the negative update effective January 1, CMS will correctly process claims under the new law and, if necessary, CMS is prepared to automatically reprocess most of those claims which have already been processed at the lower rate.



Under the Medicare statute, Medicare payments to physicians and other affected providers are based upon the lesser of the actual charge or the MPFS amount. Providers who submit charges that are greater than the negative 2010 MPFS will automatically have their claims reprocessed. Physicians who submit charges that are equal to or less than the 2010 MPFS amount will need to request an adjustment. Submitted charges on claims cannot be altered without a request from the physician/provider.



To the extent possible, providers may hold claims in-house until it becomes clearer as to whether new legislation will be enacted or until cash flow becomes problematic. This will reduce the need for providers to reconcile two payments (i.e., the initial claim and the reprocessed claim), and it will simplify provider billings of beneficiary coinsurance and payment calculations for payers which are secondary to Medicare.



CMS has extended the 2010 Annual Participation Enrollment Program end date from January 31, 2010, to March 17, 2010– therefore, the enrollment period now runs from November 13, 2009, through March 17, 2010.



The effective date for any Participation status change during the extension, however, remains January 1, 2010, and will be in force for the entire year.



Contractors will accept and process any Participation elections or withdrawals, made during the extended enrollment period that are received or post-marked on or before March 17, 2010.



In addition, be on the alert for more information about other legislative provisions which may affect you.”

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8. Updated Information Regarding the Holding of Claims for Services Paid Under the 2010 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule



This is a clarification to the listserv message that was issued on December 21, 2009. The President has signed the Department of Defense Appropriations Act of 2010 which provides for a zero percent (0%) update to the 2010 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule for a two month period, January 1, 2010 through February 28, 2010.



The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is working with Congress, health care providers, and the beneficiary community to avoid disruption in the delivery of health care services and payment of claims for physicians, non-physician practitioners, and other providers of services paid under the Medicare physician fee schedule, beginning January 1, 2010. In this regard, CMS has instructed its contractors to hold claims for services paid under the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) for up to the first 10 business days of January (January 1 through January 15) for 2010 dates of service. This should have minimum impact on provider cash flow because, by law, clean electronic claims are not paid any sooner than 14 calendar days (29 days for paper claims) after the date of receipt. Meanwhile, all claims for services delivered on or before December 31, 2009, will be processed and paid under normal procedures.



The holding of claims allows Medicare contractors time to receive the new, updated payment files and perform necessary testing before paying claims at the new rates. CMS has instructed contractors to begin processing claims at the new rates no later than January 19, 2010. Please note that most contractors are closed on the January 18 Martin Luther King Day holiday. Therefore, even absent a new update, most claims likely would not have been paid any sooner than January 19, 2010, given the aforementioned statutory 14-day payment floor.



CMS has extended the 2010 Annual Participation Enrollment Program end date from January 31, 2010, to March 17, 2010– therefore, the enrollment period now runs from November 13, 2009, through March 17, 2010.



The effective date for any Participation status change during the extension, however, remains January 1, 2010, and will be in force for the entire year.



Contractors will accept and process any Participation elections or withdrawals, made during the extended enrollment period that are received or post-marked on or before March 17, 2010.



In addition, be on the alert for more information about other legislative provisions which may affect you.

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9. New from the Medicare Learning Network®



Revised--Special Edition MLN Matters Article #SE0929 - 2010 Annual Participation Enrollment Program Extension

This article was revised on December 22, 2009, to show that the 2010 Annual Participation Enrollment Program has been extended through March 17, 2010. Due to recent revisions that were made to the 2010 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS), CMS has extended the 2010 Annual Participation Enrollment Program end date from December 31, 2009, to March 17, 2010 – therefore, the enrollment period now runs from November 13, 2009, through March 17, 2010. The effective date for any Participation status change during the extension, however, remains January 1, 2010; and will be in force for the entire year. For more information, please view the article located at: http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MLNMattersArticles/downloads/SE0929.pdf on the CMS website.



New--Special Edition MLN Matters Article #SE0931 - Expiration of Various Payment Provisions Under the Medicare Program



This special edition article is being issued by CMS to notify affected providers that a number of Medicare payment provisions, such as the Therapy Cap Exceptions Process and Allowing Independent Laboratories to Bill for the Technical Component of Physician Pathology Services Furnished to Hospital Patients, will no longer be in effect when the provisions sunset as of December 31, 2009. For more information, please view the article located at: http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MLNMattersArticles/downloads/SE0931.pdf on the CMS website.

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10. REVISED: MLN Matters Article #MM6740 - Revisions to Consultation Services Payment Policy



Note: This article was revised on December 17, 2009, to correct the "initial hospital day codes" referenced on the top of page 4 (in bold). Those codes should be 99221-99223. The error listed them as 99231-99233. All other information remains the same.



This article pertains to Change Request (CR) 6740, which alerts physicians and non-physician practitioners that effective January 1, 2010, the Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) consultation codes (ranges 99241-99245 and 99251-99255) are no longer recognized for Medicare Part B payment. Effective for services furnished on or after January 1, 2010, physicians and non-physician practitioners should code a patient evaluation and management visit with E/M codes that represent where the visit occurs and that identify the complexity of the visit performed. For more information, please view the article located at: http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MLNMattersArticles/downloads/MM6740.pdf on the CMS website.

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11. January 2010 Average Sales Price (ASP) File Is Now Available



The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has posted the revised January 2010 ASP pricing file and crosswalk. All are available for download at: http://www.cms.hhs.gov/McrPartBDrugAvgSalesPrice/01a19_2010aspfiles.asp

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12. Posting of the January 2010 ASP and Not Otherwise Classified (NOC) Pricing Files and Crosswalks



The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has posted the January 2010 ASP and Not Otherwise Classified (NOC) pricing files and crosswalks. The ASP pricing files for October 2009 and January 2009 have also been updated. All are available for download at: http://www.cms.hhs.gov/McrPartBDrugAvgSalesPrice/ (see left menu for year-specific links).

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13. Modification to the Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) Code Set



The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has released a modification to the Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) code set. CMS has revised the definition for HCPCS code L8680 to “IMPLANTABLE NEUROSTIMULATOR ELECTRODE, EACH”. In making this change, the CY 2010 definition for L8680 reverts to the definition reflected in the CY 2009 HCPCS code set. This change has been posted to the 2010 HCPCS Corrections document located on the HCPCS web page at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/HCPCSReleaseCodeSets/ANHCPCS/list.asp.

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14. FY 2010 Hospice Wage Index Now Available



The FY 2010 Hospice Wage Index is now available in Excel and text (508 compliant) file formats on the Hospice Center web page on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services website at (http://www.cms.hhs.gov/center/hospice.asp).

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15. Security Changes for Home Health OASIS Users



The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) would like to notify providers that at the end of February 2010, CMS will change the way Home Health Agencies (HHA) users’ login to submit assessment files and access agency reporting. The changes will be rolled out to transition login IDs away from shared agency login IDs, used by multiple people, to individual user IDs.



Beginning in February 2010 and wrapping up in August 2010, small groups of states will transition to individual user IDs about every two weeks.



Information regarding the roll out schedule, as well as, detailed instructions will be available in the upcoming months.



As the information is available it will be posted on your state’s OASIS State Welcome Page and the QIES Technical Support Office at http://www.qtso.com on the Internet.

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16. Your December Flu Message



Flu Season is Here!



Annual outbreaks of the seasonal flu usually occur from late fall to early spring. Typically, 5 to 20 percent of Americans get the seasonal flu, resulting in approximately 36,000 flu-related deaths.[1]



If you have Medicare patients who haven’t yet received their flu shot, you can help them reduce their risk of contracting the seasonal flu by recommending an annual seasonal influenza vaccination. Medicare provides coverage of the seasonal flu vaccine and its administration. And don’t forget to immunize yourself and your staff. Protect yourself, your staff, your patients, and your family and friends.



Remember - Influenza vaccine plus its administration are covered Part B benefits. Note that influenza vaccine is NOT a Part D covered drug.



For information about Medicare’s coverage of the seasonal influenza virus vaccine and its administration as well as related educational resources for health care professionals and their staff, please go to http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MLNProducts/Downloads/flu_products.pdf on the CMS website. You will find a variety of resources that explain Medicare coverage and claims submission policies related to the seasonal influenza vaccine.



For information on Medicare policies related to H1N1 influenza, please go to http://www.cms.hhs.gov/H1N1 on the CMS website.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



17. Extra Help for Medicare Beneficiaries Paying for Prescription Drugs



Do You Know Someone Who Is Having Trouble Paying For Prescription Drugs? Medicare Can Help!



· If an individual has limited income and resources, they may qualify for extra help from Medicare. This can mean big savings on prescription drug costs.

· Encourage people with Medicare to file for Extra Help online: https://secure.ssa.gov/apps6z/i1020/main.html or by calling Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 to apply over the phone.

· State Health Insurance Information Program (SHIP) offices can assist with the application. Find contact information for a local SHIP Counselor at http://www.medicare.gov/Contacts/staticpages/ships.aspx or by calling 1-800-MEDICARE.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~















Lucretia James

Division for Medicare Health Plans Operations
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
Region VIII
1600 Broadway, Suite 700
Denver, CO 80202
(303) 844-1568
lucretia.james@cms.hhs.gov







--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[1] Flu.gov. 2009. About the Flu [online]. Washington DC: The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2009 [cited 30 November 2009]. Available from the World Wide Web:
(http://www.flu.gov/individualfamily/about/index.htm )

Monday, December 28, 2009

North Dakota Legislative Education Committee in Bismarck

NORTH DAKOTA LEGISLATIVE MANAGEMENT
Tentative Agenda
EDUCATION COMMITTEE
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Roughrider Room, State Capitol
Bismarck, North Dakota
9:00 a.m. Call to order
Roll call
Approval of the minutes of the previous meeting
9:05 a.m. Presentation by Ms. Linda M. Paluck, Director, School Approval and Accreditation,
Department of Public Instruction, regarding proposed changes to the school approval
process
9:30 a.m. Presentation by Ms. Paluck regarding the state requirements for school accreditation
10:15 a.m. Break
10:30 a.m. Presentation by Mr. Jerry Coleman, Director, School Finance, Department of Public
Instruction, regarding the payment of state aid to accredited and nonaccredited schools
10:45 a.m. Comments by others regarding school approval and accreditation
11:30 a.m. Presentation by Lt. Governor Jack Dalrymple regarding activities of the North Dakota
Commission on Education Improvement
12:00 noon Luncheon recess
1:00 p.m. Presentation by a representative of the North Dakota Education Association regarding
teacher salaries
1:30 p.m. Presentation by a representative of the North Dakota Education Association regarding
teacher contract provisions affecting or applicable to waivers of schooldays
1:45 p.m. Presentation by a representative of the Department of Public Instruction regarding:
• Waivers of schooldays in years preceding the 2008-09 school year
• The number of student contact days per district
• The number of students who attended school outside their district of residence as a
result of the 2009 floods
• The costs incurred by districts that hosted students displaced as a result of the 2009
floods
2:00 p.m. Presentation by Mr. Robert J. Parisien, Indian Education Program Administrator, Indian
Affairs Commission, regarding challenges faced by schools in Indian country
2:15 p.m. Presentation by a representative of the Department of Public Instruction regarding
statistics pertaining to the education of Indian students
2:30 p.m. Break
2:45 p.m. Comments by others
Committee discussion
Staff directives
Adjourn
2
Committee Members
Representatives David Monson (Chairman), Rod Froelich, Lyle Hanson, Brenda Heller, Bob Hunskor,
Dennis Johnson, Karen Karls, RaeAnn G. Kelsch, Jerry Kelsh, Lisa Meier, Corey Mock, Phillip
Mueller, Lee Myxter, David S. Rust, John D. Wall
Senators JoNell A. Bakke, Robert S. Erbele, Layton W. Freborg, Dave Oehlke
Staff Contact: L. Anita Thomas, Counsel

Sunday, December 27, 2009

Homeland Security

Week in Review
Holiday cheer from – and for – those on the frontline
Tech. Sgt. Nathan Gallahan posts holiday greetings from Afghanistan; what do U.S. soldiers carry with them in the war zone? “The only possessions these soldiers had were what they could carry on their back and holiday cards from school children from across our beautiful nation”


Obama to name Howard Schmidt as cybersecurity coordinator
Howard Schmidt chosen as the White House cybersecurity coordinator; Schmidt, a former Bush White House official, will coordinate cybersecurity policy across the federal government, from the military to civilian agencies; questions remain as to whether his authority will be commensurate with the responsibilities he assumes


Obama administration makes stopping nuclear terror key goal
The administration, in its February 2010 Nuclear Posture Review, will declare that stopping nuclear terrorism is its central aim on the nuclear front; countering nuclear terrorists -- whether armed with rudimentary bombs, stolen warheads, or devices surreptitiously supplied by a hostile state – will become a task equal to the traditional mission of deterring a strike by major powers or emerging nuclear adversaries; shift in nuclear emphasis would mean devoting less money to modernizing bombers, missiles, and submarines, and more to surveillance satellites, reconnaissance planes, and undercover agents.



46 out of 56 U.S. states and territories not in compliance with REAL ID
The original deadline for compliance with the Real ID Act was May 2008; 56 U.S. states and territories were not in compliance as of that date, so DHS extended the deadline to 1 January 2010; as the deadline approached, DHS realized that 46 of the 56 states and territories were not in compliance, so the deadline has been extended yet again, to April 2011; as of October 2009, 25 states have approved either resolutions or binding legislation not to participate in the program


Tadpole-shaped dirigible to help in communication, surveillance missions
Florida company shows unmanned dirigible which will fly at 65,000 and 70,000 feet; the "Stratellite" will use similar technology to the that used by the Graf Zeppelin in the 1930s; homeland security applications include vessel tracking and cargo container surveillance; littoral (shore-proximate) surveillance for ports, waterways, coastal trails, and urban environments; ancillary border surveillance activity, and more


U.S. Army working to encrypt UAV video feeds
The Army is scrambling to secure the live video feeds from its UAVs from being intercepted by insurgents in Iraq and Afghanistan; Raven drones will be retrofitted with encryption technology as early as this month; the U.S. Air Force has known for more than a decade that the live video feeds from its unmanned aerial vehicles can be intercepted by the enemy but opted not to do anything about it until this year.



A first: Arizona firm punished under hiring law
For the first time in Arizona, a company employing illegal immigrants has been punished for violating the law; the company has its business license suspended for ten days and was put on a 3-year probation; the punishment is symbolic because the company is already out of business


Food facilities failing to register with FDA
The Bioterrorism Act of 2002 requires food facilities -- exempting farms, retail facilities, and restaurants -- to register with the FDA; the FDA had expected about 420,000 domestic and foreign food facilities to register because of the 2002 law; according to an FDA spokesman, as of 14 December, 392,217 facilities had registered -- 157,395 in the United States and 234,822 foreign facilities that export to the United States


Contractor surge: 56,000 contractors to accompany the 30,000 additional troops to Afghanistan
The Obama administration's decision to send 30,000 additional troops to Afghanistan is just one aspect of the surge; these troops will be accompanies by up to 56,000 additional contractors; as of September, the Defense Department had 104,101 contractors employed in Afghanistan



Large dams linked to more extreme weather patterns
A new study looked at the magnitude of the biggest storms near 633 of the world's largest dams before and after construction; they found that in many places the level of precipitation in the most extreme rainfall events grew by an average of 4 percent per year after a dam was built, with the relationship especially strong in semi-arid regions


DARPA scientists seeking lightning on tap
DARPA is seeking proposals for how to create lightning on demand; agency says the purspose is to protect property and other assets from lightning damage, or "advances in... science relating to lightning"










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Saturday, December 26, 2009

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MISCELLANEOUS FEDERAL

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Friday, December 25, 2009

The North Dakota Council of the Arts

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

December 23, 2009

For more information, contact Amy Schmidt, ND Council on the Arts, (701) 328-7594



North Dakota Council on the Arts Awards $56,341.34 in Grants Across the State



The North Dakota Council on the Arts (NDCA) has recently completed its fall grant round for Fiscal Year 2009. $56,341.34 was awarded in three (3) different grant programs: Artist in Residence, Community Arts Access, and Teacher Incentive. All applications were evaluated by grant review panels and all awards were subject to approval by the NDCA’s Board of Directors.



General descriptions of the different grant programs are listed below. Complete guidelines and application instructions for these and other NDCA grant programs are posted on the NDCA’s web site at www.nd.gov/arts; through the NDCA’s office at (701) 328-7590; or via email at comserv@nd.gov.



Artist-in-Residence: Sponsor
The Artist-in-Residence program provides matching funds for schools and other non-profit organizations to bring artists into North Dakota schools and communities to conduct residencies of three days or longer. This program is designed to provide students, teachers, and community members with hands-on experiences and personal interactions with working artists. Residencies give students an understanding of quality art and appreciation for cultural traditions. Maximum Grant: 50% of the artist's negotiated fee and expenses. Deadline Dates: November 1 and April 1.

Community Arts Access
As a community-based grant program, Community Arts Access is designed to benefit nonprofit organizations that present arts programming in small and rural communities in North Dakota. It also supports nonprofit organizations in communities of all sizes whose arts programming makes a deliberate and focused effort to serve a special constituency or an underserved audience in that community. Maximum Grant: $2,000. Deadline Dates: November 1 and April 1.

Teacher Incentive
The Teacher Incentive program is a means of providing financial assistance to teachers who wish to explore new and creative ways of incorporating the arts into the non-arts curriculum of a classroom. Projects may involve the visual arts, poetry/fiction writing, performing arts, architecture, folk arts, or any combination of artistic disciplines. Maximum Grant: $300. Deadline Dates: April 1 and November 1.

For easy reference, the awarded grants are listed below by grant program. The region (also listed below) of the applicant is listed first, followed by the applicant name, community, and the grant amount. In the case of Artist in Residence grants, the award is listed by the region of the school or sponsoring organization, which is followed by the community, name of the artist, and grant amount.



Region 1: Divide, Williams, and McKenzie counties.

Region 2: Burke, Mountrail, Renville, Ward, Bottineau, McHenry, and Pierce counties.

Region 3: Rolette, Towner, Benson, Eddy, Cavalier, and Ramsey counties.

Region 4: Pembina, Walsh, Nelson, and Grand Forks counties.

Region 5: Steele, Traill, Cass, Ransom, Sargent, and Richland counties.

Region 6: Wells, Foster, Stutsman, Logan, McIntosh, LaMoure, Dickey, Griggs, and Barnes counties.

Region 7: McLean, Mercer, Oliver, Morton, Grant, Sioux, Sheridan, Burleigh, Emmons, and Kidder counties.

Region 8: Golden Valley, Billings, Slope, Bowman, Dunn, Stark, Hettinger, and Adams counties.



Artist in Residence

Reg
City
Name
Artist
Award

02
Roseglen
White Shield Public School
Monte Yellow Bird
1844.00

03
Devils Lake
Devils Lake Public School
Jeanne O'Neil
2587.00

03
Langdon
Northern Lights Arts Council
Ceil Anne Clement
1184.00

03
New Rockford
Dakota Prairie Reg Cntr Arts
Patrick Kasper
1126.00

05
Casselton
Central Cass School
Willson & McKee
1500.00

05
Fargo
Madison Elementary School
Monte Yellow Bird
1660.00

05
Fort Ransom
Sheyenne Valley Arts/Crafts
Spirit
798.00

07
Bismarck
Roosevelt Elementary School
Ali LaRock
780.00

07
Bismarck
Solheim Elementary School
Ali LaRock
1051.00

07
Bismarck
St Mary's Elem School
Diane Shore
1555.00

07
Bismarck
Grimsrud Elementary School
Cultural Kaleidoscope
2439.00

07
Bismarck
Pride Manchester House
Ali LaRock
805.00

07
Bismarck
Prairie Rose Elementary School
Cultural Kaleidoscope
2411.00

07
Bismarck
Myhre Elementary School
Cultural Kaleidoscope
2411.00

07
Fort Yates
Fort Yates Public School
Irish Kaleidoscope
3076.00

07
Mandan
Mandan Public School
Jescia Hoffman
759.00

07
Mandan
Roosevelt Elementary School
Keith Bear
1820.00

08
Hettinger
Hettinger Public School
Margaret Schemmel
999.00




Community Arts Access


Reg
City
Name
Award


01
Noonan
Meadowlark Arts Council
500.00


02
Bismarck
North Dakota Women's Network
1500.00


03
Milton
Little Star Theatre
1250.00


05
Forman
Forman Community Club
1250.00


05
Hunter
Northern Cass Elementary Schl
500.00


05
Lisbon
Lisbon Public School
1600.00


05
Mayville
Mayville Park Board
500.00


06
Ashley
Ashley Public School
1000.00


06
Cooperstown
Griggs County Central Schools
500.00


06
Lamoure
Lamoure Public School
500.00


07
Bismarck
VSA Arts of North Dakota
1000.00


07
Center
Cross Ranch State Park
1600.00


07
Fessenden
Wells County Fair Association
1600.00


07
Hazen
Hazen Arts Council Inc
1600.00


07
Washburn
Washburn Public School
1600.00





Teacher Incentive


Reg
City
Name
Award


02
Kenmare
Kenmare Public School
300.00


02
Kenmare
Kenmare Public School
300.00


02
Kenmare
Kenmare Public School
300.00


02
Minot
South Prairie Elem School
296.55


02
Minot
Lewis & Clark Elementary Schl
268.97


02
Minot
Bell Elementary School
268.97


02
Minot
Bell Elementary School
267.73


02
Minot
Bell Elementary School
267.73


02
Minot
Lewis & Clark Elementary Schl
273.44


02
Minot
Lewis & Clark Elementary Schl
268.08


02
Minot
Bell Elementary School
269.78


02
Minot
Bell Elementary School
270.71


02
Minot
Bell Elementary School
276.67


02
Minot
South Prairie Elem School
294.57


02
Minot
South Prairie Elem School
295.89


02
Minot
South Prairie Elem School
298.53


02
Minot
South Prairie Elem School
297.87


02
Minot
Bell Elementary School
268.78


02
Minot
South Prairie Elem School
299.85


02
Minot
South Prairie Elem School
299.19


02
Minot
South Prairie Elem School
298.53


02
Minot
South Prairie Elem School
299.19


02
Minot AFB
Memorial Middle School
300.00


02
Newburg
Newburg United School Dist
300.00


02
Newburg
Newburg United School Dist
300.00


02
Newburg
Newburg United School Dist
280.50


02
Newburg
Newburg United School Dist
300.00


06
Jamestown
Jamestown North High School
275.00


07
Bismarck
Will-Moore Elementary School
300.00


07
Bismarck
Grimsrud Elementary School
300.00


07
Bismarck
Roosevelt Elementary School
300.00


07
Bismarck
Highland Acres School
300.00


07
Bismarck
Grimsrud Elementary School
300.00


07
Bismarck
Roosevelt Elementary School
300.00


07
Bismarck
Roosevelt Elementary School
300.00


07
Bismarck
Shiloh Christian School
299.81


07
Bismarck
Grimsrud Elementary School
300.00


07
Mandan
Christ the King School
300.00







###



The North Dakota Council on the Arts is the state agency responsible for the support and development of the arts throughout North Dakota, and is funded by the state legislature and the National Endowment for the Arts.





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Amy Schmidt

Public Information Officer

North Dakota Council on the Arts

1600 E. Century Ave., Suite 6

Bismarck, ND 58503-0649

amschmid@nd.gov

Phone: 701-328-7594

Fax: 701-328-7595