The following is an update of selected state health policy developments in Pennsylvania for the week of March 7-11, 2022.  (Some of the language used below is taken directly from state documents.)

General Assembly

  • The Department of Human Services appeared before the Senate and the House appropriations committees this week.  A recording of the House budget hearing can be viewed here and a recording of the Senate hearing can be viewed here.
  • The Department of Health also appeared before the Senate Appropriations Committee for its FY 2023 budget hearing.  A recording of the hearing can be viewed here.
  • The Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs will appear before the Senate Appropriations Committee next Wednesday, March 16 at 2:00 p.m.

Department of Health

In light of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection’s confirmation of higher-than-expected rates of Powassan virus in ticks located in multiple Pennsylvania counties during the 2021 surveillance season, the Department of Health has issued a health advisory to give providers background information on POW virus disease, including transmission, clinical signs and symptoms, diagnosis, and prevention.

Department of Human Services

The Department of Human Services has issued a Medical Assistance Bulletin to inform providers enrolled in the Medical Assistance program that the state is expanding the beneficiary age for which Medical Assistance payment will be made for the administration of the Flucelvax Quadrivalent vaccine to include beneficiaries ages six months and older effective October 14, 2021.

The Department of Human Services has posted presentations delivered during the February 24 Medical Assistance Advisory Committee meeting by its:

COVID-19:  By the Numbers

  • Daily COVID-19 case counts continue to fall.  A week ago the state’s seven-day average of new cases was 1299 cases a day; yesterday (March 10) it was 954 cases a day.
  • The number of new COVID-19-related deaths is following the same downward trend:  Pennsylvania’s seven-day average of deaths was 65 deaths a day a week ago but was 40 deaths a day yesterday (March 10).
  • The decline in the number of Pennsylvania counties experiencing a substantial rate of community transmission of COVID-19 – the highest rate – continues.  Last week, 38 counties were in the highest rate of community transmission of COVID-19 cases; this week, only seven are.  Last week, 26 counties were experiencing a substantial rate of community transmission; this week, 37 are.  Last week, only three counties were experiencing only a moderate rate of community transmission; this week, 23 are.
  • March 9 was the first day fewer than 1000 Pennsylvanians were hospitalized with COVID-19 since August 12; March 11 was the first day fewer than 100 were on ventilators because of the virus since August 5; and March 7 was the first day fewer than 200 were in hospital ICUs because of COVID-19 since August 5.

Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council (PHC4)

PHC4 has released the new report “COVID-19 Hospitalizations ‒ March 2020 to June 2021.”  The paper looks at patients who were hospitalized with COVID-19 and discharged from Pennsylvania acute-care hospitals from March 2020 through June 2021.  It examines hospitalization rates and in-hospital mortality by month and for the entire period.  Go here for links to the news release announcing the report, key findings, county rates, patient characteristics and outcomes, and the report itself.

Stakeholder Events

Department of Health – Advisory Health Board – March 16

The Department of Health’s Advisory Health Board will meet virtually on Wednesday, March 16 at 2:00 p.m. to discuss programmatic and departmental activities.  For information about how to participate, see this Pennsylvania Bulletin notice.

Patient Safety Authority – March 17

The Patient Safety Authority will hold a virtual public meeting on Thursday, March 17 at 1:00 p.m.  Learn how to join the meeting from this Pennsylvania Bulletin notice.

Department of Health – Newborn Screening and Follow-Up Technical Advisory Board – March 30

The Department of Health’s Newborn Screening and Follow-Up Technical Advisory Board will hold a virtual public meeting on Wednesday, March 30, 2022 at 10:00 a.m.  The agenda will include discussions about board member terms; updates from the Bureau of Family Health and the RUSP workgroup; a discussion on pyruvate dehydrogenase; and updates from the Ethics, Lysosomal Storage Disorders/X-ALD, Cystic Fibrosis, Hemoglobinopathy and Critical Congenital Heart Defects subcommittees.  Learn how to join the meeting in this Pennsylvania Bulletin notice.