Pennsylvania Medical Assistance Bulletin Archives - Page 5 of 6

PA Health Policy Update for Friday, September 30

The following is an update of selected state health policy developments in Pennsylvania for the week of September 26-30, 2022. (Some of the language used below is taken directly from state documents.)

Department of Human Services

The Department of Human Services (DHS) has issued a Medical Assistance Bulletin to inform providers that it has added CPT codes for administering COVID-19 pediatric boosters. The new codes can be used immediately. Find that bulletin here.
DHS has issued a Medical Assistance Bulletin to advise providers of the addition of procedure codes to the Medical Assistance fee schedule for the provision of private duty nursing services, which are provided through home health agencies to beneficiaries under 21 years of age. The additions take effect on October 1. Find that bulletin here.
DHS’s Office of Long-Term Living has launched its American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 funding reporting portal. The online portal will be available beginning on September 30, 2022 for Office of Long-Term Living providers to submit costs associated with American Rescue Plan funding distributed in 2021, as required by the state. Learn more from this announcement of the portal’s launch and from DHS’s guide on to how to use the portal.
DHS has updated its data on physical health HealthChoices enrollment and participation in the Medical Assistance Transportation Program. Find the update here.

Department of Health

The Department of Health (DOH) has issued new guidance for health care providers and their employees who have been exposed to or contracted COVID-19. The first addresses the return to work for health care workers with confirmed or suspected cases of COVID-19 and the second describes work restrictions for health care workers who have been exposed to COVID-19. Both are introduced to align state standards with recently revised guidance from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
DOH has updated its definition of how it defines whether individuals are up to date on their COVID-19 vaccinations. Go here to see the updated definition and learn about the department’s rationale for this change.
DOH has issued a health alert to notify providers, laboratories, infection control specialists, and local health departments about an unvaccinated adult with poliovirus infection and acute flaccid paralysis. Wastewater testing in treatment facilities in Rockland County, New York, which is adjacent to Pennsylvania, and surrounding counties also identified related poliovirus, indicating that the virus is circulating in the community and others may become ill. DOH urges providers to consider polio as a possible cause of sudden onset of limb, facial, oropharyngeal, or respiratory muscle weakness; to contact their local or state health department to discuss such cases; and to encourage any unvaccinated patients to receive polio vaccines. Learn more from this health alert.

COVID-19: By the Numbers

The weekly average of newly reported COVID-19 cases in Pennsylvania and COVID-related deaths continues to hold relatively steady: roughly 2500 new daily cases and 20 new deaths with weekly variances of 10-20 percent.
The number of people hospitalized with COVID-19 and in hospital ICUs and on ventilators because of the virus also remains relatively unchanged.
According to the CDC, the seven-day moving average of new hospital admissions for COVID-19 in Pennsylvania was 191 admissions a day over the past week, a slight reduction from the previous week.
Sixty-six of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties continue to have a high rate of community transmission of COVID-19. Snyder County is currently experiencing “only” a substantial rate.

Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs

The Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs has issued Licensing Alert 02-22 to inform drug treatment programs about the process for establishing mobile narcotic treatment programs. Find the alert here.

Insurance Department

The state Insurance Department has released Pennsylvania’s 2023 individual and small group Affordable Care Act health insurance rates. The release also shares changes in the number of insurers offering coverage to Pennsylvanians and offers information about federal rate subsidies. Learn about the newly released information and find a link to the rates and insurers themselves in this Insurance Department news release.

Monkeypox

The CDC has posted an updated map showing the distribution of 25,613 confirmed cases of monkeypox in the U.S. as of September 29, up only slightly from 23,364 cases on September 21. 713 of those cases were in Pennsylvania, up from 684 a week ago.
As of September 25, 475 of those Pennsylvania monkeypox cases were in Philadelphia, up from 446 on September 18. Learn more about monkeypox in Philadelphia from the city Department of Public Health’s monkeypox web page.

Stakeholder Events

Department of Health – Health Research Advisory Committee Meeting – October 3

The Department of Health’s Health Research Advisory Committee will meet virtually on Monday, October 3 at 10:00 to hold a formal vote on upcoming priorities. Learn more about the meeting and how to participate from this Pennsylvania Bulletin notice.

DHS – Medical Assistance Advisory Committee – Managed Long-Term Services and Supports Subcommittee Meeting – October 4

The Medical Assistance Advisory Committee’s managed long-term services and supports subcommittee will meet in Harrisburg on Tuesday, October 4 at 10:00; interested parties also may participate virtually. For information about the location of the meeting or to register to participate virtually, see this DHS notice.

Department of Human Services Preventing Workplace Injuries – October 6

DHS’s Long-Term Care 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 “Protecting and Preserving our Workforce by Preventing Common Injuries” among health care workers on Thursday, October 6 at 2:00. Learn more about the webinar and how to register to participate from this notice.

DHS – Long-Term Care Workforce Motivation – October 13

DHS’s Long-Term Care 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 how to express appreciation for long-term-care workers. The webinar will be held on Thursday, October 13 at 2:00. Learn more, including how to participate, from this notice.

DHS – Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services and Office of Developmental Programs – Suicide Prevention – October 21

The Department of Human Services’ Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS) and the Office of Developmental Programs will host a quarterly “Statewide Positive Approaches & Practices” meeting that will share the most recent research and resources to help people with mental health and behavioral challenges, intellectual disabilities, autism, and other developmental disabilities live everyday lives. The specific subject of the meeting, to be held on Friday, October 21 at 9:00, will be suicide prevention and intervention. Find the meeting agenda and information about how to register to participate from this DHS notice.

Department of Health – Pennsylvania Achieving Better Care by Monitoring All Prescriptions Board – October 25

The Department of Health’s Pennsylvania Achieving Better Care by Monitoring All Prescriptions Board will hold its next meeting on Tuesday, October 25 at 9:30. The meeting location will depend on COVID-19 mitigation efforts at that time. If the meeting can be held in person it will be in Room 129 in the Pennsylvania Health and Welfare Building at 625 Forster Street in Harrisburg. If the meeting is held virtually it will be held at bit.ly/ABC_MAP. To dial in, call 267-332-8737, conference ID 440 338 696#. Learn more from this Pennsylvania Bulletin notice.

Department of Health – Special Pharmaceutical Benefits Program – Advisory Council – October 27

The Department of Health’s Special Pharmaceutical Benefits Program Advisory Council will meet in Harrisburg on Thursday, October 27 at 10:00. Interested individuals may attend in person or participate virtually. For information on the location of the meeting and how to join the meeting virtually, see this Department of Health notice.

jsteinbock2022-09-30T21:16:03+00:00September 30th, 2022|COVID-19, HealthChoices, long-term care, Medical Assistance Bulletin, Meetings and notices|Comments Off

PA Health Policy Update for Friday, September 16

The following is an update of selected state health policy developments in Pennsylvania for the week of September 12-16, 2022. (Some of the language used below is taken directly from state documents.)

General Assembly

The state House convened for voting session this week. The following is an overview of selected health-related legislative activity.

The House unanimously passed House Bill 1630, which grants the Pennsylvania Auditor General the authority to audit managed care contracts and subcontracts with pharmacy benefit managers in Medicaid. The bill was received in the Senate and referred to the Health & Human Services Committee.
The House unanimously passed 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 bill will now be sent to the Senate.
The House Insurance Committee favorably reported Senate Bill 1201, which ensures coverage for early refills of prescription eye drops at 70 percent of the original prescription price, and House Bill 2499, which adopts the National Association of Insurance Commissioners’ model law requiring insurers, with exceptions for small insurers, to conduct an annual risk assessment.
The House Professional Licensure Committee favorably reported House Bill 2800, which amends the Medical Practice Act to address an issue related to the licensure of prosthetists, orthotists, pedorthists, and orthotic fitters in Pennsylvania.
The House Republican Policy Committee held an informational meeting on Monday to examine the Supreme Court’s recent decision to eliminate the existing requirement that a medical professional liability action may only be filed in the county in which the cause of action occurred. A recording of the meeting and testimony submitted to the committee may be viewed here.
The House Human Services Committee favorably reported House Bill 2686, as amended, which establishes a grant program to support the start-up costs of a behavioral health collaborative care model in medical practices.
The House Children & Youth Committee held an informational meeting this week to examine “Child & Adolescent Fatality Trends & Community Responses.” A video recording of the hearing may be viewed here.

The state House and Senate will be in session next Monday (9/19), Tuesday (9/20), and Wednesday (9/21). The following is an overview of selected health-related committee meetings next week.

The House Insurance Committee will convene on Tuesday, September 20 at 10:00 a.m. to consider Senate Bill 225, which seeks to streamline and standardize the process for prior authorization of medical services.
The Senate Health & Human Services Committee will hold an informational hearing on Tuesday, September 20 at 11:00 a.m. on the tick crisis in Pennsylvania.
The House and Senate Democratic Policy Committees will hold a joint hearing on Friday, September 23 to discuss Senate Bill 860 and House Bill 1848 and the need for Pennsylvania to establish a statewide rape-kit tracking system.

Department of Human Services

The Department of Human Services (DHS) has issued a Medical Assistance Bulletin notifying providers of updates to the Medical Assistance program fee schedule for adult vaccines. Find the bulletin here.
DHS has extended its calendar for remittance advice (RA) electronic transfer and mailing dates into November. Find the updated calendar here.
DHS has published information about improvements in how providers can update their enrollment summary in the state’s PROMISe provider internet portal. Find the notice here.
DHS has revised its list of drug companies participating in the state’s Medicaid drug rebate program. Find the updated list here.
In July, DHS proposed new regulations governing the delivery of psychiatric rehabilitation services, and in particular, on the use of telehealth in the delivery of those services. Now, Pennsylvania’s Independent Regulatory Review Commission has published its analysis of the proposed regulation and shared comments submitted by stakeholders in response to the proposed changes. Find the commission’s analysis and stakeholder comments in this Pennsylvania Bulletin notice.
DHS has issued a Medical Assistance Bulletin to announce that it has issued an updated School-Based ACCESS Program provider handbook. Find that bulletin and the updated handbook here.
DHS has posted a notice announcing to stakeholders that it has not yet calculated Medicaid hospice rates for FY 2023 and explaining its process for completing those calculations and notifying affected parties. Find that notice here.

Behavioral Health Commission for Adult Mental Health

The Behavioral Health Commission for Adult Mental Health created to develop recommendations for how to allocate $100 million appropriated for adult mental health purposes in the state’s FY 2023 budget held its fourth public meeting this week. The first part of the meeting focused on workforce development issues, with participants identifying the biggest challenges in workforce development as recruitment, retention, licensing, lack of funding for loan repayment and salary increases, lack of career pathways and pipelines, and burnout.

After additional discussion, commission members decided they should organize their spending recommendations into four categories: workforce ($37 million of the $100 million available), expanding services ($36.7 million), criminal justice ($23.3 million), and other ($3 million); they also discussed priorities within each category. The commission’s final report and recommendations should be presented to the legislature next week but no money will be spent until the General Assembly, which will only meet a few more days this year, specifically authorizes it. Learn more about the Behavioral Health Commission for Adult Mental Health from its section of the DHS web site.

Department of Health

The Department of Health has notified licensed providers that although the CDC now considers individuals up to date with their COVID-19 vaccinations only if they have had a dose of the new bivalent booster shot, providers should continue to consider individuals up to date if they have received either a monovalent or bivalent booster shot on the recommended schedule. Learn more from the Department of Health’s letter to providers.

COVID-19: By the Numbers

The weekly average of newly reported COVID-19 cases in Pennsylvania and COVID-related deaths continues to hold relatively steady.
The number of people hospitalized with COVID-19 and in hospital ICUs and on ventilators because of the virus also remains relatively unchanged.
According to the CDC, 74.5 percent of Pennsylvanians five years of age and older are now vaccinated.
Sixty-five of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties continue to have a high rate of community transmission of COVID-19. Delaware and Philadelphia counties are currently experiencing “only” substantial rates.

Monkeypox

The CDC has posted an updated map showing the distribution of 23,117 confirmed cases of monkeypox in the U.S. as of September 15, up from 21,504 cases on September 1. 684 of those cases were in Pennsylvania, up from 624 a week ago.

Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs

The Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs is offering online training on substance use disorder confidentiality. This updated training incorporates changes based on passage of Pennsylvania Act 33, the Pennsylvania Drug and Alcohol Abuse Control Act, in July. Learn how to receive the training from this Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs notice. Participants can earn PCB continuing education credits.

Stakeholder Events

DHS – Medical Assistance Advisory Committee Consumer Subcommittee – September 21

The consumer subcommittee of DHS’s Medical Assistance Advisory Committee will meet virtually on Wednesday, September 21 at 1:00. Go here to register to participate.

DHS – Medical Assistance Advisory Committee – September 22

DHS’s Medical Assistance Advisory Committee will meet virtually on Thursday, September 22 at 10:00. Go here to register to participate.

Department of Health – Infant Hearing Screening Advisory Committee – September 22

The Department of Health’s Infant Hearing Screening Advisory Committee will hold a virtual public meeting on Thursday, September 22 at 1:00. For information about how to participate, see this Pennsylvania Bulletin notice.

Pennsylvania Rare Disease Advisory Council Stakeholder Summit – September 22

The Rare Disease Advisory Council will hold a stakeholder summit on Thursday, September 22. The summit will feature panels on gene therapy, newborn screening, and the results of the council’s Patient Needs Assessment Survey. Learn more about the stakeholder summit here.

Department of Human Services – Special Populations/Dementia Issues September 22

DHS’s Long-Term Care 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 how facilities can help community members understand what dementia is, how it affects people, and how individuals can make a difference in the lives of those touched by dementia. The webinar, to be held on Thursday, September 22 at 2:00, is especially recommended for community liaisons, non-clinical teams, nurse educators, service coordinators, and volunteers. Learn more from this webinar notice.

DHS – Medical Assistance Advisory Committee – Managed Long-Term Services and Supports Subcommittee Meeting – October 4

DHS – Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services and Office of Developmental Programs – Suicide Prevention – October 21

Department of Health – Pennsylvania Achieving Better Care by Monitoring All Prescriptions Board – October 25

jsteinbock2022-09-16T21:36:30+00:00September 16th, 2022|COVID-19, Medical Assistance Bulletin, Meetings and notices, Pennsylvania Bulletin, Pennsylvania Department of Health and COVID-19, Pennsylvania Medicaid, Pennsylvania Medicaid COVID-19, Pennsylvania Medicaid laws and regulations, Pennsylvania Medicaid policy|Comments Off

PA Health Policy Update for Friday, July 15

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

Final FY 2023 Budget

Governor Wolf signed the Fiscal Code (House Bill 1421) into law on Monday, July 11. With the Fiscal Code’s signing, all the relevant budget-related bills for FY 2023 are enacted, including the budget bill (Senate Bill 1100) and the Tax Code (House Bill 1342).

Governor Wolf

Governor Wolf has signed several bills addressing health care issues.

House Bill 1421 increases Medicaid rates for skilled nursing facilities to help them meet upcoming Department of Health regulation updates that in part will increase staffing requirements. The rate increase of nearly 20 percent increases Medicaid funding for skilled nursing care by almost $300 million a year.
House Bill 2097 amends Title 35 (Health and Safety), in emergency medical services system, further providing for basic life support ambulances.
House Bill 2419 amends the Outpatient Psychiatric Oversight Act by adding a definition of “telebehavioral health technology” and provisions regarding the use of the technology.
House Bill 2604 amends the employee photo identification provisions of the Health Care Facilities Act.
House Bill 2679 amends the Pharmacy Act to preserve three regulatory suspensions authorized under the COVID-19 disaster emergency declaration, including the ability of pharmacists to provide influenza and COVID-19 vaccines to children ages five and older.
Senate Bill 818 amends the Health Care Facilities Act for the purpose of allowing ambulatory surgical facilities to seek an exception or waiver from the Department of Health for certain surgical procedures and permits cardiac catheterization to be performed in ambulatory surgical facilities.
Senate Bill 1235 amends the Insurance Company Law, further providing for contracts and coverage packages in comprehensive health care for uninsured children.
House Bill 2032 amends the Sexual Assault Testing and Evidence Collection Act, providing that the failure to report injuries by firearm or criminal act does not constitute an offense if the submission of sexual assault evidence is an anonymous submission.

General Assembly

The state House and Senate are currently in recess. The House is scheduled to return to session on Monday, September 12 and the Senate is scheduled to return on Monday, September 19.

Department of Human Services

The Department of Human Services (DHS) has published a series of Medical Assistance Bulletins to issue updated handbook pages that include the requirements for prior authorization and the type of information needed to evaluate the medical necessity of certain prescriptions. These bulletins apply to all licensed pharmacies and prescribers enrolled in the Medical Assistance program. The types of prescriptions covered by these bulletins are:

DHS’s Office of Medical Assistance Programs, Office of Developmental Programs, Office of Child Development and Early Learning, Office of Children, Youth and Families, and Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services have issued a joint bulletin providing guidance to county and private children and youth social service agencies, county mental health/behavioral programs, early intervention programs, and managed care organizations on the process for referring children to county intellectual disability and autism programs when a child has a diagnosis of an intellectual disability, developmental disability, and/or autism. Find that joint bulletin here and see attachments on diagnostic and eligibility information for services through county intellectual disability and autism programs, an overview of the programs offered by the offices issuing the joint bulletin, and the importance of registering with county intellectual disability/autism programs.
The federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has informed states and stakeholders that as a result of the 2022 Additional Ukraine Supplemental Appropriations Act and the Uniting for Ukraine program, many displaced Ukrainian nationals arriving in the U.S. are eligible for health insurance through Medicaid, CHIP, the health insurance marketplace, or the Refugee Medical Assistance program. Learn more from this CMS fact sheet.

COVID-19: By the Numbers

The daily average of newly reported COVID-19 cases rose 17 percent over the past week, to 2850 new cases a day.
COVID-19-related deaths in the past week remained comparable to their level of recent weeks.
The number of Pennsylvanians hospitalized with COVID-19 and on ventilators because of the virus remained generally steady over the past week but the number in hospital ICUs rose 30 percent.
Fifty-two of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties are currently experiencing high rates of community transmission of COVID-19, down from 62 counties last week. Four counties experienced a moderate rate of community transmission and 11 a substantial rate.

Monkeypox

The Department of Health has issued a health alert advising providers about the current state of availability of testing for monkeypox and when providers should consider pursuing such testing for their patients. Find that alert here.

The CDC has posted an updated map showing the distribution of 1053 confirmed cases of monkeypox in the U.S. as of July 13, 32 of them in Pennsylvania and more than half of those cases in Philadelphia.

Stakeholder Events

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

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

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

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

Department of Health – Special Pharmaceutical Benefits Program Advisory Council – July 28

The Department of Health’s Special Pharmaceutical Benefits Program (SPBP) Advisory Council will hold a public teleconference meeting on Thursday, July 28, 2022, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. The SPBP Advisory Council will provide program guidance and recommendations to the Department’s SPBP in regard to the following: drug formulary; covered lab services; drug utilization review; clinical programs; eligibility; and program management. Learn more about the meeting and how to register to participate in this notice.

jsteinbock2022-07-18T17:02:52+00:00July 18th, 2022|COVID-19, Medical Assistance Bulletin, Pennsylvania Medicaid, Pennsylvania Medicaid policy, Pennsylvania proposed FY 2023 budget|Comments Off

PA Health Policy Update for Friday, July 8

The following is an update of selected state health policy developments in Pennsylvania for the week of July 5-8, 2022. (Some of the language used below is taken directly from state documents.)

FY 2023 Budget Update

Governor Wolf and the General Assembly reached a final budget agreement for FY 2022-2023 this week. In total the budget spends $45.3 billion, which is $1.3 billion more than the prior fiscal year’s budget. The budget makes significant investments in education, housing, child tax credits, health care, and property tax and rent rebate programs. It also allocates $2.1 billion to the state’s rainy day fund. The following is an overview of budget-related bills and their status as of 2:00 p.m. on Friday, July 8.

Senate Bill 1100 is the General Appropriations bill. The House passed the bill by a vote of 180-20 and the Senate subsequently concurred with House amendments by a vote of 47-3. The bill has been presented to the governor for his signature.
The Fiscal Code bill is House Bill 1421, which is scheduled to be considered off the floor by the Senate Rules & Executive Nominations Committee Friday afternoon.
The Human Services Code bill is House Bill 1420. It passed the House and Senate on Thursday but Governor Wolf vetoed the bill early Friday. The Senate is expected to amend Human Services Code language, with the exception of the “Agency with Choice” delay, into the Fiscal Code later today and send it to the House for concurrence.
House Bill 1342 is the Tax Code bill. The Senate and House both passed this yesterday. It was presented to the governor and is currently awaiting his signature.

Governor Wolf

Governor Wolf signed House Bill 1561 and House Bill 1563 into law this week. These bills, which are now Act 32 and 33 of 2022, 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 share more easily patient mental health and substance use disorder treatment information. Both pieces of legislation were presented to Governor Wolf for his signature.
Governor Wolf signed Senate Bill 861, which enters Pennsylvania into the EMS compact, on third and final consideration. The bill has been presented to Governor Wolf for his signature.

General Assembly

The state House and Senate remain in session while they work to finalize the FY 2023 budget and pass legislation before they recess and are not scheduled to return to Harrisburg until mid-September. The following is an overview of action taken by the General Assembly as of Friday, July 8 at 2:00 p.m.

The Senate voted to concur with House amendments to Senate Bill 818, which aligns the procedures permitted in ambulatory surgery centers with those permitted by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), and sent it to Governor Wolf for his signature.
The Senate passed House Bill 2679 on third and final consideration. The bill, which is now on the governor’s desk, authorizes pharmacists and pharmacy interns to administer influenza and COVID-19 vaccines to individuals five and older.
The Senate passed House Bill 2604, which amends the requirement for health care facility ID badges to permit the use of health system names rather than specific licensed facility names. The bill is now on the governor’s desk.
The Senate passed House Bill 2032, which states that a health care professional’s failure to report a victim’s injuries to law enforcement as required by the Crimes Code does not constitute a criminal offense when a sexual assault victim wishes to remain anonymous. The bill is now on the governor’s desk for his signature.
The Senate passed Senate Bill 106 and sent it to the House for concurrence. Senate Bill 106 includes a number of constitutional amendments, including one establishing that the state constitution does not grant the right to taxpayer-funded abortion or any other rights relating to abortion.
The Senate passed House Bill 2419, which expands access to outpatient psychiatric care via telemedicine, and sent it to Governor Wolf for his signature.
The House passed Senate Bill 1235, which prohibits the Department of Human Services from developing or using bidding or service zones that limit a health service corporation or hospital plan corporation contractor from submitting bids. The bill is now on the governor’s desk.

Department of Human Services

The Department of Human Services (DHS) has proposed amending the state’s Human Services Code to enable individuals who are 14 years of age or older but under 18 years of age who meet the admission requirements to gain access to psychiatric rehabilitation services; to amend the diagnoses that enable an individual to obtain those services without use of the exception process; and to revise outdated language and add definitions of ”serious mental illness” and ”serious emotional disturbance” that align with definitions currently used by the Federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Learn more about what DHS has proposed and why it has proposed it in this Pennsylvania Bulletin notice.
DHS has published a Medical Assistance Bulletin announcing the addition of procedure code A4928 to the Medical Assistance fee schedule for disposable surgical masks dispensed to Medical Assistance beneficiaries effective with dates of service on and after July 1, 2022. This bulletin applies to Medical Assistance-enrolled certified registered nurse practitioners, physician assistants, physicians, podiatrists, and medical suppliers that prescribe or dispense disposable surgical masks to Medical Assistance beneficiaries in the fee-for-service and managed care delivery systems. Find the bulletin here.
DHS has published a series of Medical Assistance Bulletins to issue updated handbook pages that include the requirements for prior authorization and the type of information needed to evaluate the medical necessity of certain prescriptions. These bulletins apply to all licensed pharmacies and prescribers enrolled in the Medical Assistance program. The types of prescriptions covered by these bulletins are:
DHS has posted the minutes of the June 23 meeting of its Medical Assistance Advisory Committee meeting. Find those minutes here.
DHS also has posted the minutes of the June 22 meeting of the Medical Assistance Advisory Committee’s consumer subcommittee. Find those minutes here.

Department of Health

The Department of Health (DOH) has updated its guidance to hospitals in response to Act 30 of 2022, recently passed by the state legislature, which extends COVID-19-related waivers through October 31, 2022. Among other things, this guidance addresses mandatory data reporting, suspension of services, alternative uses of hospital space, hospital-based laboratory analysis of COVID-19 tests, mandatory patient COVID-19 testing, and more. For a complete review of the implications of Act 30 for hospitals, see this updated DOH guidance.
DOH has announced that its COVID-19 community-based testing sites will now offer three forms of free testing: point-of-care tests where tests are performed and results are analyzed on-site; the distribution of at-home COVID-19 antigen tests; and continued administration of mid-nasal passage swab PCR testing. The department currently operates testing locations in Berks, Blair, Centre, Clarion, Clinton, Erie, and Washington counties. Learn more from this DOH announcement.
“COVID Alert PA,” DOH’s COVID-19 app that advises users of potential exposure to individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 and provides updated data on the state of the pandemic in Pennsylvania, has a new message informing users that “The current app will be discontinued on July 27, 2022.”

COVID-19: By the Numbers

The daily average of newly reported COVID-19 cases fell 10 percent over the past week, to 2440 cases a day.
COVID-19-related deaths in the past week were the same as they were the week before.
The number of Pennsylvanians hospitalized with COVID-19 remained generally steady over the past week, as did the number of COVID-19 patients in hospital intensive care units and on ventilators.
Sixty-two of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties are currently experiencing high rates of community transmission of COVID-19, up from 35 counties last week. The remaining five counties (Clarion, Forest, Potter, Sullivan, and Tioga) experienced a substantial rate of community transmission.

State Board of Pharmacy

The State Board of Pharmacy has published a final rule in the Pennsylvania Bulletin related to the administration of injectable medications, biologicals, and immunizations. The rule allows pharmacists to administer influenza immunizations by injectable or needle-free delivery methods to children nine years of age and older. Additionally, qualified and authorized pharmacy interns are permitted to administer injectable medications, biologicals, and immunizations to persons 18 years of age or older and administer influenza immunizations by injectable or needle-free delivery methods to children ages nine years and older under certain conditions. Find the bulletin here.

Stakeholder Events

Department of Health – COVID-19 Therapeutics – July 12

The Department of Health, Department of Human Services, and Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency will hold a webinar on COVID-19 therapeutics on Tuesday, July 12 at 4:00. The webinar is intended for providers and facility administrators and will cover why, when, and
how to prescribe and obtain outpatient COVID-19 treatment and preventive therapies. Learn more about the webinar and how to register to participate in this notice.

Department of Health – Newborn Screening and Follow-Up Technical Advisory Board – July 14

The Department of Health’s Newborn Screening and Follow-Up Technical Advisory Board will meet virtually on Thursday, July 14 from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. The agenda will include discussions about board member terms; updates from the Bureau of Family Health; payment options for additional conditions; research on dried blood spot specimens; a discussion on metachromatic leukodystrophy; and updates from the ethics, lysosomal storage disorders/X-ALD, cystic fibrosis, hemoglobinopathy, and critical congenital heart defects subcommittees. For information about how to join the meeting, see this Pennsylvania Bulletin notice.

Department of Human Services – Long-Term Care Learning Network/Nursing Facilities – July 14

DHS’s Long-Term Care 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 special populations webinar on “Filling the Day With Meaning: Thinking Outside the Box.” The webinar, to be held on Thursday, July 14 at 2:00, will seek to share with participants the benefits of meaningful engagement for residents living with dementia and is especially directed toward special population workers involved in recreational therapy, restorative team members, CNAs, and volunteers. Learn about registration and how to join the webinar from this notice.

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

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

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

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

jsteinbock2022-07-08T20:28:06+00:00July 8th, 2022|COVID-19, Medical Assistance Bulletin, Pennsylvania Bulletin, Pennsylvania Department of Health and COVID-19, Pennsylvania Medicaid, Pennsylvania Medicaid policy, Pennsylvania proposed FY 2023 budget|Comments Off

PA Health Policy Update for the Week of May 9-13

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.

jsteinbock2022-05-13T20:36:26+00:00May 13th, 2022|COVID-19, DSH hospitals, Federal Medicaid issues, Medicaid supplemental payments, Medical Assistance Bulletin, Meetings and notices, Pennsylvania Bulletin, Pennsylvania Medicaid, Pennsylvania Medicaid policy, Uncategorized|Comments Off

PA Health Policy Update for the Week of January 3-7

The following is an update of selected state health policy developments in Pennsylvania for the week of January 3-7, 2022. (Some of the language used below is taken directly from state documents.)

Governor Wolf

Governor Wolf announced that the state is organizing regional support sites for both hospitals and long-term-care facilities and strike teams to support hospitals facing staffing shortages. The effort, to be coordinated by the Department of Health and the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency, will include the following major components:

Critical capacity support through the launch of regional support sites for Pennsylvania hospitals suffering from a lack of beds or staffing to meet inpatient needs. Hospitals struggling to meet inpatient demands will have the opportunity to transfer patients to hospitals within these regional sites for care. Each regional site will have increased capacity for approximately 60 days beginning in February, supported by medical support staff including physicians, respiratory therapists, and registered nurses.
Staffing support that will be sent directly to hospitals from the Department of Health based on identified need. Staffing resources may include physicians, respiratory therapists, and registered nurses for short-term deployments over the next three months.
Expanded long-term-care capacity through the launch of regional sites to allow for more rapid discharge of patients by hospitals. Each site will increase the state’s capacity to support long-term-care residents with additional medical staff, including registered nurses and aides.

Go here to see the announcement from the governor’s office.

General Assembly

The House of Representatives will hold voting session during the week of January 10 on Monday (1/10), Tuesday (1/11), and Wednesday (1/12).
House Bill 1280, which amends the Patient Test Result Information Act, is scheduled for second consideration on Monday and third consideration on Tuesday. This bill would eliminate the definition of “significant abnormality” and revise the written notice requirement for health care providers in an effort to provide clarity and eliminate conflicting interpretations of the act.
The House Health Committee is scheduled to convene on Tuesday, January 11 at 9:30 a.m. to consider, among other bills, House Bill 1630, which would grant the Pennsylvania Auditor General the authority to audit managed care contracts and subcontracts with pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) in Medicaid. The committee also will consider Senate Bill 780, which would create public awareness of cytomegalovirus (CMV) and provide for CMV screening for certain newborns.

State Revenue Collection

The Revenue Department announced that Pennsylvania collected $3.8 billion in General Fund revenue in the month of December – $464.3 million, or 13.7 percent, more than projected. Year-to-date General Fund revenue collections total $22.6 billion, which is $1.5 billion, or 7.0 percent, above estimate.

Department of Human Services

The Department of Human Services has issued a Medical Assistance Bulletin explaining that Medicaid will pay pharmacies for the administration of vaccines to Medicaid beneficiaries by licensed pharmacists effective November 1, 2021. The bulletin also provides instructions for pharmacies to submit claims for the administration of vaccines by pharmacists to Medicaid fee-for-service beneficiaries. Find the bulletin here.

Department of Health

The Department of Health (DOH) has issued revised guidance, applicable to the general population in a community setting, about who needs isolation or quarantine because of a diagnosis of COVID-19 or contact with someone who has been diagnosed with or is suspected of having COVID-19 and how long that isolation or quarantine must last. Find that guidance here.
DOH has updated its recommended work restrictions for health care workers based on vaccination status and type of exposure.
DOH has recirculated a series of long-term care-specific vaccine materials that long-term-care facilities can use in their efforts to comply with federal requirements for staff vaccination. Find the vaccine outreach toolkit here and an accompanying fact sheet here.
DOH has updated its long-term-care facilities COVID-19 visitation guidance FAQ. Find it here. (Note: this link opens to a downloadable file.)
DOH has issued an alert about an outbreak of hepatitis A in southeastern Pennsylvania. The alert includes instructions for providers about diagnosing the condition, preserving laboratory samples, and reporting diagnosed cases to the state.
DOH has introduced changes in Lyme disease surveillance requirements and testing practices and has shared these changes with providers in this health alert.

COVID-19: By the Numbers

Daily COVID-19 case counts are higher than they have been at any time since the pandemic began. The state’s total of 29,026 new cases on Thursday, January 6 was the highest single-day total since the pandemic began, breaking a new record set the previous day.
The number of new COVID-19-related deaths remains high.
To date, Pennsylvania has had 1.8 million confirmed cases of COVID-19, nearly 400,000 cases that have been classified as “probably” COVID-19, and 37,500 deaths attributed to the disease.
All 67 Pennsylvania counties continue to experience a high rate of COVID-19 transmission.
From December 1 through December 31, the number of Pennsylvanians hospitalized because of COVID-19 rose 33 percent; the number in hospital ICUs because of COVID-19 rose 12 percent; and the number on ventilators because of the virus rose 23 percent.
This situation is reflected in the high rate of occupancy in the state’s hospitals. There currently are only 477 unoccupied adult ICU beds – 13.4 percent of the total of such beds in the state; 2026 unoccupied medical/surgical beds – 10 percent of such beds; 41 unoccupied pediatric ICU beds (11 percent); 239 unoccupied pediatric beds (21.9 percent); and 912 unoccupied airborne isolation beds (28.4).
On January 4 the Department of Health elaborated on some of these figures, reporting that approximately 28 percent of all staffed adult ICU beds are occupied by COVID-19 patients and that 32 percent of all ventilators state-wide are in use.
Media reports confirm the challenges some communities and hospitals are facing, including limited numbers of hospital beds, staffing challenges, and difficulty getting enough COVID-19 testing materials. For examples, see these reports about conditions in the Philadelphia area (here, here, and here), the Pittsburgh area (here and here), and central Pennsylvania.
According to the CDC, as of Thursday, December 30, 74.1 percent of Pennsylvanians age 18 and older are fully vaccinated.

Stakeholder Events

Health Research Advisory Committee – January 10

The Department of Health’s Health Research Advisory Committee will hold a virtual public meeting on Monday, January 10, 2022 at 2:30 pm via Microsoft Teams at (267) 332-8737 with Conference ID: 994 021 882#. Learn more from this Pennsylvania Bulletin notice.

Medical Marijuana Advisory Board – January 27

The Medical Marijuana Advisory Board will hold virtual meetings on the following days at 10:00 am: Thursday, January 27, 2022; Tuesday, March 22, 2022; Thursday, May 26, 2022; Thursday, July 28, 2022; Tuesday, September 27, 2022; and Tuesday, November 22, 2022. These virtual meetings will be broadcasted live for the public through Commonwealth Media Services. Check www.medicalmarijuana.pa.gov and click on the Medical Marijuana Advisory Board tab for live streaming information the day of the virtual meeting. Learn more from 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, 2022 at 10 am. To participate dial in by location at (412) 648-8888 or (866) 588-4789. The meeting ID is 487 872 318#. Learn more from this Pennsylvania Bulletin notice.

jsteinbock2022-01-07T21:14:24+00:00January 7th, 2022|Coronavirus, COVID-19, 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|Comments Off

PA Health Policy Update for the Week of August 16-20

The following is an update of selected state health policy developments in Pennsylvania for the week of August 16-20, 2021. (Some of the language used below is taken directly from state documents.)

The Wolf Administration

The Wolf administration has directed vaccine providers to support COVID-19 vaccination clinics and has introduced a free COVID-19 testing program for schools across the state. Learn more from this news release and from a Department of Health order in support of the governor’s directive.

General Assembly

The Senate Aging & Youth Committee held a hearing this week to examine proposed revisions of the state’s Child Protective Services Law. Testimony presented to the committee and a video transcript may be found here.

Next week the Senate Health & Human Services and Aging & Youth committees will hold a joint hearing with the House Aging & Older Adult Services and Human Services committees to “discuss the Department of Human Services’ intent to contract with Maximus as its independent enrollment broker (IEB) and the impact this will have on seniors and adults with disabilities.” The hearing will take place on Monday, August 23 at 12:30 p.m. Livestream the hearing here.

Department of Health

Effective August 18, the Department of Health’s order regarding daily hospital data reporting through the Corvena system is amended to add new data fields related to the vaccination status of hospital patients. View details in the amended order here.
The Department of Health has issued an advisory to health care facilities and providers caring for people whose immune systems are moderately to severely compromised about the CDC’s recommendation that such individuals may benefit from an additional dose of mRNA COVID-19 vaccine to ensure they have enough protection against COVID-19. Find the advisory here.
The Department of Health has informed health care facilities and providers of the CDC’s recommendation that pregnant people should be vaccinated against COVID-19. Learn more from a department health advisory.
In July the Department of Health’s nursing home surveyors conducted 466 inspections, including 289 complaint investigations, of 329 separate nursing homes. Of these inspections, 30 were COVID-19-specific investigations. There were five new sanctions finalized against nursing care facilities in the past month resulting in a total of $40,150 in fines. Learn more from this department news release.

Department of Human Services

DHS has added September dates to its calendar of MA remittance advice delivery dates. Find the updated list here.
DHS has published a Medical Assistance Bulletin announcing changes in the Medical Assistance program fee schedule, including changes resulting from the implementation of the 2021 Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System procedure codes updates. In addition, DHS also is adding other procedure codes and making changes to procedure codes currently in the MA program fee schedule, including fee adjustments, as well as setting limitations and prior authorization requirements. These changes are effective for dates of service on and after August 23, 2021. Find this Medical Assistance Bulletin here.
Officials from DHS and the Department of Health have introduced the PA Health Equity Analysis Tool (HEAT), an interactive map that synthesizes Medical Assistance and population health data to show opportunities for intervention to promote better health and promote health equity. PA HEAT provides state, county, zip code, and census track-level data on a number of population health measures and social determinants of health and how they affect local communities and Pennsylvania as a whole. Results can also be displayed according to environmental justice areas, which are calculated based on concentrations of people living at or below the federal poverty line, based on resident demographics. Learn more about PA HEAT from this DHS announcement and from the PA HEAT web site.
DHS has released quarterly licensing and enforcement activity data for its five licensing offices that oversee providers of long-term care, child care, behavioral health care, day activity programs, and residential care for individuals with intellectual disabilities and autism. Find a summary of the report in this DHS announcement.
A notice in the Pennsylvania Bulletin announces that documents are now available on DHS’s web site about proposed annual case-mix per diem rates for state fiscal year 2021-2022 for non-public and county nursing facilities and the budget adjustment factor that will be applied to non-public and county nursing facilities. Find the Pennsylvania Bulletin notice here and the DHS web site with the nursing facility rates here.

COVID-19: By the Number

The daily number of new COVID-19 cases continued to rise during the past week. The 3451 new cases reported on Thursday was the highest single-day total since April 30.
The number of deaths, while slightly higher during the past week, remains far lower than when comparable numbers of new cases were being reported in the spring.
For the week of August 6-12 the state’s overall COVID-19 test positivity rate was 6.0 percent, up from 5.4 percent last week and the fifth consecutive week with an increase.
In Pennsylvania, only Sullivan County is classified as having a low rate of COVID-19 transmission this week; three counties – Forest, Tioga, and Warren – have a moderate rate of transmission; 25 counties are currently experiencing a substantial rate of transmission; and 38 currently show a high rate of transmission, including nine of the ten most populous counties in the state: Philadelphia, Allegheny, Delaware, Bucks, Montgomery, York, Lehigh, Berks, and Lancaster.
The number of Pennsylvanians hospitalized because of COVID-19 has more than doubled since the beginning of the month; the number on ventilators because of the virus is two-and-half times greater than it was at the beginning of the month; and the number in hospital intensive care units has more than tripled since the beginning of the month.
According to the state’s COVID-19 Dashboard, only 57 pediatric ICU beds in the state are not currently occupied. That figure represents 14.7 percent of the total of such beds in Pennsylvania.
According to the state’s revised figures, 64.7 percent of Pennsylvanians 18 years of age and older are now fully vaccinated – 5.86 million people – up from 62.8 percent last week. Only 54,000 Pennsylvanians completed a vaccine regimen in the past week and only 134,000 have done so since the beginning of August.

Around the State

Governor Wolf is “…reinstating a mask mandate for all state employees and contracted staff working under his jurisdiction regardless of their vaccination status, starting on Monday,” PennLive reports.
A shortage of nurses in the Philadelphia area has led hospitals to offer signing and retention bonuses of as much as $20,000 to experienced nurses. The Philadelphia Inquirer offers the details.
“Overburdened health care systems from Texas to Florida are pleading with Western Pennsylvania hospitals to take on transfer patients at record-high rates as beds and ventilators reach capacity in covid-19 hot spots across the country,” the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports.
“While nearly a third of deer tested in Pennsylvania carried antibodies indicating they were exposed to COVID-19, the Pennsylvania Game Commission noted there is no evidence that deer can transmit the virus to humans and advised hunters to ‘take usual precautions when handling their harvests.’” The Bradford Era explains what this means.
WTAE TV in Pittsburgh has published on its web site an interactive map showing the COVID-19 transmission rate for every county in the state. Find the map here (scroll down to see it).
The Wolf administration plans to engage at least 100 people to perform COVID-19 contact tracing, Spotlight PA reports.

Stakeholder Event

The Department of Health’s Health Research Advisory Committee will hold a public meeting on Monday, August 23, from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. The meeting will be held virtually via Microsoft Teams at +1 267-332-8737 with Conference ID: 545 844 262#. The purpose of the meeting is to review the work of the committee and plan future health research priorities. Find the meeting agenda here.

jsteinbock2021-08-20T21:33:37+00:00August 20th, 2021|Coronavirus, COVID-19, Medical Assistance Bulletin, Meetings and notices, Pennsylvania Bulletin, Pennsylvania Department of Health and COVID-19, Pennsylvania Department of Health coronavirus, Pennsylvania Medicaid, Pennsylvania Medicaid coronavirus, Pennsylvania Medicaid laws and regulations, Pennsylvania Medicaid policy, social determinants of health|Comments Off

MA Bulletin Presents New PDL

Pennsylvania’s new Medicaid preferred drug list is presented in an October 10, 2019 state Medical Assistance Bulletin.

Bookshelf with law books The Department of Human Services bulletin outlines the purpose of the new PDL, provides background information, and describes how the PDL was developed and will work. In addition, it lists the past Medical Assistance Bulletins rendered obsolete by the new bulletin and describes the prior authorization procedures that will be employed when the new program takes effect on January 1, 2020.

Finally, the bulletin includes a comprehensive list of the prescription drugs on the new PDL.

See the October 10 PDL Medical Assistance Bulletin here.

PA Safety Net Admin2019-10-15T09:59:07+00:00October 15th, 2019|Medical Assistance Bulletin, Pennsylvania Medicaid, Pennsylvania Medicaid laws and regulations, Pennsylvania Medicaid policy|Comments Off

New Medical Assistance Bulletin Addresses Hospital Uncompensated Care

The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services has issued a new Medical Assistance Bulletin titled “Hospital Responsibilities Related to the Uncompensated Care Program and Charity Care Plans.”
According to the document,

The purpose of this Medical Assistance (MA) Bulletin is to remind hospitals of the requirements for the Hospital Uncompensated Care Program (Program) and reinforce the responsibility of hospitals to actively engage patients when determining eligibility for the Program.

See the entire Bulletin here.

PA Safety Net Admin2018-01-08T06:00:47+00:00January 8th, 2018|Pennsylvania Bulletin, Pennsylvania Medicaid laws and regulations, Pennsylvania Medicaid policy, Pennsylvania Medical Assistance|Comments Off

PA Issues Bulletin on Medicaid Expansion

The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) has issued a new Medical Assistance Bulletin on the state’s expansion of its Medicaid program via the HealthChoices managed care program.
The bulletin notifies providers of the introduction of a new adult benefit package that applies to all adult Medicaid recipients in the state, highlighting some of the major changes in benefits from past packages. It also provides information about the state’s plan for a phased transition from the current private care option (PCO) insurance plans to HealthChoices plans over the coming months.
See DHS Medical Assistance Bulletin 99-15-05 here.

PA Safety Net Admin2015-04-30T06:00:10+00:00April 30th, 2015|HealthChoices PA, Medical Assistance Bulletin, Pennsylvania Medicaid policy|Comments Off

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