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PA Health Policy Update for the Week of July 26-30

The following is an update of selected state health policy developments in Pennsylvania for the week of July 26-30, 2021.  (Some of the language used below is taken directly from state documents.)

General Assembly

House majority leader Kerry Benninghoff announced this week that he sent letters to state agencies notifying them that they should be prepared to have the nearly 500 waived and suspended regulations that were in place under the COVID-19 emergency disaster declaration reinstated on September 30, 2021.  He also encouraged agencies to work closely with the relevant standing committees in the House to review which regulations should be permanently repealed or reformed.  The letter noted the need to work expeditiously given the limited number of legislative session days scheduled between now and September 30.  Benninghoff also highlighted in a letter to the Department of Health that “…nothing in current law prohibits tele-health services from being provided at pre-pandemic levels.”  See Benninghoff’s letter to the Office of Administration here and his letter to the Department of Health here.

Department of Health

The Department of Health has invited applications for the approval of up to two additional academic clinical research centers as part of its medical marijuana program.  Applications will be available beginning on August 3 on the Department of Health’s web site and applications are due September 2.  Learn more from the department’s notice published in the Pennsylvania Bulletin.

The Department of Health plans to pursue a series of changes in the manner in which long-term-care facilities are regulated.  It intends to do so in five separate parts and has published one of those parts, with explanations, in the Pennsylvania Bulletin.

Department of Human Services

  • DHS has issued a Medical Assistance Bulletin to inform providers that it is expanding the scope of Medicaid-enrolled providers that may bill the program for administration of COVID-19 vaccines and monoclonal antibody therapy.  The new policy applies to physicians, certified registered nurse practitioners, certified nurse midwives, outpatient hospital clinics, independent medical/surgical clinics, home health agencies, renal dialysis centers, psychiatric outpatient clinics, drug and alcohol outpatient clinics, partial psychiatric hospitals, ambulance providers and licensed pharmacies.  The policy is retroactive to April 1.  Find the bulletin here.
  • DHS has issued a Medical Assistance Bulletin to inform providers that the Medical Assistance program will make an enhanced payment for the administration of COVID-19 vaccines to Medicaid beneficiaries who are homebound and has added a CPT code for the billing of this service.  The policy is retroactive to April 1.  Learn more in the bulletin notice.
  • DHS and the Department of Aging are seeking presenters for their 2021-2022 protective services virtual conference, to be held on October 6 and October 7.  This year’s conference is about getting back to basics and mastering the core competencies of protective services:  opening and conducting investigations.  Learn more about the conference and opportunities to make presentations during it from this conference notice.  The deadline for applying to make a presentation is August 6.
  • DHS has updated its Pennsylvania Medicaid Managed Care Directory with key contacts for both the physical health and behavioral health HealthChoices programs.

Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs

The Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs has published a policy bulletin to announce changes in its prevention, fiscal, operations and case management, and clinical services manuals.  Go here to find the revised manuals.

The state’s Independent Regulatory Review Commission has disapproved a proposed regulation submitted by the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs seeking to “…establish regulations for recovery houses that receive public funds or referrals.  Recovery houses provide support to individuals receiving outpatient treatment for substance use disorder who may benefit from supportive housing, a substance-free environment and peer camaraderie.”  The commission has not yet issued an explanation for the rejection.  The department now has three options:  it may withdraw the regulation, resubmit the regulation with revisions within 40 days of receipt of the commission’s disapproval order, or submit the regulation without revision to the General Assembly.

COVID-19:  By the Numbers

  • The daily number of new COVID-19 cases rose considerably again over the past week.  Thursday marked the first time since May 28 that the state registered more than 1000 new cases in a single day.  Even these numbers, however, are less than half of what they were in mid-May.
  • The number of deaths, however, remains very low.
  • For the week from July 16 through July 22 the state’s overall COVID-19 test positivity rate was 2.6 percent, up from 1.7 percent last week and the third consecutive week with an increase after more than two months of declining rates.  As a frame of reference, however, that rate was 9.5 percent just three months ago.
  • Since the beginning of July the number of Pennsylvanians hospitalized with COVID-19 has risen 53 percent; the number in hospital ICUs has risen 71 percent; and the number on ventilators has risen 37 percent.
  • According to the state’s revised figures, 62.8 percent of Pennsylvanians 18 years of age and older are now fully vaccinated, up from 62.2 percent last week.  Only 56,000 Pennsylvanians completed a vaccine regimen in the past week and only 300,000 have done so since July 1.  In Philadelphia, only 17,000 people reached full vaccination status in the past week and 46,000 have done so since July 1.

Around the State

  • Spotlight PA has identified all of the emergency procurement spending the state has done since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and highlighted those that were pandemic-related.  Find its report here.
  • A Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs web site that enabled visitors to obtain information about drug abuse treatment facilities’ violations of state guidelines identified during state inspections had inaccurate information and has been taken down.  Learn more from two Allentown Morning Call reports:  the article about the inaccurate information and a separate story about the state’s decision to take down the site while it reviews the inaccurate data.
  • Shortly after the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended that school teachers, staff, and students wear face masks in areas with high rates of COVID-19 transmission, a spokesperson for Governor Wolf said that the governor did not intend to mandate such a policy although he would urge local school districts to follow the new federal guidance.  PennLive tells the story.
  • Shortly after the CDC recommended that even vaccinated people wear face masks indoors and under certain circumstances in areas of high transmission of COVID-19, Pittsburgh’s WTAE television published an interactive map showing community transmission rates throughout Pennsylvania.
  • PennLive was even more specific:  it listed the seven Pennsylvania counties where the COVID-19 transmission rates meet the criteria for vaccinated people to wear masks indoors.  They are Cameron and Crawford counties (high rates of community transmission) and Adams, Lawrence, Monroe, Northampton, and Wyoming counties (substantial rate of community transmission).
  • Scranton’s city council has voted to accept a three-year, $360,000 grant from the Moses Taylor Foundation to fund a health coordinator position for the city, according to the Scranton Times-Tribune.
  • “Drexel University College of Medicine at Tower Health is ready to welcome its inaugural class of first-year medical students next week,” the Reading Eagle reports.

Stakeholder Events

  • Traumatic Brain Injury Advisory Board

August 6 at 9:00 a.m.

The Traumatic Brain Injury Advisory Board will hold a virtual public meeting on Friday, August 6, 2021.  For information about the board’s mission, meeting materials, and how to participate virtually, see the meeting announcement in the Pennsylvania Bulletin.

  • Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Community Prevention Planning Committee

August 11-12 at 9:00 a.m.

The state-wide Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Community Prevention Planning Committee will hold public meetings on Wednesday, August 11, 2021, and Thursday, August 12, 2021 from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.  To see the agenda and find information about where the meeting will be held and how individuals can participate virtually, see the meeting announcement in the Pennsylvania Bulletin.

 

 

2021-08-16T15:10:18+00:00July 30th, 2021|Coronavirus, COVID-19, Medical Assistance Bulletin, Meetings and notices, Pennsylvania Bulletin, Pennsylvania Medicaid, Pennsylvania Medicaid coronavirus, Pennsylvania Medicaid COVID-19, Pennsylvania Medicaid laws and regulations|Comments Off on PA Health Policy Update for the Week of July 26-30
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PA Health Policy Update for the Week of July 19-23

The following is an update of selected state health policy developments in Pennsylvania for the week of July 19-23, 2021.  (Some of the language used below is taken directly from state documents.)

General Assembly

The Senate Health & Human Services Committee and Communications & Technology Committee held a joint hearing on Wednesday to examine contracts awarded by the Department of Health  through emergency procurements.  The hearing largely focused on the department’s recent announcement that it intends to enter into a year-long $34 million contract with Public Consulting Group (PCG) to conduct COVID-19 contact tracing.  PCG is being hired to replace the state’s former contact-tracing vendor, Insight Global, which received a multi-million contract last year through an emergency procurement but was fired in May for mishandling sensitive personal information.  Read Acting Health Secretary Alison Beam’s testimony here and watch a replay of the hearing here.

Office of the Attorney General

Attorney General Josh Shapiro announced this week a $26 billion settlement with Cardinal, McKesson, AmerisourceBergen, and Johnson & Johnson for their role in the opioid epidemic.  This agreement would resolve the claims of nearly 4,000 state and local governments across the country that have filed lawsuits against these companies.  States have 30 days to agree to the settlement and local governments have 150 days.  Shapiro has estimated that Pennsylvania will receive as much as $1 billion from the settlement.

Department of Health

Wolf administration officials announced proposed changes in state nursing home regulations that seek to improve the quality of care received by residents by increasing the minimum direct care hours by 1.4 hours each day.  The current skilled nursing facility regulations have not been updated since 1999.   The Department of Health has indicated that it intends for this to be the first of five proposals to update the regulations governing long-term-care facilities.  With this announcement the Department of Health submitted the first installment of the proposed nursing home regulations to the General Assembly, the state’s Independent Regulatory Review Commission, and the Legislative Reference Bureau.  The next step is for these proposed regulations to be published in the Pennsylvania Bulletin by the end of July, which will start a 30-day public comment period.  Learn more from this Wolf administration news release about the newly proposed regulations and go here, to the web site of the Independent Regulatory Review Commission, to find the proposed regulations themselves.

Department of Human Services

DHS has updated its “Monthly Physical Health Managed Care Program Enrollment Report” with new data on the number of Pennsylvanians who participated in Medical Assistance managed care in April, May, and June.  The report breaks down Medicaid managed care enrollment by county, by racial and ethnic group, and by health plan.  Find the report here.

COVID-19:  By the Numbers

  • The daily number of new COVID-19 cases rose considerably over the past week, with Tuesday’s total the highest one-day figure in more than one month.  Even these higher numbers are only between one-third and one-half of what they were at this time two months ago.
  • The number of Pennsylvanians hospitalized with COVID-19 has risen 12 percent since the beginning of July and the number in hospital ICUs has risen a good deal in recent days.  The number of COVID-19 patients on ventilators continues to decline.
  • 5.6 million Pennsylvanians have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to the state’s COVID-19 dashboard, but only 56,000 completed the full vaccination regimen in the past week – barely more than half the number of last week; another 823,000 Philadelphians are now fully vaccinated but only 10,000 reached that status in the past week.

Around the State

  • The Philadelphia Department of Public Health now “…strongly recommends that everyone, including fully vaccinated people, wear masks in all public indoor places,” Philadelphia health officials announced in their latest update on the state of COVID-19 in the city.
  • A long-sought psychiatric residential treatment facility in Philadelphia for kids with complex needs may close just a few months after it opened because the state has revoked its license.  The Philadelphia Inquirer explains why.
  • Opioid problems, addictions, and deaths are rising in western Pennsylvania, the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports.
  • Will Pennsylvania public school students be required to wear masks when they return to the classroom in September?  In Pittsburgh it looks like they will; elsewhere in Allegheny County, some will and some will not; in Philadelphia they definitely will; in the Scranton School District they are still deciding; and in the Central Bucks School District masks will be optional.
  • “Pennsylvania officials in Harrisburg are mulling pay increases, signing bonuses and student loan forgiveness for the state’s care workers who provide home and community based services – part of a plan to spend an additional $1.2 billion in federal funding for those services that allow seniors and people with disabilities to live independently,” according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, which also reports on the proposed strategy the state has submitted to the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
  • City and State Pennsylvania, which describes itself as a “…multi-media news firm that dedicates its coverage to Pennsylvania’s state and local government, political and advocacy news,” has come out with a list of “The Pennsylvania Healthcare Power 100.”  See who made the cut here.
  • About 1500 employees of more than a dozen Pennsylvania nursing homes will go on a one-day strike on July 27.  GoErie explains why.
  • Worried about the recent increase in the number of new COVID-19 cases?  Experts in western Pennsylvania are not – at least not yet.  The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review shares their thoughts.
  • The Justice Department has informed the Wolf administration that it will not investigate whether the state ordered nursing homes to accept residents after they had been treated in a hospital for COVID-19, which would have been a violation of federal law, according to the Associated Press.

Stakeholder Events

Special Pharmaceutical Benefits Program

July 29 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#

Traumatic Brain Injury Advisory Board

August 6 at 9:00 a.m.

The Traumatic Brain Injury Advisory Board will hold a virtual public meeting on Friday, August 6, 2021.  For information about the board’s mission, meeting materials, and how to participate virtually, see the meeting announcement in the Pennsylvania Bulletin.

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Community Prevention Planning Committee

August 11-12 at 9:00 a.m.

The state-wide Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Community Prevention Planning Committee will hold public meetings on Wednesday, August 11, 2021, and Thursday, August 12, 2021 from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.  To see the agenda and find information about where the meeting will be held and how individuals can participate virtually, see the meeting announcement in the Pennsylvania Bulletin.

2021-07-23T21:07:14+00:00July 23rd, 2021|Coronavirus, COVID-19, HealthChoices, long-term care, Pennsylvania Bulletin, Pennsylvania Medicaid, Pennsylvania Medicaid policy|Comments Off on PA Health Policy Update for the Week of July 19-23
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PA Health Policy Update for the Week of July 5-9

The following is an update of selected state health policy developments in Pennsylvania for the week of July 5-9, 2021.  (Some of the language used below is taken directly from state documents.)

State Revenue Collections

According to the Independent Fiscal Office’s Monthly Revenue Update, the state collected $3.77 billion in June, the last month of the fiscal year; that was $350.7 million, or 10.3 percent, more than projected.  This strong monthly performance was led by growth in corporate net income tax collections, which were 42.2 percent higher than anticipated.  Pennsylvania ended FY 2020-21 with the largest budget surplus in the state’s history:  $3.4 billion more than anticipated.

Department of Human Services

COVID-19:  By the Numbers

  • The daily number of new COVID-19 cases and deaths remained down and steady over the past week.
  • The number of Pennsylvanians hospitalized with COVID-19 and on ventilators and in hospital ICUs because of it remained down and steady.
  • To date, nearly 1.2 million Pennsylvanians have contracted COVID-19, among them 29,000 health care workers and 88,000 residents and staff of nursing facilities and personal care homes.  27,700 Pennsylvanians have died from the virus.
  • For the week from June 25 through July 1 the state’s overall COVID-19 test positivity rate was 1.1 percent, down from 1.2 percent last week and 1.4 percent the week before.
  • 5.5 million Pennsylvanians have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to the state’s COVID-19 dashboard, but only 82,000 have completed the full vaccination regimen in the past week; another 9000 Philadelphians have done so as well.  According to the state, 60.5 percent of Pennsylvanians 18 years of age and older are now fully vaccinated and 63.0 percent of the entire population has now received at least the first dose of a vaccine.

Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs

The Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs has sent a reminder to stakeholders that under the federal Health Resources and Services Administration’s (HRSA) Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Recovery Loan Repayment Program, HRSA will provide up to $250,000 in loan repayment to substance abuse disorder health professionals in exchange for a six-year, full-time service commitment in rural and underserved areas.  Facilities interested in hiring or supporting current substance use disorder health professionals who receive loan repayment must apply to become an approved facility.  Learn more about the HRSA program here and apply to become an approved facility to employ current substance use disorder professionals here.  Applications are due July 22.

Around the State

  • The Department of Health is hiring a new contractor to run its COVID-19 contact tracing program after firing its old contractor after a major data breach.  Spotlight PA explains who, why, and how much.
  • Western Pennsylvania hospitals, nursing homes, assisted living facilities, personal care homes, and home care agencies are experiencing a major shortage of nurses.  The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review details the extent of the problem.
  • A new law passed late last month gives Pennsylvania parents the right to have their children repeat the grade they just finished because of the learning loss they believe their children experienced during remote schooling while the COVID-19 pandemic raged.  Parents must make a decision and file appropriate paperwork by July 15.  The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette offers the details.
  • The Butler County commissioners have unanimously voted to end their emergency declaration, KDKA Pittsburgh reports, “… because the vaccination site at the county mall is closed and they no longer require the state’s emergency funding.”
  • A new law in Pennsylvania “…will require treatment facilities to notify a patient’s emergency contacts if they leave a rehab center against medical advice,” the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports, adding that “Heather’s Law, as it’s called, will take effect in 60 days and is named after a woman who overdosed and died 12 hours after leaving a treatment facility in Pennsylvania.  Her family wasn’t aware she had left.”  Learn more here.
  • “After more than five months of discussions and one meeting with Tower Health’s board of directors, Lehigh Valley Health Network and StoneBridge Healthcare have decided not to make an offer to acquire the financially ailing Reading-based health system,” according to the Philadelphia Business Journal.  Tower Health’s hospitals include Reading Hospital, Brandywine Hospital, Chestnut Hill Hospital, Jennersville Hospital, Phoenixville Hospital, Pottstown Hospital, and St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children, a partnership of Tower Health and Drexel University.
  • “Geisinger Health Plan has expanded its Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) coverage to eight more Pennsylvania counties including all five in the Philadelphia region.  GHP Kids coverage is now available for uninsured children and teens, up to age 19, in 48 of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties,” the Philadelphia Business Journal writes

Stakeholder Events

  • Health Research Advisory Committee Meeting

July 12 at 10:00 a.m.

The public meeting will be held virtually by means of Microsoft Teams at (267) 332-8737 with Conference ID: 689 378 043#.

  • 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#

 

2021-07-09T20:01:40+00:00July 9th, 2021|Coronavirus, COVID-19, DSH hospitals, Medical Assistance Bulletin, Pennsylvania Bulletin, Pennsylvania Medicaid|Comments Off on PA Health Policy Update for the Week of July 5-9
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Vaccination Rates Low Among Medicaid Recipients

Individuals enrolled in Medicaid are less likely to have received COVID-19 vaccines than the population as a whole, according to a recently published report.

Among the possible reasons for this low rate, observers speculate, is greater vaccine hesitancy among low-income individuals (as identified in a nation-wide survey), less flexible work schedules, and economic barriers such as lack of transportation or child care.

This can pose a special challenge for Pennsylvania safety-net hospitals because the communities they serve have more Medicaid beneficiaries than the typical community.

Learn more about the extent of the problem around the country and what state Medicaid programs are doing to encourage more Medicaid beneficiaries to roll up their sleeves and get vaccinated in the Roll Call article “Medicaid beneficiaries less likely to get COVID-19 shots.”

 

 

2021-07-07T20:30:43+00:00July 8th, 2021|Coronavirus, COVID-19, Pennsylvania safety-net hospitals|Comments Off on Vaccination Rates Low Among Medicaid Recipients
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PA Health Policy Update for the Week of June 28-July 2

The following is an update of selected state health policy developments in Pennsylvania for the week of June 28-July 2, 2021.  (Some of the language used below is taken directly from state documents.)

FY 2021-2022 Budget

On Wednesday Governor Wolf signed into law Pennsylvania’s FY 2021-2022 General Fund appropriations bill and related code bills.  The governor partially vetoed Senate Bill 255, the General Appropriations Act, to remove the funds appropriated by the General Assembly for the establishment and operation of a new Bureau of Election Audits.  The full package of budget-related bills passed by the legislature and signed by the governor includes the FY 2022 General Appropriations Act – Senate Bill 255; the Fiscal Code – House Bill 1348; the Administrative Code – House Bill 336, and the Tax Code – House Bill 952.

House Chamber of the State HouseLegislative Update

The legislature has passed, and Governor Wolf has signed, the following health care-related bills:

  • House Bill 649 (Act 67) – 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.
  • House Bill 1024 (Act 44) – revises to the state’s Medical Marijuana Act, including caregiver, dispensing, and criminal background check provisions.
  • House Bill 1429 (Act 48) – 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.
  • House Bill 1431 (Act 49) – 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.
  • Senate Bill 108 (Act 56) – provides for a $130 supplemental 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 they serve.
  • Senate Bill 115 (Act 68) – establishes the Nurse Licensure Compact Act, which makes the state a party to the Nurse Licensure Compact with all other states that have joined the compact.
  • Senate Bill 416 (Act 60) – 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.
  • Senate Bill 425 (Act 61) – 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.
  • Senate Bill 445 (Act 23) – 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.
  • Senate Bill 484 (Act 63) – adds the chair of the State Veterans Commission or a designee to the Pennsylvania Long-term Care Council.

Governor Wolf vetoed Senate Bill 618, which would have prohibited the use of vaccine passports by government entities and prevented institutions of higher education from requiring proof of vaccination against COVID-19.  The bill also sought to restrict the Secretary of Health’s ability to implement certain disease control measures. See the governor’s veto message here.

The General Assembly has now adjourned until September.

Department of Human Services

Department of Health

  • The departments of Health and Human Services have extended to September 30 the period during which the Regional Congregate Care Assistance Teams (RCAT) will remain available to help long-term-care facilities prevent and respond to COVID-19.  See the announcement here and updated call center information here.

COVID-19:  By the Numbers

  • The daily number of new COVID-19 cases continues to decline and the number of COVID-19 deaths continues to decline significantly.
  • For the week from June 18 through June 24 the state’s overall COVID-19 test positivity rate was 1.2 percent, down from 1.4 percent last week and 1.9 percent the week before.
  • Sixty-five counties had a positivity rate lower than five percent, up from 64 last week, and no counties had a positivity rate greater than 20 percent for the ninth consecutive week.
  • Fifty-five counties are currently experiencing low levels of community transmission of COVID-19, up from 37 last week; the remaining 12 Pennsylvania counties are experiencing moderate levels of community transmission and no counties are experiencing a high level of community transmission.
  • On July 1 the number of Pennsylvanians hospitalized with COVID-19 was less than one-third of what it was on June 1; the number on ventilators was 30 percent of what it was on June 1; and the number in hospital ICUs was 25 percent of what it was on June 1.
  • 5.4 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, with fewer than 100,000 new, complete vaccinations reported in the past week. Another 760,000 people have been vaccinated in Philadelphia.  According to the state, 60.3 percent of Pennsylvanians 18 years of age and older are now fully vaccinated and 62.9 percent of the entire population has now received at least the first dose of a vaccine.

Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs

Around the State

  • While Pennsylvania is among the nation’s leaders in the percentage of its residents receiving their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine it is the fifth-worst state when it comes to getting those first shot recipients their second dose.  The Philadelphia Inquirer lays out the situation and explores why.
  • Following a 2018 fire at the U.S. Steel Clairton Coke Works site the number of asthma-related visits to doctors’ offices and hospital emergency departments nearly doubled, according to a new study.  WESA Pittsburgh tells the story.
  • According to the Philadelphia Business Journal, “A partnership involving an Allentown-based health system and a recently formed hospital turnaround company has emerged as a bidder for the financially struggling Tower Health.”  Learn more here.
  • After today Lancaster County closes its COVID-19 mass vaccination site.  Lancaster Online recounts some of the site’s accomplishments and experiences.
  • With people spending more time at home, HIV testing at non-health care sites in Philadelphia fell 75 percent in 2020, according to the Pennsylvania Capital-Star.

Stakeholder Events

  • 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
  • Health Research Advisory Committee Meeting

July 12 at 10:00 a.m.

The public meeting will be held virtually by means of Microsoft Teams at (267) 332-8737 with Conference ID: 689 378 043#.

  • 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

Financial Management Services Meeting – June 28

At the most recent Financial Management Services stakeholder meeting on June 28, 2021the Community HealthChoices managed care organizations announced that Tempus Unlimited, Inc. will be the new statewide Vendor Fiscal/Employer Agent, with HHA eXchange as the software solution, supporting FMS in the Community HealthChoices program.

Stakeholder Events Materials

DHS has shared materials presented at the June 28 meeting of its Financial Management Services stakeholder meeting.  This public meeting discussed the upcoming changes for 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 participated in the meeting.  Those presentations are:

 

 

2021-07-06T03:16:48+00:00July 6th, 2021|Coronavirus, COVID-19, Federal Medicaid issues, Medical Assistance Bulletin, Pennsylvania Bulletin, Pennsylvania Department of Health and COVID-19, Pennsylvania Department of Health coronavirus, Pennsylvania Medicaid, Pennsylvania proposed FY 2022 budget|Comments Off on PA Health Policy Update for the Week of June 28-July 2
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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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Home / About Us / Advocacy / Why Join? / SNAPShots / Contact Us

  • P: (717) 234-6970

  • 2020 Safety-Net Association of Pennsylvania

Home / About Us / Advocacy / Why Join? / SNAPShots / Contact Us

  • P: (717) 234-6970

  • 2020 Safety-Net Association of Pennsylvania

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