The following is an update of selected state health policy developments in Pennsylvania from September 4 – 8.  (Some of the language used below is taken directly from state documents.) 

Medicaid Continuous Coverage Unwinding 

The Department of Human Services (DHS) is maintaining an online dashboard with Medicaid continuous coverage unwinding data. The data on this dashboard tracks the renewal process by county and zip code. Additional updates and resources about the Medicaid eligibility renewal process may be found here.

DHS has published the following resources to help providers educate patients about Medicaid renewals and what to do if they are no longer eligible for Medicaid.

General Assembly

  • The House Commerce Committee held an informational hearing Wednesday, September 6 at 11:00am on HB 1201, which addresses consumer rights for the sharing of personal data by certain businesses and provides the Attorney General with enforcement authority. The legislation includes several exemptions from the provisions of the act including several health-related exclusions in compliance with HIPAA standards. A recording of the hearing can be viewed here.
  • The House Republican Policy Committee held a public hearing Thursday, September 7 at 10:00am on “Addressing the Mental Health Needs of Rural Communities.” More information on the hearing can be found here.
  • The House Health Committee will hold a public hearing on Wednesday, September 20 at 9:30am on HB 1657, which amends the Clean Indoor Air Act. The legislation would clarify the definition of a workplace, expand the definition of smoking to include e-cigarettes, and give all localities the ability to enact smoke-free ordinances that exceed minimum state standards. The hearing will be held in Room 523 of the Irvis Office Building and will be livestreamed here. 

Department of Human Services 

  • The Department of Human Services (DHS) has announced changes to the Medical Assistance (MA) program fee schedule for the provision of pediatric home health aide services by family members employed by home health agencies. Learn more in this Pennsylvania Bulletin notice.
  • DHS has published Provider Quick Tip #207 advising health care providers of updates to the procedure codes that are subject to the MA cost avoidance process under Act 62. The purpose of the updates is to bring procedure code descriptions in alignment with national procedure code descriptions. The changes became effective September 5, 2023.
  • The Office of Long-Term Living (OLTL) has announced that Public Partnerships, LLC, has been selected as the new statewide Vendor Fiscal/Employer Agent (VF/EA) for financial management services for Fee-for-Service OLTL-administered programs related. The new contract became effective September 1, 2023.

Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs

The Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP) has announced the start of its state-wide stakeholder engagement tour. The kick-off event was held in northeastern Pennsylvania in partnership with the Columbia, Montour, and Snyder Drug and Alcohol Program. DDAP’s goal is to gather feedback that will help craft the agency’s plan for increased community and treatment provider engagement while also gaining stakeholder insight to assist the agency’s work on regulation reform.

Revenue Collection Update 

The Department of Revenue has announced Pennsylvania collected $2.9 billion in General Fund revenue in August, which was $27.1 million, or 0.9 percent, less than anticipated. Fiscal year-to-date collections total $5.8 billion, which is $27.2 million, or 0.5 percent, below estimate.

Stakeholder Events 

DOH – HIV Community Prevention Planning Committee – September 20

The state-wide Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Community Prevention Planning Committee will hold a public meeting on Wednesday, September 20 from 3:00 to 7:00 p.m. The meeting will be held in person. Participants can also access the meeting virtually. Find additional details in this Pennsylvania Bulletin notice.

Patient Safety Authority – September 21

The Patient Safety Authority will hold a board meeting on Thursday, September 21 at 1:00 p.m. Find additional details and instructions on how to participate in this Pennsylvania Bulletin notice.