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PA Health Policy Update for the Week of June 21-25

The following is an update of selected state health policy developments in Pennsylvania for the week of June 21-25, 2021.  (Some of the language used below is taken directly from state documents.)

State-Wide Mask Mandate

The Department of Health announced that it is lifting its order requiring universal face coverings at 12:01 a.m. on Monday, June 28.   See the announcement here.  The department continues to urge Pennsylvanians to follow CDC guidance for wearing a mask where required by law, rule, and regulations, including health care, local business, and workplace guidance.  For the protection of themselves and others, individuals who have not yet been vaccinated or are partially vaccinated are still encouraged to wear a mask when in public.

Legislative Update

The following are health care bills that have received third and final consideration in the state House and/or Senate as of Thursday, June 24. Both chambers will hold voting session on Friday and Saturday and we anticipate there will be additional health care-related measures passed. We will provide an update following the end of session on any pertinent bills.

  • Senate Bill 115 – establishes the Nurse Licensure Compact Act, which upon enactment makes the Commonwealth a party to the Nurse Licensure Compact with all other states that have joined the compact. The bill was passed by the House 146-55 and sent to the Governor’s desk.
  • Senate Bill 425 – amends the Medical Care Availability and Reduction of Error (MCARE) Act to permit a physician to fulfill their duty to obtain a patient’s or the patient’s authorized representative’s consent by a qualified practitioner prior to conducting surgery or administering radiation or chemotherapy blood transfusions, or medications and devices. The bill was unanimously passed by the House on June 24th and sent to the Governor’s desk.
  • Senate Bill 484 – adds the chair of the State Veterans’ Commission or a designee to the Pennsylvania Long-term Care Council. The bill was unanimously passed by the House on June 24th and sent to the Governor’s desk.
  • Senate Bill 618 – prohibits the use of vaccine passports by government entities. It also prohibits institutions of higher education from requiring proof of vaccination against COVID-19 to use a service, enter a building, or undertake an activity, including attending class in person. In addition, the bill further restricts the Secretary of Health’s ability to implement certain disease control measures for individuals who have not been exposed, potentially or otherwise, to a contagious disease. The bill was signed in the state House and Senate on June 24th and sent to the governor. The governor has indicated he will veto

Department of Human Services

Department of Health

Effective at midnight on June 23, 2021, the Department of Health terminated its order requiring skilled nursing facilities to complete a vaccine needs assessment survey since those facilities are now reporting to the federal government.

COVID-19:  By the Numbers

  • The daily number of new COVID-19 cases continues to decline significantly.  The 174 new COVID-19 cases reported on Wednesday marked the lowest new daily case count since March 25, 2020, when 276 new cases were announced.
  • The number of COVID-19 deaths continues to decline significantly as well.
  • For the week from June 11 through June 17 the state’s overall COVID-19 test positivity rate was 1.4 percent, down from 1.9 percent last week and 2.9 percent the week before.
  • Sixty-four counties had a positivity rate lower than five percent, up from 62 last week, and no counties had a positivity rate greater than 20 percent for the eighth consecutive week.
  • Thirty-seven counties are currently experiencing low levels of community transmission of COVID-19, up from 22 last week; the remaining 30 Pennsylvania counties are experiencing moderate levels of community transmission and no counties are experiencing a high level of community transmission.
  • Since June 1 the number of Pennsylvanians hospitalized with COVID-19 has fallen 62 percent; the number on a ventilator has fallen 54 percent; and the number in hospital intensive care units has fallen 70 percent.
  • 5.3 million Pennsylvanians have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to the state’s COVID-19 dashboard.  Growth in this number has slowed significantly over the past month and only about 150,000 new vaccinations were reported in the past week. Another 760,000 people have been vaccinated in Philadelphia.  According to the state, 59.4 percent of Pennsylvanians 18 years of age and older are now fully vaccinated and 62.2 percent of the entire population has now received at least the first dose of a vaccine.

Around the State

Two Pennsylvania children’s hospitals ranked among the best ten such hospitals in the U.S. in the latest rankings published by U.S. News & World Report:  Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia ranked second and UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh ranked ninth.

Two Pennsylvania-based health insurers, Highmark and Independence Blue Cross, are among five Blues plans joining forces in a new venture called Evio, a for-profit venture that will seek to make prescription drugs more affordable and improve health care outcomes.  Learn more here.

Stakeholder Events

  • Maternal Mortality Review Committee

June 28 at 8:00

This meeting will be held via conference call.  The purpose of the meeting is to discuss new and ongoing procedural issues relating to the review process for the committee.  To join the call, dial +1 (267) 332-8737 and when prompted, enter the following conference code: 522 321 931#.

  • DHS Office of Long-Term Living – Financial Management Services Meeting

June 28 at 11:00 a.m.

The purpose of this meeting is to discuss upcoming changes in the administration of financial management services under the Community HealthChoices, OBRA Waiver, and Act 150 programs.  Representatives from the Office of Long-Term Living and Community HealthChoices managed care organizations will discuss the upcoming changes.  Interested parties can join the meeting in the following ways:

From the meeting link:

https://pa-hhs.webex.com/pa-hhs/j.php?MTID=m15e2e495a802f00df6fa38c9e645237d

By meeting number:

Meeting number (access code): 132 280 2499

From a mobile device (attendees only):

1-408-418-9388,,1322802499## United States Toll

1-202-860-2110,,1322802499## United States Toll (Washington D.C.)

By phone:

+1-408-418-9388 United States Toll

+1-202-860-2110 United States Toll (Washington D.C.)

Meeting password: Stakeholder

From a video system or application

Dial 1322802499@pa-hhs.webex.com

You can also dial 173.243.2.68 and enter your meeting number

  • Managed Long-Term Services and Supports Subcommittee Meeting

July 7 at 10:00 a.m.

This meeting will be held via webinar.  Public comments will be taken after each presentation and questions can be entered in the chat box.  Interested parties can participate in the following ways:

Webinar registration – go here

Dial in:  1-914-614-3221, access code 716-025-613

Remote captioning and streaming link – go here

  • Newborn Screening and Follow-Up Technical Advisory Board

July 15 at 10:00

The virtual public meeting will be conducted as a teleconference Skype meeting.  The dial-in number is (267) 332-8737 and the conference access ID is 63145728#.

  • Special Pharmaceutical Benefits Program

July 29, 2021 at 10:00

This is a telephone meeting.

Join on your computer or mobile app

Click here to join the meeting

Or call in (audio only)

+1 412-648-8888,,785376728#   United States, Pittsburgh

(866) 588-4789,,785376728#   United States (Toll-free)

Phone Conference ID: 785 376 728#

Stakeholder Event Report

Medical Assistance Advisory Committee Meeting – June 24

Deputy DHS Secretary Sally Kozak announced that DHS will perform readiness reviews of the managed care organizations selected to participate in the latest HealthChoices program procurement.  The procurement remains the subject of litigation so DHS will stop short of negotiating with the managed care organizations until there is a final decision in that case.

Stakeholder Events Materials

DHS has posted four presentations offered at the June 24 meeting of the Medical Assistance Advisory Committee.  Those presentations were delivered by its:

 

2021-06-26T13:46:01+00:00June 26th, 2021|Coronavirus, COVID-19, HealthChoices, Medical Assistance Bulletin, Meetings and notices, Pennsylvania Bulletin, Pennsylvania Medicaid policy, Pennsylvania Medical Assistance, Pennsylvania proposed FY 2022 budget, Pennsylvania state budget issues|Comments Off on PA Health Policy Update for the Week of June 21-25
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Pennsylvania Health Policy Update for the Week of June 14-18

The following is an update of selected state health policy developments in Pennsylvania for the week of June 14-18, 2021.  (Some of the language used below is taken directly from state documents.)

Pennsylvania’s COVID-19 Disaster Declaration

With the certification of November’s election results, Governor Wolf’s COVID-19 emergency disaster declaration has officially ended but most of the regulatory waivers issued during the emergency will remain in effect until the end of September.  Learn more here.

Update on State FY 2021-2022 Budget

The General Assembly continues to work toward a final budget agreement, with both the House and Senate beginning to position bills that could ultimately serve as vehicles for a final budget agreement by June 30.  The Senate sent a General Fund appropriations bill (Senate Bill 255) to the House earlier this week and scheduled a Finance Committee meeting on Monday, June 21 to consider a fiscal code bill (House Bill 1348).  We will continue to keep you apprised of any relevant budget updates.

House Chamber of the State HouseLegislative Update

The following are health care bills that received third and final consideration in the state House and/or Senate during the week of June 14.  We are tracking other health care bills as they move through the legislative process as well.

  • House Bill 1082 requires the Department of Health to establish and maintain an Early Detection and Diagnosis of Alzheimer’s Disease or a Related Disorder toolkit.  The toolkit, among other things, shall include best practice and cognitive assessment tools, primary care workforce education resources, and materials on the importance and value of early detection and timely diagnosis.  The House passed the bill 201-1 and sent it to the Senate for consideration.
  • House Bill 1428 permits a resident, or their guardian, to authorize the installation and use of video surveillance devices in long-term-care nursing facilities provided certain conditions are met.  The House passed the bill 160-42 and sent it to the Senate for consideration.
  • House Bill 1429 adds a new section to the state Crimes Code providing for the offense of financial exploitation of an older adult or care-dependent person.  It also clarifies that district attorneys have the right to investigate and institute criminal proceedings for any violation of this new section.  The House unanimously passed the bill and sent it to the Senate for consideration.
  • House Bill 1431 adds a new section to the Crimes Code that defines as abuse and establishes as a misdemeanor the use of social media by employees who post pictures of care-dependent individuals without permission.  The House passed the bill 198-4 and sent the bill to the Senate for consideration.
  • Senate Bill 445 permits a person renewing a driver’s license, identification card, or vehicle registration electronically through the Department of Transportation’s web site to contribute $5 to the Pennsylvania Breast Cancer Coalition for breast cancer research.  The House passed the bill unanimously and sent the bill to the governor for his consideration.
  • Senate Bill 416 establishes the certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA) designation in the commonwealth.  The legislation grants an individual licensed to practice professional nursing and who meets the requirements of this act the right to use the CRNA designation exclusively.  The Senate passed the bill unanimously and sent it to the House for consideration.
  • House Bill 649 requires the Department of Health, in consultation with the Department of Human Services, to establish protocols to permit an essential caregiver to provide in-person physical and emotional support to a congregate care facility resident during a declaration of disaster emergency.  The Senate passed the bill 32-18 and sent it to the governor.

COVID-19:  By the Numbers

  • The daily number of new COVID-19 cases continues to decline.  With 277 new COVID-19 cases reported, yesterday marked the lowest new daily case count since March 25, 2020, when 276 new cases were announced.
  • The number of COVID-19 deaths continues to decline significantly.
  • For the week from June 4 through June 10 the state’s overall COVID-19 test positivity rate was 1.9 percent, down from 2.9 percent last week and 3.8 percent the week before.
  • Sixty-two counties had a positivity rate lower than five percent, up from 55 last week, and no counties had a positivity rate greater than 20 percent for the seventh consecutive week.
  • Twenty-two counties are currently experiencing low levels of community transmission of COVID-19, up from 13 last week; 53 counties are experiencing moderate levels of community transmission; and only one county (Potter) is currently experiencing a substantial level of community transmission, the same number as last week.
  • In just 17 days since June 1 (as of Thursday, June 17), the number of Pennsylvanians hospitalized with COVID-19 has fallen 54 percent; the number on a ventilator has fallen 44 percent; and the number in hospital intensive care units has fallen 54 percent.
  • 5.2 million Pennsylvanians have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to the state’s COVID-19 dashboard.  Growth in this number has slowed significantly over the past three weeks. Another 760,000 have been vaccinated in Philadelphia.  According to the state, 58.8 percent of Pennsylvanians 18 years of age and older are now fully vaccinated and 61.1 percent of the entire population has now received at least the first dose of a vaccine.

Department of Human Services

The American Rescue Plan offers a temporary 10 percent increase in federal Medicaid matching fund for certain state Medicaid expenditures for home and community-based services (HCBS).  DHS has submitted a preliminary spending plan to the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) as part of the process of seeking approval for this additional funding and has invited stakeholder comment on its proposal.  Comments are due July 6.  Go here to see DHS’s announcement of this endeavor; go here to see a Wolf administration news release on the subject; and go here to see DHS’s preliminary spending plan.

DHS has updated its list of mailing dates for the most current four Remittance Advices and corresponding checks.

Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs suspended three of its regulations governing narcotic treatment programs:  one limiting the supply of medicine  those programs can dispense at one time to their patients; another requiring those programs to meet patients in person before prescribing buprenorphine; and the third requiring them to have a physician on the premises.  While the governor’s declaration of a disaster emergency has been terminated, the department has advised all stakeholders that these three regulations will remain suspended until September 30.  Go here for more information.

The Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs has issued an alert clarifying the requirements that licensed providers must meet to use certain medications, including methadone, buprenorphine, and naltrexone.

Around the State

  • Of the more than 600,000 residents of Allegheny County who are fully vaccinated, according to county health officials, only 420 have contracted COVID-19 – so-called breakthrough cases; only 11 of the 420 required hospitalization.  The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review provides the details.
  • Demand for COVID-19 vaccinations is falling in the Lehigh Valley and throughout Pennsylvania and the Allentown Morning Call offers the numbers to prove it.
  • While COVID-19-related hospitalizations have declined state-wide they are rising in Erie and Crawford County.  GoErie looks into why.
  • Cumberland County has made masks optional for staff and visitors at any county facility except the Claremont Nursing and Rehabilitation Center and Cumberland County Prison, according to the Carlisle Sentinel.
  • The city of Pittsburgh has announced plans for its workforce to return to city offices, the Pittsburgh Business Times reports.
  • “The company responsible for administering Pennsylvania’s contact tracing program has called on current and former employees to help it locate and secure documents online that might still contain the personal information of those who were contacted, “ according to Spotlight PA, which added that “…a lawyer for Insight Global asked them to contact the company’s information security team if they had any paper or electronic records, internet links and files, or Google Drive documents related to the program.”  The company was fired because of data leaks.
  • Black maternal morbidity rates in Philadelphia are among the highest in the country, the Pennsylvania Capital-Star reports.
  • “Medical marijuana sales in Pennsylvania topped more than $900 million over one year during the COVID-19 pandemic, and could soon see $3 billion in total sales with just a few operating years under its belt,” the Delaware County Daily Times writes, adding that “According to figures provided by the Pennsylvania Department of Health, sales from growers/producers to dispensaries have reached almost $1.2 billion and sales from dispensaries to patients have crested $1.7 billion.”

Pennsylvania Bulletin

The latest issue of the Pennsylvania Bulletin is now available.  It includes new items from the Department of Human Services, Department of Health, the General Assembly, and others.  Find it here.

Stakeholder Events

Medical Assistance Advisory Committee’s Consumer Subcommittee Meeting

June 23 at 1:00 p.m.

Register here

Medical Assistance Advisory Committee Meeting

June 24 at 10:00 a.m.

Register here

DHS Office of Long-Term Living – Financial Management Services Meeting

June 28 at 11:00 a.m.

The purpose of this meeting is to discuss upcoming changes in the administration of financial management services under the Community HealthChoices, OBRA Waiver, and Act 150 programs.  Representatives from the Office of Long-Term Living and Community HealthChoices managed care organizations will discuss the upcoming changes.  Interested parties can join the meeting in the following ways:

From the meeting link:

https://pa-hhs.webex.com/pa-hhs/j.php?MTID=m15e2e495a802f00df6fa38c9e645237d

By meeting number:

Meeting number (access code): 132 280 2499

From a mobile device (attendees only):

1-408-418-9388,,1322802499## United States Toll

1-202-860-2110,,1322802499## United States Toll (Washington D.C.)

By phone:

+1-408-418-9388 United States Toll

+1-202-860-2110 United States Toll (Washington D.C.)

Meeting password: Stakeholder

From a video system or application

Dial 1322802499@pa-hhs.webex.com

You can also dial 173.243.2.68 and enter your meeting number

Managed Long-Term Services and Supports Subcommittee Meeting

July 7 at 10:00 a.m.

This meeting will be held via webinar.  Public comments will be taken after each presentation and questions can be entered in the chat box.  Interested parties can participate in the following ways:

Webinar registration – go here

Dial in:  1-914-614-3221, access code 716-025-613

Remote captioning and streaming link – go here

2021-06-18T19:18:59+00:00June 18th, 2021|Coronavirus, COVID-19, Meetings and notices, Pennsylvania Bulletin, Pennsylvania Medicaid, Pennsylvania Medicaid policy, Pennsylvania proposed FY 2022 budget|Comments Off on Pennsylvania Health Policy Update for the Week of June 14-18
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Pennsylvania Health Policy Update for the Week of June 7-11

The following is an update of selected state health policy developments in Pennsylvania for the week of June 7-11, 2021.  (Some of the language used below is taken directly from state documents.)

Governor Wolf

The Wolf administration has outlined guidelines for unvaccinated children under the age of 12 and for their families to stay safe from COVID-19.  Those recommendations include parents of young children getting vaccinated themselves; children between the ages of two and 12 wearing masks in public settings, at events and gatherings, and any time they are indoors and around people from outside their own household; engaging in social distancing; and engaging in low-risk endeavors such as outdoor activities and small gatherings.  Learn more from this Wolf administration news release.

The Wolf administration and the United Way of Pennsylvania have launched the Local Innovations in Vaccine Equity in Pennsylvania project (LIVE PA) to administer $4 million in mini-grants to local organizations seeking to reduce vaccine hesitancy and ensure equitable vaccine distribution throughout the state.  LIVE PA is a collaboration between the Wolf administration’s Office of Advocacy and Reform and the departments of Health and Human Services, working with the United Way of Pennsylvania, to fund local, grassroots non-profit organizations to partner with certified vaccine providers to help the populations they serve overcome barriers to vaccination.  The pilot phase of LIVE PA will target the zip codes and census tracts with the highest levels of health disparities, poverty, and vaccine inequity in Pennsylvania.  Learn more from this Wolf administration news release.

Pennsylvania’s COVID-19 Disaster Declaration

The General Assembly invoked its new constitutional power on Thursday and voted to terminate the governor’s COVID-19 disaster declaration.  House Resolution 106, which passed by a mostly party-line vote in both chambers, ends Governor Wolf’s recently renewed COVID-19 disaster declaration effective immediately.  House Resolution 106 does not have to be signed by the governor.

The General Assembly also approved House Bill 854 to sustain all of the waivers and regulatory flexibilities that were still in effect under the declaration.  Governor Wolf signed this bill on Friday.  House Bill 854 extends the waivers and flexibilities until September 30, 2021 but agencies and authorities have the discretion to terminate their respective waivers earlier.  If they choose to do so they must notify General Assembly leadership and the standing committees that have oversight authority.  Some agencies have already begun terminating certain waivers.  DHS published a Medical Assistance Bulletin in late April announcing its intention to reinstate prior authorization requirements that were in place pre-pandemic beginning on July 1.

Legislative Update

The following are health care bills that received third and final consideration in the state House and/or Senate during the week of June 7.  We are tracking other health care bills as they move through the legislative process as well.

  • House Bill 854, which was amended to extend all of the waivers and regulatory flexibilities tied to the COVID-19 disaster declaration until September 30, 2021, as described above, also requires executive agencies to preserve all records relating to the orders of a declaration of disaster emergency issued by the governor relating to COVID-19.  Governor Wolf signed the bill on Friday, June 11.
  • House Bill 118 requires a health care facility that possesses fetal remains to provide for the final disposition of those remains to be buried, in accordance with Pennsylvania Code, or cremated. The House passed the bill 118-83 and sent it to the Senate for consideration.
  • House Bill 253 establishes a task force to examine the opioid epidemic’s impact on infants and children.  The House unanimously passed the bill on Monday and sent it to the Senate for consideration.
  • House Bill 1012 provides for a $130 per diem payment for ventilator or tracheostomy care provided by qualified skilled nursing facilities that meet certain criteria based on the volume and proportion of Medicaid patients to whom they provide these services.  The House unanimously passed the bill on Tuesday and sent it the Senate for consideration.
  • House Bill 1024 makes numerous revisions to the state’s Medical Marijuana Act, including caregiver, dispensing, and criminal background check provisions.  The House passed the bill 164-38 on Monday and sent it to the Senate for consideration.
  • House Bill 1033 permits health care practitioners to order diagnostic tests and prescribe, administer, or dispense antibiotic therapy for the duration the health care practitioner determines appropriate for patients with a clinical diagnosis of Lyme disease or a related tick-borne illness.  The bill also imposes certain insurance coverage requirements.  The House passed the bill 136-66 on Monday and sent it to the Senate for consideration.
  • House Bill 1500 prohibits an abortion if it is sought solely due to the sex of the fetus or if the fetus receives a prenatal diagnosis of Down syndrome.  The House passed the bill 120-83 on Wednesday and sent it to the Senate for consideration.
  • Senate Bill 618 prohibits the state, as well as counties, municipalities, school districts, and colleges that are subsidized with state funds, from requiring proof of vaccination or vaccine passports.  The bill also prohibits the Secretary of the Department of Health from requiring face masks, travel restrictions, social distancing, sheltering in place, and closures of privately owned businesses and also prohibits institutions of higher education that receive state subsidies from requiring their students, faculty, and staff to be vaccinated.  Following final passage in the Senate the bill was sent to the House and referred to its Health Committee.  It is scheduled to be considered “off the floor” on June 14.

Department of Health

The Department of Health has issued an update on its work to permit temporary nurse aides to become permanent nurse aides following the end of the public health emergency.  The department has stopped accepting and processing temporary nurse aide applications while it reviews federal guidance on the training required to secure permanent status.

COVID-19:  By the Numbers

  • The daily number of new COVID-19 cases continues to decline and has been in three digits for 14 days in a row.  With 297 new COVID-19 cases reported, Monday marked the lowest new daily case count since March 25, 2020, when 276 new cases were announced.
  • The number of COVID-19 deaths is now declining significantly.
  • For the week from May 28 through June 4 the state’s overall COVID-19 test positivity rate was 2.9 percent, down from 3.8 percent last week and 4.5 percent the week before.
  • Fifty-five counties had a positivity rate lower than five percent, up from 28 last week, and no counties had a positivity rate greater than 20 percent for the sixth consecutive week.
  • Thirteen counties are currently experiencing low levels of community transmission of COVID-19, up from ten last week; 53 counties are experiencing moderate levels of community transmission; and only one county (McKean) is currently experiencing a substantial level of community transmission, the same number as last week.
  • In just 11 days since June 1, the number of Pennsylvanians hospitalized with COVID-19 has fallen 40 percent; the number on a ventilator has fallen 27 percent; and the number in hospital intensive care units has fallen 32 percent.
  • Five million Pennsylvanians have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to the state’s COVID-19 dashboard.  Growth in this number has slowed significantly over the past two weeks. Another 656,000 have been vaccinated in Philadelphia.  According to the state, 56.6 percent of Pennsylvanians 18 years of age and older are now fully vaccinated and 60.1 percent of the entire population has now received at least the first dose of a vaccine.

Department of Human Services

DHS has released the latest issue of its Positive Approaches Journal, which aims to provide the most recent research and resources to help people with mental health and behavioral challenges, intellectual disabilities, autism, and other developmental disabilities to live an everyday life.  Go here for information about the latest edition and a link to the publication itself.

Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs

The Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs announced that Pennsylvania is one of four new states partnering with Shatterproof, a national non-profit organization dedicated to ending addiction, to develop and implement the Addiction Treatment Locator, Assessment, and Standards Platform (ATLAS).  During a 12-month implementation period the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs will work with Shatterproof to customize and align ATLAS with ongoing initiatives in Pennsylvania.  This project is part of the department’s 2020-2022 strategic plan goal to strengthen treatment systems by ensuring that care is delivered using evidence-based best practices.  See the announcement and learn more about the expected program here.

Pennsylvania State MapAround the State

  • While the outdoor mask mandate is now history, some Philadelphians are having trouble letting go.  WHYY shares their story.
  • They will have more changes to get used to as well:  as of Friday, the Philadelphia Inquirer reports, Philadelphia’s mask mandates have been lifted.
  • Faced with declining numbers of residents willing to get COVID-19 vaccines, Philadelphia is joining the big money incentives movement, planning three drawings that will give away two top prizes of $50,000 and other four-figure sums as well, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.
  • Lycoming County’s plan to develop a county health care center to provide preventive services to county employees took its latest step when the county awarded a contract for design and engineering services for the planned facility.  The Williamsport Sun-Gazette offers the details.
  • Monongahela Valley Hospital will become part of Penn Highlands Healthcare later this year, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
  • Erie County is taking its COVID-19 vaccination program on the road with a mobile clinic that will visit events, celebrations, workplaces, and more.  GoErie explains how and why.
  • The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has awarded Pennsylvania $36 million to address health disparities in rural and minority communities.  PennLive has the story.
  • After two years on the market, Valley Forge Medical Center, an 88-bed addiction treatment center in Montgomery County, has been sold to Avenues Recovery Center, the Philadelphia Business Journal reports.
  • With 83 percent of its residents ages 12 and older at least partially vaccinated against COVID-19 and 92 percent of those 18 and older at least partially vaccinated, Chester County is easing some of its mask requirements, according to the Daily Local News.

Stakeholder Events

Medical Assistance Advisory Committee’s Consumer Subcommittee Meeting

June 23 at 1:00 p.m.

Register here

Medical Assistance Advisory Committee Meeting

June 24 at 10:00 a.m.

Register here

DHS Office of Long-Term Living – Financial Management Services Meeting

June 28 at 11:00 a.m.

The purpose of this meeting is to discuss upcoming changes in the administration of financial management services under the Community HealthChoices, OBRA Waiver, and Act 150 programs.  Representatives from the Office of Long-Term Living and Community HealthChoices managed care organizations will discuss the upcoming changes.  Interested parties can join the meeting in the following ways:

  • From the meeting link:

https://pa-hhs.webex.com/pa-hhs/j.php?MTID=m15e2e495a802f00df6fa38c9e645237d

  • By meeting number:

Meeting number (access code): 132 280 2499

  • From a mobile device (attendees only):

1-408-418-9388,,1322802499## United States Toll

1-202-860-2110,,1322802499## United States Toll (Washington D.C.)

  • By phone:

+1-408-418-9388 United States Toll

+1-202-860-2110 United States Toll (Washington D.C.)

Meeting password: Stakeholder

  • From a video system or application

Dial 1322802499@pa-hhs.webex.com

You can also dial 173.243.2.68 and enter your meeting number

Stakeholder Events Documents

The Medical Assistance Advisory Committee met on May 27, 2021.  The following documents from that meeting are now available:

2021-06-11T20:19:16+00:00June 11th, 2021|Coronavirus, COVID-19, Pennsylvania Medicaid coronavirus, Pennsylvania Medicaid COVID-19|Comments Off on Pennsylvania Health Policy Update for the Week of June 7-11
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PA Health Policy Update for the Week of June 1

Safety-Net Association of Pennsylvania logoBeginning today, SNAP is expanding its regular COVID-19 updates to encompass a broader scope of Pennsylvania state health policy endeavors.  As efforts to address COVID-19 prove more effective and the state moves from focusing almost exclusively on the public health emergency back to its usual, much broader array of health policy concerns, we hope this update will be a useful resource on matters of importance to the hospital community.  Please feel free to share this newsletter with others in your organization or to send us the email addresses of those you think might be interested and we will send it directly to them.

The following is an update of selected state health policy developments in Pennsylvania for the week of June 1-4, 2021.  (Some of the language used below is taken directly from state documents.)

Governor Wolf

The Wolf administration has issued a reminder to Pennsylvanians that all businesses, events, and venues can return to 100 percent capacity with the lifting of COVID-19 mitigation orders starting Monday, May 31 at 12:01 a.m.  The current order requiring masks for unvaccinated and partially vaccinated individuals will remain in place until June 28 or when 70 percent of Pennsylvanians age 18 and older get their second dose of Pfizer or Moderna vaccine or the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine, whichever comes first.  Individuals are still required to wear masks on planes, buses, trains, and other forms of public transportation traveling into, within, or out of the United States and in U.S. transportation hubs, such as airports and stations.  Individuals should still follow guidance at workplaces, local businesses, long-term-care facilities, hospitals, prisons, and homeless shelters.  See the reminder here.

State Finances

  • The Department of Revenue announced that state General Fund collections for May totaled $3.9 billion, which was $1.6 billion, or 65.4 percent, more than projected. This significant increase is attributed to the one-month delay for personal income tax collections.  Personal income tax revenue in May was $1 billion above estimate.  So far this year the state has collected $2.9 billion, or 8.5 percent, more than anticipated.
  • Last week the state Independent Fiscal Office (IFO) released its updated FY 2021-2022 revenue estimate. In contrast to FY 2020-2021, which is ending on a strong note, the IFO projects that FY 2021-2022 will be more challenging once all of the COVID-19 federal funds are exhausted.  The IFO projects that the state’s economy and revenues generated from various sources will revert to the path they were on prior to COVID-19.  The IFO forecast estimates that Pennsylvania will collect $37.96 billion, a decline of $2.152 billion from FY 2020-2021.  Learn more from the presentation given by Matthew Knittel, the IFO’s director.

House Chamber of the State HouseIn the Legislature

  • A bill already passed by the state Senate and currently before the House would give parents the option of having their children repeat their current grade in school because of the challenges children have faced learning remotely. The Johnstown Tribune-Democrat tells the story.
  • A bill has been introduced in the Senate that would permit young people 14 years of age and older to receive COVID-19 vaccines without the consent of their parents. KDKA provides further information.
  • For a comprehensive summary of health care legislation currently under consideration in the Pennsylvania General Assembly, contact SNAP at info@pasafetynet.org.

Department of Health

  • The Department of Health has issued an advisory with information and reporting requirements about patients presenting with myocarditis and pericarditis after receiving Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccines.
  • The Department of Health circulated a reminder to long-term-care facilities with information on CMS’s requirement to report to the federal government on COVID-19 vaccinations and therapeutic treatments they provide.  Facilities also are required to educate staff and residents on the importance of getting vaccinated.
  • The Department of Health issued a health advisory on COVID-19 treatment options that incorporates updated guidance from the FDA on monoclonal antibody treatments and combination therapies.
  • The Department of Health revised its order regarding skilled nursing facility data reporting requirements to require weekly rather than daily reporting. While facilities will be required to complete data surveys on a weekly basis, the data they submit will be cumulative.  See the Department of Health announcement here and the full amended order here.
  • The Department of Health revised its interim guidance for skilled nursing facilities during COVID-19 to incorporate changes in data reporting requirements and other recently issued federal and state guidance.

COVID-19:  By the Numbers

  • The daily number of new COVID-19 cases continues to decline and has been in three digits for seven days in a row.
  • The number of COVID-19 deaths is declining but not as swiftly as the number of cases.
  • For the week from May 21 through May 27 the state’s overall COVID-19 test positivity rate was 3.8 percent, down from 4.5 percent last week and 5.5 percent the week before.
  • Twenty-eight counties had a positivity rate lower than five percent, up from 12 last week, and no counties had a positivity rate greater than 20 percent for the fifth consecutive week.
  • Ten counties (Cameron, Clarion, Elk, Forest, Fulton, Montour, Potter, Snyder, Sullivan, and Warren) are currently experiencing low levels of community transmission of COVID-19, up from four last week; 56 counties are experiencing moderate levels of community transmission, down from 58 last week and but up from 41 two weeks ago; and only one county (Wyoming) is currently experiencing a substantial level of community transmission, down from five counties last week and 22 the week before.
  • The numbers of Pennsylvanians hospitalized with COVID-19 fell 55 percent from May 1 to June 1; the number on a ventilator fell 47 percent from May 1 to June 1; and the number in hospital intensive care units fell 49 percent from May 1 to June 1.
  • 4.8 million Pennsylvanians have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to the state’s COVID-19 dashboard. Growth in this number slowed significantly over the past week. Another 709,000 have been vaccinated in Philadelphia.  According to the state, 54.7 percent of Pennsylvanians 18 years of age and older are now fully vaccinated and 58.7 percent of the entire population has now received at least the first dose of a vaccine.
  • Governor Wolf has stated that Pennsylvania needs to reach 70 percent of adults vaccinated before he will lift the state’s remaining mask mandates.

Department of Human Services

  • On May 29, 2020, Governor Wolf signed Act 24 of 2020, which allocated funding from the federal CARES Act to assist providers with COVID-19-related costs they incurred between March 1, 2020 and November 30, 2020. Providers that accepted Act 24 funding agreed to provide documentation to DHS and were required to submit an Act 24 cost report through a web-based portal between December 9, 2020 and April 30, 2021.  With this in mind, DHS’s Office of Long-Term Living (OLTL) has asked providers to take the following actions:
    • Review the list of providers. OLTL has compiled a list of providers that received Act 24 funding but for which it has no record of submission of a cost report or the return of funds.  Organizations on this list should complete an Act 24 cost report and submit it to RA-PWOLTLCOVID-19@pa.gov no later than Friday, June 11, 2021.  The applicable cost reports can be found here.  Those that believe they submitted an Act 24 report yet are on this list should forward a screenshot of their submission to RA-PWOLTLCOVID-19@pa.gov.
    • Return Unused Funding. Providers that prefer not to complete and submit a cost report can return their Act 24 funding to OLTL by sending a check with a cover letter to OLTL indicating that the check is for the return of CARES Act 24 funding they did not use.  Checks should be made payable to the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services and sent to the Office of Long-Term Living, P.O Box 8025, Harrisburg PA 17105-8025, Attn: Daniel Sharar.  Providers should include their EIN on the memo line of the check to ensure that refunds are traceable to the correct provider.

Providers that fail to submit a cost report or return their funding by the deadline will be deemed to have no COVID-related expenses and the state will proceed to recoup the Act 24 funding that was distributed to them.

  • DHS’s Office of Medical Assistance Programs has issued a notice advising all county administrators, brokers, and all contracted Medical Assistance Transportation Program (MATP) agencies of updated guidance to ensure the safe provision of non-emergency medical transportation services to Medical Assistance beneficiaries during the COVID-19 public health emergency.  The announcement directs the affected parties to federal CDC guidance for further information. See the DHS announcement here.
  • The Office of Medical Assistance Programs has posted a notice informing individuals who are eligible to participate in the Medical Assistance Transportation Program but who can provide or arrange for transportation assistance on their own that it has temporarily increased the mileage rate for the remainder of the COVID-19 pandemic. See the notice here.

Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council

PHC4 has published its annual report on the financial performance of the state’s acute-care hospitals.  Among the highlights (taken directly from a PHC4 news release):

  • Uncompensated Care: The statewide percentage of uncompensated care to net patient revenue increased from 1.72% in FY19 to 1.73% in FY20. The foregone dollar value for statewide uncompensated care has decreased from $820 million in FY19 to $809 million in FY20.
  • Net Patient Revenue: The revenue hospitals received for patient care decreased 2.0% during FY20. Statewide net patient revenue was $46.8 billion during FY20, making up 91% of statewide hospital total operating revenue.
  • Operating Margin: Statewide operating income decreased from $2.8 billion in FY19 to $1.9 billion in FY20. As a result, the statewide average operating margin decreased from 5.61% in FY19 to 3.73% in FY20. Total operating revenue increased to $51.5 billion and operating expenses increased to $49.6 billion in FY20.
  • Total Margin: The statewide total margin realized by the hospitals decreased by 2.70 percentage points, from 6.63% in FY19 to 3.93% in FY20.

To learn more, go here for links to the PHC4 news release about the report, downloadable data, and the report itself.

Around the State

  • Philadelphia has added COVID-19 to its list of vaccines for which children do not need parental consent under a new Philadelphia Board of Health regulation.
  • In the face of declining COVID-19 cases, Philadelphia lifted most of its COVID-19 restrictions, including density limits, maximum capacity limits, and distancing rules, on Wednesday, June 2.
  • The city’s indoor mask mandate and 11 p.m. last call for dining orders will continue to be enforced until its Department of Public Health reviews the state of the pandemic and may drop those restrictions on Friday, June 11, according to a city news release. It was previously announced that the city would lift restrictions on Friday, June 11.
  • Berks County has the third highest rate in the state for children suffering from lead poisoning. It is particularly a problem in the city of Reading and in communities of color.  Local officials and doctors are coming together to try to do something about it.  WFMZ tells the story.
  • Penn State is offering incentives to students and staff to get vaccinated: cash prizes, book store gift certificates, and a football signed by coach James Franklin.  The Centre County Times offers the details.
  • The Delaware County Council met in person for the first time in 14 months, the Delaware County Daily Times reports.
  • Erie’s city hall has reopened after a year, according to GoErie.
  • The number of flu cases in Pennsylvania fell 97 percent from last year. The AP offers the facts and figures.
  • Eighteen Pennsylvania colleges and universities (so far) are requiring students and staff to have COVID-19 vaccines for the fall semester. Scroll down this link to find the list.
  • Most hospitals, on the other hand, are holding off on imposing such requirements, PennLive reports.

Stakeholder Events

  • Medical Assistance Advisory Committee – Managed Care Delivery Systems Subcommittee Meeting

June 10 at 10:00 a.m.

Join Meeting

Meeting number (access code):  132 168 3592

Meeting password:  Managed

Join by phone:  +1-408-418-9388 United States (Toll)

  • Medical Assistance Advisory Committee’s Consumer Subcommittee Meeting

June 23 at 1:00 p.m.

Register here

  • Medical Assistance Advisory Committee Meeting

June 24 at 10:00 a.m.

Register here

  • DHS Office of Long-Term Living – Financial Management Services Meeting

June 28 at 11:00 a.m.

The purpose of this meeting is to discuss upcoming changes in the administration of financial management services under the Community HealthChoices, OBRA Waiver, and Act 150 programs.  Representatives from the Office of Long-Term Living and Community HealthChoices managed care organizations will discuss the upcoming changes.  Interested parties can join the meeting in the following ways:

From the meeting link:

https://pa-hhs.webex.com/pa-hhs/j.php?MTID=m15e2e495a802f00df6fa38c9e645237d

By meeting number:

Meeting number (access code): 132 280 2499From a mobile device (attendees only):

1-408-418-9388,,1322802499## United States Toll

1-202-860-2110,,1322802499## United States Toll (Washington D.C.)

By phone:

+1-408-418-9388 United States Toll

+1-202-860-2110 United States Toll (Washington D.C.)

Meeting password: Stakeholde

From a video system or application

Dial 1322802499@pa-hhs.webex.com

You can also dial 173.243.2.68 and enter your meeting number

 

 

 

 

2021-06-04T20:20:09+00:00June 4th, 2021|Coronavirus, COVID-19, Meetings and notices, Pennsylvania Department of Health and COVID-19, Pennsylvania Medicaid, Pennsylvania Medicaid coronavirus, Pennsylvania Medicaid COVID-19, Uncategorized|Comments Off on PA Health Policy Update for the Week of June 1
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COVID-19 Update: Wednesday, May 26

The following is the latest COVID-19 information from Pennsylvania’s state government as of 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, May 26.

Governor Wolf

  1. Governor Wolf renewed his proclamation of a disaster emergency for the COVID-19 pandemic only two days after the state’s voters approved amendments to the state’s constitution limiting his authority to do so.  See the announcement of the renewed declaration here.  The announcement emphasizes aspects of the state’s response to the COVID-19 emergency that have been made possible only through a declared state of emergency.
  2. Subsequently House Republicans introduced House Resolution 106, which would end certain aspects of the governor’s COVID-19 emergency proclamation.  It would terminate the administration’s ability to engage in no-bid, single-source contracting; reestablish work search requirements for individuals seeking unemployment compensation that had been waived by the Department of Labor and Industry; and end the governor’s authority to impose occupancy limits, business closures, and stay-at-home orders.  H.R. 106 would retain the health care-related provisions of the emergency proclamation and extend the governor’s proclamation to October 1, 2021.
  3. Governor Wolf has issued a statement criticizing the legislature over its response to the approval of the two constitutional amendments.

Department of Health

The Department of Health has reminded health care facilities that the Medical Care Availability and Reduction of Error (MCARE) Act requires facilities to develop and implement an internal infection control plan for the purpose of improving the health and safety of patients and health care workers.  New facilities and existing facilities at the request of a surveyor must submit plans for review to ensure compliance.  The Department of Health offered this facility self-assessment tool to assist facilities and advised that corporate templates should serve as a starting point for policy development but should be tailored to reflect the care practices and services in a particular facility.  Go here to see the full Department of Health message, which was delivered by email to stakeholders.

The Department of Health has updated information on the detection of multisystem inflammatory syndrome in adults (MIS-A) and requirements for providers to report suspected cases to the department.

Department of Health – by the numbers

  • The daily number of new COVID-19 cases continues to decline and was in three digits for three days in a row earlier this week for the first time since September.
  • The number of COVID-19 deaths is showing signs of declining but much more slowly.
  • For the week from May 14 through May 20 the state’s overall COVID-19 test positivity rate was 4.5 percent, down from 5.3 last week and 6.6 percent the week before.
  • Twenty-eight counties had a positivity rate lower than five percent, up from 12 last week, and no counties had a positivity rate greater than 20 percent for the fifth consecutive week.
  • Four counties (Cameron, Forest, Montour, and Sullivan) are currently experiencing low levels of community transmission of COVID-19, as was the case last week; 58 counties are experiencing moderate levels of community transmission, up from 41 last week and 25 two weeks ago; and five counties (Bradford, McKean, Potter, Venango, and Wyoming) are currently experiencing substantial levels of community transmission, down from 22 counties last week and 40 the week before.
  • The numbers of Pennsylvanians hospitalized with COVID-19, in hospital ICUs because of COVID-19, and on ventilators because of the virus continue to fall.
  • 4.6 million Pennsylvanians have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to the state’s COVID-19 dashboard.  Another 670,000 have been vaccinated in Philadelphia as of Monday, May 17.  According to the state, 52.3 percent of Pennsylvanians 18 years of age and older are now fully vaccinated and 57 percent of the entire population has now received at least the first dose of a vaccine.
  • Governor Wolf has stated that Pennsylvania needs to reach 70 percent of adults vaccinated before he will lift the state’s remaining mask mandates.  The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports that “If everyone who currently has just one dose — 1,789,239 — returns for their second shot, then 69.5% will be fully covered.
  • Those people are all scheduled to receive their second shot of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines by at least the last week of June.”
  • as the pandemic advances and more people receive vaccines, the age distribution of Pennsylvanians who contract COVID-19 has changed:
Ages % of January cases % of May cases (to date)
0-4 1.7 3.4
5-12 4.0 8.4
13-18 6.3 11.1
19-24 10.5 11.2
25-49 37.5 38.1
50-64 22.4 18.3
65+ 17.7 9.5

 

Department of Human Services

DHS has updated its Pennsylvania Medicaid managed care organization directory.

DHS has updated various enrollment documents for providers seeking to participate in the state’s Medicaid program.

Around the State

  • Pennsylvania Auditor General Timothy DeFoor has asked the General Assembly to establish safeguards to ensure that COVID-19 relief money that the state receives from the federal government is not misspent.  The Harrisburg Patriot-News explains why.
  • Pennsylvania’s long-term-care facilities are asking the state for $450 million in American Rescue Plan money to help them with the losses they suffered responding to COVID-19, WITF reports.
  • FEMA packed up its syringes, alcohol swabs, and band-aids and closed shop at its two Philadelphia mass vaccine sites (at the city’s convention center and Esperanza) after the close of business on Tuesday, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.  The city intends to operate its own vaccine sites in the same locations.
  • The state Senate is considering legislation that would ban school districts and governments from requiring proof of vaccination status – so-called vaccine passports.  The Associated Press reports.
  • The city of Philadelphia’s Department of Public Health “quietly held its final virtual update dedicated to the impact of COVID-19 on the City of Brotherly Love,” according to WHYY radio.

 

 

2021-05-27T15:12:24+00:00May 27th, 2021|Coronavirus, COVID-19|Comments Off on COVID-19 Update: Wednesday, May 26
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COVID-19 Update: Wednesday, May 19

The following is the latest COVID-19 information from Pennsylvania’s state government as of 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, May 19.

Pennsylvania State MapElection Update

Pennsylvania held its primary elections yesterday (Tuesday, May 18).  Unofficial results show that the state’s voters approved two ballot questions that amend the state’s constitution and significantly curtail the governor’s authority to sustain an emergency disaster declaration:  one that would permit the General Assembly to terminate a disaster declaration by a simple majority vote in both chambers and another that would limit the duration of a disaster declaration to 21 days and require a simple majority vote by the General Assembly to extend it beyond that time.  Both questions were strongly opposed by Governor Wolf, who argued that the involvement of the General Assembly would limit the state’s ability to be flexible and respond in a timely manner to a disaster. The immediate impact of the ballot questions is unclear but a number of regulatory waivers and flexibilities are tied to the current COVID-19 disaster declaration.  The amendments cannot take effect until the election results are certified, which could take until early June.

Yesterday’s elections also included special elections to fill several vacant seats in the legislature, with Republicans apparently retaining two seats in the state House.  Republican Leslie Rossi is leading her Democratic opponent to replace the late Rep. Mike Reese and Republican Abby Majors will most likely succeed her former boss, Rep. Jeff Pyle, who retired due to health concerns earlier this spring.

Department of Health

Pennsylvania has adopted the new CDC standard for when people who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 do and do not need to wear masks and need to seek COVID-19 testing if they believe they have been exposed to someone with the virus.  See the Department of Health’s announcement of this policy.

At the same time, however, the Department of Health reminded Pennsylvanians that while fully vaccinated individuals may choose not to wear a mask, businesses or organizations, such as schools, still have the option of requiring visitors to wear masks.  This is consistent with CDC guidance.

Department of Health – by the numbers

  • The daily number of new COVID-19 cases continues its decline of the past two to three weeks.
  • The number of COVID-19 deaths is showing signs of declining but much more slowly.
  • For the week from May 7 through May 13, the state’s overall COVID-19 test positivity rate was 5.3 percent, down from 6.6 last week and 7.6 percent the week before.
  • Twelve counties had a positivity rate lower than five percent, as was the case last week, and no counties had a positivity rate greater than 20 percent for the fourth consecutive week.
  • Four counties are currently experiencing low levels of community transmission of COVID-19, two more than last week; 41 counties are experiencing moderate levels of community transmission, up from 25 last week and 20 two weeks ago; and 22 counties are currently experiencing substantial levels of community transmission, down from 40 counties last week and 44 the week before.
  • The number of Pennsylvanians hospitalized with COVID-19 has fallen 39 percent since May 1; the number in hospital ICUs has fallen 35 percent since May 1; and the number on ventilators because of COVID-19 has fallen 20 percent since May 1.
  • 4.3 million Pennsylvanians have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to the state’s COVID-19 dashboard.  Another 634,000 have been vaccinated in Philadelphia as of Monday, May 17.

Department of Human Services

DHS has issued a Medical Assistance Bulletin adding two new COVID-19 antigen test codes to the MA program fee schedule effective with dates of service on or after November 2, 2020.  Find the bulletin here.

Department of State

In recent months Pennsylvania authorized health care professionals who do not ordinarily administer vaccines to people under the age of 18 to administer COVID-19 vaccines to individuals 16 years of age and older.  Now, consistent with recent federal approval for individuals 12 and older to receive COVID-19 vaccines, the Department of State has expanded this authorization so that the same health care professionals can now administer COVID-19 vaccines to people as young as 12 years old.  See the Department of State announcement waiving the current vaccination limits.

Around the State

  • About one-quarter of Pennsylvanians do not intend to get a COVID-19 vaccine, according to a Penn State Harrisburg Center for Survey Research poll.  WITF offers details.
  • Nearly a week after the CDC changed its guidance on the use of masks and the state followed suit, Philadelphia has announced that people no longer need to wear masks outdoors but will continue to be required to wear them indoors until at least June 11, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.
  • SEPTA, the Philadelphia-area regional transit organization, is lifting its capacity limits on trains and buses but passengers still must wear masks, the Philadelphia Inquirer reports.
  • The same Inquirer article notes that Hersheypark has lifted its mask mandate but two other popular amusement parks, Sesame Place and Six Flags, have not.
  • Governor Wolf has received his second COVID-19 shot (Moderna).  His office’s news release includes a photo.
  • The state legislature is considering a bill that would permit parents to choose for their children to repeat a grade in school because of the challenge posed by remote learning, Bucks Local News reports.
2021-05-20T06:00:33+00:00May 20th, 2021|Coronavirus, COVID-19|Comments Off on COVID-19 Update: Wednesday, May 19
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COVID-19 Update: Wednesday, May 12

The following is the latest COVID-19 information from Pennsylvania’s state government as of 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, May 12.

The Wolf Administration

The Wolf administration has announced that event and gathering maximum occupancy limits will be raised for indoor and outdoor events and gatherings as of Monday, May 17.  Mask requirements remain in effect, consistent with recent federal CDC guidelines, and the new state limits do not preclude municipalities, school districts, and venue operators from imposing stricter mitigation requirements.  Learn more from this Wolf administration news release.

Department of Health

Pennsylvania has shifted to the federal vaccine locator site, vaccines.gov, as the primary web site to which it is now directing people who are looking for a place to receive a COVID-19 vaccine.  On the site, individuals enter their zip code, the distance they are interested in traveling to receive a vaccine, and, if they wish, they can specify which vaccine they want.  The site’s search function then generates a list of vaccine outlets beginning with those closest to the zip code.  See the Department of Health announcement of this transition and go here to view the federal vaccine locator site.

The Department of Health has issued updated guidance for long-term-care facilities on how to respond to an outbreak of COVID-19 or when residents have been exposed to COVID-19.  The updated guidance includes a new decision-support tool to assist with decision-making in response to outbreaks and also offers clarification about visitation during outbreaks.  Find the updated guidance here.

Department of Health – by the numbers

  • The daily number of new COVID-19 cases has fallen over the past week.
  • The number of COVID-19 deaths generally remains where it has been over the past three weeks.
  • For the week from April 30 through May 6, the state’s overall COVID-19 test positivity rate was 6.6 percent, down from 7.6 last week and 8.6 percent the week before.
  • Twelve counties had a positivity rate lower than five percent and no counties had a positivity rate greater than 20 percent, the third consecutive week for these levels.
  • Two counties are currently experiencing low levels of community transmission of COVID-19, one fewer than the past two weeks; 25 counties are experiencing moderate levels of community transmission, up from 20 last week and 11 two weeks ago; and 40 counties are currently experiencing substantial levels of community transmission, down from 44 counties last week and 53 the week before
  • The number of Pennsylvanians hospitalized with COVID-19 has fallen 22 percent since May 1; the number in hospital ICUs has fallen 18 percent since May 1; and the number on ventilators because of COVID-19 has fallen 13 percent since May 1.
  • On Thursday Pennsylvania will pass the four million mark for the number of people who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to the state’s COVID-19 dashboard.  Another 579,000 have been vaccinated in Philadelphia as of Monday, May 10.  Among those 579,000 are 53,000 non-Philadelphians, according to city figures.

Department of Human Services

DHS has issued an announcement that modifies October 2020 guidance and provides temporary closure guidance to older adult daily living centers, structured day programs, LIFE day centers, adult training facilities, and vocational facilities related to the community spread of COVID-19 or when more than one individual or staff member is diagnosed with COVID-19 and spent 15 minutes or more in the facility within a 24-hour period starting two days prior to symptom/illness onset, or for asymptomatic individuals, two days prior to the test specimen collection date, until the time the person is isolated.  This announcement also describes the process for reopening facilities using the Community Participation Support and Older Adult Facility Reopening Tool and provides guidance for mitigating the spread of COVID-19 in facilities.  For a list of the types of facilities and programs to which this guidance applies and to see the modified guidance itself, see DHS’s announcement.

U.S. Treasury Guidance to State and Local Governments

The Treasury Department posted an interim final rule, not yet published in the Federal Register, on Monday implementing the Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery Fund and the Coronavirus Local Fiscal Recovery Fund established under the American Rescue Plan Act.  The interim final rule addresses uses of the $350 billion from the American Rescue Plan, including for public health expenditures, addressing the negative effects of the public health emergency, replacing lost public-sector revenue, providing premium pay for essential workers, and more.  This guidance will be key to FY 2021-2022 budget deliberations and how the governor and General Assembly ultimately decide to allocate these funds.

Learn more from the following resources:

Around the State

  • Lancaster County providers are adjusting their communication strategies to improve their outreach to religious communities, such as the Amish and Mennonites, that may not use computers and cellphones and therefore may have limited access to information about the importance of COVID-19 vaccines and fewer tools for signing up for vaccines.  WITF tells the story.
  • Pennsylvania leads the country in the steepness of its decline in the number of new people receiving COVID-19 vaccines, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports, elaborating that “In a Kaiser Family Foundation survey that found waning demand nationwide, Pennsylvania led the U.S. in the steepness of the decline; Kaiser set Pennsylvania’s drop-off in demand at 86.5% for the week ending April 29, steeper than any other state.”
  • The city of Philadelphia has announced its plans for relaxing COVID-19-related occupancy limits and other limits.  Some of the eased limits take effect on May 21 and others on June 21 and encompass restaurants, offices, retail stores, catered events, gyms and indoor pools, outdoor pools, indoor and outdoor gatherings, casinos, and more.  Indoor mask requirements will remain in effect.  See the city’s news release for more details.
  • Chester County has enlisted the services of EMS companies to help bring COVID-19 vaccinations to people who cannot get to vaccine providers.  The Daily Local News has the details.
2021-05-13T06:00:43+00:00May 13th, 2021|Coronavirus, COVID-19|Comments Off on COVID-19 Update: Wednesday, May 12
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COVID-19 Update: Tuesday, May 4

The following is the latest COVID-19 information from Pennsylvania’s state government as of 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday, May 4.

Governor Wolf

The Wolf administration announced that mitigation orders except masking will be lifted in Pennsylvania on Memorial Day, Monday, May 31 at 12:01 a.m.  The current order requiring Pennsylvanians to wear masks will be lifted when 70 percent of Pennsylvanians age 18 and older are fully vaccinated.  Face coverings are required to be worn indoors and outdoors for people away from their homes.  Requirements such as testing and reporting ​new cases will remain in place for hospitals and long-term-care facilities.  These updates do not prevent municipalities and school districts from ​continuing and implementing stricter mitigation efforts.  The governor’s Proclamation of Disaster Emergency for the COVID-19 pandemic remains in place.  Learn more from this Wolf administration announcement.

Governor Wolf announced a partnership with Rite Aid Pharmacy to facilitate access to COVID-19 vaccinations for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.  People with an intellectual or developmental disability and their caregivers can call DHS’s Office of Developmental Programs vaccination call center at 1-800-424-4345 to request a COVID-19 vaccine appointment for themselves and/or their caregivers.  The call center will give Rite Aid the names and locations of individuals who need to be vaccinated and Rite Aid will contact callers to schedule vaccinations at a Rite Aid location near the caller.  Learn more about how this process will work and who is eligible for vaccinations using it in this Wolf administration news release.

Department of Health

The Department of Health has established a new walk-in COVID-19 testing center in Luzerne County and is moving its current Centre County facility to a new location.  Find further information about hours and locations in this Department of Health news release.

Department of Health – by the numbers

  • The daily number of new COVID-19 cases, while still very high, is down from where it was a week ago.
  • The number of COVID-19 deaths, which had been declining even amid rising case counts, has risen to a higher level in recent weeks but is still nowhere near what it was last spring.
  • For the week from April 23 through April 29 the state’s overall COVID-19 test positivity rate was 7.6 percent, down from 8.6 last week and 9.6 percent the week before.
  • The number of Pennsylvanians hospitalized with COVID-19 and in hospital ICUs because of COVID-19 has declined over the past two weeks; the number on ventilators is falling but more slowly.
  • Nearly 3.6 million Pennsylvanians have now been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to the state’s COVID-19 dashboard.  Another 525,000 Philadelphians have now been fully vaccinated as well, the city’s Department of Public Health reports.

Around the State

  • Reflecting a challenge arising throughout the country, growing numbers of Lehigh Valley residents are skipping their second COVID-19 shots, the Allentown Morning Call reports.
  • Philadelphia will be easing some of its restaurant and other indoor activity limits beginning on May 7, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.
  • The Inquirer also reports that beginning Wednesday, May 5, all clinics operated by Montgomery County will vaccinate people without appointments.
  • Tuesday is the last day to get a first COVID-19 vaccine at a FEMA-operated vaccination center in Philadelphia.  The centers will spend the next three weeks giving only second vaccines before ending their Philadelphia operations.  6 ABC tells the story.

 

2021-05-05T06:00:54+00:00May 5th, 2021|Coronavirus, COVID-19|Comments Off on COVID-19 Update: Tuesday, May 4
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COVID-19 Update: Friday, April 30

The following is the latest COVID-19 information from Pennsylvania’s state government as of 3:30 p.m. on Friday, April 30.

Department of Health

Department of Health – by the numbers

  • The daily number of new COVID-19 cases, while still very high, fell earlier in the week but today’s count was the highest in more than a week.
  • The number of COVID-19 deaths, which had been declining even amid rising case counts, has risen slightly over the past two weeks.

Department of Human Services

DHS has issued a reminder to providers that it increased the Medicaid fee for administering COVID-19 vaccines to $40 effective March 15.  See DHS’s latest announcement here and its most recently updated fee schedule for administering COVID-19 vaccines here.

DHS has published a Medical Assistance Bulletin informing providers that effective July 1, 2021 it will reinstate the prior authorization requirements that were in place on February 29, 2020 and suspended in Provider Quick Tip #241 in the Medical Assistance fee-for-service delivery system for all services with the exception of shift care services provided to children under the age of 21.  Provider Quick Tip #241 was issued in response to the COVID-19 emergency.

Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council

PHC4 has released COVID-19 hospitalization data for the seven-month period from March 1, 2020 through September 30, 2020.  Learn more from PHC4’s news release and from the various data elements PHC4 has produced.

Around the State

2021-05-03T06:00:09+00:00May 3rd, 2021|Coronavirus, COVID-19|Comments Off on COVID-19 Update: Friday, April 30
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COVID-19 Update: Wednesday, April 28

The following is the latest COVID-19 information from Pennsylvania’s state government as of 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, April 28.

Governor Wolf

State and local agencies are launching a multi-faceted approach to bringing COVID-19 vaccines to Pennsylvanians who cannot leave their homes, the Wolf administration explains in a news release.

Department of Health

  • The Department of Health has notified all COVID-19 vaccine providers that the pause in administering doses of the Johnson & Johnson (Janssen) vaccine has been lifted.  Learn more in this news release.
  • The Department of Health has updated its recommendations for COVID-19 treatment options to reflect changes in use authorizations issued by the FDA.
  • The Department of Health has updated its public health recommendations for individuals fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
  • The Department of Health has updated its mask guidance to reflect recent changes announced by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  Find an announcement about the updated guidance here.
  • The Department of Health announced that its COVID-19 testing sites in Delaware, Monroe, and Northampton counties have been extended.  For dates, hours, and locations, see this news release.

Department of Health – by the numbers

  • The daily number of new COVID-19 cases, while still very high, has fallen slightly in the past few days.  To date, more than 1.1 million Pennsylvanians have contracted COVID-19.
  • The number of COVID-19 deaths, which had been declining even amid rising case counts, has risen slightly over the past two weeks.  So far, more than 26,000 Pennsylvanians have died from COVID-19.
  • For the week from April 16 through April 22 the state’s overall COVID-19 test positivity rate was 8.6 percent, down from 9.6 percent last week and ending a three-week run of increases.
  • Six counties have a positivity rate lower than five percent, up from four last week; no counties have a positivity rate greater than 20 percent, down from one the three past weeks.Three counties are currently experiencing low levels of community transmission of COVID-19, the same as the past two weeks; 11 counties are experiencing moderate levels of community transmission, up from nine last week but less than the 14 of two weeks ago; and 53 counties are currently experiencing substantial levels of community transmission, down from 55 counties last week but more than the 50 of the week before.
  • The number of Pennsylvanians hospitalized with COVID-19, in hospital ICUs because of COVID-19, and on ventilators because of COVID-19 have all fallen in the past week.
  • Currently, 19 percent of adult ICU beds in the state are unoccupied, as are 12 percent of medical/surgical beds, 13 percent of pediatric ICU beds, 22 percent of pediatric beds, and 33 percent of airborne isolation units.Nearly 3.3 million Pennsylvanians have now been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to the state’s COVID-19 dashboard.  In addition, Philadelphia just reached the 500,000 mark in number of people fully vaccinated, the city’s Department of Public Health reports.

Harrisburg, PA capital buildingGeneral Assembly

  • The House Republican Policy Committee held a hearing on Tuesday to examine the regulatory suspensions and waivers issued as a result of COVID-19 and to assess the extent to which those regulations should be eliminated or reinstated. The committee heard from a variety of health care providers who testified that the suspensions and waivers were vital to their ability to meet patient and staffing needs during the pandemic. Telemedicine and the ability to be reimbursed at the same rate as in-person care was highlighted as something that should be continued beyond the end of the pandemic.
  • Senate Bill 190, the “Essential Family Caregiver Act,” passed the Senate on third and final consideration Tuesday. Senate Bill 190 permits long-term care, hospice, assisted living, personal care, and intermediate-care facilities to designate, under certain conditions, at least one essential family caregiver per resident to provide companionship and assist with activities requiring one-on-one direction. A similar bill, House Bill 649, passed the House in March.

Around the State

  • On Tuesday a Pittsburgh Tribune-Review headline declared that “Allegheny County posts lowest single-day covid case report in 6 months” and reported that “For the first time since Oct. 26, Allegheny County has posted a single-day covid case number below 100.”
  • The city of Philadelphia has approved a limited number of restaurants for 50 percent indoor dining capacity.  See the list here.
  • The city also has lifted its 50-person limit on outdoor dining and is now permitting bar seating with eased restrictions.  KYW radio offers the details.
  • The city intends to ease more restrictions on restaurants and indoor events as of May 7, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.
  • Congressman Fred Keller (R-12) told the Williamsport Sun-Gazette that he will sponsor legislation to ensure that American citizens have priority for COVID-19 vaccines over undocumented immigrants.  His bill will be called the Saving Hypodermic Injections and Offering Vaccines to Taxpayers Swiftly (SHOTS) Act and he counts another member of Pennsylvania’s congressional delegation, Mike Kelly (R-16), as a co-sponsor.

 

2021-04-29T06:00:15+00:00April 29th, 2021|Coronavirus, COVID-19|Comments Off on COVID-19 Update: Wednesday, April 28
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  • P: (717) 234-6970

  • 2020 Safety-Net Association of Pennsylvania

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