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PA Health Policy Update for the Week of July 26-30

The following is an update of selected state health policy developments in Pennsylvania for the week of July 26-30, 2021.  (Some of the language used below is taken directly from state documents.)

General Assembly

House majority leader Kerry Benninghoff announced this week that he sent letters to state agencies notifying them that they should be prepared to have the nearly 500 waived and suspended regulations that were in place under the COVID-19 emergency disaster declaration reinstated on September 30, 2021.  He also encouraged agencies to work closely with the relevant standing committees in the House to review which regulations should be permanently repealed or reformed.  The letter noted the need to work expeditiously given the limited number of legislative session days scheduled between now and September 30.  Benninghoff also highlighted in a letter to the Department of Health that “…nothing in current law prohibits tele-health services from being provided at pre-pandemic levels.”  See Benninghoff’s letter to the Office of Administration here and his letter to the Department of Health here.

Department of Health

The Department of Health has invited applications for the approval of up to two additional academic clinical research centers as part of its medical marijuana program.  Applications will be available beginning on August 3 on the Department of Health’s web site and applications are due September 2.  Learn more from the department’s notice published in the Pennsylvania Bulletin.

The Department of Health plans to pursue a series of changes in the manner in which long-term-care facilities are regulated.  It intends to do so in five separate parts and has published one of those parts, with explanations, in the Pennsylvania Bulletin.

Department of Human Services

  • DHS has issued a Medical Assistance Bulletin to inform providers that it is expanding the scope of Medicaid-enrolled providers that may bill the program for administration of COVID-19 vaccines and monoclonal antibody therapy.  The new policy applies to physicians, certified registered nurse practitioners, certified nurse midwives, outpatient hospital clinics, independent medical/surgical clinics, home health agencies, renal dialysis centers, psychiatric outpatient clinics, drug and alcohol outpatient clinics, partial psychiatric hospitals, ambulance providers and licensed pharmacies.  The policy is retroactive to April 1.  Find the bulletin here.
  • DHS has issued a Medical Assistance Bulletin to inform providers that the Medical Assistance program will make an enhanced payment for the administration of COVID-19 vaccines to Medicaid beneficiaries who are homebound and has added a CPT code for the billing of this service.  The policy is retroactive to April 1.  Learn more in the bulletin notice.
  • DHS and the Department of Aging are seeking presenters for their 2021-2022 protective services virtual conference, to be held on October 6 and October 7.  This year’s conference is about getting back to basics and mastering the core competencies of protective services:  opening and conducting investigations.  Learn more about the conference and opportunities to make presentations during it from this conference notice.  The deadline for applying to make a presentation is August 6.
  • DHS has updated its Pennsylvania Medicaid Managed Care Directory with key contacts for both the physical health and behavioral health HealthChoices programs.

Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs

The Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs has published a policy bulletin to announce changes in its prevention, fiscal, operations and case management, and clinical services manuals.  Go here to find the revised manuals.

The state’s Independent Regulatory Review Commission has disapproved a proposed regulation submitted by the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs seeking to “…establish regulations for recovery houses that receive public funds or referrals.  Recovery houses provide support to individuals receiving outpatient treatment for substance use disorder who may benefit from supportive housing, a substance-free environment and peer camaraderie.”  The commission has not yet issued an explanation for the rejection.  The department now has three options:  it may withdraw the regulation, resubmit the regulation with revisions within 40 days of receipt of the commission’s disapproval order, or submit the regulation without revision to the General Assembly.

COVID-19:  By the Numbers

  • The daily number of new COVID-19 cases rose considerably again over the past week.  Thursday marked the first time since May 28 that the state registered more than 1000 new cases in a single day.  Even these numbers, however, are less than half of what they were in mid-May.
  • The number of deaths, however, remains very low.
  • For the week from July 16 through July 22 the state’s overall COVID-19 test positivity rate was 2.6 percent, up from 1.7 percent last week and the third consecutive week with an increase after more than two months of declining rates.  As a frame of reference, however, that rate was 9.5 percent just three months ago.
  • Since the beginning of July the number of Pennsylvanians hospitalized with COVID-19 has risen 53 percent; the number in hospital ICUs has risen 71 percent; and the number on ventilators has risen 37 percent.
  • According to the state’s revised figures, 62.8 percent of Pennsylvanians 18 years of age and older are now fully vaccinated, up from 62.2 percent last week.  Only 56,000 Pennsylvanians completed a vaccine regimen in the past week and only 300,000 have done so since July 1.  In Philadelphia, only 17,000 people reached full vaccination status in the past week and 46,000 have done so since July 1.

Around the State

  • Spotlight PA has identified all of the emergency procurement spending the state has done since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and highlighted those that were pandemic-related.  Find its report here.
  • A Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs web site that enabled visitors to obtain information about drug abuse treatment facilities’ violations of state guidelines identified during state inspections had inaccurate information and has been taken down.  Learn more from two Allentown Morning Call reports:  the article about the inaccurate information and a separate story about the state’s decision to take down the site while it reviews the inaccurate data.
  • Shortly after the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended that school teachers, staff, and students wear face masks in areas with high rates of COVID-19 transmission, a spokesperson for Governor Wolf said that the governor did not intend to mandate such a policy although he would urge local school districts to follow the new federal guidance.  PennLive tells the story.
  • Shortly after the CDC recommended that even vaccinated people wear face masks indoors and under certain circumstances in areas of high transmission of COVID-19, Pittsburgh’s WTAE television published an interactive map showing community transmission rates throughout Pennsylvania.
  • PennLive was even more specific:  it listed the seven Pennsylvania counties where the COVID-19 transmission rates meet the criteria for vaccinated people to wear masks indoors.  They are Cameron and Crawford counties (high rates of community transmission) and Adams, Lawrence, Monroe, Northampton, and Wyoming counties (substantial rate of community transmission).
  • Scranton’s city council has voted to accept a three-year, $360,000 grant from the Moses Taylor Foundation to fund a health coordinator position for the city, according to the Scranton Times-Tribune.
  • “Drexel University College of Medicine at Tower Health is ready to welcome its inaugural class of first-year medical students next week,” the Reading Eagle reports.

Stakeholder Events

  • Traumatic Brain Injury Advisory Board

August 6 at 9:00 a.m.

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

  • Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Community Prevention Planning Committee

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

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

 

 

2021-08-16T15:10:18+00:00July 30th, 2021|Coronavirus, COVID-19, Medical Assistance Bulletin, Meetings and notices, Pennsylvania Bulletin, Pennsylvania Medicaid, Pennsylvania Medicaid coronavirus, Pennsylvania Medicaid COVID-19, Pennsylvania Medicaid laws and regulations|Comments Off on PA Health Policy Update for the Week of July 26-30
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PA Health Policy Update for the Week of July 19-23

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

General Assembly

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

Office of the Attorney General

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

Department of Health

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

Department of Human Services

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

COVID-19:  By the Numbers

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

Around the State

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

Stakeholder Events

Special Pharmaceutical Benefits Program

July 29 at 10:00

This is a telephone meeting.

Join on your computer or mobile app

Click here to join the meeting

Or call in (audio only)

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

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

Phone Conference ID: 785 376 728#

Traumatic Brain Injury Advisory Board

August 6 at 9:00 a.m.

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

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Community Prevention Planning Committee

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

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

2021-07-23T21:07:14+00:00July 23rd, 2021|Coronavirus, COVID-19, HealthChoices, long-term care, Pennsylvania Bulletin, Pennsylvania Medicaid, Pennsylvania Medicaid policy|Comments Off on PA Health Policy Update for the Week of July 19-23
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PA Health Policy Update for the Week of July 12-16

The following is an update of selected state health policy developments in Pennsylvania for the week of July 12-16, 2021.  (Some of the language used below is taken directly from state documents.)

General Assembly

The House Democratic Policy Committee’s Subcommittee on Progressive Policies for Working Families held an informational hearing this week on “Pricing Out Pennsylvanians:  How to Drive Down Drug Prices.”  Various stakeholders, including PhRMA, the National Academy for State Health Policy, patient advocates, and pharmacists, spoke to the committee.  Find their testimony here.

On Wednesday, July 21 at 10:30 a.m. the Senate Health & Human Services Committee and the Senate Communications & Technology Committee will hold a joint public hearing examining the Department of Health’s COVID-19 contact tracing emergency procurement.  Go here to stream the hearing.

Department of Human Services

  • DHS has published a notice in the Pennsylvania Bulletin announcing its intention to discontinue Medical Assistance stability payments beginning with FY 2022 and to revise the payment reconciliation process to account for the discontinuation of these payments.  Find the notice here.
  • DHS has updated its Remittance Advice (RA) calendar to add August dates.
  • DHS has published a notice in the Pennsylvania Bulletin announcing revisions of the Medical Assistance program fee schedule that take effect for dates of services on and after December 21, 2020.  It also has added procedure code and modifier combinations to the fee schedule.  Find the notice here.
  • DHS has published a notice in the Pennsylvania Bulletin addressing its FY 2022 Nursing Facility Assessment Program announcing the proposed assessment amount, the proposed assessment methodology, and the estimated aggregate impact on nursing facilities that will be subject to the assessment.  Find the notice here.
  • DHS has announced that all of its county assistance offices resumed serving clients in person on July 12, 2021.  The services that have been available to clients online during the COVID-19 emergency will remain available online through DHS’s Compass web site.  Learn more from this DHS announcement.

COVID-19:  By the Numbers

  • The Department of Health announced that it had overcounted the number of Pennsylvanians who have received their first of two COVID-19 injections but undercounted those who are now completely vaccinated.  The announcement was included in this department news release and explained in greater detail in this Lancaster Online article.
  • According to the state’s revised figures, 61.4 percent of Pennsylvanians 18 years of age and older are now fully vaccinated.
  • 5.6 million Pennsylvanians have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to the state’s COVID-19 dashboard, but only 105,000 completed the full vaccination regimen in the past week; another 813,000 Philadelphians are now fully vaccinated but only 11,000 reached that status in the past week.
  • The daily number of new COVID-19 cases rose slightly over the past week, with the total from Tuesday through Friday the highest four-day figure in more than a month.
  • The number of Pennsylvanians hospitalized with COVID-19 and on ventilators and in hospital ICUs declined slightly in the past week.
  • For the week from July 2 through July 8 the state’s overall COVID-19 test positivity rate was 1.2 percent, up from 1.1 percent last week and the first increase the state has experienced in two months.

Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council (PHC4)

As directed by Act 15 of 2020, PHC4 has issued a report with data on the effect of the COVID-19 disaster emergency on Pennsylvania hospitals and health care facilities.  According to the report, Pennsylvania hospitals and health systems reported $1.4 billion in COVID-19 related expenses and revenue losses for the period October 2020-March 2021.  These expenses and revenue losses, according to PHC4, were attributable to COVID-19 and used to prevent, prepare for, and respond to the pandemic.  Total COVID-19-related expenses and lost revenue reported by Pennsylvania hospitals and health systems through March 2021 (January 2020-March 2021) were $6.5 billion.  Learn more from the PHC4’s “COVID-19 Disaster Emergency Report.”

Around the State

  • With no public health department of its own, Delaware County enlisted Chester County’s public health department to lead its pandemic response.  Now, Delaware County is addressing this shortcoming in its local governance:  its new board of health held its first meeting last month and hiring for the county’s new health department will begin in the fall.  The Philadelphia Inquirer tells the story.
  • With a new goal of cutting HIV diagnoses 75 percent over the next five years, Philadelphia public health officials are trying a new HIV testing strategy:  focusing testing on high-risk groups rather than focusing on sheer numbers of tests administered.  The Philadelphia Inquirer explains the why and the how.
  • The Lycoming County commissioners have awarded River Valley Health & Dental, a federally qualified health center, $25,000 in Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency money to educate the public about COVID-19 and vaccinations.  The Williamsport Sun-Gazette provides the details.
  • The office of Delaware County’s medical examiner is getting a makeover:  a new medical examiner, a new or renovated facility, new policies and procedures, and more, according to the Delaware County Times.

Stakeholder Events

  • Medical Assistance Advisory Committee

July 22 at 10:00 am

To register, go here.

  • 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 Meeting Materials

Materials from the June 24 meeting of the Office of Medical Assistance Programs’ Medical Assistance Advisory Committee (MAAC):

2021-07-16T21:06:12+00:00July 16th, 2021|Coronavirus, DSH hospitals, Medicaid supplemental payments, Pennsylvania Bulletin, Pennsylvania Medicaid policy, Pennsylvania Medical Assistance|Comments Off on PA Health Policy Update for the Week of July 12-16
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PA Health Policy Update for the Week of July 5-9

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

State Revenue Collections

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

Department of Human Services

COVID-19:  By the Numbers

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

Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs

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

Around the State

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

Stakeholder Events

  • Health Research Advisory Committee Meeting

July 12 at 10:00 a.m.

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

  • Newborn Screening and Follow-Up Technical Advisory Board

July 15 at 10:00

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

  • Special Pharmaceutical Benefits Program

July 29, 2021 at 10:00

This is a telephone meeting.

Join on your computer or mobile app

Click here to join the meeting

Or call in (audio only)

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

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

Phone Conference ID: 785 376 728#

 

2021-07-09T20:01:40+00:00July 9th, 2021|Coronavirus, COVID-19, DSH hospitals, Medical Assistance Bulletin, Pennsylvania Bulletin, Pennsylvania Medicaid|Comments Off on PA Health Policy Update for the Week of July 5-9
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PA Health Policy Update for the Week of June 1

Safety-Net Association of Pennsylvania logoBeginning today, SNAP is expanding its regular COVID-19 updates to encompass a broader scope of Pennsylvania state health policy endeavors.  As efforts to address COVID-19 prove more effective and the state moves from focusing almost exclusively on the public health emergency back to its usual, much broader array of health policy concerns, we hope this update will be a useful resource on matters of importance to the hospital community.  Please feel free to share this newsletter with others in your organization or to send us the email addresses of those you think might be interested and we will send it directly to them.

The following is an update of selected state health policy developments in Pennsylvania for the week of June 1-4, 2021.  (Some of the language used below is taken directly from state documents.)

Governor Wolf

The Wolf administration has issued a reminder to Pennsylvanians that all businesses, events, and venues can return to 100 percent capacity with the lifting of COVID-19 mitigation orders starting Monday, May 31 at 12:01 a.m.  The current order requiring masks for unvaccinated and partially vaccinated individuals will remain in place until June 28 or when 70 percent of Pennsylvanians age 18 and older get their second dose of Pfizer or Moderna vaccine or the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine, whichever comes first.  Individuals are still required to wear masks on planes, buses, trains, and other forms of public transportation traveling into, within, or out of the United States and in U.S. transportation hubs, such as airports and stations.  Individuals should still follow guidance at workplaces, local businesses, long-term-care facilities, hospitals, prisons, and homeless shelters.  See the reminder here.

State Finances

  • The Department of Revenue announced that state General Fund collections for May totaled $3.9 billion, which was $1.6 billion, or 65.4 percent, more than projected. This significant increase is attributed to the one-month delay for personal income tax collections.  Personal income tax revenue in May was $1 billion above estimate.  So far this year the state has collected $2.9 billion, or 8.5 percent, more than anticipated.
  • Last week the state Independent Fiscal Office (IFO) released its updated FY 2021-2022 revenue estimate. In contrast to FY 2020-2021, which is ending on a strong note, the IFO projects that FY 2021-2022 will be more challenging once all of the COVID-19 federal funds are exhausted.  The IFO projects that the state’s economy and revenues generated from various sources will revert to the path they were on prior to COVID-19.  The IFO forecast estimates that Pennsylvania will collect $37.96 billion, a decline of $2.152 billion from FY 2020-2021.  Learn more from the presentation given by Matthew Knittel, the IFO’s director.

House Chamber of the State HouseIn the Legislature

  • A bill already passed by the state Senate and currently before the House would give parents the option of having their children repeat their current grade in school because of the challenges children have faced learning remotely. The Johnstown Tribune-Democrat tells the story.
  • A bill has been introduced in the Senate that would permit young people 14 years of age and older to receive COVID-19 vaccines without the consent of their parents. KDKA provides further information.
  • For a comprehensive summary of health care legislation currently under consideration in the Pennsylvania General Assembly, contact SNAP at info@pasafetynet.org.

Department of Health

  • The Department of Health has issued an advisory with information and reporting requirements about patients presenting with myocarditis and pericarditis after receiving Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccines.
  • The Department of Health circulated a reminder to long-term-care facilities with information on CMS’s requirement to report to the federal government on COVID-19 vaccinations and therapeutic treatments they provide.  Facilities also are required to educate staff and residents on the importance of getting vaccinated.
  • The Department of Health issued a health advisory on COVID-19 treatment options that incorporates updated guidance from the FDA on monoclonal antibody treatments and combination therapies.
  • The Department of Health revised its order regarding skilled nursing facility data reporting requirements to require weekly rather than daily reporting. While facilities will be required to complete data surveys on a weekly basis, the data they submit will be cumulative.  See the Department of Health announcement here and the full amended order here.
  • The Department of Health revised its interim guidance for skilled nursing facilities during COVID-19 to incorporate changes in data reporting requirements and other recently issued federal and state guidance.

COVID-19:  By the Numbers

  • The daily number of new COVID-19 cases continues to decline and has been in three digits for seven days in a row.
  • The number of COVID-19 deaths is declining but not as swiftly as the number of cases.
  • For the week from May 21 through May 27 the state’s overall COVID-19 test positivity rate was 3.8 percent, down from 4.5 percent last week and 5.5 percent the week before.
  • Twenty-eight counties had a positivity rate lower than five percent, up from 12 last week, and no counties had a positivity rate greater than 20 percent for the fifth consecutive week.
  • Ten counties (Cameron, Clarion, Elk, Forest, Fulton, Montour, Potter, Snyder, Sullivan, and Warren) are currently experiencing low levels of community transmission of COVID-19, up from four last week; 56 counties are experiencing moderate levels of community transmission, down from 58 last week and but up from 41 two weeks ago; and only one county (Wyoming) is currently experiencing a substantial level of community transmission, down from five counties last week and 22 the week before.
  • The numbers of Pennsylvanians hospitalized with COVID-19 fell 55 percent from May 1 to June 1; the number on a ventilator fell 47 percent from May 1 to June 1; and the number in hospital intensive care units fell 49 percent from May 1 to June 1.
  • 4.8 million Pennsylvanians have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to the state’s COVID-19 dashboard. Growth in this number slowed significantly over the past week. Another 709,000 have been vaccinated in Philadelphia.  According to the state, 54.7 percent of Pennsylvanians 18 years of age and older are now fully vaccinated and 58.7 percent of the entire population has now received at least the first dose of a vaccine.
  • Governor Wolf has stated that Pennsylvania needs to reach 70 percent of adults vaccinated before he will lift the state’s remaining mask mandates.

Department of Human Services

  • On May 29, 2020, Governor Wolf signed Act 24 of 2020, which allocated funding from the federal CARES Act to assist providers with COVID-19-related costs they incurred between March 1, 2020 and November 30, 2020. Providers that accepted Act 24 funding agreed to provide documentation to DHS and were required to submit an Act 24 cost report through a web-based portal between December 9, 2020 and April 30, 2021.  With this in mind, DHS’s Office of Long-Term Living (OLTL) has asked providers to take the following actions:
    • Review the list of providers. OLTL has compiled a list of providers that received Act 24 funding but for which it has no record of submission of a cost report or the return of funds.  Organizations on this list should complete an Act 24 cost report and submit it to RA-PWOLTLCOVID-19@pa.gov no later than Friday, June 11, 2021.  The applicable cost reports can be found here.  Those that believe they submitted an Act 24 report yet are on this list should forward a screenshot of their submission to RA-PWOLTLCOVID-19@pa.gov.
    • Return Unused Funding. Providers that prefer not to complete and submit a cost report can return their Act 24 funding to OLTL by sending a check with a cover letter to OLTL indicating that the check is for the return of CARES Act 24 funding they did not use.  Checks should be made payable to the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services and sent to the Office of Long-Term Living, P.O Box 8025, Harrisburg PA 17105-8025, Attn: Daniel Sharar.  Providers should include their EIN on the memo line of the check to ensure that refunds are traceable to the correct provider.

Providers that fail to submit a cost report or return their funding by the deadline will be deemed to have no COVID-related expenses and the state will proceed to recoup the Act 24 funding that was distributed to them.

  • DHS’s Office of Medical Assistance Programs has issued a notice advising all county administrators, brokers, and all contracted Medical Assistance Transportation Program (MATP) agencies of updated guidance to ensure the safe provision of non-emergency medical transportation services to Medical Assistance beneficiaries during the COVID-19 public health emergency.  The announcement directs the affected parties to federal CDC guidance for further information. See the DHS announcement here.
  • The Office of Medical Assistance Programs has posted a notice informing individuals who are eligible to participate in the Medical Assistance Transportation Program but who can provide or arrange for transportation assistance on their own that it has temporarily increased the mileage rate for the remainder of the COVID-19 pandemic. See the notice here.

Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council

PHC4 has published its annual report on the financial performance of the state’s acute-care hospitals.  Among the highlights (taken directly from a PHC4 news release):

  • Uncompensated Care: The statewide percentage of uncompensated care to net patient revenue increased from 1.72% in FY19 to 1.73% in FY20. The foregone dollar value for statewide uncompensated care has decreased from $820 million in FY19 to $809 million in FY20.
  • Net Patient Revenue: The revenue hospitals received for patient care decreased 2.0% during FY20. Statewide net patient revenue was $46.8 billion during FY20, making up 91% of statewide hospital total operating revenue.
  • Operating Margin: Statewide operating income decreased from $2.8 billion in FY19 to $1.9 billion in FY20. As a result, the statewide average operating margin decreased from 5.61% in FY19 to 3.73% in FY20. Total operating revenue increased to $51.5 billion and operating expenses increased to $49.6 billion in FY20.
  • Total Margin: The statewide total margin realized by the hospitals decreased by 2.70 percentage points, from 6.63% in FY19 to 3.93% in FY20.

To learn more, go here for links to the PHC4 news release about the report, downloadable data, and the report itself.

Around the State

  • Philadelphia has added COVID-19 to its list of vaccines for which children do not need parental consent under a new Philadelphia Board of Health regulation.
  • In the face of declining COVID-19 cases, Philadelphia lifted most of its COVID-19 restrictions, including density limits, maximum capacity limits, and distancing rules, on Wednesday, June 2.
  • The city’s indoor mask mandate and 11 p.m. last call for dining orders will continue to be enforced until its Department of Public Health reviews the state of the pandemic and may drop those restrictions on Friday, June 11, according to a city news release. It was previously announced that the city would lift restrictions on Friday, June 11.
  • Berks County has the third highest rate in the state for children suffering from lead poisoning. It is particularly a problem in the city of Reading and in communities of color.  Local officials and doctors are coming together to try to do something about it.  WFMZ tells the story.
  • Penn State is offering incentives to students and staff to get vaccinated: cash prizes, book store gift certificates, and a football signed by coach James Franklin.  The Centre County Times offers the details.
  • The Delaware County Council met in person for the first time in 14 months, the Delaware County Daily Times reports.
  • Erie’s city hall has reopened after a year, according to GoErie.
  • The number of flu cases in Pennsylvania fell 97 percent from last year. The AP offers the facts and figures.
  • Eighteen Pennsylvania colleges and universities (so far) are requiring students and staff to have COVID-19 vaccines for the fall semester. Scroll down this link to find the list.
  • Most hospitals, on the other hand, are holding off on imposing such requirements, PennLive reports.

Stakeholder Events

  • Medical Assistance Advisory Committee – Managed Care Delivery Systems Subcommittee Meeting

June 10 at 10:00 a.m.

Join Meeting

Meeting number (access code):  132 168 3592

Meeting password:  Managed

Join by phone:  +1-408-418-9388 United States (Toll)

  • Medical Assistance Advisory Committee’s Consumer Subcommittee Meeting

June 23 at 1:00 p.m.

Register here

  • Medical Assistance Advisory Committee Meeting

June 24 at 10:00 a.m.

Register here

  • 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 2499From 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: Stakeholde

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

 

 

 

 

2021-06-04T20:20:09+00:00June 4th, 2021|Coronavirus, COVID-19, Meetings and notices, Pennsylvania Department of Health and COVID-19, Pennsylvania Medicaid, Pennsylvania Medicaid coronavirus, Pennsylvania Medicaid COVID-19, Uncategorized|Comments Off on PA Health Policy Update for the Week of June 1
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COVID-19 Update: Wednesday, May 26

The following is the latest COVID-19 information from Pennsylvania’s state government as of 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, May 26.

Governor Wolf

  1. Governor Wolf renewed his proclamation of a disaster emergency for the COVID-19 pandemic only two days after the state’s voters approved amendments to the state’s constitution limiting his authority to do so.  See the announcement of the renewed declaration here.  The announcement emphasizes aspects of the state’s response to the COVID-19 emergency that have been made possible only through a declared state of emergency.
  2. Subsequently House Republicans introduced House Resolution 106, which would end certain aspects of the governor’s COVID-19 emergency proclamation.  It would terminate the administration’s ability to engage in no-bid, single-source contracting; reestablish work search requirements for individuals seeking unemployment compensation that had been waived by the Department of Labor and Industry; and end the governor’s authority to impose occupancy limits, business closures, and stay-at-home orders.  H.R. 106 would retain the health care-related provisions of the emergency proclamation and extend the governor’s proclamation to October 1, 2021.
  3. Governor Wolf has issued a statement criticizing the legislature over its response to the approval of the two constitutional amendments.

Department of Health

The Department of Health has reminded health care facilities that the Medical Care Availability and Reduction of Error (MCARE) Act requires facilities to develop and implement an internal infection control plan for the purpose of improving the health and safety of patients and health care workers.  New facilities and existing facilities at the request of a surveyor must submit plans for review to ensure compliance.  The Department of Health offered this facility self-assessment tool to assist facilities and advised that corporate templates should serve as a starting point for policy development but should be tailored to reflect the care practices and services in a particular facility.  Go here to see the full Department of Health message, which was delivered by email to stakeholders.

The Department of Health has updated information on the detection of multisystem inflammatory syndrome in adults (MIS-A) and requirements for providers to report suspected cases to the department.

Department of Health – by the numbers

  • The daily number of new COVID-19 cases continues to decline and was in three digits for three days in a row earlier this week for the first time since September.
  • The number of COVID-19 deaths is showing signs of declining but much more slowly.
  • For the week from May 14 through May 20 the state’s overall COVID-19 test positivity rate was 4.5 percent, down from 5.3 last week and 6.6 percent the week before.
  • Twenty-eight counties had a positivity rate lower than five percent, up from 12 last week, and no counties had a positivity rate greater than 20 percent for the fifth consecutive week.
  • Four counties (Cameron, Forest, Montour, and Sullivan) are currently experiencing low levels of community transmission of COVID-19, as was the case last week; 58 counties are experiencing moderate levels of community transmission, up from 41 last week and 25 two weeks ago; and five counties (Bradford, McKean, Potter, Venango, and Wyoming) are currently experiencing substantial levels of community transmission, down from 22 counties last week and 40 the week before.
  • The numbers of Pennsylvanians hospitalized with COVID-19, in hospital ICUs because of COVID-19, and on ventilators because of the virus continue to fall.
  • 4.6 million Pennsylvanians have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to the state’s COVID-19 dashboard.  Another 670,000 have been vaccinated in Philadelphia as of Monday, May 17.  According to the state, 52.3 percent of Pennsylvanians 18 years of age and older are now fully vaccinated and 57 percent of the entire population has now received at least the first dose of a vaccine.
  • Governor Wolf has stated that Pennsylvania needs to reach 70 percent of adults vaccinated before he will lift the state’s remaining mask mandates.  The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports that “If everyone who currently has just one dose — 1,789,239 — returns for their second shot, then 69.5% will be fully covered.
  • Those people are all scheduled to receive their second shot of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines by at least the last week of June.”
  • as the pandemic advances and more people receive vaccines, the age distribution of Pennsylvanians who contract COVID-19 has changed:
Ages % of January cases % of May cases (to date)
0-4 1.7 3.4
5-12 4.0 8.4
13-18 6.3 11.1
19-24 10.5 11.2
25-49 37.5 38.1
50-64 22.4 18.3
65+ 17.7 9.5

 

Department of Human Services

DHS has updated its Pennsylvania Medicaid managed care organization directory.

DHS has updated various enrollment documents for providers seeking to participate in the state’s Medicaid program.

Around the State

  • Pennsylvania Auditor General Timothy DeFoor has asked the General Assembly to establish safeguards to ensure that COVID-19 relief money that the state receives from the federal government is not misspent.  The Harrisburg Patriot-News explains why.
  • Pennsylvania’s long-term-care facilities are asking the state for $450 million in American Rescue Plan money to help them with the losses they suffered responding to COVID-19, WITF reports.
  • FEMA packed up its syringes, alcohol swabs, and band-aids and closed shop at its two Philadelphia mass vaccine sites (at the city’s convention center and Esperanza) after the close of business on Tuesday, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.  The city intends to operate its own vaccine sites in the same locations.
  • The state Senate is considering legislation that would ban school districts and governments from requiring proof of vaccination status – so-called vaccine passports.  The Associated Press reports.
  • The city of Philadelphia’s Department of Public Health “quietly held its final virtual update dedicated to the impact of COVID-19 on the City of Brotherly Love,” according to WHYY radio.

 

 

2021-05-27T15:12:24+00:00May 27th, 2021|Coronavirus, COVID-19|Comments Off on COVID-19 Update: Wednesday, May 26
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COVID-19 Update: Wednesday, May 19

The following is the latest COVID-19 information from Pennsylvania’s state government as of 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, May 19.

Pennsylvania State MapElection Update

Pennsylvania held its primary elections yesterday (Tuesday, May 18).  Unofficial results show that the state’s voters approved two ballot questions that amend the state’s constitution and significantly curtail the governor’s authority to sustain an emergency disaster declaration:  one that would permit the General Assembly to terminate a disaster declaration by a simple majority vote in both chambers and another that would limit the duration of a disaster declaration to 21 days and require a simple majority vote by the General Assembly to extend it beyond that time.  Both questions were strongly opposed by Governor Wolf, who argued that the involvement of the General Assembly would limit the state’s ability to be flexible and respond in a timely manner to a disaster. The immediate impact of the ballot questions is unclear but a number of regulatory waivers and flexibilities are tied to the current COVID-19 disaster declaration.  The amendments cannot take effect until the election results are certified, which could take until early June.

Yesterday’s elections also included special elections to fill several vacant seats in the legislature, with Republicans apparently retaining two seats in the state House.  Republican Leslie Rossi is leading her Democratic opponent to replace the late Rep. Mike Reese and Republican Abby Majors will most likely succeed her former boss, Rep. Jeff Pyle, who retired due to health concerns earlier this spring.

Department of Health

Pennsylvania has adopted the new CDC standard for when people who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 do and do not need to wear masks and need to seek COVID-19 testing if they believe they have been exposed to someone with the virus.  See the Department of Health’s announcement of this policy.

At the same time, however, the Department of Health reminded Pennsylvanians that while fully vaccinated individuals may choose not to wear a mask, businesses or organizations, such as schools, still have the option of requiring visitors to wear masks.  This is consistent with CDC guidance.

Department of Health – by the numbers

  • The daily number of new COVID-19 cases continues its decline of the past two to three weeks.
  • The number of COVID-19 deaths is showing signs of declining but much more slowly.
  • For the week from May 7 through May 13, the state’s overall COVID-19 test positivity rate was 5.3 percent, down from 6.6 last week and 7.6 percent the week before.
  • Twelve counties had a positivity rate lower than five percent, as was the case last week, and no counties had a positivity rate greater than 20 percent for the fourth consecutive week.
  • Four counties are currently experiencing low levels of community transmission of COVID-19, two more than last week; 41 counties are experiencing moderate levels of community transmission, up from 25 last week and 20 two weeks ago; and 22 counties are currently experiencing substantial levels of community transmission, down from 40 counties last week and 44 the week before.
  • The number of Pennsylvanians hospitalized with COVID-19 has fallen 39 percent since May 1; the number in hospital ICUs has fallen 35 percent since May 1; and the number on ventilators because of COVID-19 has fallen 20 percent since May 1.
  • 4.3 million Pennsylvanians have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to the state’s COVID-19 dashboard.  Another 634,000 have been vaccinated in Philadelphia as of Monday, May 17.

Department of Human Services

DHS has issued a Medical Assistance Bulletin adding two new COVID-19 antigen test codes to the MA program fee schedule effective with dates of service on or after November 2, 2020.  Find the bulletin here.

Department of State

In recent months Pennsylvania authorized health care professionals who do not ordinarily administer vaccines to people under the age of 18 to administer COVID-19 vaccines to individuals 16 years of age and older.  Now, consistent with recent federal approval for individuals 12 and older to receive COVID-19 vaccines, the Department of State has expanded this authorization so that the same health care professionals can now administer COVID-19 vaccines to people as young as 12 years old.  See the Department of State announcement waiving the current vaccination limits.

Around the State

  • About one-quarter of Pennsylvanians do not intend to get a COVID-19 vaccine, according to a Penn State Harrisburg Center for Survey Research poll.  WITF offers details.
  • Nearly a week after the CDC changed its guidance on the use of masks and the state followed suit, Philadelphia has announced that people no longer need to wear masks outdoors but will continue to be required to wear them indoors until at least June 11, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.
  • SEPTA, the Philadelphia-area regional transit organization, is lifting its capacity limits on trains and buses but passengers still must wear masks, the Philadelphia Inquirer reports.
  • The same Inquirer article notes that Hersheypark has lifted its mask mandate but two other popular amusement parks, Sesame Place and Six Flags, have not.
  • Governor Wolf has received his second COVID-19 shot (Moderna).  His office’s news release includes a photo.
  • The state legislature is considering a bill that would permit parents to choose for their children to repeat a grade in school because of the challenge posed by remote learning, Bucks Local News reports.
2021-05-20T06:00:33+00:00May 20th, 2021|Coronavirus, COVID-19|Comments Off on COVID-19 Update: Wednesday, May 19
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COVID-19 Update: Wednesday, May 12

The following is the latest COVID-19 information from Pennsylvania’s state government as of 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, May 12.

The Wolf Administration

The Wolf administration has announced that event and gathering maximum occupancy limits will be raised for indoor and outdoor events and gatherings as of Monday, May 17.  Mask requirements remain in effect, consistent with recent federal CDC guidelines, and the new state limits do not preclude municipalities, school districts, and venue operators from imposing stricter mitigation requirements.  Learn more from this Wolf administration news release.

Department of Health

Pennsylvania has shifted to the federal vaccine locator site, vaccines.gov, as the primary web site to which it is now directing people who are looking for a place to receive a COVID-19 vaccine.  On the site, individuals enter their zip code, the distance they are interested in traveling to receive a vaccine, and, if they wish, they can specify which vaccine they want.  The site’s search function then generates a list of vaccine outlets beginning with those closest to the zip code.  See the Department of Health announcement of this transition and go here to view the federal vaccine locator site.

The Department of Health has issued updated guidance for long-term-care facilities on how to respond to an outbreak of COVID-19 or when residents have been exposed to COVID-19.  The updated guidance includes a new decision-support tool to assist with decision-making in response to outbreaks and also offers clarification about visitation during outbreaks.  Find the updated guidance here.

Department of Health – by the numbers

  • The daily number of new COVID-19 cases has fallen over the past week.
  • The number of COVID-19 deaths generally remains where it has been over the past three weeks.
  • For the week from April 30 through May 6, the state’s overall COVID-19 test positivity rate was 6.6 percent, down from 7.6 last week and 8.6 percent the week before.
  • Twelve counties had a positivity rate lower than five percent and no counties had a positivity rate greater than 20 percent, the third consecutive week for these levels.
  • Two counties are currently experiencing low levels of community transmission of COVID-19, one fewer than the past two weeks; 25 counties are experiencing moderate levels of community transmission, up from 20 last week and 11 two weeks ago; and 40 counties are currently experiencing substantial levels of community transmission, down from 44 counties last week and 53 the week before
  • The number of Pennsylvanians hospitalized with COVID-19 has fallen 22 percent since May 1; the number in hospital ICUs has fallen 18 percent since May 1; and the number on ventilators because of COVID-19 has fallen 13 percent since May 1.
  • On Thursday Pennsylvania will pass the four million mark for the number of people who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to the state’s COVID-19 dashboard.  Another 579,000 have been vaccinated in Philadelphia as of Monday, May 10.  Among those 579,000 are 53,000 non-Philadelphians, according to city figures.

Department of Human Services

DHS has issued an announcement that modifies October 2020 guidance and provides temporary closure guidance to older adult daily living centers, structured day programs, LIFE day centers, adult training facilities, and vocational facilities related to the community spread of COVID-19 or when more than one individual or staff member is diagnosed with COVID-19 and spent 15 minutes or more in the facility within a 24-hour period starting two days prior to symptom/illness onset, or for asymptomatic individuals, two days prior to the test specimen collection date, until the time the person is isolated.  This announcement also describes the process for reopening facilities using the Community Participation Support and Older Adult Facility Reopening Tool and provides guidance for mitigating the spread of COVID-19 in facilities.  For a list of the types of facilities and programs to which this guidance applies and to see the modified guidance itself, see DHS’s announcement.

U.S. Treasury Guidance to State and Local Governments

The Treasury Department posted an interim final rule, not yet published in the Federal Register, on Monday implementing the Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery Fund and the Coronavirus Local Fiscal Recovery Fund established under the American Rescue Plan Act.  The interim final rule addresses uses of the $350 billion from the American Rescue Plan, including for public health expenditures, addressing the negative effects of the public health emergency, replacing lost public-sector revenue, providing premium pay for essential workers, and more.  This guidance will be key to FY 2021-2022 budget deliberations and how the governor and General Assembly ultimately decide to allocate these funds.

Learn more from the following resources:

Around the State

  • Lancaster County providers are adjusting their communication strategies to improve their outreach to religious communities, such as the Amish and Mennonites, that may not use computers and cellphones and therefore may have limited access to information about the importance of COVID-19 vaccines and fewer tools for signing up for vaccines.  WITF tells the story.
  • Pennsylvania leads the country in the steepness of its decline in the number of new people receiving COVID-19 vaccines, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports, elaborating that “In a Kaiser Family Foundation survey that found waning demand nationwide, Pennsylvania led the U.S. in the steepness of the decline; Kaiser set Pennsylvania’s drop-off in demand at 86.5% for the week ending April 29, steeper than any other state.”
  • The city of Philadelphia has announced its plans for relaxing COVID-19-related occupancy limits and other limits.  Some of the eased limits take effect on May 21 and others on June 21 and encompass restaurants, offices, retail stores, catered events, gyms and indoor pools, outdoor pools, indoor and outdoor gatherings, casinos, and more.  Indoor mask requirements will remain in effect.  See the city’s news release for more details.
  • Chester County has enlisted the services of EMS companies to help bring COVID-19 vaccinations to people who cannot get to vaccine providers.  The Daily Local News has the details.
2021-05-13T06:00:43+00:00May 13th, 2021|Coronavirus, COVID-19|Comments Off on COVID-19 Update: Wednesday, May 12
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COVID-19 Update: Tuesday, May 4

The following is the latest COVID-19 information from Pennsylvania’s state government as of 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday, May 4.

Governor Wolf

The Wolf administration announced that mitigation orders except masking will be lifted in Pennsylvania on Memorial Day, Monday, May 31 at 12:01 a.m.  The current order requiring Pennsylvanians to wear masks will be lifted when 70 percent of Pennsylvanians age 18 and older are fully vaccinated.  Face coverings are required to be worn indoors and outdoors for people away from their homes.  Requirements such as testing and reporting ​new cases will remain in place for hospitals and long-term-care facilities.  These updates do not prevent municipalities and school districts from ​continuing and implementing stricter mitigation efforts.  The governor’s Proclamation of Disaster Emergency for the COVID-19 pandemic remains in place.  Learn more from this Wolf administration announcement.

Governor Wolf announced a partnership with Rite Aid Pharmacy to facilitate access to COVID-19 vaccinations for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.  People with an intellectual or developmental disability and their caregivers can call DHS’s Office of Developmental Programs vaccination call center at 1-800-424-4345 to request a COVID-19 vaccine appointment for themselves and/or their caregivers.  The call center will give Rite Aid the names and locations of individuals who need to be vaccinated and Rite Aid will contact callers to schedule vaccinations at a Rite Aid location near the caller.  Learn more about how this process will work and who is eligible for vaccinations using it in this Wolf administration news release.

Department of Health

The Department of Health has established a new walk-in COVID-19 testing center in Luzerne County and is moving its current Centre County facility to a new location.  Find further information about hours and locations in this Department of Health news release.

Department of Health – by the numbers

  • The daily number of new COVID-19 cases, while still very high, is down from where it was a week ago.
  • The number of COVID-19 deaths, which had been declining even amid rising case counts, has risen to a higher level in recent weeks but is still nowhere near what it was last spring.
  • For the week from April 23 through April 29 the state’s overall COVID-19 test positivity rate was 7.6 percent, down from 8.6 last week and 9.6 percent the week before.
  • The number of Pennsylvanians hospitalized with COVID-19 and in hospital ICUs because of COVID-19 has declined over the past two weeks; the number on ventilators is falling but more slowly.
  • Nearly 3.6 million Pennsylvanians have now been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to the state’s COVID-19 dashboard.  Another 525,000 Philadelphians have now been fully vaccinated as well, the city’s Department of Public Health reports.

Around the State

  • Reflecting a challenge arising throughout the country, growing numbers of Lehigh Valley residents are skipping their second COVID-19 shots, the Allentown Morning Call reports.
  • Philadelphia will be easing some of its restaurant and other indoor activity limits beginning on May 7, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.
  • The Inquirer also reports that beginning Wednesday, May 5, all clinics operated by Montgomery County will vaccinate people without appointments.
  • Tuesday is the last day to get a first COVID-19 vaccine at a FEMA-operated vaccination center in Philadelphia.  The centers will spend the next three weeks giving only second vaccines before ending their Philadelphia operations.  6 ABC tells the story.

 

2021-05-05T06:00:54+00:00May 5th, 2021|Coronavirus, COVID-19|Comments Off on COVID-19 Update: Tuesday, May 4
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COVID-19 Update: Friday, April 30

The following is the latest COVID-19 information from Pennsylvania’s state government as of 3:30 p.m. on Friday, April 30.

Department of Health

Department of Health – by the numbers

  • The daily number of new COVID-19 cases, while still very high, fell earlier in the week but today’s count was the highest in more than a week.
  • The number of COVID-19 deaths, which had been declining even amid rising case counts, has risen slightly over the past two weeks.

Department of Human Services

DHS has issued a reminder to providers that it increased the Medicaid fee for administering COVID-19 vaccines to $40 effective March 15.  See DHS’s latest announcement here and its most recently updated fee schedule for administering COVID-19 vaccines here.

DHS has published a Medical Assistance Bulletin informing providers that effective July 1, 2021 it will reinstate the prior authorization requirements that were in place on February 29, 2020 and suspended in Provider Quick Tip #241 in the Medical Assistance fee-for-service delivery system for all services with the exception of shift care services provided to children under the age of 21.  Provider Quick Tip #241 was issued in response to the COVID-19 emergency.

Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council

PHC4 has released COVID-19 hospitalization data for the seven-month period from March 1, 2020 through September 30, 2020.  Learn more from PHC4’s news release and from the various data elements PHC4 has produced.

Around the State

2021-05-03T06:00:09+00:00May 3rd, 2021|Coronavirus, COVID-19|Comments Off on COVID-19 Update: Friday, April 30
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  • P: (717) 234-6970

  • 2020 Safety-Net Association of Pennsylvania

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