Organization: NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CHILDREN'S
Mission: N.A.C.H. SUPPORTS CHILDREN'S HOSPITALS IN ADDRESSING PUBLIC POLICY ISSUES THAT AFFECT THEIR ABILITY TO FULFILL THEIR MISSIONS TO SERVE CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES. N.A.C.H. FULFILLS ITS MISSION AND VISION THROUGH FEDERAL ADVOCACY, COLLABORATION AND COMMUNICATION DESIGNED TO STRENGTHEN THE ABILITY OF CHILDREN'S HOSPITALS AND HEALTH SYSTEMS TO INFLUENCE PUBLIC POLICY MAKERS, UNDERSTAND FEDERAL AND STATE POLICY ISSUES, ADVANCE ACCESS AND QUALITY OF HEALTH CARE FOR ALL CHILDREN, AND SUSTAIN FINANCIALLY THEIR MISSIONS OF CLINICAL CARE, EDUCATION, RESEARCH AND ADVOCACY.
Activities: INFORMATION SERVICES (POLICY, EVALUATION, ANALYSIS, AND RESEARCH) BECAUSE OF THE EXTRAORDINARY ROLE THAT PUBLIC POLICY PLAYS IN THE FINANCING AND DELIVERY OF CARE BY CHILDREN'S HOSPITALS, N.A.C.H. PUBLISHES A BROAD ARRAY OF PUBLICATIONS AND INFORMATION SERVICES THAT ENABLE CHILDREN'S HOSPITALS TO UNDERSTAND THE CHANGING PUBLIC POLICY ENVIRONMENT, ITS IMPLICATIONS FOR THE MISSIONS OF CHILDREN'S HOSPITALS, AND THE OPPORTUNITY IT PRESENTS FOR CHILDREN'S HOSPITALS TO PROTECT AND ADVANCE THEIR COMMON BUSINESS INTERESTS. PUBLICATIONS INCLUDE: 1) WASHINGTON UPDATE, A WEEKLY NEWSLETTER HIGHLIGHTING THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS IN FEDERAL POLICY, BOTH LEGISLATIVE AND REGULATORY, AFFECTING CHILDREN HOSPITALS REGARDING MEDICAID, COMMERCIAL INSURANCE, FEDERAL FUNDING FOR CHILD HEALTH GRANTS, MANAGED CARE, EXCHANGES, AND OTHER POLICIES AFFECTING THE MISSION OF CHILDREN'S HOSPITALS.OTHER INFORMATION SERVICES INCLUDE SPECIAL REPORTS, E-MAIL ALERTS, FACT SHEETS, AND MATERIALS PROVIDING MORE IN-DEPTH INFORMATION ON SPECIFIC EXAMPLES OF HOW STATES ARE IMPLEMENTING MEDICAID AND OTHER FEDERAL AND STATE HEALTH COVERAGE PROGRAMS FOR CHILDREN, SUCH AS STATES' DETERMINATION OF SPECIAL PAYMENTS FOR WHICH CHILDREN'S HOSPITALS QUALIFY IN MOST STATES, AND THE IMPACT OF FEDERAL FUNDING CHANGES ON STATE MEDICAID PAYMENT TO CHILDREN'S HOSPITALSN.A.C.H. OFFERS CUSTOMIZED INFORMATION SERVICES, RESPONDING TO INDIVIDUAL HOSPITALS' REQUESTS FOR INFORMATION ABOUT SPECIFIC PROVISIONS OF FEDERAL CHILD HEALTH POLICY AND ITS IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE POLICY. N.A.C.H. ALSO WORKS IN PROJECTS INVOLVING HOSPITALS WITH MAJOR ACADEMIC MISSIONS TO HELP THEM UNDERSTAND THE WAYS IN WHICH DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES POLICIES AFFECT PEDIATRIC GRADUATE MEDICAL EDUCATION.FINALLY, N.A.C.H. DEVELOPS, ON AN AS NEEDED BASIS, FACT SHEETS, TABLES, AND SIDE-BY-SIDE ANALYSES OF KEY DATA, REPORTS, LEGISLATION, AND OTHER PUBLIC POLICY DOCUMENTS TO ENABLE HOSPITALS TO UNDERSTAND THE CHANGING PUBLIC POLICY ENVIRONMENT.
PUBLIC POLICY ADVOCACYN.A.C.H. ENGAGES IN PUBLIC POLICY ADVOCACY IN TWO WAYS ASSOCIATION ADVOCACY AND GRASSROOTS ADVOCACY.ASSOCIATION ADVOCACY: N.A.C.H. DIRECTLY ADVOCATES PUBLIC POLICY POSITIONS ON BEHALF OF THE COMMON INTERESTS OF CHILDREN'S HOSPITALS IN MEETING WITH FEDERAL POLICY MAKERS AND THEIR STAFF, IN TESTIMONY TO CONGRESSIONAL AND EXECUTIVE BRANCH AGENCIES, IN LETTERS AND OTHER WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS, AND IN COMMUNICATIONS BY COALITIONS INVOLVING OTHER ORGANIZATIONS WITH COMMON INTERESTS, AS WELL AS IN MEDIA RELATED ADVOCACY, SUCH AS PRESS RELEASES AND BRIEFINGS, AND PAID ADVERTISEMENTS. THIS ADVOCACY IS DEFINED BY THE ANNUAL PUBLIC POLICY AGENDA DEVELOPED IN CONSULTATION WITH A COMMITTEE OF THE ASSOCIATION'S BOARD OF TRUSTEES. N.A.C.H.'S PRIMARY AREAS OF PUBLIC POLICY ADVOCACY FOCUSED ON LEGISLATION THAT DIRECTLY AFFECTS THE ABILITY OF CHILDREN'S HOSPITALS TO FULFILL THEIR MISSION OF PROVIDING CLINICAL CARE FOR CHILDREN REGARDLESS OF ECONOMIC OR MEDICAL CONDITION, TRAINING THE NEXT GENERATION OF PHYSICIANS FOR CHILDREN, SPONSORING RESEARCH TO IMPROVE CHILDREN'S HEALTH CARE, AND EDUCATING THE PUBLIC ABOUT BROADER ISSUES THAT AFFECT CHILDREN'S HEALTH CARE. IN PARTICULAR, N.A.C.H. FOCUSES ON LEGISLATION THAT AFFECTS THE STANDARDS FOR PUBLIC AND PRIVATE HEALTH COVERAGE INVOLVING THE PATIENTS WHO COME TO CHILDREN'S HOSPITALS AND THE HOSPITALS' ABILITY TO RECEIVE ADEQUATE REIMBURSEMENT FOR THEIR CARE, THE REIMBURSEMENT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT PROVIDES FOR ALL TEACHING HOSPITALS INCLUDING CHILDREN'S HOSPITALS FOR THEIR GRADUATE MEDICAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS, FEDERAL FUNDING FOR RESEARCH MOSTLY LIKELY TO AFFECT THE HEALTH CARE NEEDS OF CHILDREN, AND FEDERAL FUNDING FOR GRANTS THAT ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF SPECIAL POPULATIONS OF CHILDREN.N.A.C.H. ALSO SEEKS TO INFLUENCE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE POLICY BOTH THROUGH CONGRESS AND THE DEPARTMENT - AFFECTING ACCESS TO AND REIMBURSEMENT FOR CLINICAL CARE PROVIDED BY CHILDREN'S HOSPITALS FOR CHILDREN WHO ARE MILITARY DEPENDENTS. GRASSROOTS ADVOCACY: N.A.C.H. SEEKS TO ASSIST INDIVIDUAL CHILDREN'S HOSPITALS TO ADVOCATE - THROUGH THE HOSPITAL STAFF, HOSPITAL SUPPORTERS, AND MEMBERS OF THEIR COMMUNITIES - ON BEHALF OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION'S PUBLIC POLICY AGENDA, WHICH ADVANCES THE COMMON INTERESTS OF ALL CHILDREN'S HOSPITALS. SUCH ASSISTANCE INCLUDES WASHINGTON DC ADVOCACY DAYS, ACTION ALERTS, SAMPLE ADVOCACY LETTERS, SAMPLE PRESS RELEASES, AND SAMPLE ORGANIZING ACTIVITIES. FOR EXAMPLE, N.A.C.H. WORKED WITH INDIVIDUAL HOSPITALS TO EQUIP THEIR LEADERS TO ADVOCATE ON BEHALF OF FEDERAL GRADUATE MEDICAL EDUCATION FUNDING FOR CHILDREN'S HOSPITALS AND FEDERAL FUNDING FOR MEDICAID.
EDUCATION SERVICESN.A.C.H. ORGANIZES EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING ON PUBLIC POLICY ISSUES FOR MEMBER HOSPITALS IN CONJUNCTION WITH TWO ANNUAL CONVENTIONS OFCHILDREN'S HOSPITALS. THE FALL CONFERENCE BRINGS TOGETHER THE ADMINISTRATIVE, MEDICAL AND TRUSTEE LEADERSHIP OF THE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL INDUSTRY. THE SPRING CONFERENCES ARE A MULTI-DISCIPLINARY EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM. IN BOTH CONFERENCES, PARTICIPANTS INTERACT DIRECTLY WITH AND LEARN FROM PUBLIC POLICY EXPERTS ABOUT THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS IN PUBLIC POLICY AFFECTING THE ABILITY OF CHILDREN'S HOSPITALS TO FULFILL THEIR MISSIONS.
NTEE category: Health Care
Secondary category: Voluntary Health Associations & Medical Disciplines