PA Health Policy Update for the Week of June 21-25
The following is an update of selected state health policy developments in Pennsylvania for the week of June 21-25, 2021. (Some of the language used below is taken directly from state documents.)
State-Wide Mask Mandate
The Department of Health announced that it is lifting its order requiring universal face coverings at 12:01 a.m. on Monday, June 28. See the announcement here. The department continues to urge Pennsylvanians to follow CDC guidance for wearing a mask where required by law, rule, and regulations, including health care, local business, and workplace guidance. For the protection of themselves and others, individuals who have not yet been vaccinated or are partially vaccinated are still encouraged to wear a mask when in public.
Legislative Update
The following are health care bills that have received third and final consideration in the state House and/or Senate as of Thursday, June 24. Both chambers will hold voting session on Friday and Saturday and we anticipate there will be additional health care-related measures passed. We will provide an update following the end of session on any pertinent bills.
- Senate Bill 115 – establishes the Nurse Licensure Compact Act, which upon enactment makes the Commonwealth a party to the Nurse Licensure Compact with all other states that have joined the compact. The bill was passed by the House 146-55 and sent to the Governor’s desk.
- Senate Bill 425 – amends the Medical Care Availability and Reduction of Error (MCARE) Act to permit a physician to fulfill their duty to obtain a patient’s or the patient’s authorized representative’s consent by a qualified practitioner prior to conducting surgery or administering radiation or chemotherapy blood transfusions, or medications and devices. The bill was unanimously passed by the House on June 24th and sent to the Governor’s desk.
- Senate Bill 484 – adds the chair of the State Veterans’ Commission or a designee to the Pennsylvania Long-term Care Council. The bill was unanimously passed by the House on June 24th and sent to the Governor’s desk.
- Senate Bill 618 – prohibits the use of vaccine passports by government entities. It also prohibits institutions of higher education from requiring proof of vaccination against COVID-19 to use a service, enter a building, or undertake an activity, including attending class in person. In addition, the bill further restricts the Secretary of Health’s ability to implement certain disease control measures for individuals who have not been exposed, potentially or otherwise, to a contagious disease. The bill was signed in the state House and Senate on June 24th and sent to the governor. The governor has indicated he will veto
Department of Human Services
- DHS and its Office of Medical Assistance Programs have posted a Medical Assistance Bulletin on the state’s Early and Periodic Screening Diagnosis and Treatment (EPSDT) Program periodicity schedule reminding all providers they must revalidate the Medical Assistance enrollment of each service location every five years. Find the notice here.
- DHS has added two COVID-19 antigen laboratory test codes to the Medical Assistance Program Fee Schedule, effective with dates of service on and after November 2, 2020.
- DHS has proposed rescinding a regulation that prohibits a provider from leasing space within its office to another provider; see the proposed change in this Pennsylvania Bulletin notice. The agency will accept public comment on this proposal and it will become effective when final formal regulations are published in the Pennsylvania Bulletin.
- DHS and its Office of Medical Assistance Programs have updated their guidance on providing direct services via telemedicine in the School-Based ACCESS Program during the COVID-19 emergency.
- DHS has posted updates of six of its “provider quick tips.”
- Updated #232 Billing Guidance for Alternative Screening Sites Related to COVID-19
- Updated #233 Waiver of Prudent Pay During COVID-19 Emergency
- Updated #237 Teledentistry Guidelines Related to COVID-19 for Dentists, Federally Qualified Health Centers and Rural Health Clinics
- Updated #242 Telemedicine Guidelines Related to COVID-19
- Updated #244 MA Eligibility During COVID-19 Emergency Disaster Declaration
- Updated #247 Nonemergency Ambulance Transportation Related to COVID-19
- DHS has updated its list of providers participating in its Healthy Beginnings Plus program. See the list here.
- DHS announced its proposed rates for non-public and county nursing facilities for FY 2022 in this Pennsylvania Bulletin notice. These figures will be posted on the DHS web site here.
- DHS has updated its guidance on COVID-19 for personal care homes, assisted living residences, and private intermediate-care facilities.
- DHS and its Office of Child Development and Early Learning have posted an FAQ on guidance for tuberculin skin testing and COVID-19 vaccinations.
Department of Health
Effective at midnight on June 23, 2021, the Department of Health terminated its order requiring skilled nursing facilities to complete a vaccine needs assessment survey since those facilities are now reporting to the federal government.
COVID-19: By the Numbers
- The daily number of new COVID-19 cases continues to decline significantly. The 174 new COVID-19 cases reported on Wednesday marked the lowest new daily case count since March 25, 2020, when 276 new cases were announced.
- The number of COVID-19 deaths continues to decline significantly as well.
- For the week from June 11 through June 17 the state’s overall COVID-19 test positivity rate was 1.4 percent, down from 1.9 percent last week and 2.9 percent the week before.
- Sixty-four counties had a positivity rate lower than five percent, up from 62 last week, and no counties had a positivity rate greater than 20 percent for the eighth consecutive week.
- Thirty-seven counties are currently experiencing low levels of community transmission of COVID-19, up from 22 last week; the remaining 30 Pennsylvania counties are experiencing moderate levels of community transmission and no counties are experiencing a high level of community transmission.
- Since June 1 the number of Pennsylvanians hospitalized with COVID-19 has fallen 62 percent; the number on a ventilator has fallen 54 percent; and the number in hospital intensive care units has fallen 70 percent.
- 5.3 million Pennsylvanians have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to the state’s COVID-19 dashboard. Growth in this number has slowed significantly over the past month and only about 150,000 new vaccinations were reported in the past week. Another 760,000 people have been vaccinated in Philadelphia. According to the state, 59.4 percent of Pennsylvanians 18 years of age and older are now fully vaccinated and 62.2 percent of the entire population has now received at least the first dose of a vaccine.
Around the State
Two Pennsylvania children’s hospitals ranked among the best ten such hospitals in the U.S. in the latest rankings published by U.S. News & World Report: Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia ranked second and UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh ranked ninth.
Two Pennsylvania-based health insurers, Highmark and Independence Blue Cross, are among five Blues plans joining forces in a new venture called Evio, a for-profit venture that will seek to make prescription drugs more affordable and improve health care outcomes. Learn more here.
Stakeholder Events
- Maternal Mortality Review Committee
June 28 at 8:00
This meeting will be held via conference call. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss new and ongoing procedural issues relating to the review process for the committee. To join the call, dial +1 (267) 332-8737 and when prompted, enter the following conference code: 522 321 931#.
- DHS Office of Long-Term Living – Financial Management Services Meeting
June 28 at 11:00 a.m.
The purpose of this meeting is to discuss upcoming changes in the administration of financial management services under the Community HealthChoices, OBRA Waiver, and Act 150 programs. Representatives from the Office of Long-Term Living and Community HealthChoices managed care organizations will discuss the upcoming changes. Interested parties can join the meeting in the following ways:
From the meeting link:
https://pa-hhs.webex.com/pa-hhs/j.php?MTID=m15e2e495a802f00df6fa38c9e645237d
By meeting number:
Meeting number (access code): 132 280 2499
From a mobile device (attendees only):
1-408-418-9388,,1322802499## United States Toll
1-202-860-2110,,1322802499## United States Toll (Washington D.C.)
By phone:
+1-408-418-9388 United States Toll
+1-202-860-2110 United States Toll (Washington D.C.)
Meeting password: Stakeholder
From a video system or application
Dial 1322802499@pa-hhs.webex.com
You can also dial 173.243.2.68 and enter your meeting number
- Managed Long-Term Services and Supports Subcommittee Meeting
July 7 at 10:00 a.m.
This meeting will be held via webinar. Public comments will be taken after each presentation and questions can be entered in the chat box. Interested parties can participate in the following ways:
Webinar registration – go here
Dial in: 1-914-614-3221, access code 716-025-613
Remote captioning and streaming link – go here
- Newborn Screening and Follow-Up Technical Advisory Board
July 15 at 10:00
The virtual public meeting will be conducted as a teleconference Skype meeting. The dial-in number is (267) 332-8737 and the conference access ID is 63145728#.
- Special Pharmaceutical Benefits Program
July 29, 2021 at 10:00
This is a telephone meeting.
Join on your computer or mobile app
Click here to join the meeting
Or call in (audio only)
+1 412-648-8888,,785376728# United States, Pittsburgh
(866) 588-4789,,785376728# United States (Toll-free)
Phone Conference ID: 785 376 728#
Stakeholder Event Report
Medical Assistance Advisory Committee Meeting – June 24
Deputy DHS Secretary Sally Kozak announced that DHS will perform readiness reviews of the managed care organizations selected to participate in the latest HealthChoices program procurement. The procurement remains the subject of litigation so DHS will stop short of negotiating with the managed care organizations until there is a final decision in that case.
Stakeholder Events Materials
DHS has posted four presentations offered at the June 24 meeting of the Medical Assistance Advisory Committee. Those presentations were delivered by its:
- Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (crisis services)
- Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (medication-assisted treatment during the public health emergency)
- Office of Medical Assistance Programs
- Office of Long-Term Living
Included in this month’s edition are articles about:
The proposed budget, presented to the state legislature earlier this week, includes the following new initiatives:
For years, county governments ran their own programs, which provided free non-emergency transportation to doctor offices for Medicaid patients. About 55,000 Pennsylvanians served by Medicaid use this program.
While DHS’s area of endeavor is broad and goes beyond health care, Medicaid is an important aspect of its work and that importance is reflected in the plan, which includes descriptions of DHS’s ambitions in the following areas: