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PA Health Policy Update for Friday, December 2

The following is an update of selected state health policy developments in Pennsylvania for the week of November 28 to December 2, 2022.  (Some of the language used below is taken directly from state documents.)

Governor Wolf

Governor Wolf has announced ​the availability of more than $9 million in state grant funding for Single County Authorities to establish or expand crisis stabilization services for individuals with co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders.  Grants of up to $3 million will be awarded to eligible Single County Authorities and can be applied toward a range of activities, including construction and building infrastructure, staffing, and programming.  Learn more about how the state envisions counties using this money from this announcement from the governor’s office.

Governor-Elect Shapiro

The Shapiro-Davis transition team announced that Dana Fritz will serve as chief of staff in a new Shapiro administration.  Immediately prior to joining the incoming administration, Ms. Fritz, a long-time aide to Shapiro, served as his campaign manager.  Find additional information about the transition here.

Revenue Collection Update

The Department of Revenue has released its monthly revenue update for November.  General Fund revenue collections were $201.9 million, or 6.8 percent, below estimate for the month.  The shortfall is due, in part, to personal income tax revenue being deposited in December rather than November. Fiscal year-to-date General Fund collections total $15.7 billion, which is $183.2 million, or 1.2 percent, above estimate.

Department of Human Services

  • The Department of Human Services (DHS) has announced its intent to update the qualifying criteria and payment methodology for Medicaid disproportionate share hospital (Medicaid DSH) and supplemental payments to Medical Assistance-enrolled and qualifying emergency departments in acute-care general hospitals by adding references to the report used in determining the eligibility for and the payment amounts beginning FY 2022-2023.  This announcement appears to be a codification of current state policy.  Learn more from this Pennsylvania Bulletin notice.
  • DHS has announced that it plans to expand the Living Independence for the Elderly (LIFE) Program to serve Carbon County and Monroe County as one area and is soliciting expressions of interest in serving this area.  Learn more about the LIFE program, DHS’s intentions for Carbon and Monroe counties, and the process for pursuing an opportunity to establish a LIFE program in those counties from this Pennsylvania Bulletin notice.
  • CMS has written to states to remind them that with the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act, Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) programs will be required to provide coverage for approved adult vaccines recommended by the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) without cost-sharing for certain enrollees beginning October 1, 2023.  Learn more from this CMS notice.
  • DHS has circulated the minutes of the October 26 meeting of the Medical Assistance Advisory Committee’s consumer subcommittee.  Find those minutes here.

Department of Health

  • The Department of Health (DOH) issued a press release announcing its plans to distribute approximately $11.7 million in federal CDC funding to help long-term-care facilities build resilience to sustain quality care.  The money will be invested for purposes such as workforce development, staff retention, and infrastructure developments that support infection prevention control and emergency preparedness.  Eligible applicants include skilled nursing facilities, personal care homes, assisted living facilities, and intermediate care facilities.  Learn more about the program and find links to additional information about it here.  The deadline for applying for funding is December 31.
  • DOH has issued a health alert informing health care providers of a recent increase in reports of mushroom poisoning received by poison control centers in the state.  The majority of these cases have involved individuals consuming wild mushrooms foraged from backyards, public parks, wooded areas, and other locations in the southeastern part of the state.  Learn more from this department health alert.
  • DOH has updated the guidelines and fees that health care providers and facilities may charge in response to requests for production of medical charts or records.  Learn more, including the new fees, from this Pennsylvania Bulletin notice.
  • In preparation for the holiday season, DOH has established ten temporary COVID-19 testing and home test distribution sites across the state.  Go here for information about the location and hours for these sites.

COVID-19:  By the Numbers                          

  • According to the CDC, the number of new COVID-19 cases reported daily in Pennsylvania and the number of new deaths has remained steady in recent weeks, with the state averaging about 1400 new daily cases and 16-20 new daily deaths.
  • According to the Department of Health, the number of Pennsylvanians hospitalized with COVID-19, on ventilators because of the virus, and in hospital ICUs remains relatively steady as well.
  • The CDC reports a modest decrease in the seven-day rolling average of new daily COVID-19 hospital admissions.
  • As of November 30, 38 Pennsylvania counties are experiencing high rates of community transmission of COVID-19; 26 are experiencing substantial rates of community transmission; and three counties are experiencing moderate rates of community transmission.

Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council

PHC4 has issued “COVID-19 Disaster Emergency Report,” to provide data on the effect of the COVID-19 emergency on the financial performance of Pennsylvania hospitals and health care facilities.  According to the report, Pennsylvania hospitals and health systems reported $206 million in COVID-19 costs, between related expenses and revenue losses, for the period April-June of 2022.  Total COVID-19-related expenses and lost revenue reported by Pennsylvania hospitals and health systems through December 2021 are $7.8 billion but these figures do not reflect emergency funding provided under federal or state laws.  Learn more from this PHC4 news release and the report itself.

Stakeholder Events

DHS – Medical Assistance Advisory Committee – Managed Long-Term Services and Supports Subcommittee – December 7

The managed long-term services and supports subcommittee of DHS’s Medical Assistance Advisory Committee will meet in Harrisburg on Wednesday, December 7 at 10:00.  Interested parties can join the meeting in person or via webinar.  For information about the location of the meeting and how to join virtually, see this DHS notice.

DHS – Medical Assistance Advisory Committee – Consumer Subcommittee – December 7

The consumer subcommittee of DHS’s Medical Assistance Advisory Committee will meet virtually on Wednesday, December 7 at 1:00.  Go here to register to participate.

Department of Health – Infant Hearing Screening Advisory Committee – December 8

The Infant Hearing Screening Advisory Committee will hold a public meeting in Harrisburg on Thursday, December 8 at 1:00; individuals also may participate virtually.  For more information about the meeting, including its location and how to join virtually, see this Pennsylvania Bulletin notice.

Department of Aging – Pennsylvania Long-Term Care Council – December 8

The Department of Aging’s Pennsylvania Long-Term Care Council will meet publicly on Thursday, December 8 at 10:00.  For information about how to attend in person or virtually, see this Pennsylvania Bulletin notice.

Patient Safety Authority – December 8

The board of directors of the state’s Patient Safety Authority will meet virtually on Thursday, December 8 at 1:00.  Learn about how to register for and participate in this meeting from this Pennsylvania Bulletin notice.

DHS – Medical Assistance Advisory Committee – December 8

DHS’s Medical Assistance Advisory Committee will meet virtually on Thursday, December 8 at 10:00.  Go here to register to participate.

 

2022-12-05T13:53:45+00:00December 2nd, 2022|COVID-19, Federal Medicaid issues, Medicaid supplemental payments, Meetings and notices, Pennsylvania Bulletin, Pennsylvania Medicaid, Pennsylvania Medicaid laws and regulations, Pennsylvania Medicaid policy|Comments Off on PA Health Policy Update for Friday, December 2
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PA Health Policy Update for the Week of March 7-11

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

General Assembly

  • The Department of Human Services appeared before the Senate and the House appropriations committees this week.  A recording of the House budget hearing can be viewed here and a recording of the Senate hearing can be viewed here.
  • The Department of Health also appeared before the Senate Appropriations Committee for its FY 2023 budget hearing.  A recording of the hearing can be viewed here.
  • The Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs will appear before the Senate Appropriations Committee next Wednesday, March 16 at 2:00 p.m.

Department of Health

In light of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection’s confirmation of higher-than-expected rates of Powassan virus in ticks located in multiple Pennsylvania counties during the 2021 surveillance season, the Department of Health has issued a health advisory to give providers background information on POW virus disease, including transmission, clinical signs and symptoms, diagnosis, and prevention.

Department of Human Services

The Department of Human Services has issued a Medical Assistance Bulletin to inform providers enrolled in the Medical Assistance program that the state is expanding the beneficiary age for which Medical Assistance payment will be made for the administration of the Flucelvax Quadrivalent vaccine to include beneficiaries ages six months and older effective October 14, 2021.

The Department of Human Services has posted presentations delivered during the February 24 Medical Assistance Advisory Committee meeting by its:

COVID-19:  By the Numbers

  • Daily COVID-19 case counts continue to fall.  A week ago the state’s seven-day average of new cases was 1299 cases a day; yesterday (March 10) it was 954 cases a day.
  • The number of new COVID-19-related deaths is following the same downward trend:  Pennsylvania’s seven-day average of deaths was 65 deaths a day a week ago but was 40 deaths a day yesterday (March 10).
  • The decline in the number of Pennsylvania counties experiencing a substantial rate of community transmission of COVID-19 – the highest rate – continues.  Last week, 38 counties were in the highest rate of community transmission of COVID-19 cases; this week, only seven are.  Last week, 26 counties were experiencing a substantial rate of community transmission; this week, 37 are.  Last week, only three counties were experiencing only a moderate rate of community transmission; this week, 23 are.
  • March 9 was the first day fewer than 1000 Pennsylvanians were hospitalized with COVID-19 since August 12; March 11 was the first day fewer than 100 were on ventilators because of the virus since August 5; and March 7 was the first day fewer than 200 were in hospital ICUs because of COVID-19 since August 5.

Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council (PHC4)

PHC4 has released the new report “COVID-19 Hospitalizations ‒ March 2020 to June 2021.”  The paper looks at patients who were hospitalized with COVID-19 and discharged from Pennsylvania acute-care hospitals from March 2020 through June 2021.  It examines hospitalization rates and in-hospital mortality by month and for the entire period.  Go here for links to the news release announcing the report, key findings, county rates, patient characteristics and outcomes, and the report itself.

Stakeholder Events

Department of Health – Advisory Health Board – March 16

The Department of Health’s Advisory Health Board will meet virtually on Wednesday, March 16 at 2:00 p.m. to discuss programmatic and departmental activities.  For information about how to participate, see this Pennsylvania Bulletin notice.

Patient Safety Authority – March 17

The Patient Safety Authority will hold a virtual public meeting on Thursday, March 17 at 1:00 p.m.  Learn how to join the meeting from this Pennsylvania Bulletin notice.

Department of Health – Newborn Screening and Follow-Up Technical Advisory Board – March 30

The Department of Health’s Newborn Screening and Follow-Up Technical Advisory Board will hold a virtual public meeting on Wednesday, March 30, 2022 at 10:00 a.m.  The agenda will include discussions about board member terms; updates from the Bureau of Family Health and the RUSP workgroup; a discussion on pyruvate dehydrogenase; and updates from the Ethics, Lysosomal Storage Disorders/X-ALD, Cystic Fibrosis, Hemoglobinopathy and Critical Congenital Heart Defects subcommittees.  Learn how to join the meeting in this Pennsylvania Bulletin notice.

2022-03-11T22:00:40+00:00March 11th, 2022|COVID-19, Medical Assistance Bulletin, Meetings and notices, Pennsylvania Bulletin, Pennsylvania Department of Health and COVID-19, Pennsylvania Medicaid, Pennsylvania proposed FY 2023 budget|Comments Off on PA Health Policy Update for the Week of March 7-11
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PA Health Policy Update for the Week of January 17-21

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

General Assembly

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

Department of Human Services

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

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

Department of Health

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

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

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

COVID-19:  By the Numbers

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

Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council (PHC4)

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

Stakeholder Events

Medical Assistance Advisory Committee’s Consumer Subcommittee – January 26

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

Medical Assistance Advisory Committee – January 27

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

Medical Marijuana Advisory Board – January 27

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

Patient Safety Authority – January 27

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

Special Pharmaceutical Benefits Program Advisory Council – January 27

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

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

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

Organ Donation Advisory Committee – February 3

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

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

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

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

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

2022-01-21T22:25:57+00:00January 21st, 2022|Coronavirus, COVID-19, Pennsylvania Bulletin, Pennsylvania Department of Health and COVID-19, Pennsylvania Department of Health coronavirus, Pennsylvania Medicaid, Pennsylvania Medicaid coronavirus, Pennsylvania Medicaid COVID-19, Pennsylvania Medicaid policy|Comments Off on PA Health Policy Update for the Week of January 17-21
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PA Health Policy Update for the Week of December 13-17

The following is an update of selected state health policy developments in Pennsylvania for the week of December 13-17, 2021.  (Some of the language used below is taken directly from state documents.)

Governor Wolf

The Wolf Administration requested support from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for Pennsylvania’s health care system in its continued battle against COVID-19.  In particular, it has asked for staffing support for clinical and non-clinical professionals and continued pandemic response support.  Learn more from this Wolf administration news release.

General Assembly

  • The Senate unanimously passed House Bill 1260, which expands eligibility for the PACENET prescription program from $27,500 to $33,500 for single individuals and from $35,500 to $41,500 for married couples.  The bill has been sent to the governor.
  • The House Health Committee held an informational hearing on Monday to discuss the various COVID-19 treatment options available.  House Bill 1741, which provides for prescribing and dispensing to treat COVID-19 off-label drugs approved by the FDA for other purposes, received a considerable amount of attention during the hearing.  Chairman Kathy Rapp indicated the committee may move the bill in early 2022.  You can view a recording of the hearing here.
  • The Senate Health & Human Services Committee convened on Tuesday and favorably reported the following bills:
    • Senate Bill 200, which expands early intervention services for infants and mothers;
    • Senate Bill 358, which categorizes maternal deaths and severe maternal morbidity complications as reportable events within the Department of Health and requires the Maternal Mortality Review Committee to submit a report including each reportable event to the Department of Health;
    • Senate Bill 522, which requires all pregnant women and children in Pennsylvania to receive blood tests to detect lead poisoning;
    • Senate Bill 848, which creates a chief nursing officer position in the Department of Health;
    • Senate Bill 967, which establishes the Women, Infants, and Children State Advisory Board;
    • Senate Bill 970, which implements certain measures to verify that child protective services or law enforcement are notified of children age 13 or younger who receive treatment for sexually transmitted diseases, pregnancy, abortions, or contraception; and,
    • House Bill 118, which establishes requirements for the final disposition of fetal remains.

You can view the committee’s agenda and a video recording here.

  • The House Human Services Committee held an informational hearing on House Bill 1644 on Thursday.  The bill directs the Department of Human Services to develop a state-wide process to place patients enrolled in Medicaid and who have behavioral health or other long-term-care needs in appropriate care settings in a timely manner.  The Human Services Committee also held an informational hearing on community participation supports during COVID-19 pandemic.  You can view a recording of the hearing here.
  • The state House and Senate appropriations committees released their FY 2023 budget hearing schedules.  The schedules can be viewed here.

Department of Human Services

  • The Department of Human Services (DHS) has updated its schedule for Remittance Advices, adding January dates and pay dates that go into early February.  Find it here.
  • DHS has published a notice in the Pennsylvania Bulletin announcing its intention to allocate funds in FY 2021-2022 for several classes of Medicaid inpatient disproportionate share hospital (Medicaid DSH) payments and supplemental payments to Medical Assistance-enrolled, qualifying inpatient acute-care general hospitals.  The department does not intend to otherwise change the qualifying criteria or payment methodology for these payments.  The allocations include:
    • $1.057 million in total funds for DSH payments to qualifying acute-care general hospitals that have a low commercial-payer ratio, a negative trend in their net patient revenue, and are located in an area of the state with a disproportionate need for Medicaid services
    • $1.585 million for DSH payments to qualifying acute-care general hospitals to promote access to acute-care services for Medicaid-eligible persons in less urban areas
    • $18.293 million for DSH payments to Medicaid-enrolled acute-care general hospitals that qualify as a trauma center
    • $111.585 million for DSH payments to qualifying Medicaid-enrolled acute-care hospitals that promote access to comprehensive inpatient services for Medicaid-eligible persons by providing an adequate supply of health care professionals who have been trained in high-volume Medicaid-enrolled hospital settings
    • $9.377 million for DSH payments to qualifying acute-care general hospital burn centers
    • $14.119 million for DSH payments to qualifying acute-care general hospitals providing obstetrical and neonatal services
    • $0.500 million for DSH payments to qualifying teaching hospitals that provide psychiatric services to Medicaid beneficiaries
    • $34.356 million for DSH payments to critical access and qualifying rural hospitals
    • $0.695 million for DSH payments to qualifying acute-care general hospitals that provide surgical services to patients with cleft palate and craniofacial abnormalities
    • $0.737 million for DSH payments made to qualifying Medicaid-enrolled acute-care general hospitals that provide a high volume of inpatient services to Medicaid-eligible and low-income populations
    • $4.333 million for DSH payments to qualifying acute-care general hospitals that qualify as academic medical centers
    • $23.946 million for DSH payments to qualifying acute-care general hospitals to provide additional support for the operation of academic medical programs through the medical education of health care professionals
    • $7.397 million for DSH payments to qualifying acute-care general hospitals that participate in an academic medical program
    • $5.290 million for supplemental payments to qualifying acute-care general hospitals that provide medical and surgical ocular services to Medicaid beneficiaries
    • $0.900 million for supplemental payments to qualifying acute-care general hospitals that provide a substantial portion of their inpatient services to Medicaid beneficiaries

Learn more from this Pennsylvania Bulletin notice.

  • DHS has issued a Medical Assistance Bulletin to update handbook pages that address the requirements for prior authorization and the type of information needed to evaluate the medical necessity of prescriptions for anticonvulsants submitted for prior authorization.  Find the bulletin here.
  • DHS has issued a Medical Assistance Bulletin to update handbook pages that address the requirements for prior authorization and the type of information needed to evaluate the medical necessity of prescriptions for sedative hypnotics submitted for prior authorization.  Find the bulletin here.

Department of Health

  • Department of Health (DOH) acting secretary Alison Beam will leave that job at the end of the year.  She will be replaced by department deputy secretary Keara Klinepeter.  Learn more from this Wolf administration news release.
  • DOH announced that the state is opening free outdoor drive-up COVID-19 testing sites in Berks, Blair, Centre, Clinton, Jefferson, Luzerne and McKean counties.  For locations and hours, see this department news release (and this separate notice for the site in Blair County).
  • DOH has introduced a new “post-vaccination data” web page on which it will provide data on so-called breakthrough cases of COVID-19:  cases, hospitalizations, and deaths.  The web page reports that from January 1 through December 6, 2021, 85 percent of reported COVID-19 cases in Pennsylvania were in unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated people; 87 percent of reported hospitalizations with COVID-19 as the primary diagnosis/cause of admission were in unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated people; and 86 percent of COVID-19-related deaths were in unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated people.  For additional information and a more detailed breakdown of these and other numbers, see the department’s new post-vaccination data web page.
  • DOH has posted a notice on its message board about the transition from the Regional Congregate Care Teams to a new program that will support response operations at long-term-care facilities that experience COVID-19 outbreaks.  Find that message here.
  • The Independent Regulatory Review Commission (IRRC) has issued its comments on DOH’s proposed amendments of regulations governing long-term-care facilities.  In addition to specific comments, the IRRC stated its agreement with many others in the regulated community that have urged DOH to reevaluate its approach of promulgating several packages of proposed regulations and instead consider submitting a comprehensive regulatory update regarding long-term care.  Find the IRRC comments in this Pennsylvania Bulletin notice.
  • DOH has issued its monthly report detailing its nursing home inspection and sanction activities.  Learn more from this department news release and the department’s November report.

COVID-19:  By the Numbers

  • Daily COVID-19 case counts remain at their highest levels since the beginning of the pandemic.  To date, more than 1.8 million Pennsylvanians have contracted COVID-19.
  • The number of new COVID-19-related deaths remains high.
  • All 67 Pennsylvania counties continue to experience a high rate of COVID-19 transmission.
  • The number of Pennsylvanians hospitalized because of COVID-19 has risen 18 percent since December 1; the number in hospital ICUs because of COVID-19 has risen 13 percent; and the number on ventilators because of the virus has risen 16 percent since the start of the month.
  • This situation is reflected in the high rate of occupancy in the state’s hospitals.  There currently are only 484 unoccupied adult ICU beds – 13.7 percent of the total of such beds in the state; 2106 unoccupied medical/surgical beds – 10.5 percent of such beds in the state; 34 pediatric ICU beds (9.0 percent); 191 pediatric beds (16.8 percent); and 938 airborne isolation beds (29.6).
  • Media reports confirm the challenges some communities and hospitals are facing, including this story in the Philadelphia Inquirer; a situation that the director of the 911 call center in Westmoreland County calls “desperate;” and reported capacity and hospital discharge problems in western and rural Pennsylvania.
  • DOH reports that 6.8 million Pennsylvanians, excluding those in Philadelphia, are now fully vaccinated; it appears likely, although not certain, that this figure reflects the original concept of “fully vaccinated” and not whether such individuals have received boosters.  Philadelphia’s Department of Public Health reports slightly more than one million people fully vaccinated and that 186,000 boosters have been administered to city residents since August 13.

Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council (PHC4)

PHC4 has published Hospital Performance Report – 2020 Data, which presents volume and outcome information about a variety of medical conditions and surgical procedures performed by the state’s  general acute-care hospitals.  Learn more from the following resources:

 

2021-12-17T22:37:32+00:00December 17th, 2021|Coronavirus, COVID-19, DSH hospitals, Medical Assistance Bulletin, Pennsylvania Bulletin, Pennsylvania Department of Health and COVID-19, Pennsylvania Department of Health coronavirus, Pennsylvania Medicaid, Pennsylvania Medicaid laws and regulations, Pennsylvania Medicaid policy|Comments Off on PA Health Policy Update for the Week of December 13-17
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PA Health Policy Update for the Week of August 30-September 2

The following is an update of selected state health policy developments in Pennsylvania for the week of August 30-September 2, 2021.  (Some of the language used below is taken directly from state documents.)

The Wolf Administration

The Wolf administration has ordered that masks be worn by all students and staff in school buildings.  Learn more from this administration news release, the order from the Department of Health, and this FAQ about the new requirement.  The order also applies to licensed child care facilities.

General Assembly

House and Senate Republicans denounced the Wolf administration’s mask mandate for K-12 schools and child care centers this week and Senate Republicans circulated a co-sponsorship memo seeking support from fellow senators for a constitutional amendment that would restrict the Secretary of Health’s power to issue such orders in the absence of a formal public health disaster declaration.

The House Health Committee’s hearing to examine the end of Pennsylvania’s opioid disaster declaration scheduled for this week was postponed until Monday, September 27 at 8:00 a.m.

Department of Health

  • The Department of Health announced changes in the electronic reportable disease surveillance system (PA-NEDSS) to enhance data submitted by hospitals daily on COVID-19 admissions and patient vaccination status.  Go here to view the department’s announcement of these new requirements.
    • Additions and amendments to questions in the Corvena capacity reporting tool will be made on Friday, September 3 and these new data fields must be completed by 10:00 am on Tuesday, September 7 and daily thereafter.
    • Find details on the Corvena changes with a screenshot of edits here and a dictionary of terms here.
    • Hospitals are directed to fill out a one-time form with historical admissions by vaccination status for the period from January 1, 2021 through September 6, 2021; this must be completed by 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, September 8.
    • The Department of Health will host a webinar explaining these changes on Friday, September 3 at 1:00 p.m. at the Zoom link here.
  • The Department of Health has created an attestation form for hospitals to use when bringing online multiple pieces of new equipment or services during the same time period.  The Multiple Equipment Attestation form enables hospitals to attest to up to 100 pieces of unique equipment.  If a hospital has more than 100 pieces of new, unique equipment it must submit an additional form.  The original Equipment Attestation form can be used only when submitting for one piece of equipment.  To learn more see this announcement from the department’s Division of Acute and Ambulatory Care, the attestation form for new equipment, and the attestation form for new services.

COVID-19:  By the Numbers

  • The daily number of new COVID-19 cases continued to rise during the past week. Today’s new case total was the highest single-day figure since April 17.  To date, more than 1.3 million Pennsylvanians have contracted reported cases of COVID-19.
  • Similarly, 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.  Still, today’s total was the highest single-day figure since March 5.  To date, more than 28,000 Pennsylvanians have died from COVID-19.
  • For the week of August 20-26 the state’s overall COVID-19 test positivity rate was 7.8 percent, up from 6.9 percent last week and the seventh consecutive week with an increase.
  • For the week ending September 1 in Pennsylvania, according to the CDC’s COVID Data Tracker, 66 of the state’s 67 counties were experiencing a high level of COVID-19 transmission, with Bradford County “only” in a substantial level of community transmission.
  • The number of Pennsylvanians hospitalized because of COVID-19, on ventilators because of the virus, and in hospital intensive care units because of the disease continued to rise during the past week.
  • According to the state’s revised figures, 66 percent of Pennsylvanians 18 years of age and older are now fully vaccinated – 5.93 million people – up from 65.3 percent last week.  Only 15,000 Philadelphians and 70,000 other Pennsylvanians completed a vaccine regimen in the past week.

Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council (PHC4)

PHC4 has hired a new executive director.  Learn more in this agency news release.

Around the State

2021-09-02T22:00:43+00:00September 2nd, 2021|Coronavirus, COVID-19|Comments Off on PA Health Policy Update for the Week of August 30-September 2
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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 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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PHC4 Reports on Hospital Mortality, Admission Rates, and Performance

Mortality rates, admission rates, and other aspects of hospital performance are the subject of a new report by the Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Commission.

The report presents information on hospital volume and outcomes for 17 different medical conditions and surgical procedures from October 2017 through September 2018.  It also compares hospital performance over the five-year period from 2013 through 2018 on an aggregate state-wide basis and for individual hospitals.

Overall, the report found decreases in hospital mortality for most of the 17 conditions, with respiratory failure, sepsis, colorectal procedures, and intestinal obstructions experiencing the biggest decreases (by percentage).  Hospital admissions for chest pain, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and pneumonia experienced the biggest declines while admissions for respiratory failure and sepsis experienced significant increases (in numbers).

For state-wide and hospital-specific data on hospital performance on 17 medical conditions and procedures, see the new PHC4 documents that together constitute its Hospital Performance Report 2018.

2019-11-12T13:58:38+00:00November 12th, 2019|Uncategorized|Comments Off on PHC4 Reports on Hospital Mortality, Admission Rates, and Performance
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PHC4 Reports on Common Procedures

The Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council has published a new report detailing hospital performance on four common surgical procedures:  knee replacement, hip replacement, spinal fusion, and coronary artery bypass graft.

The report details individual hospital performance on these procedures, including in-hospital mortality, complications, and extended post-operative length of stay.  In addition, it breaks down hospital performance for all of these measures and all of these procedures based on patient age, income, gender, geographic location, and race and ethnicity.

The PHC4 report also reveals how many of these procedures individual hospitals performed and how much they charged for their services.

Learn more in the new PHC4 publication Common Procedures Report.

2019-08-13T06:00:07+00:00August 13th, 2019|Uncategorized|Comments Off on PHC4 Reports on Common Procedures
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PHC4 Reports on PA Hospital Financial Performance

Pennsylvania hospitals’ financial performance in 2018 was mixed, according to a new analysis by the Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council.

According to PHC4,

  • uncompensated care declined two percent
  • total margins fell 0.05 percentage points
  • operating margins declined 0.39 percentage points
  • net patient revenue rose 3.9 percent
  • discharges fell 1.2 percent
  • inpatient days fell 0.3 percent

Learn more about the 2018 financial performance of acute-care hospitals in Pennsylvania, including data for every such hospital in the state and measures such as payer mix, in the PHC4 report Financial Analysis 2018:  General Acute Care Hospitals

2019-05-23T06:00:24+00:00May 23rd, 2019|Uncategorized|Comments Off on PHC4 Reports on PA Hospital Financial Performance
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  • 2020 Safety-Net Association of Pennsylvania

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  • P: (717) 234-6970

  • 2020 Safety-Net Association of Pennsylvania

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