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PA Health Policy Update for the Week of November 29-December 3

The following is an update of selected state health policy developments in Pennsylvania for the week of November 29 to December 3, 2021.  (Some of the language used below is taken directly from state documents.)

Governor Wolf

Governor Wolf has announced a plan to spend approximately $1.2 billion in American Rescue Plan Act federal funding to support Medicaid’s home and community-based services (HCBS) system, giving more Pennsylvanians access to critical services in their communities.  This temporary funding enhancement will be directed toward Medicaid-funded essential care services to seniors, adults with intellectual and physical disabilities, adults with behavioral health needs such as substance use disorder or mental illness, and children with chronic complex medical needs.  The American Rescue Plan Act provides states with a temporary, one-year, 10 percent increase in the rate at which the federal government matches state spending for certain Medicaid-covered home and community-based services.  To learn more about how Pennsylvania plans to spend this money, see this Wolf administration news release.  For more on Pennsylvania’s plan, go here.  A week after this announcement, the federal government approved the state’s plan for using this money, as the Department of Human Services reported to stakeholders.

General Assembly

The House Republican Policy Committee held a hearing this week examining the health care staffing crisis.  Representatives from the Hospital & Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania (HAP), Penn State Health, Geisinger, the Pennsylvania Health Care Association (PHCA), SEIU Healthcare, and the Pennsylvania State Nurses Association testified.  Hearing testimony and a video recording may be viewed here.

Two members of the General Assembly – House majority leader Kerry Benninghoff (R-Mifflin) and Representative Mark Gillen (R-Berks) – have tested positive for COVID-19.

Financial paperworkState Revenue Update

Revenue collections continue to exceed estimates. The Department of Revenue reported this week that Pennsylvania collected $6.6 billion in General Fund revenue in November, which was $217.9 million, or 3.4 percent, more than anticipated.  For the year to date Pennsylvania has collected $18.7 billion in General Fund revenue, which is $1.0 billion, or 5.7 percent, above estimate.

Department of Human Services

The Department of Human Services (DHS) has published a notice in the Pennsylvania Bulletin explaining that it intends to allocate $106.130 million in total funds for disproportionate share hospital payments (Medicaid DSH payments) to qualifying acute-care general hospitals that provide enhanced access to multiple types of medical care in economically distressed areas of the state and $88.994 million in total funds for supplemental payments to qualifying acute-care general hospitals that treat a high volume of opioid use disorder patients in their emergency rooms.  Go here to see the Pennsylvania Bulletin notice.

DHS has issued a Medical Assistance Bulletin updating its dental fee schedule.  The update is effective as of August 23, 2021.

Department of Health

The state Supreme Court has temporarily restored the Department of Health’s (DOH) order requiring students, teachers, and staff to wear masks in Pennsylvania school districts.  Read the court’s ruling here.  The ruling only put a hold on Commonwealth Court’s decision to issue a stay of the order; the Supreme Court will still need to consider the governor’s appeal of the Commonwealth Court decision.

DOH has established new walk-in COVID-19 testing sites in Berks, Centre, Clinton, Crawford, Jefferson, and Susquehanna counties.  Learn more from this news release.

COVID-19:  By the Numbers

  • Daily COVID-19 case counts are on the rise in Pennsylvania.  Wednesday’s 7606 new cases and Thursday’s 9143 new cases are the highest single-day totals in the state since the second week of January.  To date, more than 1.75 million Pennsylvanians have contracted COVID-19.
  • The number of new COVID-19-related deaths remains high.  To date, more than 33,000 Pennsylvanians have died from COVID-19.
  • All 67 Pennsylvania counties continue to experience a high rate of COVID-19 transmission.
  • The number of Pennsylvanians hospitalized because of COVID-19, in hospital ICUs because of COVID-19, and on ventilators because of the virus, all of which declined during the first two weeks of November, rose significantly during the last two weeks of the month.  As the month came to a close, COVID-19 related hospitalizations were up 43 percent over the beginning of the month, ventilator cases were up 32 percent, and COVID-19 patients in hospital ICUs also were up 32 percent.
  • 231,000 Pennsylvanians were recorded as completing a vaccine regimen during the month of November.

Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs

The Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs released Policy Bulletin 21-05, which documents modifications to the Standard General Terms & Conditions, Fiscal and Operations Manual, and Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant (SAPTBG) provisions.

Stakeholder Events

Medical Assistance Advisory Committee – Consumer Subcommittee – December 8

The Medical Assistance Advisory Committee’s consumer subcommittee will meet virtually on Wednesday, December 8 at 1:00 p.m.  Go here to register to participate.

Medical Assistance Advisory Committee – December 9

The Medical Assistance Advisory Committee will meet virtually on Thursday, December 9 at 10:00 a.m.  Go here to register for the web event.

Patient Safety Authority – December 9

The Patient Safety Authority will hold a virtual public meeting of its board on Thursday, December 9, 2021, at 1 p.m.  Go here for information about registering and participating.

2021-12-03T22:12:20+00:00December 3rd, 2021|Coronavirus, COVID-19, DSH hospitals, Medicaid supplemental payments, Medical Assistance Bulletin, Meetings and notices, Pennsylvania Bulletin, Pennsylvania Department of Health and COVID-19, Pennsylvania Department of Health coronavirus, Pennsylvania Medicaid coronavirus, Pennsylvania Medicaid COVID-19, Pennsylvania Medicaid policy|Comments Off on PA Health Policy Update for the Week of November 29-December 3
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PA Health Policy Update for the Week of November 8-12

The following is an update of selected state health policy developments in Pennsylvania for the week of November 8-12, 2021.  (Some of the language used below is taken directly from state documents.)

Governor Wolf

Governor Wolf announced his intention to return the decision on mask requirements in K-12 schools to local leaders on January 17, 2022.  It may not take that long, though:  as the Philadelphia Inquirer reports, Pennsylvania’s Commonwealth Court “…has struck down the state’s school mask mandate, ruling that acting Health Secretary Alison Beam didn’t have the authority to issue the requirement under the state’s Disease Control and Prevention Law.”  The Department of Health is appealing the court’s decision.

House Chamber of the State HouseGeneral Assembly

  • The House of Representatives passed House Bill 1561 and House Bill 1563 on third and final consideration this week.  These bills amend the Mental Health Procedures Act and the Drug and Alcohol Abuse Control Act, respectively, to align them with HIPAA and give providers, facilities, and insurers the ability to more easily share patient mental health and substance use disorder treatment information.  Both bills were sent to the Senate and referred to its Health & Human Services Committee.
  • The Senate Majority Policy Committee held an informational meeting this week to examine COVID-19 vaccine mandates and their impact on the workforce.  Testimony offered at the hearing and a video recording may be viewed here.
  • The Senate Health & Human Services Committee met twice this week and favorably reported the following bills:
    • Senate Bill 471, which prohibits the implementation of COVID-19 vaccine mandates;
    • House Bill 220, which specifies that a person does not need to test positive for drugs to begin addiction treatment; and
    • Senate Bill 938, which clarifies the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs’ ability to promulgate rules and regulations and makes them subject to the regulatory review process, including publication, notice, and comment.

Recordings of both committee meetings may be viewed here.

  • The Senate Aging & Youth Committee favorably reported House Bill 1260, which increases the maximum income eligibility limits for PACENET from $27,500 to $33,500 for individuals and from $35,500 to $41,500 for married couples.

Department of Human Services

The Department of Human Services has issued updated requirements on the information needed to evaluate prior authorization requests for certain medications, based on actions taken by its Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee during its September 14 meeting:

Department of Health

The Department of Health (DOH) has issued a health advisory echoing the federal decision that a pediatric formulation of the Pfizer vaccine has been approved for children from the ages of five to 11.

DOH has announced that information on schools participating in a free and voluntary COVID-19 screening testing program, which is available through a partnership with the company Gingko Bioworks, is now available on its web site.  Go here for the DOH announcement and here for information about the program.

COVID-19:  By the Numbers

  • The general downward trend in new daily COVID-19 cases in Pennsylvania halted over the past week with several days of more than 5000 new cases.  The state’s total number of COVID-19 cases since the start of the pandemic surpassed 1.6 million this week – a figure that represents approximately 12 percent of the state’s population.
  • The number of new COVID-19-related deaths remains high.  196 new deaths were reported on Wednesday – the highest single-day figure since late January.  This week Pennsylvania surpassed 32,000 COVID-19-related deaths.
  • The number of Pennsylvanians hospitalized because of COVID-19 has fallen five percent since the beginning of November; the number in hospital ICUs has fallen nine percent; and the number on ventilators because of the virus has fallen 11 percent.
  • 72.8 percent of Pennsylvanians 18 years of age and older are now fully vaccinated – more than 6.5 million people.  70,000 Pennsylvanians were recorded as completing a vaccine regimen in the past week.

Stakeholder Events

Pharmaceutical Assistance Advisory Board – November 15

The Department of Aging’s Pharmaceutical Assistance Advisory Board will hold a virtual meeting on Monday, November 15, 2021 at 8:30 a.m.  To participate virtually or by phone, go here for further information.

Health Research Advisory Committee – November 15

The Department of Health’s Health Research Advisory Committee will hold a virtual public meeting on Monday, November 15 at 1:00 p.m.  For information on how to attend virtually, see this Pennsylvania Bulletin notice.

Pennsylvania Rural Health Redesign Center Authority Board – November 16

The Department of Health’s Pennsylvania Rural Health Redesign Center Authority Board, which is charged with administering the Pennsylvania Rural Health Model, will hold a virtual public meeting on Tuesday, November 16 at 10:00 a.m.  For information on how to attend virtually, see this Pennsylvania Bulletin notice.

Newborn Screening and Follow-Up Technical Advisory Board – November 18

The Department of Health’s Newborn Screening and Follow-Up Technical Advisory Board will hold a virtual public meeting on Thursday, November 18 at 10:00 a.m.  For information on how to attend virtually, see this Pennsylvania Bulletin notice.

Medical Assistance Advisory Committee’s Managed Long-Term Services and Supports Subcommittee Meeting – December 2

The Medical Assistance Advisory Committee’s managed long-term services and supports subcommittee will hold a virtual public meeting on Thursday, December 2 at 10:00 a.m.  To register to participate, go here.

2021-11-12T22:01:57+00:00November 12th, 2021|Coronavirus, COVID-19, Meetings and notices, Pennsylvania Bulletin, Pennsylvania Department of Health and COVID-19, Pennsylvania Department of Health coronavirus, Pennsylvania Medicaid|Comments Off on PA Health Policy Update for the Week of November 8-12
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PA Health Policy Update for the Week of November 1-5

The following is an update of selected state health policy developments in Pennsylvania for the week of November 1-5, 2021.  (Some of the language used below is taken directly from state documents.)

Governor Wolf

The Wolf administration announced that “Pennie,” the state’s new health insurance exchange, has now begun operations as this year’s Affordable Care Act open enrollment period begins.  Find Pennie here.

General Assembly

  • The House and Senate will be in session next week on Monday (10/8), Tuesday (10/9), and Wednesday (10/10).  The following health care-related committee meetings have been scheduled:
    • The Senate Majority Policy Committee will hold an informational meeting on Monday, November 8 at 10:00 a.m. to examine COVID-19 vaccine mandates and their impact on the workforce.  The hearing will be live-streamed here.
    • The Senate Health & Human Services Committee will convene on Monday, November 8 at 12:30 p.m. to consider Senate Bill 471, which prohibits the mandatory vaccination of Pennsylvania residents by the state or as a condition of employment.  The committee will also consider House Bill 220, which specifies that a person does not need to test positive for drugs to begin addiction treatment.
    • The Senate Aging & Youth Committee will meet on Tuesday, November 9 at 12:00 p.m. to consider, among other bills, House Bill 1260, which increases the maximum income eligibility limits for PACENET from $27,500 to $33,500 for individuals and from $35,500 to $41,500 for married couples.
  • The House of Representatives is planning to consider a few key behavioral health bills next week, including House Bill 1561 and House Bill 1563, which amend the Mental Health Procedures Act and the Drug and Alcohol Abuse Control Act, respectively, to align them with HIPAA and give providers, facilities, and insurers the ability to more easily share patient mental health and substance use disorder treatment information.  The House is also planning to consider House Bill 1308, which enables local communities and agencies to establish overdose fatality review teams.

Department of Human Services

This communication is intended for Department of Human Services (DHS) Sandata Electronic Visit Verification (EVV) and DHS Aggregator users for informational purposes regarding how the DHS Aggregator will be handling the end of Daylight Savings Time (DST) which is set to occur at 2:00 AM this Sunday, November 7, 2021.

For scheduled and completed visits that occur during or crossover the end of DST, the scheduling hours will appear to be short by an hour. This is expected behavior since DHS Aggregator times are calculated based on Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). Provider agencies and/or administrators should not adjust visit times related to DST. Visits during this event will continue to be calculated based on the actual visit times so there are no issues with billing requirements.  

Any questions related to this can be submitted to RA-PWEVVNOTICE@pa.gov

Department of Health

The Department of Health has rescinded a May 26, 2021 order that required skilled nursing facilities to make weekly reports of specified data on supplies and equipment.  The department has launched a new data dashboard with facility-level COVID-19 resident and staff cases, deaths, and vaccination rates that uses data that nursing homes are already required to report to the federal government.  The Survey 123 reporting requirement was eliminated effective October 29, 2021.

COVID-19:  By the Numbers

  • While there has been a modest downward trend in new COVID-19 cases in recent weeks, the past two days have seen the two highest single-day counts of new cases since mid-October.
  • Approximately 32,710 of the state’s total cases to date have been among health care workers.
  • The number of COVID-19 cases among school-aged children (between 5-18 years old) is nearly three times greater this year than in 2020.  Between October 27 and November 2, 2020 there were 1,683 COVID-19 cases in school-aged children compared to 4,918 cases in the same age group during the same week this year.
  • In licensed nursing and personal care homes there have been 79,250 resident cases of COVID-19 to date and 17,449 cases among employees for a total of 96,699 at 1,642 facilities in all 67 counties.
  • The number of new COVID-19-related deaths remains high but did not rise during the past week.
  • Sixty-six of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties currently are experiencing high rates of community transmission of COVID-19; Philadelphia County is experiencing “only” a substantial rate of community transmission.
  • The number of Pennsylvanians hospitalized, in hospital ICUs, and on ventilators because of COVID-19 has fallen slightly since the first of the month.
  • 72.2 percent of Pennsylvanians 18 years of age and older are now fully vaccinated – more than 6.5 million people.  38,000 Pennsylvanians were recorded as completing a vaccine regimen in the past week.

Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs

The state’s Independent Regulatory Review Commission has approved the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs’ proposed regulations for drug and alcohol recovery house licensure.  See the approval in this Pennsylvania Bulletin notice.

Stakeholder Events

Pharmaceutical Assistance Advisory Board – November 15

The Department of Aging’s Pharmaceutical Assistance Advisory Board will hold a virtual meeting on Monday, November 15, 2021 at 8:30 a.m.  To participate virtually or by phone, go here for further information.

Health Research Advisory Committee – November 15

The Department of Health’s Health Research Advisory Committee will hold a virtual public meeting on Monday, November 15 at 1:00 p.m.  For information on how to attend virtually, see this Pennsylvania Bulletin notice.

Pennsylvania Rural Health Redesign Center Authority Board – November 16

The Department of Health’s Pennsylvania Rural Health Redesign Center Authority Board, which is charged with administering the Pennsylvania Rural Health Model, will hold a virtual public meeting on Tuesday, November 16 at 10:00 a.m.  For information on how to attend virtually, see this Pennsylvania Bulletin notice.

Newborn Screening and Follow-Up Technical Advisory Board – November 18

The Department of Health’s Newborn Screening and Follow-Up Technical Advisory Board will hold a virtual public meeting on Thursday, November 18 at 10:00 a.m.  For information on how to attend virtually, see this Pennsylvania Bulletin notice.

Medical Assistance Advisory Committee’s Managed Long-Term Services and Supports Subcommittee Meeting – December 2

The Medical Assistance Advisory Committee’s managed long-term services and supports subcommittee will hold a virtual public meeting on Thursday, December 2 at 10:00 a.m.  To register to participate, go here.

 

2021-11-05T21:56:42+00:00November 5th, 2021|Affordable Care Act, Coronavirus, COVID-19, Meetings and notices, Pennsylvania Bulletin, Pennsylvania Department of Health and COVID-19, Pennsylvania Medicaid|Comments Off on PA Health Policy Update for the Week of November 1-5
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PA Health Policy Update for the Week of October 18-22

The following is an update of selected state health policy developments in Pennsylvania for the week of October 18-22, 2021.  (Some of the language used below is taken directly from state documents.)

Governor Wolf

Governor Wolf has signed an executive order calling on the state’s Department of Labor & Industry to “study the feasibility of implementing Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards” in state offices and requiring that for profit entities that do business with the state pay “…a minimum wage that meets or exceeds” the state’s minimum wage and offer paid sick leave to their employees.  Go here to see that executive order and here to see a Wolf administration news release about it.

House Chamber of the State HouseGeneral Assembly

  • The House of Representatives’ Democratic Policy Committee held a hearing this week titled “Navigating Healthcare Consolidation.”  Co-hosted by chairman Ryan Bizarro and northeast delegation chair Rep. Maureen Madden, the hearing focused on the market dynamics that contribute to health care consolidation and the effect consolidation has on communities, patients, and employees.  Representatives from the hospital community, organized labor, and patient advocacy groups testified.  A press release issued following the hearing may be viewed here and testimony offered at the hearing may be viewed here.
  • The House and Senate will be in session next Monday (10/25), Tuesday (10/26), and Wednesday (10/27).  As of October 22, the following health care-related committee meetings have been scheduled for next week:
    • The House Aging & Older Adult Services Committee will meet on Tuesday, October 26 to consider, among other bills, House Bill 1356, which amends the Human Services Code to increase the reimbursement rate for guardians of older adults.
    • The House Human Services Committee will meet on Tuesday, October 26 to consider House Bill 1561 and House Bill 1563.  These bills, which amend the Mental Health Procedures Act and the Drug and Alcohol Abuse Control Act, respectively, seek to align them with HIPAA and give providers, facilities, and insurers the ability to more easily share patient mental health and substance use disorder treatment information.  The committee also will consider House Bill 1308, which enables local communities and agencies in Pennsylvania to establish overdose fatality review teams.  Finally, the committee will consider House Bill 1995, which clarifies the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs’ ability to promulgate rules and regulations and makes them subject to the regulatory review process, including publication, notice, and comment.

Department of Human Services

  • The Department of Human Services (DHS) has added November dates to its calendar of when it will be issuing Remittance Advices (RAs) and corresponding checks.  Find the updated calendar here.
  • DHS has updated its information about provider enrollment and revalidation changes during the COVID-19 emergency.
  • DHS’s Office of Medical Assistance Programs has issued a Medical Assistance Bulletin advising providers of updates of certain error status codes for personal care services subject to electronic visit verification, effective for claims received on or after October 22, 2021.  The bulletin also gives providers an updated Provider Assistance Center contact e-mail address for their use.  Go here to find this Medical Assistance Bulletin.
  • DHS’s Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services has informed providers that certain regulatory requirements for on-site inspections have been reinstated as of October 18, 2021.  This includes visitation requirements, the right to enter and inspect, and the requirement to undergo an annual inspection.
  • DHS’s Office of Medical Assistance Programs has issued a Medical Assistance Bulletin to inform Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC) and Rural Health Clinics (RHC) of the procedure for submitting claims to DHS for a take-home supply of naloxone distributed to Medical Assistance beneficiaries.  Find that bulletin here.
  • The federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has issued guidance on coordinating care provided by out-of-state providers for children with medically complex conditions, including a description of best practices and other implementation considerations related to coordination of care from out-of-state providers for children with medically complex conditions.  Go here to see CMS’s guidance memo to state Medicaid programs.

Department of Health

The Department of Health has published an update on point-of-care COVID-19 antigen tests and the interpretation of test results.  The updated guidance replaces previous department guidance.

COVID-19:  By the Numbers

  • The daily number of new COVID-19 cases declined slightly this week.
  • The number of new COVID-19-related deaths remains high but did not rise during the past week.
  • The number of Pennsylvanians hospitalized because of COVID-19, on ventilators because of the disease, and being treated in hospital ICUs has remained relatively steady since the beginning of the month.
  • 71.1 percent of Pennsylvanians 18 years of age and older are now fully vaccinated – more than 6.4 million people.  3000 Philadelphians and 58,000 other Pennsylvanians were recorded as completing a vaccine regimen in the past week.

Pennsylvania Rural Health Model

The federal Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation has posted its first evaluation of its Pennsylvania Rural Health Model, a federally approved program that seeks “…to improve population health outcomes, increase access to high-quality care, and improve the financial viability of acute care hospitals in rural Pennsylvania.  Designed to reduce the risk of rural hospital closures, the Model seeks to stabilize participating hospitals’ finances by providing a predictable revenue stream through global budgets.”  Go here and scroll down for information about the model and links to additional resources.

Stakeholder Events

Medical Assistance Advisory Committee – Consumer Subcommittee – October 27

The Medical Assistance Advisory Committee’s Consumer Subcommittee will meet virtually on Wednesday, October 27 at 1:00 p.m.  Go here to register to participate.

Medical Assistance Advisory Committee – October 28

The Medical Assistance Advisory Committee will meet on Thursday, October 28 at 10:00 a.m.  Go here to register to participate virtually.

Special Pharmaceutical Benefits Program Advisory Council – October 28

The next meeting of the Special Pharmaceutical Benefits Program Advisory Council will be held virtually on Thursday, October 28, 2021 at 10:00 a.m.  To participate:

Health Care Cost Containment Council – November 4

The Health Care Cost Containment Council will meet via teleconference on Thursday, November 4 at 10:00 a.m.  The public is invited to participate.  See this Pennsylvania Bulletin notice about how to join the meeting.

Organ Donation Advisory Committee Meeting – November 4

The Organ Donation Advisory Committee will hold a virtual meeting on Thursday, November 4 at 10:00 a.m.  See this Pennsylvania Bulletin notice for information about how to join the meeting.

Traumatic Brain Injury Advisory Board – November 5

The Traumatic Brain Injury Advisory Board will hold a virtual meeting on Friday, November 5 at 10:00 a.m.  See this Pennsylvania Bulletin notice for information about how to join the meeting.

Pharmaceutical Assistance Advisory Board – November 15

The Department of Aging’s Pharmaceutical Assistance Advisory Board will hold a virtual meeting on Monday, November 15, 2021 at 8:30 a.m.  To participate virtually or by phone, go here for further information.

 

2021-10-22T21:03:04+00:00October 22nd, 2021|Coronavirus, COVID-19, Medical Assistance Bulletin, Meetings and notices, Pennsylvania Bulletin, Pennsylvania Department of Health and COVID-19, Pennsylvania Medicaid, Pennsylvania Medicaid COVID-19, Pennsylvania Medicaid policy|Comments Off on PA Health Policy Update for the Week of October 18-22
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PA Health Policy Update for the Week of August 16-20

The following is an update of selected state health policy developments in Pennsylvania for the week of August 16-20, 2021.  (Some of the language used below is taken directly from state documents.)

The Wolf Administration

The Wolf administration has directed vaccine providers to support COVID-19 vaccination clinics and has introduced a free COVID-19 testing program for schools across the state.  Learn more from this news release and from a Department of Health order in support of the governor’s directive.

General Assembly

The Senate Aging & Youth Committee held a hearing this week to examine proposed revisions of the state’s Child Protective Services Law.  Testimony presented to the committee and a video transcript may be found here.

Next week the Senate Health & Human Services and Aging & Youth committees will hold a joint hearing with the House Aging & Older Adult Services and Human Services committees to “discuss the Department of Human Services’ intent to contract with Maximus as its independent enrollment broker (IEB) and the impact this will have on seniors and adults with disabilities.”  The hearing will take place on Monday, August 23 at 12:30 p.m.  Livestream the hearing here.

Department of Health

  • Effective August 18, the Department of Health’s order regarding daily hospital data reporting through the Corvena system is amended to add new data fields related to the vaccination status of hospital patients.  View details in the amended order here.
  • The Department of Health has issued an advisory to health care facilities and providers caring for people whose immune systems are moderately to severely compromised about the CDC’s recommendation that such individuals may benefit from an additional dose of mRNA COVID-19 vaccine to ensure they have enough protection against COVID-19.  Find the advisory here.
  • The Department of Health has informed health care facilities and providers of the CDC’s recommendation that pregnant people should be vaccinated against COVID-19.  Learn more from a department health advisory.
  • In July the Department of Health’s nursing home surveyors conducted 466 inspections, including 289 complaint investigations, of 329 separate nursing homes.  Of these inspections, 30 were COVID-19-specific investigations.  There were five new sanctions finalized against nursing care facilities in the past month resulting in a total of $40,150 in fines.  Learn more from this department news release.

Department of Human Services

  • DHS has added September dates to its calendar of MA remittance advice delivery dates.  Find the updated list here.
  • DHS has published a Medical Assistance Bulletin announcing changes in the Medical Assistance program fee schedule, including changes resulting from the implementation of the 2021 Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System procedure codes updates.  In addition, DHS also is adding other procedure codes and making changes to procedure codes currently in the MA program fee schedule, including fee adjustments, as well as setting limitations and prior authorization requirements.  These changes are effective for dates of service on and after August 23, 2021.  Find this Medical Assistance Bulletin here.
  • Officials from DHS and the Department of Health have introduced the PA Health Equity Analysis Tool (HEAT), an interactive map that synthesizes Medical Assistance and population health data to show opportunities for intervention to promote better health and promote health equity.   PA HEAT provides state, county, zip code, and census track-level data on a number of population health measures and social determinants of health and how they affect local communities and Pennsylvania as a whole.  Results can also be displayed according to environmental justice areas, which are calculated based on concentrations of people living at or below the federal poverty line, based on resident demographics.  Learn more about PA HEAT from this DHS announcement and from the PA HEAT web site.
  • DHS has released quarterly licensing and enforcement activity data for its five licensing offices that oversee providers of long-term care, child care, behavioral health care, day activity programs, and residential care for individuals with intellectual disabilities and autism.  Find a summary of the report in this DHS announcement.
  • A notice in the Pennsylvania Bulletin announces that documents are now available on DHS’s web site about proposed annual case-mix per diem rates for state fiscal year 2021-2022 for non-public and county nursing facilities and the budget adjustment factor that will be applied to non-public and county nursing facilities.  Find the Pennsylvania Bulletin notice here and the DHS web site with the nursing facility rates here.

COVID-19:  By the Number

  • The daily number of new COVID-19 cases continued to rise during the past week.  The 3451 new cases reported on Thursday was the highest single-day total since April 30.
  • The number of deaths, while slightly higher during the past week, remains far lower than when comparable numbers of new cases were being reported in the spring.
  • For the week of August 6-12 the state’s overall COVID-19 test positivity rate was 6.0 percent, up from 5.4 percent last week and the fifth consecutive week with an increase.
  • In Pennsylvania, only Sullivan County is classified as having a low rate of COVID-19 transmission this week; three counties – Forest, Tioga, and Warren – have a moderate rate of transmission; 25 counties are currently experiencing a substantial rate of transmission; and 38 currently show a high rate of transmission, including nine of the ten most populous counties in the state:  Philadelphia, Allegheny, Delaware, Bucks, Montgomery, York, Lehigh, Berks, and Lancaster.
  • The number of Pennsylvanians hospitalized because of COVID-19 has more than doubled since the beginning of the month; the number on ventilators because of the virus is two-and-half times greater than it was at the beginning of the month; and the number in hospital intensive care units has more than tripled since the beginning of the month.
  • According to the state’s COVID-19 Dashboard, only 57 pediatric ICU beds in the state are not currently occupied.  That figure represents 14.7 percent of the total of such beds in Pennsylvania.
  • According to the state’s revised figures, 64.7 percent of Pennsylvanians 18 years of age and older are now fully vaccinated – 5.86 million people – up from 62.8 percent last week.  Only 54,000 Pennsylvanians completed a vaccine regimen in the past week and only 134,000 have done so since the beginning of August.

Around the State

  • Governor Wolf is “…reinstating a mask mandate for all state employees and contracted staff working under his jurisdiction regardless of their vaccination status, starting on Monday,” PennLive reports.
  • A shortage of nurses in the Philadelphia area has led hospitals to offer signing and retention bonuses of as much as $20,000 to experienced nurses.  The Philadelphia Inquirer offers the details.
  • “Overburdened health care systems from Texas to Florida are pleading with Western Pennsylvania hospitals to take on transfer patients at record-high rates as beds and ventilators reach capacity in covid-19 hot spots across the country,” the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports.
  • “While nearly a third of deer tested in Pennsylvania carried antibodies indicating they were exposed to COVID-19, the Pennsylvania Game Commission noted there is no evidence that deer can transmit the virus to humans and advised hunters to ‘take usual precautions when handling their harvests.’”  The Bradford Era explains what this means.
  • WTAE TV in Pittsburgh has published on its web site an interactive map showing the COVID-19 transmission rate for every county in the state.  Find the map here (scroll down to see it).
  • The Wolf administration plans to engage at least 100 people to perform COVID-19 contact tracing, Spotlight PA reports.

Stakeholder Event

The Department of Health’s Health Research Advisory Committee will hold a public meeting on Monday, August 23, from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.  The meeting will be held virtually via Microsoft Teams at +1 267-332-8737 with Conference ID: 545 844 262#.  The purpose of the meeting is to review the work of the committee and plan future health research priorities.  Find the meeting agenda here.

2021-08-20T21:33:37+00:00August 20th, 2021|Coronavirus, COVID-19, Medical Assistance Bulletin, Meetings and notices, Pennsylvania Bulletin, Pennsylvania Department of Health and COVID-19, Pennsylvania Department of Health coronavirus, Pennsylvania Medicaid, Pennsylvania Medicaid coronavirus, Pennsylvania Medicaid laws and regulations, Pennsylvania Medicaid policy, social determinants of health|Comments Off on PA Health Policy Update for the Week of August 16-20
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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 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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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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PA Puts New HealthChoices Contracts Up for Bid

The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) has issued a request for proposals (RFP) for organizations interested in serving the state’s Medicaid population through its HealthChoices Medicaid managed care program.
The HealthChoices program, introduced in 1997, currently serves nearly 2.5 million Pennsylvanians. Among them, 200,000 have enrolled in the program since the state’s Medicaid expansion began in January.
healthchoicesThe contracts will put a greater emphasis on value-based purchasing and will require participating insurers to provide at least 30 percent of their services in a value-based or outcomes-based manner within three years.  Among the tools managed care organizations are expected to employ to achieve this goal are accountable care organizations, bundled payments, and patient-centered homes.
With a projected value of about $17 billion, the RFP is expected to attract interest from national organizations that have not necessarily served Pennsylvania’s Medicaid population in the past.
To learn more about the state’s HealthChoices plans, see this news release from the Department of Human Services and this Philadelphia Inquirer article. Find the RFP itself here.

2015-09-23T06:00:50+00:00September 23rd, 2015|HealthChoices PA, Meetings and notices|Comments Off on PA Puts New HealthChoices Contracts Up for Bid
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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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