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PA Health Policy Update for May 12

The following is an update of selected state health policy developments in Pennsylvania from May 8 – 12.  (Some of the language used below is taken directly from state documents.) 

End of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency Hospital building

  • CMS has released an updated frequently asked questions (FAQs) document regarding changes made to the Medicaid continuous enrollment condition under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) by the Consolidated Appropriations Act 2023.
  • CMS has sent a memo to state Medicaid and CHIP programs about the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency and the COVID-19 national emergency and the implications for Medicaid and CHIP.  Find that memo here. 
  • The DEA has announced that the full set of telemedicine flexibilities for prescribing controlled medications that were established in response to the COVID-19 public health emergency will remain in place for six more months, through November 11.  During this period the DEA and HHS’s Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) will continue to consider the flexibilities’ future.  Learn more from this DEA announcement, which includes a link to a Federal Register notice. 
  • DOH has notified health care providers the CMS waiver allowing for Temporary Nurse Aides (TNAs) ends with the Public Health Emergency on May 11, 2023. TNA’s who have not completed the testing by May 11, 2023 may become Nurse Aide Candidates by enrolling in an approved Nurse Aide Training Program. After May 11, 2023, nurse aide candidates will have four months to complete the required testing as long as they are enrolled in an approved nurse aide training program. Nurse aide candidates may continue to work in facilities while they complete the training program. Information on preparing and scheduling tests can be found here. 

General Assembly

  • The state Senate returned to Harrisburg on Monday, May 8 for voting session and is now recessed until Monday, June 5.
  • The House Aging and Older Adult Services Committee held an information meeting Wednesday, May 10, to receive updates from local Area Agencies on Aging and to discuss scams targeting older adults. A recording of the meeting can be viewed here.
  • The House Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee will hold a public hearing on May 18 to discuss access to rural medicine and health care in Pennsylvania. The hearing will be held at the Carnegie Natural History Museum in Pittsburgh at 11:00 a.m. and will be livestreamed here.
  • The state House will return to Harrisburg for voting session Monday, May 22. The following are selected health-related proceedings.
    • The House Health Committee will hold a voting meeting Monday, May 22 at 10:00am to consider, among several resolutions, HB 1131 sponsored by Representative Lisa Borowski, which would remove the requirement for counties to operate state health centers in counties establishing their own local health departments. The meeting will be held in Room G-50 of the Irvis Office Building and will be live streamed here.
    • The House Human Services Committee will hold a voting meeting Tuesday, May 23 at 9:00am to consider, HB 849 sponsored by Representative Mike Schlossberg, to allocate funding for the Behavioral Health Commission on Adult Mental Health’s recommendations for funding, and HB 931 sponsored by Representative Eddie Day Pashinski, to establish the Kinship Care Legal Assistance Grant Program. The meeting will be held in Room 523 of the Irvis Office Building and can be live streamed here. 

Joint State Government Commission

The Joint State Government Commission issued a study on the use of contracted workers at Medicaid funded long-term care facilities, as authorized under Senate Resolution 288 of 2021. The study can be viewed here. 

Department of Health 

  • The Department of Health (DOH) issued an update (PAHAN – 694 – 05-11) with information regarding infection prevention and control for COVID-19 in health care settings based on changes made by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on May 8, 2023.
  • DOH reminded nursing care facilities that June 1, 2023 is the deadline for submitting the MCARE Surcharge Invoice Payment.  The 2022-23 surcharge letters and invoices were emailed to administrators on March 3 and again on April 22.
  • DOH issued a notice that the Division of Home Health will have the following new address effective May 8, 2023 – 2525 North 7th Street, Harrisburg PA 17110. 

Department of Human Services 

  • The Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS) issued a bulletin clarifying the 120-hour timeframe for Section 302 emergency involuntary commitments in response to questions regarding the previous bulletin issued in November 2022. The OMHSAS Bulletin may be viewed here.
  • DHS published Provider Quick Tip #233 confirming the waiver of Prudent Pay will not end on May 11, 2023 with the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE). It will remain in effect until further notice.

Independent Regulatory Review Commission 

The Independent Regulatory Review Commission (IRRC) released the agenda for its May 18 meeting. Following are certain health-related regulations IRRC will consider.

Stakeholder Events

DOH – HIV Community Prevention Planning Committee – May 18

The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Community Prevention Planning Committee will hold a public meeting on Wednesday, May 17 and Thursday, May 18. For information on how to participate, review this Pennsylvania Bulletin notice.

DHS – Medical Assistance Consumer Subcommittee – May 24

The Consumer Subcommittee of the Medical Assistance Advisory Committee is scheduled to meet on Wednesday, May 24 at 1:00 pm. Go here to register to participate. 

DHS – Medical Assistance Advisory Committee – May 25

The Medical Assistance Advisory Committee is scheduled to meet on Thursday, May 25 at 10:00 a.m.  Go here to register to participate.

2023-05-12T21:27:54+00:00May 12th, 2023|COVID-19, Pennsylvania Department of Health and COVID-19, Pennsylvania Medicaid coronavirus, Pennsylvania Medicaid COVID-19, Pennsylvania Medicaid laws and regulations, Pennsylvania Medical Assistance|Comments Off on PA Health Policy Update for May 12
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PA Health Policy Update for the Week of April 11-15

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

Harrisburg, PA capital buildingGeneral Assembly

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

A recording of the hearing may be viewed here.

Department of Human Services

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

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

Department of Health

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

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

COVID-19:  By the Numbers

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

Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs

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

Insurance Department

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

Stakeholder Events

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Special Pharmaceutical Benefits Program Advisory Council – April 28

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

Patient Safety Authority – April 28

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

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

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

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

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

2022-04-15T20:31:51+00:00April 15th, 2022|Coronavirus, COVID-19, Medical Assistance Bulletin, Meetings and notices, Pennsylvania Bulletin, Pennsylvania Department of Health and COVID-19, Pennsylvania Medicaid COVID-19, Pennsylvania Medicaid laws and regulations, Pennsylvania Medicaid policy|Comments Off on PA Health Policy Update for the Week of April 11-15
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PA Health Policy Update for the Week of February 21-25

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

Pennsylvania State MapGeneral Assembly

The state House Appropriations Committee continued its FY 2023 budget hearings this week and the Senate Appropriations Committee began its hearings this week.  Hearings will conclude March 17.  A complete schedule of the hearings can be found here.

The Department of Health and Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs are scheduled to appear before the House Appropriations Committee next Thursday, March 3 at 10:00 a.m.

Department of Human Services

The Department of Human Services has issued a Medical Assistance Bulletin to inform Medical Assistance providers about updates related to billing and payment for the administration of monoclonal antibody therapies for the treatment of COVID-19.  This bulletin applies to all physicians, certified registered nurse practitioners, certified nurse midwives, outpatient hospital clinics, home health agencies, independent medical surgical clinics, pharmacies, and renal dialysis centers enrolled in the Medicaid program who are authorized to administer monoclonal antibody therapies to Medicaid beneficiaries in the Medicaid fee-for-service delivery system.  Providers rendering services in the Medicaid managed care delivery system should address any coding and billing questions to the appropriate managed care organization.  Learn more from this Medical Assistance Bulletin.

The Department of Human Services has issued a Medical Assistance Bulletin to inform Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC) and Rural Health Clinics (RHC) that it is implementing an alternative payment methodology to pay the Medical Assistance program fee schedule rate for the administration of COVID-19 vaccines during COVID-19 vaccine-only visit for dates of service on and after December 1, 2020 and that it will pay the enhanced Medicaid program fee schedule rate for the administration of those vaccines to homebound Medicaid beneficiaries during vaccine-only visits for dates of service on and after April 1, 2021.  Find the bulletin here.

Department of Health

Ninety-five percent of all Pennsylvanians ages 18 and older have had at least one COVID-19 vaccination and 76.2 percent ages 18 and older are now fully vaccinated, the Department of Health reports.

The Department of Health has updated its guidance on when people should receive COVID-19 vaccines and the appropriate intervals between primary doses and between primary doses and boosters.  The update is based on recent CDC guidance.

Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs

The Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs has announced more than $15 million in grant funding for stabilization payments to substance use disorder treatment providers to assist with pandemic-related expenses.  Through 108 grant agreements, 375 substance use disorder treatment provider locations will receive funding.  All eligible applicants that applied were awarded funding.  Learn more about the purpose of the funding and find a link to a list of organizations awarded grants in this department news release.

The Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs has posted a new FAQ for providers that combines questions from previous American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) level-of-care-specific FAQ documents along with questions received through the ASAM Transition email account and technical assistance meetings with providers and stakeholders.  Find the new FAQ here.

COVID-19:  By the Numbers

  • Daily COVID-19 case counts remain high but fell significantly again over the past week.  Pennsylvania’s seven-day average yesterday (February 24) was 2294 cases day; a week ago (February 17) its seven-day average was 3159 cases a day.
  • The number of new COVID-19-related deaths also declined again over the past week.  Pennsylvania’s seven-day average yesterday (February 24) was 65 deaths a day; a week ago (February 10) its seven-day average was 83 deaths a day.
  • The Department of Health reports that the percentage of available adult ICU beds fell from 22 percent to 19.6 percent during the past week and the percentage of available pediatric ICU beds fell from 8.5 percent to 7.7 percent over the same period of time, leaving just 30 unoccupied pediatric ICU beds in the state.
  • The Department of Health also reports that approximately 9.9 percent of all staffed adult ICU beds in the state are occupied by COVID-19 patients this week, down from 12.7 percent last week, and that 25.8 percent of all ventilators in the state are currently in use, down from 26.6 percent last week.
  • For the first time in recent months, all 67 Pennsylvania counties are not experiencing high rates of COVID-19 transmission:  Sullivan County is experiencing a moderate rate of community transmission and Carbon, Delaware, Dauphin, Lehigh, Monroe, and Snyder counties are “only” experiencing substantial rates of community transmission.
  • The decline in the number of new COVID-19 cases is reflected in a 65 percent decline since February 1 in the number of Pennsylvanians hospitalized with the virus and a 28 percent decline over the past week.  The number of people on ventilators has fallen 60 percent since the first of the month and 23 percent in the past week and the number in ICUs has fallen 63 percent since the first of February and 30 percent over the past seven days.

Stakeholder Events

DHS – Managed Long-Term Services and Supports Subcommittee – March 1

The Medical Assistance Advisory Committee’s managed long-term services and support (MLTSS) subcommittee will meet virtually on Tuesday, March 1 at 10:00 a.m.  Go here to register to participate.

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services – RFI on Medicaid and CHIP – March 1

On February 17, CMS published a request for information on access to care and coverage for people enrolled in Medicaid and CHIP.  On Tuesday, March 1 at 3:30 p.m. (eastern) the agency will hold a webinar discuss with stakeholders its objectives in issuing the RFI and the process for submitting responses.  Go here to register to participate.

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.

2022-02-25T21:28:43+00:00February 25th, 2022|Coronavirus, COVID-19, Medical Assistance Bulletin, Pennsylvania Bulletin, Pennsylvania Department of Health and COVID-19, Pennsylvania Medicaid, Pennsylvania proposed FY 2023 budget|Comments Off on PA Health Policy Update for the Week of February 21-25
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PA Health Policy Update for the Week of February 14-18

The following is an update of selected state health policy developments in Pennsylvania for the week of February 14-18, 2022.  (Some of the language used below is taken directly from state documents.)

General Assembly

House Chamber of the State HouseThe state House Appropriations Committee began its FY 2023 budget hearings this week.  The Senate Appropriations Committee will begin hearings next week.  Hearings will conclude on March 17.  A complete schedule of the hearings can be found here.  The following is a selection of health-related budget hearings.

  • Department of Health/Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (House Appropriations Committee) – Thursday, March 3 at 10:00 a.m.
  • Department of Human Services (Senate Appropriations Committee) – Tuesday, March 8 at 10:00 a.m.
  • Department of Health (Senate Appropriations Committee) – Wednesday, March 9 at 10:00 a.m.
  • Department of Human Services (House Appropriations Committee) – Wednesday, March 9 at 10:00 a.m.
  • Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (Senate Appropriations Committee) – Wednesday, March 16 at 2:30 p.m.

Department of Human Services

Department of Health

  • Two additional state-directed health care strike teams and another long-term care regional support team are providing requested assistance for hospitals and skilled nursing facilities caring for patients with COVID-19.  Clinical staff are supporting staff at Geisinger Wyoming Valley and Lehigh Valley Hospital – Cedar Crest.  These teams are on a two-week deployment and vary in size and scope based on the daily needs of the facilities and include registered nurses and respiratory therapists provided through a staffing firm.  Another team is working with the Pleasant Valley Manor nursing home in Monroe County, providing clinical and non-clinical support staff to allow for more rapid discharge of patients from area hospitals and freeing additional acute-care space to meet COVID-19 demands.  Supplemental staff includes RNs, LPNs, and CNAs; Pennsylvania National Guard is providing non-clinical staffing to support the facility’s existing staff and the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency is assisting with coordination.  Learn more from this Department of Health news release.
  • The Department of Health (DOH) has updated its information about state-sponsored COVID-19 testing sites throughout Pennsylvania, including new sites in McKean, Susquehanna, Washington, and York counties.  Go here for information about locations and hours and for a link to a map with other testing sites across the state.
  • DOH has issued an alert providing guidance to long-term-care facilities on response to exposure and outbreaks of COVID-19.  This guidance incorporates recent changes made by the CDC.
  • DOH has issued guidance on core infection prevention and control measures for long-term-care facilities during the COVID-19 pandemic and incorporates recent updates made by the CDC.  This guidance also supplements previous guidance issued by DOH.
  • DOH has reminded long-term-care facilities that they can order the oral antiviral treatments molnupiravir and Paxlovid from the strategic reserve specifically for residents of those facilities and other congregate settings and has updated an FAQ about the program.
  • DOH has published a health alert about a significant increase in the number of cases of syphilis in Pennsylvania in 2021 and offering testing and treatment recommendations for providers.  Find the alert here.

COVID-19:  By the Numbers

  • Daily COVID-19 case counts remain very high but fell significantly again over the past week.  Pennsylvania’s seven-day average yesterday (February 17) was 3159 cases day; a week ago (February 10) its seven-day average was 5163 cases a day.
  • The number of new COVID-19-related deaths also remains high but declined again over the past week.  Pennsylvania’s seven-day average yesterday (February 17) was 83 deaths a day; a week ago (February 10) its seven-day average was 109 deaths a day.
  • The Department of Health reports that the percentage of available adult ICU beds fell from 23.6 percent to 22 percent during the past week and the percentage of available pediatric ICU beds fell from 14 percent 8.5 percent over the same period of time, leaving just 33 unoccupied pediatric ICU beds in the state.
  • The Department of Health also reports that approximately 12.7 percent of all staffed adult ICU beds in the state are occupied by COVID-19 patients this week, down from 17.3 percent last week, and that 26.6 percent of all ventilators in the state are currently in use, down from 27.6 percent last week.
  • All 67 Pennsylvania counties continue to experience a high rate of COVID-19 transmission.
  • The decline in the number of new COVID-19 cases is reflected in a 53 percent decline since February 1 in the number of Pennsylvanians hospitalized with the virus.  The number of people on ventilators also has fallen 49 percent since the first of the month and the number in ICUs has fallen 48 percent over that same period.

Around the State

As the number of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths continues to decline across Pennsylvania, newspapers are reporting on changes in their own coverage areas.  Among them:

Insurance Department

Jessica Altman has resigned as commissioner of the Pennsylvania Insurance Department; her last day on the job will be February 25.  Current department chief of staff Mike Humphreys will serve as acting commissioner.  Learn more from this Wolf administration news release.

Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA)

PHEAA’s PA Student Loan Relief for Nurses Program makes available to qualified applicants student loan relief of up to $2,500 for each year of work (beginning with 2020) for no more than three years, with a maximum benefit of $7,500.  To learn more about eligibility, benefits, and how to apply, go here.  Applications are due March 1.

Stakeholder Events

Medical Assistance Advisory Committee Consumer Subcommittee – February 23

The Medical Assistance Advisory Committee’s consumer subcommittee will meet virtually on Wednesday, February 23 at 1:00 p.m.  Go here to register to participate.

Medical Assistance Advisory Committee – February 24

The Medical Assistance Advisory Committee will meet virtually on Thursday, February 24 at 10:00 a.m.  Go here to register to participate.  Find the meeting agenda here.

DHS – Managed Long-Term Services and Supports Subcommittee – March 1

The Medical Assistance Advisory Committee’s managed long-term services and support (MLTSS) subcommittee will meet virtually on Tuesday, March 1 at 10:00 a.m.  Go here to register to participate.

2022-02-18T22:01:36+00:00February 18th, 2022|COVID-19, Medical Assistance Bulletin, Meetings and notices, Pennsylvania Department of Health and COVID-19, Pennsylvania Medicaid, Pennsylvania proposed FY 2023 budget|Comments Off on PA Health Policy Update for the Week of February 14-18
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PA Health Policy Update for the Week of February 7-11

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

Proposed State FY 2023 Budget

This week Governor Wolf proposed his state budget for FY 2023.  Pennsylvania will go into FY 2023 with a budget surplus of approximately $3 billion and more than $2 billion in unspent federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds.  Health care highlights include a $91 million increase in Medicaid rates for skilled nursing facilities; a $37 million increase in funding for county mental health services; and $325 million in ARPA fund spending for long-term care recruitment and retention, health care workforce development, behavioral health workforce expansion, and loan forgiveness for critical care workers (highlighted here).

The proposed state funding for the Department of Human Services is nearly $4 billion more than the current fiscal year’s total, though much of that reflects increased spending attributable to the loss of enhanced federal matching funds.  Proposed spending increases include:

  • rate increases for HealthChoices, Community HealthChoices, and CHIP managed care plans
  • increased Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits
  • increased supplemental payments to personal care homes
  • increased county mental health funding
  • reducing the waiting list for intellectual disability services
  • expanding court-appointed child special advocates
  • expanding access to evidence-based home visiting programs (for parents of young children).

The budget also assumes a slight decrease in Medicaid spending attributable to the expectation that once the COVID-19 public health emergency officially ends states will be required to redetermine eligibility for the program – they are not permitted to do this during the emergency in exchange for additional federal assistance – and that Pennsylvania’s Medicaid enrollment will then be reduced.  The budget assumes a smaller increase in CHIP spending for the same reason.

For further information, find Wolf administration budget documents here and a summary of the proposed Department of Human Services budget here.

Governor Wolf

Governor Wolf signed House Bill 1082 into law on Wednesday following its unanimous passage by the House and Senate.  Act 9 of 2022 directs the Department of Health to establish and maintain an “Early Detection and Diagnosis of Alzheimer’s Disease or a Related Disorder” toolkit that includes best practices and cognitive assessment tools, including the use of appropriate diagnostics, to assist the primary care workforce with the detection, diagnosis, treatment, and care planning for individuals with Alzheimer’s disease.  It also makes a technical change in the definition of “High Medical Assistance hospital” in Act 2 (House Bill 253) to align it with the legislation’s original intent.

Governor Wolf signed Senate Bill 739 following its unanimous passage in the House and Senate.  Act 10 of 2022 appropriates $25 million in American Rescue Plan Act funding to support Pennsylvania’s emergency management services (EMS) companies.  A press release issued by the governor’s office can be viewed here.

General Assembly

  • The state House and Senate convened for voting session this week.  The following is a selection of health-related bills that received consideration.
    • House Bill 1440 passed on third and final consideration by a vote of 132 to 67.  This bill provides for the regulation and licensure of medical imaging and radiation therapy professionals.  It will now be sent to the Senate.
    • House Bill 19, which creates professional licensure for behavior analysts, passed on third and final consideration by a vote of 134-66.  The bill was received in the Senate and referred to the Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure Committee.
  • The House Health Committee convened on Monday, February 7 and favorably reported House Bill 1741, which allows for the prescribing and dispensing of off-label drugs to treat COVID-19, and House Bill 1693, which requires nursing home residents to be notified at the time of their admission that they have the option of having legal representation to assist with applying for Medicaid benefits.
  • The Senate Health & Human Services Committee met on Wednesday, February 9 and favorably reported Senate Bill 1057, which enables pharmacists to be reimbursed for administering COVID-19 antigen tests.
  • The House Appropriations Committee will begin budget hearings next Tuesday, February 15.  The Senate Appropriations Committee will begin budget hearings the following week, on February 22.  The hearing schedules can be viewed here.

Department of Human Services

  • The Department of Human Services (DHS) has issued a Medical Assistance Bulletin informing providers that Chartwell Pennsylvania will be the preferred specialty pharmacy in the Medicaid fee-for-service specialty pharmacy drug program effective July 1 and explaining to providers how to access drugs included in that program.  The bulletin applies to pharmacies and prescribers enrolled in Medicaid that serve participants in the fee-for-service delivery system.  Find the bulletin here.
  • DHS has updated the Medicaid program fee schedule to include a CPT code for dispensing the oral antiviral therapeutics Paxlovid (nirmatrelvir tablets and ritonavir tablets, co-packaged for oral use) and molnupiravir capsules for treatment of COVID-19.  Learn more, including the new CPT code, in this Pennsylvania Bulletin notice, which also includes information about submitting comments in response to this action.  Such comments are due within 30 days.
  • DHS has released the minutes of the January 27 meeting of the Medical Assistance Advisory Committee meeting.  Find them here.

Department of Health

The Department of Health (DOH) has updated its infection prevention and control recommendations for health care settings during the COVID-19 pandemic.  The update reflects a recent revision in the CDC’s guidance.  Find the state update here.

DOH has updated its information about state-sponsored COVID-19 testing sites in Berks, Blair, Centre, Clinton, Clearfield, Fayette, Monroe, Somerset, and Venango counties and its map of additional testing sites around the state.  Learn more in this DOH news release.

COVID-19:  By the Numbers

  • Daily COVID-19 case counts remain very high but fell significantly again over the past week.  Pennsylvania’s seven-day average yesterday (February 10) was 5163 cases day; a week ago (February 3) its seven-day average was 8512 cases a day.
  • To date, Pennsylvania has experienced more than 2.7 million cases of confirmed or probable COVID-19.
  • The number of new COVID-19-related deaths also remains very high but declined slightly over the past week.  Pennsylvania’s seven-day average yesterday (February 10) was 119 deaths a day; a week ago (February 3) its seven-day average was 135 deaths a day.
  • To date, more than 42,000 Pennsylvanians have died from COVID-19.
  • The Department of Health reports that the percentage of available adult ICU beds rose from 18.9 percent to 23.6 percent during the past week but the percentage of available pediatric ICU beds fell slightly, from 14.4 percent to 14 percent, over the same period of time.
  • The Department of Health also reports that that in approximately 17.3 percent of all staffed adult ICU beds are COVID-19 patients this week, down from 22.1 percent last week, and that 27.6 percent of all ventilators in the state are currently in use, down from 30.6 percent last week.
  • All 67 Pennsylvania counties continue to experience a high rate of COVID-19 transmission.
  • The decline in the number of new COVID-19 cases is reflected in a 36 percent decline over since February 1 in the number of Pennsylvanians hospitalized with the virus.  The number of people on ventilators also has fallen 36 21 percent since the first of the month and the number in ICUs has fallen 37 percent.

Stakeholder Events

Human Immunodeficiency Virus Community Prevention Planning Committee – February 16 and 17

The Statewide HIV Planning Group will hold virtual public meetings on Wednesday, February 16 and Thursday, February 17, 2022 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.  Learn more about the meetings and how to participate from this Pennsylvania Bulletin notice.

DHS – Managed Long-Term Services and Supports Subcommittee – March 1

The Medical Assistance Advisory Committee’s managed long-term services and support (MLTSS) subcommittee will meet virtually on Tuesday, March 1 at 10:00 a.m.  Go here to register to participate.

 

2022-02-11T21:54:18+00:00February 11th, 2022|Coronavirus, COVID-19, HealthChoices, Medical Assistance Bulletin, Meetings and notices, Pennsylvania Bulletin, Pennsylvania Department of Health and COVID-19, Pennsylvania Department of Health coronavirus, Pennsylvania Medicaid, Pennsylvania Medicaid laws and regulations, Pennsylvania Medicaid policy, Pennsylvania proposed FY 2023 budget|Comments Off on PA Health Policy Update for the Week of February 7-11
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PA Health Policy Update for the Week of January 17-21

The following is an update of selected state health policy developments in Pennsylvania for the week of January 17-21, 2022.  (Some of the language used below is taken directly from state documents.)

General Assembly

  • The Senate held voting sessions on Tuesday (1/18) and Wednesday (1/19) this week and passed, among other bills, Senate Bill 818, which aligns the procedures permitted in ambulatory surgery centers with those permitted by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and eliminates the need for facilities to request an exception, and Senate Bill 861, which enters Pennsylvania into the EMS interstate compact.  Both bills will now be sent to the state House.
  • The Senate Health and Human Services Committee convened on Tuesday and favorably reported Senate Bill 1019, which addresses COVID-19 regulatory waivers and suspensions.
  • The Senate Health and Human Services Committee will convene again next week on Tuesday, January 25 to consider the following bills:
    • Senate Bill 152, which provides direction to the Department of Human Services on how to distribute funding intended for women’s health and family planning services.
    • Senate Bill 956, a constitutional amendment that clarifies that there is not a right to an abortion or abortion funding in the state constitution.
    • House Bill 1420, which directs the Department of Human Services to establish a public awareness campaign to provide information regarding the programs and services available for first responders, health care workers, and other frontline workers suffering from mental health issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • The Senate Aging and Youth Committee meeting previously scheduled for Tuesday, January 18 has been rescheduled for Monday, January 24 at 12:30 to consider the following bills:
    • Senate Bill 936, which mandates the reporting and tracking of infants born with an addiction to opioids or other illegal substances within the state.
    • House Bill 996, which requires the departments of Human Services and Health to establish protocols to permit residents of long-term-care facilities to receive visits by a member of the clergy during a disaster emergency.
    • House Bill 1737, which enables a county children and youth agency to petition the court for an order to compel a drug screening when there is evidence that substance use may be a contributing cause of child abuse or neglect.
  • The House Professional Licensure Committee will convene on Monday, January 24 at 10:30 a.m. to consider the following bills:
    • House Bill 19, which establishes professional licensure for behavioral analysts.
    • House Bill 1440, which provides for the regulation and licensure of medical imaging and radiation therapy professionals.
    • House Bill 1862, which preserves the COVID-19 regulatory waiver that authorizes physicians with an institutional license in a teaching hospital to serve patients at more than just two facilities in a health system.

Department of Human Services

The Department of Human Services has updated its schedule of Remittance Advice (RA) mailing dates and electronic RA delivery dates.  The schedule now extends into early March.

DHS has published final notice of the assessment amount, assessment methodology, and estimated aggregate impact on nursing facilities that will be subject to an assessment under the Nursing Facility Assessment Program for FY 2022.  Find that information in this Pennsylvania Bulletin notice.

Department of Health

The Department of Health (DOH) has issued a health alert outlining options for treating patients with the COVID-19 omicron variant.

DOH continues to establish new sites for COVID-19 testing, adding sites this week in Greene and Pike counties.  Find information about these and other state-sponsored sites in this department news release; about plans for a new high-volume site in Hershey; and about another high-volume site in Delaware County.

DOH reports that the state has had 28,475 laboratory-confirmed flu cases and that such cases have been found in all 67 counties.

COVID-19:  By the Numbers

  • Daily COVID-19 case counts remain very high but declined over the past week.  Pennsylvania’s seven-day average yesterday (January 20) was 20,958 cases a day; a week ago (January 13) its seven-day average was 26,224 cases a day.
  • The number of new COVID-19-related deaths also remains very high but it, too, declined over the past week.  Pennsylvania’s seven-day average yesterday (January 20) was 127 deaths a day; a week ago (January 13) its seven-day average was 120 deaths a day.
  • The Department of Health reports that from January 1, 2021 to January 4, 2022, 78 percent of reported COVID-19 cases were in unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated people; 85 percent of reported hospitalizations with COVID-19 as the primary diagnosis/cause of admission were in unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated people; and 84 percent of COVID-19-related deaths were in unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated people.
  • The Department of Health also reports that 31.8 percent of all staffed adult ICU beds are COVID-19 patients and 32.4 percent of all ventilators state-wide are in use.
  • All 67 Pennsylvania counties continue to experience a high rate of COVID-19 transmission.
  • The decline in the number of new COVID-19 cases is reflected in a seven percent decline over the past week in the number of Pennsylvanians hospitalized with the virus.  The number of people on ventilators and in ICUs because of the disease held steady over the past week after two months of steeply increasing numbers.
  • As a result of the decline in hospitalizations, there are a slightly more unoccupied adult ICU and medical/surgical beds in the state this week.  While the occupation rate of pediatric ICU beds increased just slightly, occupancy of pediatric and airborne isolation rates rose 7.6 percent and two percent, respectively, over the past week.  There are still only 33 unoccupied pediatric ICU beds and 501 unoccupied adult ICU beds in the state.
  • On January 18 the Department of Health elaborated on some of these figures, reporting that 31.8 percent of all staffed adult ICU beds are occupied by COVID-19 patients and 32.4 percent of all ventilators state-wide are currently in use.  Both numbers are almost identical to the previous week’s totals.
  • Media reports are mixed but suggest reason for optimism.  Around the state,
    • New cases are declining in Lancaster County but the decline in hospitalizations is more modest.
    • The new case rate is falling significantly in the Lehigh Valley but hospitalizations are down only slightly.  Even so, the city of Easton closed its city hall because of COVID-19 cases and exposures.
    • Erie County hospitals have more COVID-19 patients than at any time since the pandemic began but fewer of them are dying and fewer of them are being treated in ICU beds.  County health officials are concerned that many cases are not reflected in official counts.
    • New case figures are stabilizing in Allegheny County but the number of infants and children hospitalized is rising.
    • Both cases and hospitalizations are declining in Philadelphia and its surrounding suburban counties.

Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council (PHC4)

PHC4 has issued a legislatively mandated report on the effects of the COVID-19 emergency on the state’s hospitals and health care facilities.  The report notes that “Pennsylvania hospitals and health systems reported $214,055,540 in COVID-19 related expenses and revenue losses for the period July 2021 – September 2021. These expenses and revenue losses were attributable to coronavirus and used to prevent, prepare for, and respond to the coronavirus pandemic.  Total COVID-19 related expenses and lost revenue reported by Pennsylvania hospitals and health systems through September 2021 (Jan 2020-September 2021) were $6,925,269,148.”  The report does not reflect any offsetting state and federal funding intended to help providers with these expenses and losses.  Find the report here.

Stakeholder Events

Medical Assistance Advisory Committee’s Consumer Subcommittee – January 26

The consumer subcommittee of the Medical Assistance Advisory Committee will meet virtually on Wednesday, January 26 at 1:00 p.m.  Go here to register to participate.

Medical Assistance Advisory Committee – January 27

The Medical Assistance Advisory Committee will meet virtually on Thursday, January 27 at 10:00 a.m.  Go here to register to participate.

Medical Marijuana Advisory Board – January 27

The Medical Marijuana Advisory Board will hold a virtual meeting on Thursday, January 27 at 10:00 a.m.  This meeting will be broadcast live through Commonwealth Media Services.  Check www.medicalmarijuana.pa.gov and click on the Medical Marijuana Advisory Board tab for live streaming information on the day of the virtual meeting.  Learn more from this Pennsylvania Bulletin notice.

Patient Safety Authority – January 27

The Patient Safety Authority will hold a virtual public meeting on Thursday, January 27 at 1:00 p.m.  For information about how to join the meeting, see this Pennsylvania Bulletin notice.

Special Pharmaceutical Benefits Program Advisory Council – January 27

The Statewide Special Pharmaceutical Benefits Program Advisory Council will hold a public teleconference meeting on Thursday, January 27 at 10 a.m.  To participate, call 412-648-8888 or 866-588-4789.  The meeting ID is 487 872 318#.  Learn more from this Pennsylvania Bulletin notice.

Medical Assistance Advisory Committee – Managed Long-Term Services and Supports Subcommittee – February 2

The DHS Medical Assistance Advisory Committee’s managed long-term services and supports subcommittee will meet virtually on Wednesday, February 2 at 10:00 a.m.  Interested parties can join the meeting here or call in at 914-614-3221, access code 300-175-489.

Organ Donation Advisory Committee – February 3

The Organ Donation Advisory Committee will hold a virtual public meeting on Thursday, February 3 from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.  The purpose of this meeting is to review progress in the area of organ and tissue donation in Pennsylvania, recommend education and awareness activities, recommend priorities in expenditures from the Organ and Tissue Donation Awareness Fund, and advise the acting secretary on matters relating to the administration of this fund.  Learn more about the meeting and how to participate in this Pennsylvania Bulletin notice.

Office of Long-Term Living – Financial Management Services Stakeholder Meeting – February 4

The DHS Office of Long-Term Living’s financial management services stakeholder group will hold a virtual public meeting on Friday, February 4 at 1:00 p.m. to discuss upcoming changes for the administration of financial management services under the Community HealthChoices, OBRA                      Waiver, and Act 150 programs.  Go here to participate or join by phone at 1-408-418-9388.

Human Immunodeficiency Virus Community Prevention Planning Committee – February 16 and 17

The Statewide HIV Planning Group will hold virtual public meetings on Wednesday, February 16 and Thursday, February 17, 2022 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.  Learn more about the meetings and how to participate from this Pennsylvania Bulletin notice.

2022-01-21T22:25:57+00:00January 21st, 2022|Coronavirus, COVID-19, 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 policy|Comments Off on PA Health Policy Update for the Week of January 17-21
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PA Health Policy Update for the Week of December 27-30

The following is an update of selected state health policy developments in Pennsylvania for the week of December 27-30, 2021.  (Some of the language used below is taken directly from state documents.)

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

CMS directed state survey agencies in certain states, including Pennsylvania, to begin surveying for compliance with the agency’s November 5, 2021 final rule requiring vaccination of health care staff. Click here to read the guidance to states and find provider-specific guidance documents.  CMS has authorized state surveyors to find facilities out of compliance with the rule within 30 days of the issuance of this guidance if less than 100 percent of all staff have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.

Department of Health

  • The Department of Health (DOH) and the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency announced that the federal Department of Health and Human Services will be sending “strike teams” to Scranton Regional Hospital and Wellspan York to increase acute care capacity. In addition, EMS “strike teams” will be deployed in those regions to support the increased capacity.
  • DOH, in partnership, with the Department of Human Services, announced it will be transitioning its Regional Congregate Care Teams (RCATs) to the new LTC RISE (Long-term Care Resiliency, Infrastructure Supports, and Empowerment) program, effective January 1, 2022. This program will continue to provide long-term-care facilities with COVID-19 outbreak response support.  Additional information on the LTC RISE program may be found here.
  • DOH issued updated guidance to providers on COVID-19 treatment options with direction to limit the use of sotrovimab because of a current nationwide supply shortage.  This particular monoclonal antibody should be reserved for eligible outpatients at the highest risk who are diagnosed with the omicron variant of COVID-19 or exposed to local settings where omicron is prevalent.
  • DOH updated its recommendations for when health care personnel with COVID-19 infection could return to work and its contingency and crisis strategies for providers mitigating staff shortages.
  • DOH updated its guidance on isolation and quarantine periods for COVID-19 for the general population.

Department of Human Services

  • The Department of Human Services (DHS) has announced the addition of community-based care management services to the Medical Assistance fee schedule and its intent to seek CMS approval to add to the Medicaid state plan community-based care management services provided by Centers of Excellence for opioid use disorders.  See details in the Pennsylvania Bulletin notice here.
  • DHS has issued a Medical Assistance Bulletin to add to the MA fee schedule procedures codes for the administration of  booster doses of the Janssen and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines.
  • DHS has issued a Medical Assistance Bulletin with information on two CPT codes added to the MA fee schedule for the administration of Pfizer’s pediatric COVID-19 vaccine.
  • DHS has issued a Medical Assistance Bulletin about reimbursement of licensed pharmacists administering vaccines to Medicaid fee-for-service beneficiaries.

COVID-19:  By the Numbers

  • Daily COVID-19 case counts remain at their highest levels since the beginning of the pandemic.  To date, more than 1.9 million Pennsylvanians have contracted COVID-19.
  • The number of new COVID-19-related deaths remains high.
  • Nearly all Pennsylvania counties continue to experience a high rate of COVID-19 transmission.
  • The number of Pennsylvanians hospitalized because of COVID-19 remains high.  There currently are only 533 unoccupied adult ICU beds – 15.1 percent of the total of such beds in the state; 2369 unoccupied medical/surgical beds – 11.9 percent of such beds in the state; 40 pediatric ICU beds (10.7 percent); 234 pediatric beds (23.4 percent); and 991 airborne isolation beds (31.0 percent).
  • DOH reports that 6.9 million Pennsylvanians, excluding those in Philadelphia, are now fully vaccinated; it appears likely, although not certain, that this figure reflects the original concept of “fully vaccinated” and not whether such individuals have received boosters.  Philadelphia’s Department of Public Health reports slightly more than 1.05 million people fully vaccinated and that 224,000 boosters have been administered to city residents since August 13.

 

2022-01-03T16:31:32+00:00January 3rd, 2022|Coronavirus, COVID-19, Medical Assistance Bulletin, Pennsylvania Bulletin, Pennsylvania Department of Health coronavirus, Pennsylvania Medicaid, Pennsylvania Medicaid policy|Comments Off on PA Health Policy Update for the Week of December 27-30
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PA Health Policy Update for the Week of December 6-10

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

Harrisburg, PA capital buildingGeneral Assembly

The Senate Democratic Policy Committee held an informational hearing this week on substance use disorder treatment facilities.  The hearing was co-hosted by senators Schwank, Tartaglione, and Muth.  Panelists included individuals affected by the addiction crisis, treatment providers, and the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs.  Testimony offered at the hearing and a video recording may be found here.

The state House and Senate will return to session next week.  The following are the relevant health committee hearings currently scheduled.

  • The House Health Committee has scheduled a hearing on Monday, December 13 at 9:00 a.m. to discuss COVID-19 treatment options.  Chairman Kathy Rapp has indicated the committee will examine House Bill 1741, which allows for the prescribing and dispensing of off-label drugs approved by the FDA to treat COVID-19.
  • The Senate Health & Human Services Committee is scheduled to convene on Tuesday, December 14 at 11:00 a.m. to consider, among other bills, Senate Bill 358, which categorizes maternal deaths and severe maternal morbidity complications as reportable events within the Department of Health and requires the Maternal Mortality Review Committee to submit a report including each reportable event to the Department of Health; Senate Bill 522, which requires all pregnant women and children in Pennsylvania to receive blood tests to detect lead poisoning; Senate Bill 848, which creates a chief nursing officer position in the Department of Health; Senate Bill 967, which establishes the Women, Infants, and Children State Advisory Board; and Senate Bill 970, which implements certain measures to verify that child protective services or law enforcement are notified of children age 13 or younger who receive treatment for sexually transmitted diseases, pregnancy, abortions, or contraception.  The committee also will consider House Bill 118, which establishes requirements for the final disposition of fetal remains.
  • The House Human Services Committee has scheduled an information hearing on House Bill 1644 for next Thursday, December 16 at 9:30 a.m.  House Bill 1644 directs the Department of Human Services to develop a state-wide process to place patients enrolled in Medicaid and who have behavioral health or other long-term-care needs in appropriate care settings in a timely manner.  The Human Services Committee also has scheduled an 11:00 a.m. hearing to examine community participation supports during COVID-19 pandemic.

Department of Human Services

  • The Department of Human Services (DHS) has updated its list of regulations that have been suspended to facilitate the state’s response to the COVID-19 emergency.  Find the updated list here.
  • The federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has written to state Medicaid directors to encourage them to take advantage of a provision in the American Rescue Plan that authorizes their programs, beginning on April 1, 2022, to provide 12 months of postpartum Medicaid coverage to pregnant women enrolled in either their Medicaid or CHIP programs.  Learn more from the CMS letter to state Medicaid directors.  Pennsylvania announced in August that it would extend this coverage.
  • CMS has sent a letter to state Medicaid directors to help them understand provisions in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 that include new reporting requirements for non-disproportionate share hospitals (DSH) supplemental payments and a change in the methodology for calculating hospital-specific DSH limits.  See that letter here.
  • DHS has issued a news release elaborating on Pennsylvania’s spending plan for approximately $1.2 billion in enhanced federal Medicaid funding made available to states through the American Rescue Plan Act.  This funding will support Medicaid’s home and community-based services system throughout the state.  Learn more from this DHS news release.

Department of Health

  • The Department of Health (DOH) has issued a seasonal influenza update urging providers to encourage their patients to receive flu vaccines, offering treatment recommendations, and reminding providers that they are required to report flu cases to the state.  Learn more in this department influenza update and reminder health alert.
  • DOH has updated two health alerts, PA-HAN-609 and PA-HAN-610, to clarify that the visitation guidance from the department applies only to skilled nursing facilities and that other types of facilities, such as personal care homes, assisted living facilities, and intermediate-care facilities, should seek guidance from their licensing agencies when it comes to COVID-19 visitation policies.
  • DOH has distributed communication that it received from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services informing states that the federal government will not be enforcing the health care provider vaccination mandate while federal litigation is pending.

COVID-19:  By the Numbers

  • Daily COVID-19 case counts remain near their highest levels since the beginning of the pandemic.  To date, more than 1.8 million Pennsylvanians have contracted COVID-19.
  • The number of new COVID-19-related deaths also remains high.
  • All 67 Pennsylvania counties continue to experience a high rate of COVID-19 transmission.
  • The number of Pennsylvanians hospitalized because of COVID-19, in hospital ICUs because of COVID-19, and on ventilators because of the virus all rose sharply in the past week.
  • These numbers reflect the growing rate of occupancy in the state’s hospitals.  There currently are only 481 unoccupied adult ICU beds – 13.5 percent of the total of such beds in the state; 2019 unoccupied medical/surgical beds – 10 percent of such beds in the state; 29 pediatric ICU beds (7.7 percent); 234 pediatric beds (20.8 percent); and 919 airborne isolation beds (29.1).
  • Media reports confirm the challenges some communities and hospitals are facing, including this report on the situation at the nine hospitals that constitute Geisinger Health; this report on the situation in Allegheny County; this report on the situation in the Erie area; and this report on the situation throughout Pennsylvania.
  • The Department of Health reports that 6.7 million Pennsylvanians, excluding those in Philadelphia, are now fully vaccinated; it appears likely, although not certain, that this figure reflects the original concept of “fully vaccinated” and not whether such individuals have received boosters.  Philadelphia’s Department of Public Health reports slightly more than one million people fully vaccinated and that nearly 170,000 boosters have been administered to city residents since August 13.

Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs

The Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs has established minimum qualifications for the positions of project director, facility director, clinical supervisor, counselor, and counselor assistant but these regulations permit persons to meet those qualifications with a degree in an “other related field.”  In Licensing Alert 03-2021 the department lists “other related fields” that meet qualifications and notes that this list is not necessarily all-inclusive and that the department will review those degrees on a case-by-case basis.  Find the licensing alert here.

The Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs has published its long-delayed, much discussed final standards for drug and alcohol recovery house licensure.  Find them in this Pennsylvania Bulletin notice.

Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council (PHC4)

PHC4 has published its annual report on the financial performance of the state’s non-general acute-care hospitals, including rehabilitation hospitals, psychiatric hospitals, long-term acute-care hospitals, and specialty hospitals.  Learn more from this PHC4 news release and the report itself.  PHC4 also offers download data from the report in Excel format.

2021-12-10T21:44:43+00:00December 10th, 2021|Coronavirus, COVID-19, DSH hospitals, Federal Medicaid issues, Medicaid supplemental payments, Pennsylvania Bulletin, Pennsylvania Department of Health and COVID-19, Pennsylvania Department of Health coronavirus, Pennsylvania Medicaid, Pennsylvania Medicaid coronavirus, Pennsylvania Medicaid COVID-19|Comments Off on PA Health Policy Update for the Week of December 6-10
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PA Health Policy Update for the Week of November 29-December 3

The following is an update of selected state health policy developments in Pennsylvania for the week of November 29 to December 3, 2021.  (Some of the language used below is taken directly from state documents.)

Governor Wolf

Governor Wolf has announced a plan to spend approximately $1.2 billion in American Rescue Plan Act federal funding to support Medicaid’s home and community-based services (HCBS) system, giving more Pennsylvanians access to critical services in their communities.  This temporary funding enhancement will be directed toward Medicaid-funded essential care services to seniors, adults with intellectual and physical disabilities, adults with behavioral health needs such as substance use disorder or mental illness, and children with chronic complex medical needs.  The American Rescue Plan Act provides states with a temporary, one-year, 10 percent increase in the rate at which the federal government matches state spending for certain Medicaid-covered home and community-based services.  To learn more about how Pennsylvania plans to spend this money, see this Wolf administration news release.  For more on Pennsylvania’s plan, go here.  A week after this announcement, the federal government approved the state’s plan for using this money, as the Department of Human Services reported to stakeholders.

General Assembly

The House Republican Policy Committee held a hearing this week examining the health care staffing crisis.  Representatives from the Hospital & Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania (HAP), Penn State Health, Geisinger, the Pennsylvania Health Care Association (PHCA), SEIU Healthcare, and the Pennsylvania State Nurses Association testified.  Hearing testimony and a video recording may be viewed here.

Two members of the General Assembly – House majority leader Kerry Benninghoff (R-Mifflin) and Representative Mark Gillen (R-Berks) – have tested positive for COVID-19.

Financial paperworkState Revenue Update

Revenue collections continue to exceed estimates. The Department of Revenue reported this week that Pennsylvania collected $6.6 billion in General Fund revenue in November, which was $217.9 million, or 3.4 percent, more than anticipated.  For the year to date Pennsylvania has collected $18.7 billion in General Fund revenue, which is $1.0 billion, or 5.7 percent, above estimate.

Department of Human Services

The Department of Human Services (DHS) has published a notice in the Pennsylvania Bulletin explaining that it intends to allocate $106.130 million in total funds for disproportionate share hospital payments (Medicaid DSH payments) to qualifying acute-care general hospitals that provide enhanced access to multiple types of medical care in economically distressed areas of the state and $88.994 million in total funds for supplemental payments to qualifying acute-care general hospitals that treat a high volume of opioid use disorder patients in their emergency rooms.  Go here to see the Pennsylvania Bulletin notice.

DHS has issued a Medical Assistance Bulletin updating its dental fee schedule.  The update is effective as of August 23, 2021.

Department of Health

The state Supreme Court has temporarily restored the Department of Health’s (DOH) order requiring students, teachers, and staff to wear masks in Pennsylvania school districts.  Read the court’s ruling here.  The ruling only put a hold on Commonwealth Court’s decision to issue a stay of the order; the Supreme Court will still need to consider the governor’s appeal of the Commonwealth Court decision.

DOH has established new walk-in COVID-19 testing sites in Berks, Centre, Clinton, Crawford, Jefferson, and Susquehanna counties.  Learn more from this news release.

COVID-19:  By the Numbers

  • Daily COVID-19 case counts are on the rise in Pennsylvania.  Wednesday’s 7606 new cases and Thursday’s 9143 new cases are the highest single-day totals in the state since the second week of January.  To date, more than 1.75 million Pennsylvanians have contracted COVID-19.
  • The number of new COVID-19-related deaths remains high.  To date, more than 33,000 Pennsylvanians have died from COVID-19.
  • All 67 Pennsylvania counties continue to experience a high rate of COVID-19 transmission.
  • The number of Pennsylvanians hospitalized because of COVID-19, in hospital ICUs because of COVID-19, and on ventilators because of the virus, all of which declined during the first two weeks of November, rose significantly during the last two weeks of the month.  As the month came to a close, COVID-19 related hospitalizations were up 43 percent over the beginning of the month, ventilator cases were up 32 percent, and COVID-19 patients in hospital ICUs also were up 32 percent.
  • 231,000 Pennsylvanians were recorded as completing a vaccine regimen during the month of November.

Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs

The Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs released Policy Bulletin 21-05, which documents modifications to the Standard General Terms & Conditions, Fiscal and Operations Manual, and Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant (SAPTBG) provisions.

Stakeholder Events

Medical Assistance Advisory Committee – Consumer Subcommittee – December 8

The Medical Assistance Advisory Committee’s consumer subcommittee will meet virtually on Wednesday, December 8 at 1:00 p.m.  Go here to register to participate.

Medical Assistance Advisory Committee – December 9

The Medical Assistance Advisory Committee will meet virtually on Thursday, December 9 at 10:00 a.m.  Go here to register for the web event.

Patient Safety Authority – December 9

The Patient Safety Authority will hold a virtual public meeting of its board on Thursday, December 9, 2021, at 1 p.m.  Go here for information about registering and participating.

2021-12-03T22:12:20+00:00December 3rd, 2021|Coronavirus, COVID-19, DSH hospitals, Medicaid supplemental payments, Medical Assistance Bulletin, Meetings and notices, Pennsylvania Bulletin, Pennsylvania Department of Health and COVID-19, Pennsylvania Department of Health coronavirus, Pennsylvania Medicaid coronavirus, Pennsylvania Medicaid COVID-19, Pennsylvania Medicaid policy|Comments Off on PA Health Policy Update for the Week of November 29-December 3
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PA Health Policy Update for the Week of November 8-12

The following is an update of selected state health policy developments in Pennsylvania for the week of November 8-12, 2021.  (Some of the language used below is taken directly from state documents.)

Governor Wolf

Governor Wolf announced his intention to return the decision on mask requirements in K-12 schools to local leaders on January 17, 2022.  It may not take that long, though:  as the Philadelphia Inquirer reports, Pennsylvania’s Commonwealth Court “…has struck down the state’s school mask mandate, ruling that acting Health Secretary Alison Beam didn’t have the authority to issue the requirement under the state’s Disease Control and Prevention Law.”  The Department of Health is appealing the court’s decision.

House Chamber of the State HouseGeneral Assembly

  • The House of Representatives passed House Bill 1561 and House Bill 1563 on third and final consideration this week.  These bills amend the Mental Health Procedures Act and the Drug and Alcohol Abuse Control Act, respectively, to align them with HIPAA and give providers, facilities, and insurers the ability to more easily share patient mental health and substance use disorder treatment information.  Both bills were sent to the Senate and referred to its Health & Human Services Committee.
  • The Senate Majority Policy Committee held an informational meeting this week to examine COVID-19 vaccine mandates and their impact on the workforce.  Testimony offered at the hearing and a video recording may be viewed here.
  • The Senate Health & Human Services Committee met twice this week and favorably reported the following bills:
    • Senate Bill 471, which prohibits the implementation of COVID-19 vaccine mandates;
    • House Bill 220, which specifies that a person does not need to test positive for drugs to begin addiction treatment; and
    • Senate Bill 938, which clarifies the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs’ ability to promulgate rules and regulations and makes them subject to the regulatory review process, including publication, notice, and comment.

Recordings of both committee meetings may be viewed here.

  • The Senate Aging & Youth Committee favorably reported House Bill 1260, which increases the maximum income eligibility limits for PACENET from $27,500 to $33,500 for individuals and from $35,500 to $41,500 for married couples.

Department of Human Services

The Department of Human Services has issued updated requirements on the information needed to evaluate prior authorization requests for certain medications, based on actions taken by its Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee during its September 14 meeting:

Department of Health

The Department of Health (DOH) has issued a health advisory echoing the federal decision that a pediatric formulation of the Pfizer vaccine has been approved for children from the ages of five to 11.

DOH has announced that information on schools participating in a free and voluntary COVID-19 screening testing program, which is available through a partnership with the company Gingko Bioworks, is now available on its web site.  Go here for the DOH announcement and here for information about the program.

COVID-19:  By the Numbers

  • The general downward trend in new daily COVID-19 cases in Pennsylvania halted over the past week with several days of more than 5000 new cases.  The state’s total number of COVID-19 cases since the start of the pandemic surpassed 1.6 million this week – a figure that represents approximately 12 percent of the state’s population.
  • The number of new COVID-19-related deaths remains high.  196 new deaths were reported on Wednesday – the highest single-day figure since late January.  This week Pennsylvania surpassed 32,000 COVID-19-related deaths.
  • The number of Pennsylvanians hospitalized because of COVID-19 has fallen five percent since the beginning of November; the number in hospital ICUs has fallen nine percent; and the number on ventilators because of the virus has fallen 11 percent.
  • 72.8 percent of Pennsylvanians 18 years of age and older are now fully vaccinated – more than 6.5 million people.  70,000 Pennsylvanians were recorded as completing a vaccine regimen in the past week.

Stakeholder Events

Pharmaceutical Assistance Advisory Board – November 15

The Department of Aging’s Pharmaceutical Assistance Advisory Board will hold a virtual meeting on Monday, November 15, 2021 at 8:30 a.m.  To participate virtually or by phone, go here for further information.

Health Research Advisory Committee – November 15

The Department of Health’s Health Research Advisory Committee will hold a virtual public meeting on Monday, November 15 at 1:00 p.m.  For information on how to attend virtually, see this Pennsylvania Bulletin notice.

Pennsylvania Rural Health Redesign Center Authority Board – November 16

The Department of Health’s Pennsylvania Rural Health Redesign Center Authority Board, which is charged with administering the Pennsylvania Rural Health Model, will hold a virtual public meeting on Tuesday, November 16 at 10:00 a.m.  For information on how to attend virtually, see this Pennsylvania Bulletin notice.

Newborn Screening and Follow-Up Technical Advisory Board – November 18

The Department of Health’s Newborn Screening and Follow-Up Technical Advisory Board will hold a virtual public meeting on Thursday, November 18 at 10:00 a.m.  For information on how to attend virtually, see this Pennsylvania Bulletin notice.

Medical Assistance Advisory Committee’s Managed Long-Term Services and Supports Subcommittee Meeting – December 2

The Medical Assistance Advisory Committee’s managed long-term services and supports subcommittee will hold a virtual public meeting on Thursday, December 2 at 10:00 a.m.  To register to participate, go here.

2021-11-12T22:01:57+00:00November 12th, 2021|Coronavirus, COVID-19, Meetings and notices, 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 November 8-12
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Home / About Us / Advocacy / Why Join? / SNAPShots / Contact Us

  • P: (717) 234-6970

  • 2020 Safety-Net Association of Pennsylvania

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