The following is an update of selected state health policy developments in Pennsylvania for the week of May 9-13, 2022.  (Some of the language used below is taken directly from state documents.)

Primary Election

Pennsylvania’s 2022 primary election will be held on Tuesday, May 17.  Registered Republicans and Democrats will have an opportunity to select which candidates will represent their parties in the general election for local and statewide races, including governor, lieutenant governor, U.S. senator, U.S. representative, state senator, and state House representative.

General Assembly

The Joint State Government Commission issued a report this week regarding nurse licensure in the commonwealth.  House Resolution 142 directed the Joint State Government Commission to conduct a review of the State Board of Nursing, specifically the “authorization to test” process and how it might be improved.  Among other recommendations, the report highlights the need for additional staff at the state Board of Nursing, improved processing of licensure applications, and revision of the criminal background check process.

Department of Human Services

• The Department of Human Services (DHS) has issued a Medical Assistance Bulletin to inform providers of the addition of CPT codes M0222 and M0223 to the program’s fee schedule for the administration of the monoclonal antibody bebtelovimab for treatment of COVID-19 effective February 11, 2022.  Find that bulletin here.
• DHS has published a Medical Assistance Bulletin to issue its 2022 immunization schedule for Medical Assistance beneficiaries ages 18 years or younger.  Find the bulletin here.
• DHS has published a final notice of its funding allocation for FY 2022 for several classes of inpatient disproportionate share hospital (Medicaid DSH) and supplemental payments to Medical Assistance-enrolled and qualifying inpatient acute-care general hospitals.  The funding allocation is for DSH and supplemental payments for inpatient care, critical access hospitals, burn centers, obstetric and neonatal services, academic medical centers, physician practice plans, autism intervention, and trauma centers.  DHS is not changing the qualifying criteria or payment methodology for these payments and the notice does not list allocations to individual recipients.  Learn more from this Pennsylvania Bulletin notice.
• DHS has issued a flyer explaining how individuals and organizations can obtain doses of Naloxone, the life-saving medication used in the event of a suspected opioid overdose.
• DHS has posted the minutes of the April 28 meeting of its Medical Assistance Advisory Committee.
• The federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has released a “State Health Official Letter” to provide guidance to states on coverage and payment for stand-alone vaccine counseling in Medicaid and CHIP.  In the letter, CMS explains that it is interpreting the Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic and Treatment (EPSDT) benefit to require the provision of stand-alone vaccine counseling to eligible beneficiaries.  This guidance links the mandatory COVID-19 vaccine and vaccine administration coverage and reimbursement under the American Rescue Plan with the health education requirement under Medicaid’s EPSDT benefit.  Learn more from the CMS letter to state health officials.
• CMS has published its reassignment of Medicaid provider claims final rule.  This rule reinterprets the scope of the general requirement that state payments for Medicaid services must generally be made directly to the individual practitioner or institution providing services or to the beneficiary in the case of a class of practitioners for which the Medicaid program is the primary source of revenue.  Specifically, this final rule explicitly authorizes states to make payments to third parties on behalf of individual practitioners for practitioners’ health insurance and welfare benefits, skills training, and other benefits customary for employees if the individual practitioner consents to such payments on their behalf.  This rule is generally viewed as an effort to aid home health care workers.  See the final rule here.

COVID-19:  By the Numbers

• Daily COVID-19 case counts climbed for the seventh consecutive week – this week, significantly.  The state’s seven-day average of new cases rose 65 percent, from 1874 on May 5 to 3101 on May 12.
• The seven-day average of COVID-19-related deaths rose from ten on May 6 to 12 on May 12.
• The growing number of COVID-19 cases in the state has led to a large but not proportional increase in COVID-19-related hospitalizations:  after consecutive weeks of 22 percent increases in hospitalizations, COVID-19-related hospitalizations rose 24 percent in the past week.
• The number of these patients on ventilators remained unchanged over the past week while the number in hospital intensive care units rose 14 percent.
• The significant increase in the number of new COVID-19 cases in Pennsylvania has resulted in significant changes in the status of community transmission of the virus in the state’s 67 counties.  Currently, no counties are experiencing a low rate of community transmission and only four counties (Mifflin, Perry, Snyder, and Somerset) are experiencing a moderate rate; nine counties (Blair, Fayette, Franklin, Fulton, Greene, Huntingdon, Jefferson, Juniata, and Philadelphia) experienced a substantial rate of community transmission; and the remaining 54 counties are currently experiencing a high rate of community transmission of COVID-19.

Stakeholder Events

Department of Health – Health Research Advisory Committee – May 18

The Department of Health’s Health Research Advisory Committee will meet virtually on Wednesday, May 18 to hold a formal vote on upcoming priorities.  For information about how to participate in the meeting see this Pennsylvania Bulletin notice.

Department of Human Services – Learning Network/Nursing Facilities – May 19

DHS’s Learning Network, part of its Quality Strategy for Nursing Facilities, is offering in collaboration with the Community HealthChoices managed care organizations and the Jewish Healthcare Foundation a webinar on the role that vaccinations, including influenza, pneumonia, COVID-19, and others, can play in avoiding hospitalizations from nursing homes.  The webinar will be held on Thursday, May 19 at 2:00.  For further information about the webinar and to register to participate, go here.

DHS, Department of Health, Department of Veterans Affairs – PA Cares Training Summit – May 24

Pennsylvania’s departments of Human Services, Health, and Veterans Affairs, in cooperation with the five branches of the U.S. armed forces, will hold a “PA Cares Training Summit 2022” on Tuesday, May 24 at 8:00 a.m.  The event will focus on considerations that are needed to promote wellness in the lives of service members, veterans, and their families.  The target audience is professionals in the field and includes but is not limited to community mental health and substance abuse agencies, social workers, professional counselors, nurses, psychiatrists, psychologists, clergy/pastoral or spiritual practitioners, and the staff of Pennsylvania veterans centers.  Learn more about the event, its agenda, the presenters, and how to participate from this program announcement.  Participation is limited to the first 300 people who register.

DHS – Medical Assistance Advisory Committee – Consumer Subcommittee – May 25

The consumer subcommittee of DHS’s Medical Assistance Advisory Committee will meet virtually on Wednesday, May 25 at 1:00.  Go here to register to participate.

Department of Health – Statewide HIV Planning Group – May 25 and 26

The Department of Health’s Statewide HIV Planning Group will hold a public meeting in Harrisburg, on Wednesday, May 25 and Thursday, May 26 from 9:00 to 4:30 on both days.  The purpose of these meetings is to conduct an integrated prevention and care HIV planning process in which the Department of Health works in partnership with the community and stakeholders to enhance access to HIV prevention, care and treatment services.  Interested parties also may participate virtually.  For additional information, including the location of the meeting and how to join virtually, see this Pennsylvania Bulletin notice.

DHS – Medical Assistance Advisory Committee – May 26

DHS’s Medical Assistance Advisory Committee will meet virtually on Thursday, May 26 at 10:00.  Go here to register to participate.

DHS – Medical Advisory Committee – Managed Long-Term Services and Supports Subcommittee – June 1

The Medical Assistance Advisory Committee’s managed long-term services and supports subcommittee will be held virtually on Wednesday, June 1 at 10:00.  There will be an opportunity to submit questions and offer comments.  Go here to register to participate or dial in at 415-655-0052, access code 498030891#.

DHS – Office of Long-Term Living – Financial Management Services Stakeholder Meeting – June 3

DHS’s Office of Long-Term Living will hold a financial management services stakeholder meeting on Friday, June 3 at 1:00.  The purpose of this virtual meeting is to discuss upcoming changes for 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 upcoming changes.  Go here to register to participate.