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The “Legal and Operational Guide for Free Medical Clinics” authored by the American Health Lawyers Association and funded by the American Medical Association has been released and is designed to provide important legal and operational information at your fingertips!  Included in this Guide is information on a variety of legal and operational issues for clinics to consider, such as the scope of services to be provided, funding sources, 501(c)(3) tax-exemption, recruitment and licensure of medical volunteers, insurance coverage and liability, prescription drug management, patient privacy, and quality of care and other patient care issues.

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Guidance for Industry Prescription Drug Marketing Act — Donation of Prescription Drug Samples to Free Clinics

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Connecting Kids to Coverage is a national campaign of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to reach and enroll eligible kids and teens in Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). Millions of children are eligible for free or low-cost health insurance under these programs, but are not enrolled. And, in some states, more parents may be eligible too. Help spread the word that enrollment in these programs is open year-round. You can call 1-855-313-KIDS (5437) or email InsureKidsNow@fleishman.com for more information.

Find resources and learn more about the Campaign at insurekidsnow.gov.

knowyourdose.org/

As you know, acetaminophen is the most common drug ingredient in America, found in over 600 different prescription and over-the-counter medicines. This spring, we’re asking healthcare providers to remind all patients and caregivers to 1) always read and follow the labels on their medicines; 2) know if their medicine contains acetaminophen; and 3) never take two medicines that contain acetaminophen at the same time. When used as directed, acetaminophen is safe and effective. But there is a limit to how much you can take in one day. Taking more than directed is an overdose and can lead to liver damage.

You can visit KnowYourDose.org to order free educational materials to display in your office, pharmacy, or waiting room to help educate patients and consumers on how to safely use medicines that contain acetaminophen. The site also offers a discussion guide to use as a quick reference and reminder when speaking with patients and consumers, as well as helpful tools for the public including a list of common medicines that contain acetaminophen, tips on reading over-the-counter and prescription labels, and more.

The Public Health Service (PHS) Act section 224(o) extends the ability for volunteers, employees, board members, officers, and contractors of qualified free clinics to be deemed as employees for the PHS for purposes of medical malpractice. This deeming status in turn provides medical malpractice coverage under the Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA).

More information can be found at bphc.hrsa.gov/ftca/freeclinics/.

This program has saved free clinics hundreds of thousands of dollars since its inception and is a great opportunity for free clinics. The Free Clinics FTCA Program is administered by the Bureau of Primary Health Care (BPHC) at the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). We have partnered with BPHC and the FTCA program to provide technical assistance to those currently deemed or researching the process. While we will answer as many questions as we can, the NAFC recommends you contact the BPHC Helpline directly for assistance.

The BPHC Helpline can be reached by phone (877-974-2742, option 2) or online contact form (hrsa.gov/about/contact/bphc.aspx) for more information.

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality has a wide range of tools, professional education and training, and publications related to health literacy.

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