- Rural Veterans Are Struggling with Access to VA-Provided Care
- Community Health Workers Spread Across the US, Even in Rural Areas
- Idaho Gained Nurses. But Not Enough To Deal with Retirements and Population Boom.
- CMS Announces New Policies to Reduce Maternal Mortality, Increase Access to Care, and Advance Health Equity
- USDA Partners With White House, National Rural Water Association to Strengthen Cybersecurity for Rural Water Systems
- On-Call Maternity Care in Rural Arizona Boosted by AHCCCS Funding
- Ask an Expert: Solutions to Social Isolation in Rural Communities
- Share Your Rural Health Story in Honor of National Rural Health Day
- On Navajo Nation, a Push to Electrify More Homes on the Vast Reservation
- Agriculture Secretary Vilsack Visits North Carolina to Highlight Federal Resources Available to Help Farmers, Families and Communities Recover from Hurricane Helene
- Pratt Is the Latest Kansas Town Facing Nitrate Pollution. One-Quarter of Its Water Supply Is Off
- NRHA Releases 2024 Compendium of Best Practices for Rural Age-Friendly Care
- Northern Forest Center Focuses on Rural Middle-Income Housing Needs
- Medical Academy Serves High School Students and Their Communities
- Rural Georgians Face Long Distances to Maternity Care - Community Clinics Can Help Fill the Gaps
Telehealth Information for Patients Now Available in Spanish
The recently-created website for telehealth launched by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services in April now provides information in Spanish to help patients understand what types of care are available, how to prepare for a telehealth visit, and tips on finding telehealth options. Information in Spanish that’s geared toward providers will be available in the future. Find the website here.
COVID Cases Skyrocketing Among Communities of Color
Axios: Counties populated by larger numbers of people of color tend to have more coronavirus cases than those with higher shares of white people. As the outbreak worsens throughout the Southern and Western parts of the country, caseloads are growing fastest in counties with large communities of color. People of color have seen disproportionate rates of infection, hospitalization and death throughout the pandemic. These inequities stem from pre-existing racial disparities throughout society and have been exacerbated by the U.S. coronavirus response. Black and Hispanic or Latino communities have less access to diagnostic testing, and people of color are also more likely to be essential workers.
DHS Announces MCOs Selected for the HealthChoices Program
The Department of Human Services (DHS) announced the managed care organization (MCO) applicants selected through a Request for Applications (RFA) for Pennsylvania’s HealthChoices program. DHS is unable to move forward with the selections, however, due to the pendency of five protests filed by four MCOs. Applicants were selected through a competitive procurement that evaluated applicants’ soundness of approach, personnel qualifications and staffing, and prior experience and performance. More information about evaluation criteria can be found in the RFA. Applicants selected were the top scoring applicants for their zone. Selected applicants for each service zone are as follows:
- Southeast: Geisinger Health Plan, Health Partners Plans, UnitedHealthCare, UPMC for You, and Vista Health Plan (Keystone First)
- Lehigh/Capital: Gateway Health, Geisinger Health Plan, Health Partners Plans, UPMC for You, and Vista Health Plan (AmeriHealth Caritas)
- Northeast: Geisinger Health Plan, Health Partners Plans, UPMC for You, and Vista Health Plan (AmeriHealth Caritas)
- Northwest: Geisinger Health Plan, Health Partners Plans, UPMC for You, and Vista Health Plan (AmeriHealth Caritas)
- Southwest: Gateway Health, Geisinger Health Plan, Health Partners Plans, UPMC for You, and Vista Health Plan (AmeriHealth Caritas).
For more information on the HealthChoices procurement and requirements of the RFA, view the RFA here.
Opioid Use Disorder COE Specialty Designation Now Available
This month the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services, Office of Medical Assistance Programs issued MA Bulletin 01-20-08. The purpose of this bulletin is to announce to providers enrolled in the Medical Assistance (MA) Program the process for enrolling as an Opioid Use Disorder Center of Excellence (COE) specialty type provider.
COBRA Coverage and Eligibility for Marketplace Coverage
If a consumer has elected COBRA coverage, they can decide to voluntarily drop COBRA coverage and enroll in a Marketplace plan if the consumer is still within the 60-day Special Enrollment Period (SEP) window to enroll in Marketplace coverage. If the consumer is enrolled in COBRA continuation coverage, the consumer may qualify for a SEP to enroll in Marketplace coverage if the COBRA continuation coverage costs change because the consumer’s former employer stopped contributing, so the consumer has to pay full cost. Also, consumers who elect COBRA may qualify for a SEP when their COBRA coverage ends. Learn more.
Casey Introduces Bill to Support State Medicaid Programs During Economic Crisis
As states face an economic downturn and Americans lose health care coverage due to job loss during the public health pandemic, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) is introducing the Coronavirus Medicaid Response Act (S 4108). This legislation would respond to the increased need for health care during the public health and economic crisis by creating a quicker and more responsive process for supporting state Medicaid programs. It would address fluctuating demand in states for Medicaid by automatically connecting the Medicaid Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP) to state unemployment levels, so that additional federal aid would ebb and flow with a state’s economy. Read more about the Coronavirus Medicaid Response Act here.
HHS Announces Intent to Extend Emergency Declaration
A Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) spokesperson announced on Twitter last week that HHS will extend the Public Health Emergency currently slated to end July 24. The extension likely will be for 90 days, ending around Oct. 22. FQHCs will continue to be eligible for Medicare reimbursement for telehealth services as long at the Public Health Emergency is in effect. In addition to the waiver of telehealth restrictions, some other notable policies attached to the Public Health Emergency include increased federal Medicaid matching rates and requirements that insurers cover COVID-19 testing without cost-sharing. In a letter to HHS Secretary Alex Azar, NACHC President and CEO Tom Van Coverden underscored the critical importance of the extension.
DOH Launches COVID-19 Early Warning Monitoring Dashboard
The Department of Health (DOH) launched an online early warning monitoring dashboard that provides statewide and county level COVID-19 prevalence information to track incidence and severity of the disease on a weekly basis. The dashboard shows data points being used to assess the spread of the virus in the state and in each county, including difference in confirmed cases (last 7 days vs. previous 7 days); incidence rate (last 7 days and previous 7 days) per 100,000 residents; difference in the average daily number of COVID-19 hospitalizations in the last 7 days and the previous 7 days, and percent of hospital emergency department visits in the last 7 days and previous 7 days due to COVID-like-illness (CLI).
Governor Releases Strategic Plan to Continue Fighting Opioid Epidemic
On Monday, the Wolf administration’s Opioid Command Center released a strategic plan to continue fighting the epidemic, focusing on prevention, rescue, treatment, recovery and sustainability. According to the press statement, the plan “aims to continue the successes of the Opioid Command Center as well as implement new policies to remove barriers and develop additional initiatives to address the ever-changing need for support and resources.” Efforts will also focus on fighting other commonly abused substances, including stimulants.
Governor Signs Bill to Protect Healthcare Workers
Gov. Wolf signed into law a bill to strengthen penalties for assaults against healthcare practitioners and technicians. Existing state law provides stiff penalties for assaults against certain healthcare professionals, including doctors, residents, nurses and paramedics. Act 51 of 2020 will extend the same protections to a broader range of healthcare practitioners and healthcare technicians. Under the new law, the penalty for an assault against a healthcare practitioner in which there is bodily injury would be upgraded from a misdemeanor of the second degree to a felony of the second degree. The new law will go into effect in 60 days from July 1.