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PA Health Policy Update for the Week of October 4-8

The following is an update of selected state health policy developments in Pennsylvania for the week of October 4-October 8, 2021.  (Some of the language used below is taken directly from state documents.)

Governor Wolf

The Wolf administration announced the recipients of more than $12 million in federal funding for services and supports designed to improve outcomes for individuals in recovery from substance use disorder.  The grants are part of $55 million in federal funding awarded to Pennsylvania through the federal SAMHSA Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant Program COVID-19 Supplemental Awards.

General Assembly

  • Senate Bill 397 and Senate Bill 398 were signed by Governor Wolf; they are now Act 78 and Act 79, respectively.  These bills add a physician assistant to the State Boards of Medicine and Osteopathic Medicine.  They also eliminate the countersignature requirement under certain conditions, increase the number of physician assistants a physician may supervise, and streamline the written agreement.  Acts 78 and 79 require the boards to promulgate rules and regulations necessary to carry out the acts within 180 days.
  • House Bill 1893 was passed by the House of Representatives on a party-line vote Monday.  This bill makes all disease information under the Disease Prevention and Control Act of 1955 subject to the state’s right-to-know law.  The bill will now head to the Senate.
  • The House Professional Licensure Committee met to consider a number of bills, including:
    • House Resolution 142 was reported as committed.  This resolution directs the Joint State Government Commission to conduct a comprehensive study and review of the State Board of Nursing.
    • House Bill 889 was also reported as committed. This bill authorizes the State Board of Nursing to approve graduates of international nursing education programs to sit for the RN licensure examination provided such programs are determined to be equivalent to that which is required in Pennsylvania.
    • The committee held an informational meeting on Wednesday to discuss House Bill 1440, which provides for the regulation and licensure of medical imaging and radiation therapy professionals.  A video transcript of the meeting can be found here.
  • The Senate revised its scheduled session days for the fall. Sessions previously scheduled for October 20, November 15, 16, and 17 have been canceled and November 8, 9, and 10 have been

Independent Regulatory Review Commission

The Independent Regulatory Review Commission (IRRC) has issued comments on the Department of Health’s proposed update of regulations affecting long-term-care facilities.  Most significant among the IRRC’s comments is a concern that the Department of Health has not fully explored the financial impact of these changes on the regulated community.  The Department of Health is required to respond to the IRRC’s concerns as part of the continuing review of these regulations.

Department of Health

The Department of Health issued recommendations for certain individuals to receive a booster dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine.

The Department of Health released an updated report on post-vaccination COVID-19 events.  The report found that 91 percent of reported COVID-19 cases were among unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated people and 93 percent of hospitalizations and deaths were among unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated people.

COVID-19:  By the Numbers

  • The daily number of new COVID-19 cases remained high this week.
  • The Department of Health reported 93 new COVID-19-related deaths yesterday.   County-specific information and a statewide map are available on the COVID-19 Data Dashboard.
  • There are 2,930 Pennsylvanians hospitalized with COVID-19. Of that number, 680 are in an intensive care unit with COVID-19.  The trend in the 14-day moving average number of hospitalized patients continues to rise.  The full 14-day moving average since the start of the pandemic can be found here.
  • According to the CDC, as of Wednesday, October 6, 69.3 percent of Pennsylvanians age 18 and older are fully vaccinated, up from 68.2 percent last week.
  • The Department of Health is now publishing vaccination data by legislative district (state Senate, state House, and Congress). The data may be found here.

Economic Impact of Hospitals

The Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania (HAP) announced the release of a report this week on the economic impact of hospitals on the state and local economies.  The report found that hospitals contribute $155 billion to Pennsylvania’s economy, support more than 615,000 jobs, and generate $38 billion in wages, salaries, and benefits.  Find the report here and an executive summary here.

Around the State

  • Public health officials in Pittsburgh warned about the dangerous effects of vaccine misinformation, reports the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
  • Senator Scott Martin (R-Lancaster County) has criticized the Department of Health for “bullying” individuals who fail to comply with COVID-related quarantine requirements. The Department of Health maintains the letter cited by Senator Martin was taken out of context for “political gain.” The Pennsylvania Capital Star details the competing narratives.
  • Spotlight PA has reported that even as COVID-19 cases have increased among children, schools across Pennsylvania have not widely used a state program offering free COVID-19 testing for students.
  • Abortion rights are quickly becoming a prominent issue for the upcoming 2022 election season, according The Philadelphia Inquirer.
  • The Associated Press detailed efforts by the Republican-controlled General Assembly to make information on COVID-19 and other diseases more readily available. Democratic lawmakers expressed concern about the unintended consequences of making this information available.

Stakeholder Events

Maternal Mortality Review Committee Virtual Public Meeting

October 20 at 9:00 a.m.

The purpose of this virtual public meeting is to discuss new and ongoing issues involving treatment of maternal mortality and Department of Health programs related to care and treatment.  For information on how individuals can participate virtually, see the meeting announcement in the Pennsylvania Bulletin.

Spinal Cord Research Advisory Committee

October 21, 2021 at 9:30 a.m.

The purpose of this virtual public meeting is to review the work of the committee, review the status of the current request for application, and plan the process to review the next spinal cord research applications.  For information on how individuals can participate virtually, see the meeting announcement in the Pennsylvania Bulletin.

Special Pharmaceutical Benefits Program Advisory Council

October 28, 2021 at 10:00 a.m.

The Special Pharmaceutical Benefits Program Advisory Council will provide program guidance and recommendations to the Department of Health’s Special Pharmaceutical Benefits Program on drug formulary; covered lab services; drug utilization review; clinical programs; eligibility; and program management.  For information on how individuals can participate virtually, see the meeting announcement in the Pennsylvania Bulletin.

 

 

 

2021-10-12T17:45:33+00:00October 12th, 2021|Coronavirus, COVID-19, long-term care, 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 October 4-8
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PA Health Policy Update for the Week of September 27-October 1

The following is an update of selected state health policy developments in Pennsylvania for the week of September 27-October 1, 2021.  (Some of the language used below is taken directly from state documents.)

Governor Wolf

Governor Tom Wolf announced that the state’s open data portal now includes COVID-19 vaccination rates by legislative district.  The vaccination data by legislative district excludes districts fully or partially located in Philadelphia County, which is a separate CDC-designated vaccine jurisdiction.   The legislative district dashboard will be updated monthly.  Find the data here.

General Assembly

  • House Bill 1861 (Act 73) was unanimously passed by the House and Senate and signed by Governor Wolf.  This legislation extends the COVID-19 regulatory waivers and flexibilities issued by the Department of Health, Department of Human Services, and the Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs at the Department of State until March 31, 2022.  The bill also extends certain waivers issued by the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs.  These waivers were previously set to expire on September 30, 2021.  In addition to the extension, Act 73 requires state agencies to publicly issue a report on their respective suspended regulations by May 1, 2022.  Similar to Act 21 (House Bill 854), which extended the waivers to September 30, 2021, state agencies retain the authority to terminate a suspension before March 31, 2022.  If an agency does so, it must notify the General Assembly.
  • House Bill 1774 (Act 72) was passed by the House and Senate and signed by the governor.  The bill amends the Achieving Better Care by Monitoring All Prescriptions Program (ABC-MAP), extending the sunset date to December 31, 2028 and granting the Department of Labor & Industry access to the prescription drug monitoring program.
  • Senate Bill 397 and Senate Bill 398, which modernize Pennsylvania laws governing physician assistants and their oversight, were passed by the House and Senate and sent to the governor on Wednesday, September 29.
  • The House will be in session next week on Monday (10/4), Tuesday (10/5), and Wednesday (10/6).  The Senate is currently in recess until October 18.  As of Friday afternoon the following relevant committee meetings have been scheduled for next week:
    • The House Professional Licensure Committee will convene for a voting meeting on Monday, October 4 at 10:00 a.m. to consider, among other bills, House Resolution 142, which requires the Joint State Government Commission to conduct a review of the State Board of Nursing, including the “Authorization to Test” process.  The committee also will meet on Wednesday, October 6 for an informational meeting on House Bill 1440, which provides for the regulation and licensure of medical imaging and radiation therapy professionals.

Department of Human Services

  • The Department of Human Services (DHS) has published a Medical Assistance Bulletin notifying providers of its intent to permanently expand access to telemedicine and establish guidelines for services rendered via telemedicine.  The bulletin applies to providers enrolled in the Medical Assistance program who deliver physical health services to Medical Assistance fee-for-service beneficiaries.  Highlights of the Bulletin include:
    • DHS will permit providers to use audio-only telecommunication when the beneficiary does not have access to video capability or for an urgent medical situation.
    • Services rendered via telemedicine to Medical Assistance fee-for-service beneficiaries will be reimbursed at the same rate as if the services were rendered in person.
    • This bulletin only applies to Medical Assistance fee-for-service.  Medical Assistance managed care plans “may, but are not required to” permit the use of telemedicine services.  They also may negotiate reimbursement for services rendered via telemedicine.
    • Out-of-state licensed practitioners who render services via telemedicine to Medical Assistance fee-for-service beneficiaries in Pennsylvania must meet licensing requirements established by the Department of State and be enrolled in the Medical Assistance program.

This new policy takes effect on September 30, 2021.  See the Medical Assistance Bulletin establishing this new policy here.

Department of Health

  • The Department of Health (DOH) has updated its guidance on hospitals’ responses to COVID-19.
  • DOH and Department of Community and Economic Development have announced a new $5 million grant program to help grassroots organizations encourage vaccine-hesitant populations to get the COVID-19 vaccine.  The COVID-19 Vaccine Outreach Grant Program will provide grants up to $100,000 to non-profit organizations and child care and educational institutions.  These grants will support grassroots outreach efforts including local media buys, creation of outreach and training materials, sponsorship of vaccine-related community events, equipment rental to assist with scheduling vaccine appointments, and more.  Learn more about the program and how to apply for grant funding from the departments’ joint announcement of this initiative and this program overview and accompanying guidelines on the Department of Community and Economic Development’s web site.
  • Based on recommendations from the CDC, DOH has updated its guidance on the use of antibody testing in determining quarantine status.  Find that updated guidance here.
  • DOH has published a health advisory echoing a CDC message that pregnant people should receive COVID-19 vaccines to prevent serious illness, deaths, and adverse pregnancy outcomes from COVID-19.  Find that advisory here.
  • DOH issued a message to long-term-care facilities regarding staff vaccination and testing requirements.  Read that notice here.
  • DOH updated its guidance for long-term-care facilities responding to an outbreak of COVID-19 among residents, including removing recommendations for quarantine of fully-vaccinated personnel in most circumstances.
  • DOH has updated infection control and prevention strategies for long-term-care facilities that supplement general guidance for all health care facilities that was issued last month.  Key changes include removal of the sections on source control, eye protection, and physical distancing measures recommended for vaccinated and unvaccinated health care personnel and residents.
  • DOH has awarded $1 million in grants to six recipients focused on spinal cord injury research.  Learn about the research the money will support and the recipients of the grant funding in this department news release.

Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs

The Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs sent out guidance on June 14, 2021 about three temporary regulatory suspensions granted through the governor’s declaration of a disaster emergency due to the COVID-19 pandemic.  House Bill 1861, which was signed into law this week by Governor Wolf, further extends those regulatory suspensions from September 30, 2021 until March 31, 2022 unless terminated sooner.  These three regulatory suspensions and an additional relevant suspension by the Department of State that also is extended until March 31, 2022 are summarized in this chart.

COVID-19:  By the Numbers

  • The daily number of new COVID-19 cases remained very high this week.
  • The number of new COVID-19-related deaths also remains high.  Yesterday’s total of 97 deaths was the highest single-day figure since mid-February.
  • For the fourth consecutive week, every county in Pennsylvania is experiencing a high level of COVID-19 transmission (scroll down to page 13).
  • According to Pennsylvania’s COVID-19 dashboard, only 44 pediatric intensive care beds in the state – 11 percent of the total number of such beds state-wide – are currently unoccupied.
  • The number of Pennsylvanians hospitalized because of COVID-19 rose seven percent in the past week and rose 53 percent during the month of September; the number on ventilators rose 19 percent in the past week and 63 percent since September 1; and the number in hospital intensive care units rose five percent in the past week and 44 percent during September.
  • 68.8 percent of Pennsylvanians 18 years of age and older are now fully vaccinated – 6.2 million people – up from 68.2 percent last week.  7000 Philadelphians and 32,000 other Pennsylvanians were recorded as completing a vaccine regimen in the past week.

Independent Fiscal Office

Pennsylvania’s Independent Fiscal Office has released a research brief that uses preliminary data for 2020 and 2021 (through September) to compute excess deaths above pre-COVID-19 historical trends in the state for those two years.  After accounting for a notable increase in homicides and overdoses, the analysis finds 20,700 excess deaths in 2020 and projects 6,700 excess deaths for 2021. For 2020 the analysis finds that decedents age 65 or older comprised 86 percent of excess deaths.  Find that report here.

Around the State

  • “Beginning in October 2021, the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) will begin terminating state-funded Medicaid coverage for individuals who are found ineligible for the program. This is true despite the ongoing federal Public Health Emergency (PHE), which prevents Medicaid terminations for the majority of Medicaid recipients,” the Pennsylvania Health Law Project reports.
  • With Pennsylvania hospitals serving so many COVID-19 patients, some are transferring behavioral health patients and diverting incoming patients with behavioral health issues elsewhere, according to WITF.
  • Pennsylvania reportedly will allocate $6.5 million in federal funds to support and retain nurses, the Pennsylvania Capital-Star reports.
  • Central Pennsylvania is facing a blood supply shortage.  Lancaster Online offers the details.
  • A lack of clarity about the state’s response to federal rules about the use of medical marijuana to treat addiction had led to confusion in Pennsylvania, Spotlight PA suggests in a recent report.
  • Pennsylvania is one of six states in which the proportion of children with elevated levels of lead in their blood (5.0 percent) is more than twice the national average (1.9 percent), according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.
  • Two new hospitals opened this week:  Penn State Health’s Hampden Medical Center and AHN Wexford.
  • “Sharon Regional Medical Center announced Monday that it will discontinue its maternity and obstetrics services Wednesday, weeks before hospital officials had originally scheduled the department’s closure,” the Sharon Herald reported.
  • Centre County officials are considering funding a feasibility study to evaluate whether they should establish a county health department, the Centre Daily Times reports.

Stakeholder Events

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 from 10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. to participate:

Stakeholder Events Materials

On September 23 the Medical Assistance Advisory Committee (MAAC) met virtually.  Among the materials presented during that meeting were:

 

2021-10-01T20:33:49+00:00October 1st, 2021|Coronavirus, COVID-19, long-term care, Medical Assistance Bulletin, Pennsylvania Bulletin, Pennsylvania Medicaid, Pennsylvania Medicaid coronavirus|Comments Off on PA Health Policy Update for the Week of September 27-October 1
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PA Health Policy Update for the Week of September 20-24

The following is an update of selected state health policy developments in Pennsylvania for the week of September 20-24, 2021.  (Some of the language used below is taken directly from state documents.)

Harrisburg, PA capital buildingGeneral Assembly

  • House Republican leadership held a press conference on Monday to discuss their legislative agenda for the fall.  In addition to addressing the Wolf administration’s mask mandate for K-12 schools, they plan to work on legislation to address the opioid and addiction crises and COVID-19 regulatory waivers and flexibilities.  View the news conference here.
  • The House of Representatives sent House Bill 1861 to the Senate, where it was referred to the Health & Human Services Committee.  This bill will likely serve as the legislative vehicle for an extension of the health-related COVID-19 regulatory waivers and flexibilities set to expire on September 30, 2021.
  • The House of Representatives unanimously approved House Bill 1774, which amends the Achieving Better Care by Monitoring All Prescriptions Program (ABC-MAP).  Specifically, the bill extends the sunset date to December 31, 2028 and grants the Department of Labor & Industry access to the prescription monitoring program.
  • Senate Bill 397 and Senate Bill 398 were reported as amended by the House Professional Licensure Committee on Monday.  These two bills would modernize Pennsylvania law on physician assistants and their oversight.
  • The House and Senate will be in session again next week on Monday (9/27), Tuesday (9/28), and Wednesday (9/29).  The following health care-related committee meetings have been scheduled:
    • The House State Government Committee will convene on Monday (9/27) to consider, among other bills, House Bill 1893, which amends the Disease Control and Prevention Act of 1955 to make disease information under this act subject to the Right-to-Know Law.  The committee also will consider Senate Bill 533, which prohibits certain regulatory and administrative actions during a disaster emergency.
    • The Senate Health & Human Services Committee will convene on Monday, September 27 at 12:00 p.m. to consider House Bill 1861 (COVID-19 regulatory waiver and flexibility extension); House Bill 1774 (Achieving Better Care by Monitoring All Prescriptions Program); Senate Bill 782 (payment for FDA-approved anti-obesity drugs); Senate Bill 815 (pelvic exam consent requirement); and Senate Bill 818 (allowable ambulatory surgical center procedures).

Department of Human Services

Department of Health

  • The Department of Health has updated its interim infection prevention and control recommendations for health care settings to add new options for fully vaccinated individuals working in facilities in counties with low to moderate rates of community transmission of COVID-19.
  • The Department of Health, Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs, and the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency have written to Pennsylvania hospital officials advising them on how they can secure a supply of Narcan to support hospital- and community-based naloxone distribution efforts to help in the fight against overdose-related deaths.  See their letter here.
  • Acting Secretary of Health Alison Beam has signed an order to ensure that vaccine providers are prepared to start COVID-19 booster shots as soon as the CDC issues federal guidance to do so.  The order requires vaccine providers, as possible, to provide online scheduling for vaccination appointments; provide a telephone number to assist with scheduling appointments; offer walk-in appointments; and work with local Area Agencies on Aging and Medicaid managed care plans to help schedule appointments for eligible adults and people who cannot leave their homes to get vaccinated.  Learn more from the Department of Health’s announcement about the order and the order itself.

COVID-19:  By the Numbers

  • The daily number of new COVID-19 cases remained very high this week.  Today the number of Pennsylvanians who have contracted COVID-19 surpassed 1.4 million.
  • The number of COVID-19 cases among school-aged children (between 5-18 years old) is 12.2 times greater this year than in 2020.  Between September 15 and September 21, 2020 there were a total of 650 COVID-19 cases in school-aged kids compared to 7,928 cases in the same age group during the same week in 2021.
  • According to Pennsylvania’s COVID-19 dashboard, only 41 pediatric intensive care beds in the state – 11 percent of the total number of such beds state-wide – are currently unoccupied.
  • The number of new COVID-19-related deaths also remains high.  Yesterday the number of Pennsylvanians who have died from COVID-19 rose past 29,000.
  • For the third consecutive week, every county in Pennsylvania is experiencing a high level of COVID-19 transmission (scroll down to page 13).
  • The number of Pennsylvanians hospitalized because of COVID-19 rose 13 percent in the past week and has risen 44 percent since the first of the month; the number on ventilators has risen 14 percent in the past week and 38 percent since the first of the month; and the number in hospital intensive care units has risen 12 percent in the past week and 37 percent since the beginning of September.
  • 68.2 percent of Pennsylvanians 18 years of age and older are now fully vaccinated – 6.1 million people – up from 67.5 percent last week.  10,000 Philadelphians and 74,000 other Pennsylvanians were recorded as completing a vaccine regimen in the past week; some of the 74,000 were added to the ranks of the vaccinated as the result of a Department of Health adjustment of its vaccination data.

Around the State

  • “Regulatory waivers established last year to help hospitals and health-care workers fight COVID-19 will expire this month, and those in the field are warning the lapse could exacerbate an ongoing staffing crisis as coronavirus cases rise again,” reports Spotlight PA, which takes a closer look at some of the waivers that have been in place in Pennsylvania, what they do, and what the stakes might be if they are not renewed.
  • Emergency department volume at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh and Excel Health Frick Hospital has risen so much that the hospitals have erected tents to help them handle growing numbers of patients, according to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.
  • Mobile clinics operated by the organization Latino Connection are making a special effort to provide COVID-19 vaccines to Hispanic communities around the state, the Allentown Morning Call reports.
  • Black Doctors COVID-19 Consortium, a group launched to ensure access to COVID-19 vaccines for Philadelphia’s African-American community, will extend its scope of endeavor and open a primary care clinic to help address health disparities and inequities.  The Philadelphia Inquirer explains the group’s evolution.
  • “A new study from Penn State shows Pennsylvania could avoid billions of dollars in health damages by joining a regional cap and trade program targeting power plant emissions… The team at Penn State used four types of damage estimates to find that the commonwealth could reduce health impacts caused by power plant pollution by between $18 and 40 billion dollars over the next nine years by joining the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI).”  StateImpact Pennsylvania explains.
  • Spotlight PA has posted an update on its reporting on what it calls the “…growing dementia care crisis in one of the nation’s most rapidly aging states…”  Read it here.
  • “Mental health agencies in Bucks, Dauphin, Carbon, Monroe and Pike counties are using new grant funding to test out a program designed to help people who live with serious mental illness and are at risk of ending up in jail.”  Learn more from this WITF story.
  • An EMS organization serving parts of Lancaster County is encountering funding problems – a situation found in other parts of the state as well, according to the Pennsylvania Capital-Star.

 

2021-09-24T20:29:14+00:00September 24th, 2021|Coronavirus, COVID-19, Medical Assistance Bulletin, Pennsylvania Bulletin, Pennsylvania Medicaid, Pennsylvania Medicaid COVID-19, Pennsylvania Medicaid laws and regulations, Pennsylvania Medicaid policy, Pennsylvania Medical Assistance|Comments Off on PA Health Policy Update for the Week of September 20-24
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PA Health Policy Update for the Week of September 13

The following is an update of selected state health policy developments in Pennsylvania for the week of September 13-17, 2021.  (Some of the language used below is taken directly from state documents.)

House Chamber of the State HouseGeneral Assembly

  • The House Aging & Older Adult Services Committee held a hearing on Monday, September 13 to review the waivers and regulatory flexibilities related to the treatment and care of older adults in Pennsylvania.  The departments of Aging, Health, and Human Services appeared before the committee.  Find the Department of Human Services testimony here, the Department of Aging’s testimony here, and a video of the hearing here.
  • On Tuesday the House Health Committee voted to send a letter to the Commonwealth Joint Committee on Documents requesting a determination of whether the Acting Secretary of Health’s order mandating masks in K-12 schools and child care centers is subject to the regulatory process and the Regulatory Review Act.
  • The Senate Health & Human Services and Aging & Youth committees held a joint hearing on Wednesday, September 15 to examine Part 1 of the Department of Health’s proposed long-term-care nursing facility regulations.  Find testimony submitted to the committees and a video of the hearing here.
  • The House and Senate will return to voting session next week.  The House will convene on September 20, 21, and 22 and the Senate will be in session on September 21 and 22.  The General Assembly will focus on the Wolf administration’s mask mandate for K-12 schools and COVID-19 regulatory waivers and flexibilities.  A number of committee meetings are scheduled as well.  The following is a list of selected health-related committee meetings and legislation that will be considered.
    • The House Professional Licensure Committee will meet on Monday, September 20 to consider Senate Bills 397 and 398, which amend the Medical Practice Act and the Osteopathic Medical Practice Act, respectively, to update the requirements for physician assistants.  Following its voting meeting the committee will hold an informational hearing on the pharmacy-related regulatory waivers and suspensions issued by the Department of State during the COVID-19 pandemic.
    • The House State Government Committee will meet on Monday, September 20 to consider House Bill 1861, which amends the Administrative Code to provide for certain definitions and temporary regulatory flexibility.
    • The House Health Committee will meet on Monday, September 20 to consider House Bill 1774, which extends the sunset date for the Achieving Better Care by Monitoring All Prescriptions Program.
    • The Senate Health & Human Services Committee will meet on Tuesday, September 21 to consider, among other bills, Senate Bill 815, which prohibits pelvic, rectal, and prostate exams without explicit consent of the patient, and Senate Bill 818, which aligns Pennsylvania’s ambulatory surgical center-approved procedures with those of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
    • The House Human Services Committee will hold an information hearing on Wednesday, September 22 to review the opioid litigation settlements.

Department of Health

  • The Department of Health has published data on “breakthrough” COVID-19 cases, including how many people who have been vaccinated have contracted COVID-19, how many vaccinated people have been hospitalized because of the virus, and how many have died because of the virus.  The department’s announcement also explains its methodology for arriving at these figures.  Find the information here.  The results also are summarized in this Wolf administration news release.
  • The Department of Health has updated its guidance for return to work criteria for health care workers with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 infection and work restrictions for health care personnel exposed to COVID-19.
  • The Department of Health has circulated updated guidance it received from CMS regarding long-term-care facility testing requirements for staff and residents.  The revised requirements call for staff testing based on the facility’s county level of community transmission rather than county test positivity rate and the frequency of testing has also been updated.  Go here to see the full guidance; changes are noted in red.
  • Acting Physician General Dr. Denise Johnson and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia director of the Vaccine Education Center and professor of pediatrics Dr. Paul Offit have developed a video for Pennsylvanians answering questions about vaccine safety.  Find the video here.

Department of Human Services

  • The Department of Human Services announced that effective June 1, 2021, it has reinstated the provider revalidation requirements that were applicable prior to the public health emergency.  See its notice here.
  • In response to the COVID-19 emergency, the Department of Human Services suspended many state regulatory requirements for health and human services providers.  Now, it has published an updated list of regulatory suspensions that will expire on September 30.  The department’s notice explains that “…the September 30, 2021 expiration date only affects state regulations that were suspended under the state disaster emergency declaration.  Federal flexibilities provided through the federal public health emergency will remain in place as long as the federal public health emergency remains in effect.”  Find the announcement here.
  • DHS has updated its order directing licensed child care providers to wear face masks.
  • DHS has announced that it will distribute $278 million in American Rescue Plan funds appropriated by the General Assembly to nursing facilities, personal care homes, and assisted living residences in DHS’s Office of Long-Term Living system.  An additional $5 million will be spent to provide grants of $15,000 per grantee for long-term-care facilities to improve indoor air quality.  See the DHS announcement here.

COVID-19:  By the Numbers

  • The daily number of new COVID-19 cases remained high this week, including the highest single-day count of new cases since April 13.
  • The number of new COVID-19-related deaths increased over the past week.
  • For the second consecutive week, every county in Pennsylvania is experiencing a high level of COVID-19 transmission.
  • The number of Pennsylvanians hospitalized because of COVID-19, on ventilators, and in hospital intensive care units because of the virus continued to rise over the past week but more slowly than in recent weeks.
  • According to the state’s revised figures, 67.5 percent of Pennsylvanians 18 years of age and older are now fully vaccinated – 6.1 million people – up from 66.8 percent last week.  Only 13,000 Philadelphians and 54,000 other Pennsylvanians (fewer than last week) completed a vaccine regimen in the past week.

Around the State

  • “Regulatory waivers established last year to help hospitals and health-care workers fight COVID-19 will expire this month, and those in the field are warning the lapse could exacerbate an ongoing staffing crisis as coronavirus cases rise again,” according to Spotlight PA.  Learn more from its report.
  • Driven by rising numbers of COVID-19 cases, waiting times in western Pennsylvania emergency departments are “…the worst I’ve seen them for very long periods of time, and I’ve been around for over 30 years in emergency medicine,” a doctor told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.
  • Some doctors in Pennsylvania may be offering notes to people seeking COVID-19 mask mandate exemptions for their school-aged children without a legitimate basis for those exemptions.  The Department of Health is looking into this, according to the Associated Press.
  • Federal law enforcement officials seized two shipments of fake COVID-19 vaccination cards, the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review informed its readers.
  • Pennsylvania’s Office of Open Records has ordered the Department of Health to disclose how many people have been certified to use medical marijuana to treat their opioid use problem.  Spotlight PA tells the story.
  • “Blair County will be adding five staffers to address mental health issues after the state approved two grants for the mobile crisis and student assistance programs,” the Altoona Mirror reports.
  • Citing reduced patient demand and staffing shortages, the Sharon Regional Medical Center will close its maternity unit around the end of the year, according to the Sharon Herald.
  • Spotlight PA has been reporting on what it calls “Pa.’s looming dementia care crisis.”  Now, the organization has published numbers to illustrate the extent of the problem.

Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council (PHC4)

PHC4 has issued its latest legislatively mandated report summarizing the additional expenses the state’s hospitals have incurred and the revenue losses they have experienced as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.  The report covers the period from January of 2020 through June of 2021 but does not reflect federal emergency funding provided to help offset both the additional expenses and the lost revenue.  Find the report here.

Stakeholder Events

  • The consumer subcommittee of the Medical Assistance Advisory Committee will meet on September 22 at 1:00 pm.  Go here to register to participate remotely.
  • The Medical Assistance Advisory Committee will meet on September 23, 2021 at 10:00 am.  Go here to register to participate remotely.
  • The Patient Safety Authority will hold a virtual public meeting on Thursday, September 23 at 1:00 p.m. and it is open to the general public.  For information about how to join the meeting, see this Pennsylvania Bulletin notice.
2021-09-17T21:05:29+00:00September 17th, 2021|Coronavirus, COVID-19, Pennsylvania Medicaid|Comments Off on PA Health Policy Update for the Week of September 13
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PA Health Policy Update for the Week of September 6

The following is an update of selected state health policy developments in Pennsylvania for the week of September 6-10, 2021.  (Some of the language used below is taken directly from state documents.)

General Assembly

The House of Representatives announced it will return to session a week early to address the Wolf administration’s implementation of a mask mandate for K-12 schools and child care facilities.  The House, which was originally scheduled to return on September 27, has added September 20, 21, and 22 as voting session days.

Department of Health

Department of Human Services

  • The Department of Human Services has issued a Medical Assistance Bulletin announcing the addition of CPT codes 0003A and 0013A to the Medical Assistance Program Fee Schedule for the administration of a third dose of the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines.  See the notice here.
  • The Department of Human Services has posted a notice announcing FY 2022 rates for selected services provided by the state’s Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS).
  • The Department of Human Services has announced that it will allocate $255.556 million in total funds in FY 2022 for inpatient disproportionate share hospital (Medicaid DSH) payments to qualifying inpatient acute-care general, psychiatric, and rehabilitation hospitals and qualifying psychiatric and rehabilitation units of acute-care general hospitals, outpatient supplemental payments to qualifying inpatient acute-care general hospitals, and direct medical education payments to qualifying inpatient acute-care general hospitals.  The department is not changing the state plan provisions addressing the qualifying criteria or payment methodology for these payments.  Learn more from this Pennsylvania Bulletin notice.
  • The Department of Human Services has announced its intention to make COVID-19-related Medicaid DSH payments to qualified hospitals and how much it will pay hospitals based on their Medical Assistance days and their degree of Medicaid dependence.  See the Pennsylvania Bulletin notice here.
  • The Department of Human Services is adding and end-dating procedure codes as a result of implementing the 2021 updates published by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to the Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS).  The department also is adding other procedure codes and making changes to procedure codes currently on the Medical Assistance Program Fee Schedule, including fee adjustments.  Learn more from this Pennsylvania Bulletin notice.
  • The Department of Human Services has published its latest monthly physical health managed care enrollment report.  Find it here.

Pennsylvania Rural Health Model

The federal Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation has posted its first report on the performance of its Pennsylvania Rural Health Model.  Find that report here and go here for further information about the program.

COVID-19:  By the Numbers

  • The daily number of new COVID-19 cases remained high this week, including the first day (today) with more than 5000 new cases since mid-April.
  • The number of new COVID-19-related deaths increased over the past week.
  • For the week ending September 9 in Pennsylvania, every county in the state is experiencing a high level of COVID-19 transmission.  The CDC classifies transmission as follows:
    • Low:  0-10 new cases per 100,000 residents over the past week or 0-5% positivity rate
    • Moderate: 15-50 new cases per 100,000 residents over the past week or 5-8% positivity rate
    • Substantial:  50-100 new cases per 100,000 residents over the past week or 8-10% positivity rate
    • High: 100+ new cases per 100,000 residents over the past week or 10%+ positivity rate
  • The number of Pennsylvanians hospitalized because of COVID-19 has risen 17 percent since the beginning of the month, the number on ventilators has risen 14 percent, and the number in hospital intensive care units has risen 11 percent.
  • According to the state’s revised figures, 66.8 percent of Pennsylvanians 18 years of age and older are now fully vaccinated – 6.0 million people – up from 66.0 percent last week.  Only 11,000 Philadelphians and 65,000 other Pennsylvanians (fewer than last week) completed a vaccine regimen in the past week.

Around the State

Independent Regulatory Review Commission

Pennsylvania’s Independent Regulatory Review Commission has rejected regulations proposed by the state’s Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs for the licensure or certification of drug and alcohol recovery houses that receive funds or referrals from the department or a federal, state, or other county agency to ensure that a drug and alcohol recovery house provides a safe environment for residents.  See the commission’s explanation of its decision in this Pennsylvania Bulletin notice.

Stakeholder Events

  • The consumer subcommittee of the Medical Assistance Advisory Committee will meet on September 22 at 1:00 pm.  Go here to register to participate remotely.
  • The Medical Assistance Advisory Committee will meet on September 23, 2021 at 10:00 am.  Go here to register to participate remotely.
  • The Patient Safety Authority will hold a virtual public meeting on Thursday, September 23 at 1:00 p.m. and it is open to the general public.  For information about how to join the meeting, see this Pennsylvania Bulletin notice.
2021-09-10T21:48:42+00:00September 10th, 2021|Coronavirus, COVID-19, DSH hospitals, Medicaid supplemental payments, Medical Assistance Bulletin, Pennsylvania Bulletin, Pennsylvania Department of Health and COVID-19, Pennsylvania Department of Health coronavirus, Pennsylvania Medicaid, Pennsylvania Medicaid coronavirus, Pennsylvania Medicaid COVID-19, Pennsylvania Medicaid laws and regulations, Pennsylvania Medicaid policy, Pennsylvania Medical Assistance|Comments Off on PA Health Policy Update for the Week of September 6
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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 July 19-23

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

General Assembly

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

Office of the Attorney General

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

Department of Health

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

Department of Human Services

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

COVID-19:  By the Numbers

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

Around the State

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

Stakeholder Events

Special Pharmaceutical Benefits Program

July 29 at 10:00

This is a telephone meeting.

Join on your computer or mobile app

Click here to join the meeting

Or call in (audio only)

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

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

Phone Conference ID: 785 376 728#

Traumatic Brain Injury Advisory Board

August 6 at 9:00 a.m.

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

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Community Prevention Planning Committee

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

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

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

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

State Revenue Collections

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

Department of Human Services

COVID-19:  By the Numbers

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

Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs

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

Around the State

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

Stakeholder Events

  • Health Research Advisory Committee Meeting

July 12 at 10:00 a.m.

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

  • Newborn Screening and Follow-Up Technical Advisory Board

July 15 at 10:00

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

  • Special Pharmaceutical Benefits Program

July 29, 2021 at 10:00

This is a telephone meeting.

Join on your computer or mobile app

Click here to join the meeting

Or call in (audio only)

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

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

Phone Conference ID: 785 376 728#

 

2021-07-09T20:01:40+00:00July 9th, 2021|Coronavirus, COVID-19, DSH hospitals, Medical Assistance Bulletin, Pennsylvania Bulletin, Pennsylvania Medicaid|Comments Off on PA Health Policy Update for the Week of July 5-9
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HealthChoices Procurement Again Mired in Litigation

For the past six years Pennsylvania has been trying to rebid its HealthChoices Medicaid managed care contracts but every time it does, the losing bidders sue the state and the procurement process grinds to a halt.

Three times since 2015 the state has issued requests for proposals from managed care companies and all three times at least one of the losing parties has responded to its defeat by filing a lawsuit.

This is happening, many believe, because the state’s Medicaid managed care contracts are so lucrative – a stark contrast with state Medicaid payments to providers, which are generally considered poor.

The matter is now in the state’s Commonwealth Court, and the stakes are great:  the contracts are for five years, with a possible option for another three.

The Philadelphia Inquirer has taken a look at the challenges that have prevented Pennsylvania from awarding new HealthChoices Medicaid managed care contracts in the article “Insurers want Pa.’s Medicaid business so badly they keep suing the state.”

 

2021-07-07T19:42:10+00:00July 7th, 2021|HealthChoices, Pennsylvania Medicaid|Comments Off on HealthChoices Procurement Again Mired in Litigation
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  • 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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