PA Health Policy Update for Friday, August 19

The following is an update of selected state health policy developments in Pennsylvania for the week of August 15-19, 2022.  (Some of the language used below is taken directly from state documents.)

Governor Wolf

Governor Wolf signed Executive Order 2022-2, directing state agencies to discourage conversion therapy in the commonwealth.  It directs agencies update policies and procedures to better support LGBTQIA+ employees and Pennsylvanians.  It also directs the Department of Human Services (DHS), the Insurance Department, the Department of State, and other appropriate agencies to explore and implement all options to ensure that state funds, programs, contracts, and other resources are not used for the purposes of providing, authorizing, endorsing, reimbursing for, or referring for conversion therapy, to the extent permitted by law.

Behavioral Health Commission

The new Behavioral Health Commission established by Act 54 (House Bill 1421) held its inaugural meeting on Thursday, August 18.  The commission is tasked with making recommendations to the General Assembly on how to allocate up to $100 million in behavioral health funding.  The commission is co-chaired by Acting Insurance Commissioner Michael Humphreys and Dr. Dale Adair, Medical Director of the Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS) at DHS.  The next meeting will take place on Thursday, September 1.

Department of Human Services

  • The Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS) issued an updated frequently asked questions (FAQ) document in response to numerous requests for clarification on its telehealth bulletin (OMHSAS-22-02). DHS indicated that the document, which is designed to ensure that providers are aware of current regulatory suspensions and legal expectations, will be updated again as the use of telehealth continues to evolve.
  • DHS has extended its calendar of remittance advice (RA) delivery dates, mailing of checks, and electronic transfers of funds into early October.  Find the updated schedule here.
  • DHS has issued a remittance advice alert notifying providers of a claims recovery that was done to recoup monies paid in error due to its eligibility records indicating recipients being deceased prior to the dates of service being billed.

Department of Health

The Department of Health updated its COVID-19 quarantine guidance for the general population to reflect CDC guidance that quarantine is no longer recommended for exposed individuals.

The Department of Health issued recommendations for providers treating Ukrainian refugees, including information on how those individuals can seek Medicaid coverage.

COVID-19:  By the Numbers

Monkeypox

  • The CDC has posted an updated map showing the distribution of 14,115 confirmed cases of monkeypox in the U.S. as of August 18, a nearly 50 percent increase over the previous week.  371 of those cases were in Pennsylvania.
  • As of August 17, 203 of those Pennsylvania monkeypox cases were in Philadelphia. Learn more about monkeypox in Philadelphia from the city Department of Public Health’s digital monkeypox dashboard.
  • Penn State University announced this week that the Department of Health confirmed a student at Penn State’s University Park campus tested positive for Monkeypox.

Stakeholder Events

Department of Human Services & Pennsylvania Long-Term Care Learning Network – Special Population Webinar – August 25

On behalf of the Pennsylvania Long-Term Care Learning Network, the Jewish Healthcare Foundation will host its next webinar in the series focused on special populations in nursing facilities.  This webinar, “Acute Change in Condition Due to Aspiration Events,” will focus on a collaborative approach to managing these conditions.  For more information and a link for registration, click here.