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PA Health Policy Update for Friday, May 27

The following is an update of selected state health policy developments in Pennsylvania for the week of May 23-27, 2022. (Some of the language used below is taken directly from state documents.)

General Assembly

The Senate unanimously passed House Bill 889, which authorizes the State Board of Nursing to approve graduates of international nursing education programs to sit for the RN licensure examination provided that such international programs are determined to be equivalent to that which is required in Pennsylvania. The bill will now be sent to the governor.
The Senate passed Senate Bill 848 by a vote of 35-12. This legislation creates a Chief Nursing Officer position in the Department of Health. The bill will now be sent to the House for consideration.
The House unanimously passed House Bill 1644, which directs the Department of Human Services to develop an escalation process to place Medicaid patients with behavioral health or long-term-care needs in an appropriate care setting. The bill now will be sent to the Senate for consideration.
The House unanimously passed House Bill 2530, which ends the practice of prudent pay in the Department of Human Services’ Office of Developmental Programs. The bill will now be sent to the Senate for consideration.
The House Insurance Committee favorably reported House Bill 2585, which prohibits the Department of Human Services from developing or using bidding or service zones that limit a health service corporation or hospital plan corporation contractor from submitting a bid.
The Senate Banking & Insurance Committee favorably reported House Bill 2419, which expands access to outpatient psychiatric care via telemedicine.
The Legislative Budget and Finance Committee released a report on the Pennsylvania CARE Act (Act 20 of 2016) and its impact on patient outcomes. Find the report’s highlights here and the full report here.

Independent Fiscal Office

The Independent Fiscal Office (IFO) has revised its revenue estimate for the current fiscal year, increasing it to $47.7 billion, a $5.8 billion increase over its initial estimate. According to the IFO, revenue in most categories, including corporate net income tax, sales tax, and personal income tax, exceeded projections. The IFO also cautioned that the state will likely see reduced revenue collections in future years. Find the IFO’s full report here and a PowerPoint presentation of its initial FY 2023 revenue estimate here.

Office of the Attorney General

The Office of the Attorney General released a report on the significant increase in fentanyl importation and use across the commonwealth. The report highlights the Bureau of Narcotics Investigations’ seizure of more fentanyl in the first three months of 2022 than it seized in all of 2021. The report recommends weighing the costs and benefits of legalizing fentanyl test strips to combat the increase in overdoses and continuing to make access to substance use disorder treatment a priority. Find the full report viewed here.

Department of Human Services

The federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has introduced a new “Renew Your Medicaid or CHIP Coverage” web page to help current Medicaid and CHIP participants prepare for the review of their eligibility for those programs that will begin when the formal COVID-19 public health emergency ends.
The Department of Human Services (DHS) has announced its intent to allocate $70 million in state and federal funds in FY 2022 to establish a new class of supplemental payments to promote the continuation of quality medical services to individuals enrolled in Pennsylvania’s Medical Assistance program and provide financial relief to hospitals during COVID-19 pandemic. Acute-care general, medical rehabilitation, and drug and alcohol rehabilitation hospitals enrolled in Medical Assistance are eligible for these payments. Learn more about the qualifying criteria and payments from this Pennsylvania Bulletin notice.
DHS has posted the minutes of the April 28 meeting of its Medical Assistance Advisory Committee. Find those minutes here.
DHS has circulated the following materials from the May 26 meeting of its Medical Assistance Advisory Committee:

Department of Health

The Department of Health (DOH) has issued an alert updating previously released information about monkeypox in the U.S. and elsewhere and offering information for clinicians and the public, including links to additional resources. Find the alert here.
DOH has notified skilled nursing facilities that they will no longer be permitted to hire temporary nurse aides after June 6, 2022 due to the expiration of a CMS waiver related to the COVID-19 pandemic. That waiver enabled nursing facilities to hire nursing assistants who had not yet passed the skills and written portions of the state nurse aide examination. In addition, nurse aides hired under the waiver must pass the skills and written portions of the state nurse aide examination by October 6 or they cannot continue to work in that capacity. Go here to read the letter explaining this change.
DOH has published its final set of proposed amendments to the state’s long-term-care facility regulations. Learn more about the changes that have been proposed and the process DHS intends to use to move from proposed to final regulations from this Pennsylvania Bulletin notice.

COVID-19: By the Numbers

Daily COVID-19 case counts climbed for the ninth consecutive week, rising seven percent, from a seven-day average of 3971 new daily cases on May 18 to 4238 new daily cases on May 25.
The seven-day average of COVID-19-related deaths tripled, from 12 to 36.
The growing number of COVID-19 cases in the state led to an 11 percent increase in COVID-19-related hospitalizations in the past week.
The number of these patients on ventilators, on the other hand, declined 19 percent over the past week while the number in hospital intensive care units rose 12 percent.
Sixty-four of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties are currently experiencing high rates of community transmission of COVID-19, leaving three counties experiencing “only” a substantial rate of community transmission.

Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council (PHC4)

PHC4 has published a new report on the number of cancer-related surgeries performed in Pennsylvania during the state’s 2021 fiscal year. Go here to learn about the report and find a link to the report itself.

Stakeholder Events

DHS – Medical Advisory Committee – Managed Long-Term Services and Supports Subcommittee – June 1

The Medical Assistance Advisory Committee’s managed long-term services and supports subcommittee will be held virtually on Wednesday, June 1 at 10:00. There will be an opportunity to submit questions and offer comments. Go here to register to participate or dial in at 415-655-0052, access code 498030891#.

DHS – Office of Long-Term Living – Financial Management Services Stakeholder Meeting – June 3

DHS’s Office of Long-Term Living will hold a financial management services stakeholder meeting on Friday, June 3 at 1:00. The purpose of this virtual meeting is to discuss 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 will discuss upcoming changes. Go here to register to participate.

Department of Human Services – Long-Term Care Learning Network/Nursing Facilities – June 23

DHS’s Long-Term Care Learning Network, part of its quality strategy for nursing facilities, is offering in collaboration with the Community HealthChoices managed care organizations and the Jewish Healthcare Foundation a “learning collaborative” webinar in which participants in past Long-Term Care Learning Network events share information about best practices for avoiding hospitalizations from nursing homes. The webinar will be held on Thursday, June 23 at 2:00 and the deadline to sign up to share best practices is June 1. For further information about the webinar, sharing best practices, and participating virtually, go here.

jsteinbock2022-05-27T20:41:50+00:00May 27th, 2022|COVID-19, Medicaid supplemental payments, Meetings and notices, Pennsylvania Bulletin, Pennsylvania Department of Health and COVID-19, Pennsylvania Medicaid, Pennsylvania Medicaid policy, Pennsylvania Medical Assistance|Comments Off

PA Health Policy Update for the Week of May 16-20

The following is an update of selected state health policy developments in Pennsylvania for the week of May 16-20, 2022. (Some of the language used below is taken directly from state documents.)

Primary Election

Pennsylvania’s 2022 primary election was held on Tuesday, May 17. State Senator Doug Mastriano secured the Republican nomination for governor and will face Attorney General Josh Shapiro, who ran unopposed for the Democratic nomination. In upsets, it appears the Republican chairmen of the appropriations committees in the state House and Senate may have both lost their bids for renomination. A complete list of the unofficial election results can be viewed here. Please note that some races are still too close to call.

General Assembly

The state House and Senate will be in session next Monday (5/23), Tuesday (5/24), and Wednesday (5/25).
The House Insurance Committee will meet on Monday, May 23 at the “call of the chair” to consider House Bill 2585, which prohibits the Department of Human Services from developing or using bidding or service zones that limit a health service corporation or hospital plan corporation contractor from submitting a bid.
The Legislative Budget and Finance Committee will convene on Wednesday, May 25 at 9:00 a.m. to release a report on the impact of the Pennsylvania CARE Act.
The House Consumer Affairs Committee is scheduled to meet on Wednesday, May 25 at 10:00 a.m. to hold a public hearing on House Bill 2202, which addresses consumer data privacy. The bill requires large organizations and personal information aggregators to share more information with consumers about what personal data they gather, track, and sell.

Department of Human Services

The Department of Human Services (DHS) has updated its calendar for delivering Remittance Advice and corresponding checks and electronic transfers to extend into early July.
DHS’s Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS), in cooperation with the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency, will award $130,000 in grants to support the training and use of crisis intervention teams throughout the state. The grants are available to eligible Pennsylvania counties and municipalities to support new or expanded crisis intervention programs to support costs associated with training emergency and response personnel, certification of coordinators, and participation and completion of train-the-trainer curriculum. Learn more from this notice. Applications are due by June 28.
The consumer subcommittee of DHS’s Medical Assistance Advisory Committee has posted the minutes of its meetings of March 23 and April 27.

Department of Health

The Department of Health (DOH) has issued a health alert on Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases, noting that it has identified recent sustained increases in tick bite-related emergency department visits in nearly all regions of the state. The alert includes surveillance data, information about diagnosis and treatment, laboratory information, and more along with resources for further information and a link to a department webinar on the problem. Learn more from this DOH health alert.
DOH has issued a health alert informing providers of the current iodinated contrast media shortage, explaining the situation, alternatives to using such media, ideas for conservation of supplies currently on hand, and links to additional resources. Learn more from this DOH health alert.
DOH has issued a health alert to inform providers about monkeypox, the first case of which was recently diagnosed in the U.S. The alert includes general guidance on the diagnosis and treatment of monkeypox, offers a link to additional information, and urges providers to report any cases they diagnose to DOH. Learn more from this DOH health alert.

COVID-19: By the Numbers

Daily COVID-19 case counts climbed for the eighth consecutive week, rising 26 percent, from a seven-day average of 3140 new daily cases on May 11 to 3971 new daily cases on May 18.
The seven-day average of COVID-19-related deaths (12) remains unchanged.
The growing number of COVID-19 cases in the state led to a 27 percent increase in COVID-19-related hospitalizations in the past week.
The number of these patients on ventilators rose 77 percent over the past week while the number in hospital intensive care units rose 40 percent. Despite these significant increases, the actual numbers of patients on ventilators and in hospital ICUs is modest compared to earlier in the pandemic.
Fifty-seven of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties are experiencing high rates of community transmission of COVID-19. Of the remaining 10 counties, three (Mifflin, Snyder, and Somerset) are experiencing a moderate rate and seven (Blair, Fayette, Fulton, Greene, Huntingdon, Jefferson, and Juniata) are experiencing a substantial rate of community transmission.

Stakeholder Events

DHS, Department of Health, Department of Veterans Affairs – PA Cares Training Summit – May 24

Pennsylvania’s departments of Human Services, Health, and Veterans Affairs, in cooperation with the five branches of the U.S. armed forces, will hold a “PA Cares Training Summit 2022” on Tuesday, May 24 at 8:00 a.m. The event will focus on considerations that are needed to promote wellness in the lives of service members, veterans, and their families. The target audience is professionals in the field and includes but is not limited to community mental health and substance abuse agencies, social workers, professional counselors, nurses, psychiatrists, psychologists, clergy/pastoral or spiritual practitioners, and the staff of Pennsylvania veterans centers. Learn more about the event, its agenda, the presenters, and how to participate from this program announcement. Participation is limited to the first 300 people who register.

DHS – Medical Assistance Advisory Committee – Consumer Subcommittee – May 25

The consumer subcommittee of DHS’s Medical Assistance Advisory Committee will meet virtually on Wednesday, May 25 at 1:00. Go here to register to participate.

Department of Health – Statewide HIV Planning Group – May 25 and 26

The Department of Health’s Statewide HIV Planning Group will hold a public meeting in Harrisburg, on Wednesday, May 25 and Thursday, May 26 from 9:00 to 4:30 on both days. The purpose of these meetings is to conduct an integrated prevention and care HIV planning process in which the Department of Health works in partnership with the community and stakeholders to enhance access to HIV prevention, care and treatment services. Interested parties also may participate virtually. For additional information, including the location of the meeting and how to join virtually, see this Pennsylvania Bulletin notice.

DHS – Medical Assistance Advisory Committee – May 26

DHS’s Medical Assistance Advisory Committee will meet virtually on Thursday, May 26 at 10:00. Go here to register to participate and go here to see the meeting’s agenda.

Department of Human Services – Long-Term Care Learning Network/Nursing Facilities – May 26

DHS’s Long-Term Care Learning Network, part of its quality strategy for nursing facilities, is offering in collaboration with the Community HealthChoices managed care organizations and the Jewish Healthcare Foundation a webinar on reducing avoidable hospitalizations from nursing facilities by improving processes and outcomes for vaccination and immunization in nursing facilities. The webinar is especially targeted to infection control nurses and medical directors of nursing facilities and managed care organizations. The webinar will be held on Thursday, May 26 at 2:00. For further information about the webinar and how to participate, go here.

DHS – Medical Advisory Committee – Managed Long-Term Services and Supports Subcommittee – June 1

The Medical Assistance Advisory Committee’s managed long-term services and supports subcommittee will be held virtually on Wednesday, June 1 at 10:00. There will be an opportunity to submit questions and offer comments. Go here to register to participate or dial in at 415-655-0052, access code 498030891#.

DHS – Office of Long-Term Living – Financial Management Services Stakeholder Meeting – June 3

DHS’s Office of Long-Term Living will hold a financial management services stakeholder meeting on Friday, June 3 at 1:00. The purpose of this virtual meeting is to discuss 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 will discuss upcoming changes. Go here to register to participate.

Department of Human Services – Long-Term Care Learning Network/Nursing Facilities – June 23

DHS’s Long-Term Care Learning Network, part of its quality strategy for nursing facilities, is offering in collaboration with the Community HealthChoices managed care organizations and the Jewish Healthcare Foundation a “learning collaborative” webinar in which participants in past Long-Term Care Learning Network events share information about best practices for avoiding hospitalizations from nursing homes. The webinar will be held on Thursday, June 23 at 2:00 and the deadline to sign up to share best practices is June 1. For further information about the webinar, sharing best practices, and participating virtually, go here.

jsteinbock2022-05-20T21:20:50+00:00May 20th, 2022|COVID-19, Meetings and notices, Pennsylvania Bulletin, Pennsylvania Department of Health and COVID-19, Pennsylvania Medicaid|Comments Off

PA Health Policy Update for the Week of May 9-13

The following is an update of selected state health policy developments in Pennsylvania for the week of May 9-13, 2022. (Some of the language used below is taken directly from state documents.)

Primary Election

Pennsylvania’s 2022 primary election will be held on Tuesday, May 17. Registered Republicans and Democrats will have an opportunity to select which candidates will represent their parties in the general election for local and statewide races, including governor, lieutenant governor, U.S. senator, U.S. representative, state senator, and state House representative.

General Assembly

The Joint State Government Commission issued a report this week regarding nurse licensure in the commonwealth. House Resolution 142 directed the Joint State Government Commission to conduct a review of the State Board of Nursing, specifically the “authorization to test” process and how it might be improved. Among other recommendations, the report highlights the need for additional staff at the state Board of Nursing, improved processing of licensure applications, and revision of the criminal background check process.

Department of Human Services

The Department of Human Services (DHS) has issued a Medical Assistance Bulletin to inform providers of the addition of CPT codes M0222 and M0223 to the program’s fee schedule for the administration of the monoclonal antibody bebtelovimab for treatment of COVID-19 effective February 11, 2022. Find that bulletin here.
DHS has published a Medical Assistance Bulletin to issue its 2022 immunization schedule for Medical Assistance beneficiaries ages 18 years or younger. Find the bulletin here.
DHS has published a final notice of its funding allocation for FY 2022 for several classes of inpatient disproportionate share hospital (Medicaid DSH) and supplemental payments to Medical Assistance-enrolled and qualifying inpatient acute-care general hospitals. The funding allocation is for DSH and supplemental payments for inpatient care, critical access hospitals, burn centers, obstetric and neonatal services, academic medical centers, physician practice plans, autism intervention, and trauma centers. DHS is not changing the qualifying criteria or payment methodology for these payments and the notice does not list allocations to individual recipients. Learn more from this Pennsylvania Bulletin notice.
DHS has issued a flyer explaining how individuals and organizations can obtain doses of Naloxone, the life-saving medication used in the event of a suspected opioid overdose.
DHS has posted the minutes of the April 28 meeting of its Medical Assistance Advisory Committee.
The federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has released a “State Health Official Letter” to provide guidance to states on coverage and payment for stand-alone vaccine counseling in Medicaid and CHIP. In the letter, CMS explains that it is interpreting the Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic and Treatment (EPSDT) benefit to require the provision of stand-alone vaccine counseling to eligible beneficiaries. This guidance links the mandatory COVID-19 vaccine and vaccine administration coverage and reimbursement under the American Rescue Plan with the health education requirement under Medicaid’s EPSDT benefit. Learn more from the CMS letter to state health officials.
CMS has published its reassignment of Medicaid provider claims final rule. This rule reinterprets the scope of the general requirement that state payments for Medicaid services must generally be made directly to the individual practitioner or institution providing services or to the beneficiary in the case of a class of practitioners for which the Medicaid program is the primary source of revenue. Specifically, this final rule explicitly authorizes states to make payments to third parties on behalf of individual practitioners for practitioners’ health insurance and welfare benefits, skills training, and other benefits customary for employees if the individual practitioner consents to such payments on their behalf. This rule is generally viewed as an effort to aid home health care workers. See the final rule here.

COVID-19: By the Numbers

Daily COVID-19 case counts climbed for the seventh consecutive week – this week, significantly. The state’s seven-day average of new cases rose 65 percent, from 1874 on May 5 to 3101 on May 12.
The seven-day average of COVID-19-related deaths rose from ten on May 6 to 12 on May 12.
The growing number of COVID-19 cases in the state has led to a large but not proportional increase in COVID-19-related hospitalizations: after consecutive weeks of 22 percent increases in hospitalizations, COVID-19-related hospitalizations rose 24 percent in the past week.
The number of these patients on ventilators remained unchanged over the past week while the number in hospital intensive care units rose 14 percent.
The significant increase in the number of new COVID-19 cases in Pennsylvania has resulted in significant changes in the status of community transmission of the virus in the state’s 67 counties. Currently, no counties are experiencing a low rate of community transmission and only four counties (Mifflin, Perry, Snyder, and Somerset) are experiencing a moderate rate; nine counties (Blair, Fayette, Franklin, Fulton, Greene, Huntingdon, Jefferson, Juniata, and Philadelphia) experienced a substantial rate of community transmission; and the remaining 54 counties are currently experiencing a high rate of community transmission of COVID-19.

Stakeholder Events

Department of Health – Health Research Advisory Committee – May 18

The Department of Health’s Health Research Advisory Committee will meet virtually on Wednesday, May 18 to hold a formal vote on upcoming priorities. For information about how to participate in the meeting see this Pennsylvania Bulletin notice.

Department of Human Services – Learning Network/Nursing Facilities – May 19

DHS’s Learning Network, part of its Quality Strategy for Nursing Facilities, is offering in collaboration with the Community HealthChoices managed care organizations and the Jewish Healthcare Foundation a webinar on the role that vaccinations, including influenza, pneumonia, COVID-19, and others, can play in avoiding hospitalizations from nursing homes. The webinar will be held on Thursday, May 19 at 2:00. For further information about the webinar and to register to participate, go here.

DHS, Department of Health, Department of Veterans Affairs – PA Cares Training Summit – May 24

Pennsylvania’s departments of Human Services, Health, and Veterans Affairs, in cooperation with the five branches of the U.S. armed forces, will hold a “PA Cares Training Summit 2022” on Tuesday, May 24 at 8:00 a.m. The event will focus on considerations that are needed to promote wellness in the lives of service members, veterans, and their families. The target audience is professionals in the field and includes but is not limited to community mental health and substance abuse agencies, social workers, professional counselors, nurses, psychiatrists, psychologists, clergy/pastoral or spiritual practitioners, and the staff of Pennsylvania veterans centers. Learn more about the event, its agenda, the presenters, and how to participate from this program announcement. Participation is limited to the first 300 people who register.

DHS – Medical Assistance Advisory Committee – Consumer Subcommittee – May 25

The consumer subcommittee of DHS’s Medical Assistance Advisory Committee will meet virtually on Wednesday, May 25 at 1:00. Go here to register to participate.

Department of Health – Statewide HIV Planning Group – May 25 and 26

The Department of Health’s Statewide HIV Planning Group will hold a public meeting in Harrisburg, on Wednesday, May 25 and Thursday, May 26 from 9:00 to 4:30 on both days. The purpose of these meetings is to conduct an integrated prevention and care HIV planning process in which the Department of Health works in partnership with the community and stakeholders to enhance access to HIV prevention, care and treatment services. Interested parties also may participate virtually. For additional information, including the location of the meeting and how to join virtually, see this Pennsylvania Bulletin notice.

DHS – Medical Assistance Advisory Committee – May 26

DHS’s Medical Assistance Advisory Committee will meet virtually on Thursday, May 26 at 10:00. Go here to register to participate.

DHS – Medical Advisory Committee – Managed Long-Term Services and Supports Subcommittee – June 1

The Medical Assistance Advisory Committee’s managed long-term services and supports subcommittee will be held virtually on Wednesday, June 1 at 10:00. There will be an opportunity to submit questions and offer comments. Go here to register to participate or dial in at 415-655-0052, access code 498030891#.

DHS – Office of Long-Term Living – Financial Management Services Stakeholder Meeting – June 3

DHS’s Office of Long-Term Living will hold a financial management services stakeholder meeting on Friday, June 3 at 1:00. The purpose of this virtual meeting is to discuss 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 will discuss upcoming changes. Go here to register to participate.

jsteinbock2022-05-13T20:36:26+00:00May 13th, 2022|COVID-19, DSH hospitals, Federal Medicaid issues, Medicaid supplemental payments, Medical Assistance Bulletin, Meetings and notices, Pennsylvania Bulletin, Pennsylvania Medicaid, Pennsylvania Medicaid policy, Uncategorized|Comments Off

PA Health Law Project Newsletter

The Pennsylvania Health Law Project has published its April 2022 newsletter Health Law News.

Included in this month’s issue are articles about:

the extension of post-partum coverage for Medicaid-covered mothers to 12 months
changes in Community HealthChoices as a result of its shift to a new financial management services provider
a new option for Medicaid and SNAP beneficiaries to receive text messages from the state about their benefits
Medicare coverage of over-the-counter COVID-19 tests
a new requirement that Community HealthChoices plans operate complex care units

Read about these subjects and more in the Pennsylvania Health Law Project’s April 2022 newsletter.

jsteinbock2022-04-29T19:20:23+00:00May 3rd, 2022|COVID-19, long-term care, Pennsylvania Bulletin, Pennsylvania Medicaid|Comments Off

PA Health Policy Update for the Week of April 25-29

The following is an update of selected state health policy developments in Pennsylvania for the week of April 25-29, 2022. (Some of the language used below is taken directly from state documents.)

General Assembly

The House of Representatives held session Monday (4/25), Tuesday (4/26), and Wednesday (4/27). The Senate was in recess this week.
The House Professional Licensure Committee held an informational meeting on Monday, April 25 to examine House Bill 1956, which creates a license for certified anesthesiologist assistants.
The House Health Committee convened on Tuesday, April 26 and favorably reported the following bills.
- House Bill 398, which requires a non-custodial parent of a child to enroll their child in their own health insurance plan before seeking Medicaid coverage.
- House Bill 2441, which gives legislative agencies access to records information for research purposes under the Vital Statistics Law.
- Senate Bill 317, which provides for the authority to prescribe antibiotics to treat sexually transmitted infections without having examined the individual for whom the drug is intended, in accordance with the Expedited Partner Therapy in the Management of Sexually Transmitted Diseases guidance issued by the CDC.
- Senate Bill 818, which seeks to align procedures permitted in licensed ambulatory surgery centers with those of the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).

The House Human Services Committee met on Tuesday, April 26 and favorably reported House Bill 1644, which directs the Department of Human Services (DHS) to develop an escalation process to place Medicaid patients with behavioral health or long-term-care needs in an appropriate care setting, and House Bill 2530, which ends the practice of prudent pay in DHS’s Office of Developmental Programs.

Department of Human Services

The Department of Human Services (DHS) has updated its lists of regulations that have been suspended because of the COVID-19 emergency.
DHS has posted a notice about date of death discrepancies and audits that have resulted in the department recovering payments as a result of those discrepancies.
DHS has announced its intent to allocate funds in FY 2022 to establish a new class of supplemental payments to qualifying acute-care general hospitals that provide a high volume of services to Medical Assistance-eligible and low-income populations in non-rural medically underserved areas. For a more detailed look the criteria for qualifying for this payment and how much such payments will amount to, see this Pennsylvania Bulletin notice.

COVID-19: By the Numbers

Daily COVID-19 case counts climbed for the fifth consecutive week. The state’s seven-day average of new cases rose 29 percent, from 1343 cases on April 21 to 1734 on April 28.
The seven-day average of COVID-19-related deaths resumed its decline after a one-week detour, falling from 16 on April 20 to nine on April 28.
The growing number of COVID-19 cases in the state – Wednesday, April 27 and Thursday, April 28 were the first days the state experienced more than 2000 new cases in a single day since late February – has led to a corresponding increase in COVID-19-related hospitalizations, which rose 22 percent in the past week and have risen 48 percent since April 1.
These figures, though, need to be viewed in context. The last time the state had as many new cases as it experienced in recent days more than twice as many Pennsylvanians were hospitalized because of COVID-19 than are hospitalized today.
In addition, this resurgence in new COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations has not translated into more serious types of hospital care. The number of COVID-19 patients in hospital ICUs was the same on April 28 as it was on April 1 and the number of such patients on ventilators is now just two-thirds of the number receiving such care on April 1.
The numbers of COVID-19 patients in hospital ICUs and on ventilators, moreover, are only a fraction of what they were in late February, the last time daily case counts were as high as they were this week. During the week of April 25 the number of COVID-19 patients in hospital ICUs is only 24 percent of what it was in late February while the number on ventilators is only 18 percent of what it was in late February.
During the past week 22 Pennsylvania counties, up from nine last week, experienced high rates of community transmission of COVID-19; three counties, the same number as last week, experienced a low rate of transmission; 22 counties, up from 20 last week, experienced a substantial rate of community transmission; and the remaining 20 counties experienced a moderate rate.

Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs

The Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs has announced the opening of its Substance Use Disorder Loan Repayment Program. This program seeks to help substance use disorder treatment and single county authority-funded case management professionals repay their outstanding qualifying educational loans. Applications must be submitted via the online application portal by May 26. Eligible practitioners must have the capacity to provide substance use disorder treatment or single-county authority-funded case management services at approved practice site(s) and meet the requirements in Section 6 of the Project Summary. Selected candidates must demonstrate a minimum of two prior years of experience in the substance use disorder treatment field and agree to a service commitment of two additional years. For more information, see the Application Guidance. Questions regarding the grants and the application process should be emailed to RA-DAGrantsMgmt@pa.gov.

Stakeholder Events

Behavioral Health Services for the Nursing Facility Population – May 3

DHS’s Office of Long-Term Living, Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS), the HealthChoices behavioral health managed care organizations, and the Community HealthChoices managed care organizations will host a joint webinar on Tuesday, May 3 at 2:00 on the importance of providing behavioral health services in nursing facilities and ensuring that nursing facilities know how to gain access to these services. Go here for more information and to register to participate.

Department of Health – Organ Donation Advisory Committee – May 5

The Department of Health’s Organ Donation Advisory Committee will hold a virtual public meeting on Thursday, May 5 at 10:00 to review progress in the area of organ and tissue donation in Pennsylvania, recommend education and awareness activities, recommend priorities in expenditures from the Organ and Tissue Donation Awareness Fund (Fund), and advise the Acting Secretary on matters relating to the administration of the fund. For information about how to participate, see this Pennsylvania Bulletin notice.

Department of Health – Traumatic Brain Injury Advisory Board – May 6

The Traumatic Brain Injury Advisory Board will hold a public meeting on Friday, May 6 at 10:00 at the Pennsylvania Training and Technical Assistance Network, 6340 Flank Drive in Harrisburg, in the Dauphin Conference Room. To learn more about the meeting, and for information about how to participate virtually, see this Pennsylvania Bulletin notice.

Department of Human Services – Medical Assistance Advisory Committee – Managed Long-Term Services and Supports Subcommittee – May 10

The managed long-term services and supports subcommittee of DHS’s Medical Assistance Advisory Committee will meet virtually on Tuesday, May 10 at 10:00. To register to participate, go here.

jsteinbock2022-04-29T20:21:51+00:00April 29th, 2022|Coronavirus, COVID-19, Meetings and notices, Pennsylvania Bulletin, Pennsylvania Medicaid, Pennsylvania Medicaid policy|Comments Off

PA Health Policy Update for the Week of April 18-22

The following is an update of selected state health policy developments in Pennsylvania for the week of April 18-22, 2022. (Some of the language used below is taken directly from state documents.)

Governor Wolf

Governor Wolf has signed House Bill 245, which reduces the graduate medical training required for international medical graduates from three years to two years; removes the limit on the number of affiliated facilities at which a doctor with an institutional license may practice or teach; and expands and clarifies the scope of practice of temporarily licensed physicians.

General Assembly

The state House will be in session next Monday (4/25), Tuesday (4/26), and Wednesday (4/27). The Senate is in recess.
The House Professional Licensure Committee will meet on Monday, April 25 at 10:00 a.m. to consider House Bill 1956, which creates a license for certified anesthesiologist assistants.
The House Health Committee will convene on Tuesday, April 26 at 9:30 a.m. to consider the following bills.
- House Bill 398, which requires a non-custodial parent of a child to enroll their child in their own health insurance plan before seeking Medicaid coverage.
- House Bill 2441, which gives legislative agencies access to records information for research purposes under the Vital Statistics Law.
- Senate Bill 317, which provides for the authority to prescribe antibiotics to treat sexually transmitted infections without having examined the individual for whom the drug is intended, in accordance with the Expedited Partner Therapy in the Management of Sexually Transmitted Diseases guidance issued by the CDC.
- Senate Bill 818, which seeks to align procedures permitted in licensed ambulatory surgery centers with those of the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).

Department of Human Services

Act 2 of 2022 appropriated $225 million to support the health care workforce needs of hospitals and behavioral health providers. The law directed that the funding be used strictly for recruitment and retention payments to direct care staff. Entities receiving payments under Act 2 must submit a report to the Department of Human Services (DHS) documenting staff retention payments by September 30, 2022 and a report on staff recruitment spending by December 31, 2022. DHS has posted an FAQ describing how Act 2 works and has added to that FAQ a template for submitting the required reports. Find the FAQ and the report template here.
DHS has updated its calendar for delivering Remittance Advice and corresponding checks to extend into early June.
DHS has issued a Medical Assistance Bulletin to announce the addition of new procedure codes to the Medical Assistance program fee schedule for the provision of personal care services that are provided through home health agencies to Medicaid beneficiaries under 21 years of age. Find that bulletin here.
DHS has posted a notice to Medical Assistance fee-for-service providers reminding them of the recommended documentation needed to support the review of authorization requests for private duty/shift nursing and home health aide service hours provided to children under the age of 21. Find that notice here.
DHS has shared the minutes of the February 23 meeting of the Medical Assistance Advisory Committee’s consumer subcommittee.
DHS has updated its “Monthly Physical Health Managed Care Program Enrollment Report” to include March 2022 data.

Department of Health

Keara Klinepeter has resigned as Pennsylvania’s Acting Health Secretary. She will be replaced by the state’s Physician General, Dr. Denise Johnson. Learn more from this Wolf administration news release.
The Secretary of Health issued a letter to the hospital community clarifying that the intention of the recently issued innovative hospital guidance was to preserve access to care in rural communities in a financially sustainable way. Find a copy of that letter here.
The Department of Health has updated its guidance to providers caring for adults and children with multisystem inflammatory syndrome.
The Department of Health has updated its information about state-sponsored free COVID-19 testing sites to reflect that it currently operates such sites in Berks, Blair, Centre, and Clinton counties and at Edinboro University in Erie. Learn more about the locations and hours of operation in this department news release.

COVID-19: By the Numbers

Daily COVID-19 case counts climbed for the fourth consecutive week. The state’s seven-day average of new cases rose 26 percent, from 1067 cases on April 14 to 1343 on April 21.
The seven-day average of COVID-19-related deaths, which has long been declining, rose during the past week from 10 on April 13 to 16 to April 21.
The rising number of COVID-19 cases in Pennsylvania has led to increases in some but not all measures of COVID-19-related hospital care. In the past week the number of Pennsylvanians hospitalized with the virus rose 13 percent and has now risen 21 percent since the beginning of the month. The number of COVID-19 patients in hospital ICUs rose 15 percent in the past week but remains modest. The number of such patients being treated on ventilators, on the other hand, declined 22 percent and remains very low.
During the past week nine Pennsylvania counties, up from five last week, experienced high rates of community transmission of COVID-19; three counties, down from five last week, experienced a low rate of transmission; 20 counties, up from 15 last week, experienced a substantial rate of community transmission; and the remaining 35 counties experienced a moderate rate.

Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council (PHC4)

PHC4 has released a fourth quarter 2021 report on the effect of COVID-19 on hospitals and health care facilities in Pennsylvania. In the report, PHC4 aggregates data on fourth quarter of 2021 COVID-19 expenses and lost revenue as reported by hospitals and health systems to show the impact of the public health emergency on those institutions. The data in the report reflects financial performance for fewer than half of the hospitals in the state and does not include emergency funding the providers received from the federal or state government. Learn more from this PHC4 news release and the agency’s “COVID-19 Disaster Emergency Report.”

Stakeholder Events

Behavioral Health Services for the Nursing Facility Population – April 26 and May 3

The Department of Human Services’ Office of Long-Term Living, Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS), the HealthChoices behavioral health managed care organizations, and the Community HealthChoices managed care organizations will host a joint webinar on the importance of providing behavioral health services in nursing facilities and making sure nursing facilities know how to gain access to these services. The webinar will be held two more times and the material presented will be the same at each session. The webinars will be recorded. The session on Tuesday, April 26 will be held at 2:00; go here for more information and to register to participate. The session on Tuesday, May 3 also will be held at 2:00; go here for more information and to register to participate.

Department of Human Services – Medical Assistance Advisory Committee – Consumer Subcommittee – April 27

The Medical Assistance Advisory Committee’s consumer subcommittee will meet virtually on Wednesday, April 27 at 1:00. Go here to register to participate.

Department of Human Services – Medical Assistance Advisory Committee – April 28

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

Special Pharmaceutical Benefits Program Advisory Council – April 28

The Department of Human Services’ Special Pharmaceutical Benefits Program Advisory Council will meet by teleconference on Thursday, April 28 at 10:00. Join the meeting at 866-588-4789 and use conference ID code 211 418 005#.

Patient Safety Authority – April 28

The Patient Safety Authority will hold a virtual public meeting of its board on Thursday, April 28 at 1:00 p.m. For information about how to participate see this Pennsylvania Bulletin notice.

jsteinbock2022-04-22T18:48:43+00:00April 22nd, 2022|Coronavirus, COVID-19, Medical Assistance Bulletin, Meetings and notices, Pennsylvania Bulletin, Pennsylvania Department of Health and COVID-19, Pennsylvania Medicaid, Pennsylvania Medicaid laws and regulations, Pennsylvania Medicaid policy|Comments Off

PA Health Policy Update for the Week of April 11-15

The following is an update of selected state health policy developments in Pennsylvania for the week of April 11-15, 2022. (Some of the language used below is taken directly from state documents.)

General Assembly

The state House and Senate convened for session in Harrisburg this week.
The House concurred with the Senate’s amendment to House Bill 245 and sent it to the governor’s desk. House Bill 245 reduces the clinical residency requirement from three years to two years for an applicant who has graduated from an international medical college to receive licensure in Pennsylvania.
The House passed on third and final consideration House Bill 2401, which makes permanent two COVID-19 waivers that permit non-physician practitioners to order and oversee orders for home health care services and permits the continued use of remote supervisory visits by registered nurses, and House Bill 2419, which expands access to outpatient psychiatric care via telemedicine. These bills will now be sent to the Senate for consideration.
The Senate passed on third and final consideration Senate Bill 1172, which authorizes the establishment of Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) programs by hospitals, mandates the creation of a comprehensive list of such programs, and authorizes a grant program to establish and support SANE services. The bill was received in the House and referred to the Health Committee.
The House Health Committee held an informational meeting on Tuesday, April 12 regarding “Opioids in the Commonwealth: Lessons learned and next steps.” A recording of the meeting may be viewed here.
The House Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee favorably reported House Bill 2097, which makes permanent a COVID-19 regulatory waiver that permits certified emergency personnel, such as firefighters with specific first-aid, CPR, and emergency vehicle training, to drive ambulances with an EMT on board.
The House Aging & Older Adult Services Committee held an informational meeting on Tuesday, April 12 to examine long-term-care facility workforce challenges. A recording of the meeting may be viewed here.
The Senate Health & Human Services Committee met on Tuesday, April 12 and favorably reported the following bills.
- Senate Bill 749, which seeks to provide clarity for employees and employers regarding current ambiguity in the state’s medical marijuana law concerning the use of medical marijuana in the workplace.
- Senate Bill 1121, which requires the Department of Human Services (DHS) to verify wage records from employers and the Department of Revenue for Medicaid and SNAP beneficiaries.
- Senate Bill 1124, which requires DHS to check death certificates at the Bureau of Vital Statistics against Medicaid and SNAP beneficiaries.
- Senate Bill 1188, which seeks to increase awareness, testing, and access to treatment for Lyme disease.

A recording of the hearing may be viewed here.

Department of Human Services

The Department of Human Services (DHS) has posted a file note summarizing the March 10 meeting of the Medical Assistance Advisory Committee’s managed care delivery system subcommittee.

DHS has announced the addition of two procedure codes to the Medical Assistance fee schedule for the provision of personal care services by home health agencies to beneficiaries under 21 years of age, effective with dates of service on and after May 1, 2022. Find those procedure codes in this Pennsylvania Bulletin notice.

Department of Health

The Department of Health (DOH) has updated its guidance for reporting on point-of-care COVID-19 test results to bring Pennsylvania into compliance with revised federal requirements. See the new guidance here.
DOH has updated its information about state-sponsored free COVID-19 testing sites to reflect that it currently operates such sites in Berks, Centre, and Clinton counties and at Edinboro University in Erie. Learn more about the locations and hours of operation in this department news release.
DOH has posted new online resources for providers and the public to learn about and support

Pennsylvanians who may be experiencing symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders. The new information comes in response to a law passed by the legislature earlier this year and signed by Governor Wolf requiring the administration to provide such information. Go here to find the resources for providers and here to view resources for the public.

COVID-19: By the Numbers

Daily COVID-19 case counts climbed for the third consecutive week. The state’s seven-day average of new cases rose nearly 24 percent, from 797 cases on April 5 to 986 on April 13.
On the other hand, the number of new COVID-19-related deaths continues to decline, from a seven-day average of 17 on April 5 to just 10 on April 13.
The rising number of COVID-19 cases in Pennsylvania has not led to increases in hospital care for COVID-19 patients: during the past week the number of residents in hospital ICUs because of the virus and being treated with ventilators has remained steady while the number admitted to hospitals has risen only seven percent since the beginning of the month.
During the past week five Pennsylvania counties – up from two last week – experienced high rates of transmission of COVID-19 (Potter, Bradford, Susquehanna, Columbia, and Pike); five counties – the same number as last week – experienced a low rate of community transmission (Bedford, Fulton, Juniata, Elk, and Sullivan); and 15 counties experienced a substantial rate of community transmission while another 42 experienced a moderate rate.

Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs

The Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs has issued a news release describing its recent talks with state Attorney General Shapiro and other officials about how Pennsylvania might use its share of the national opioid settlement – as much as $1.07 billion – to address substance use challenges in the state. Learn more here.

Insurance Department

The Insurance Department has published a policy statement that will permit insurers to ask applicants to voluntarily provide race and ethnicity data on insurance applications in an effort to promote equity initiatives. The new statement of policy ends enforcement of a prohibition on such data collection published in 1969. Learn more about this policy change in this department news release and see the policy statement in this Pennsylvania Bulletin notice.

Stakeholder Events

Department of Health – Spinal Cord Research Advisory Committee – April 21

The Department of Health’s Spinal Cord Research Advisory Committee will meet virtually on Thursday, April 21 at 10:30. The purpose of this meeting is to review the committee’s work, review the status and progress of the current request for applications, reaffirm priorities, evaluate and refine the process to review the next spinal cord research applications, and address emerging issues. For information about how to join the meeting, see this Pennsylvania Bulletin notice.