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21 <br />Does the health reform law contain changes that will affect the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission <br />(MACPAC) that is set to start operating in 2010? <br />Yes-MACPAC, created through the Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009, will advise <br />Congress on Medicaid and CHIP issues, similar to the role of the Medicare Payment and Advisory Commission <br />(MedPAC). In 2010 the health reform law provides funding for MACPAC to include assessments of adult services, <br />including services for dual eligibles. <br />Are there provisions within the health reform law that support efforts to incorporate evidence-based practices in health <br />care delivery? <br />Yes-the law contains a provision that establishes a nonprofit Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute in FY2010 <br />that will support comparative effectiveness research to determine how to improve health care quality measures. <br />Will community health centers receive additional federal support through the health reform law? <br />Yes-in FY2011, funding for community health centers will be increased by $11 billion over five years. <br />Does the health reform law contain measures that improve data collection about health disparities? <br />Yes the health reform law requires greater collection of data on race and ethnicity, sex, socioeconomic status, <br />geographic location, disability status and primary language at the smallest geographic level available. The law also <br />requires enhanced data collection about access and treatment for individuals with disabilities. The Department of Health <br />and Human Services will assess any health disparity trends in the data. <br />Health Workforce <br />Will there be any broad federal efforts to enhance the health care workforce? <br />Yes-in 2010, the National Healthcare Workforce Commission will be created to develop a national healthcare workforce <br />strategy and build a strong healthcare workforce. The commission will be comprised of 15 members appointed by the <br />Comptroller General and must include at least one representative from state and local workforce boards. <br />Does the health reform law provide any financial assistance to support health workforce training? <br />Yes-some of the health workforce provisions in the law support scholarships and loans for training programs for health <br />professionals. Specifically, the law creates a loan repayment program for individuals receiving public health training, <br />establishes allied health recruitment and retention programs and mid-career training programs for public health <br />professionals. <br />How notch funding is available for these health workforce training supports? <br />For the loan repayment program, $195 million for FY2010 is authorized as well as necessary sums for FY2011 through <br />FY2015. Another $60 million is authorized for FY2010 as well as necessary sums for FY2011 through FY2015 for <br />training for mid-career public and allied health professionals. <br />What other provisions in the health reform law support health workforce training? <br />In 2010, the health reform law establishes Teaching Health Centers. These will provide Medicare payments for primary <br />care residency programs that are based in a federally qualified health center (FQHC). <br />What about the National Health Service Corps-does the law contain any changes or additional funding for that? <br />Yes the National Health Service Corps is permanently reauthorized through the law, and funding for the program is <br />enhanced through the law; specifically $1.5 billion is provided for FY2011-FY2015, in addition to the existing <br />15 <br />