- Submit Nominations for Partnership for Quality Measurement (PQM) Committees
- Unleashing Prosperity Through Deregulation of the Medicare Program (Executive Order 14192) - Request for Information
- Dr. Mehmet Oz Shares Vision for CMS
- CMS Refocuses on its Core Mission and Preserving the State-Federal Medicaid Partnership
- Social Factors Help Explain Worse Cardiovascular Health among Adults in Rural Vs. Urban Communities
- Reducing Barriers to Participation in Population-Based Total Cost of Care (PB-TCOC) Models and Supporting Primary and Specialty Care Transformation: Request for Input
- Secretary Kennedy Renews Public Health Emergency Declaration to Address National Opioid Crisis
- Secretary Kennedy Renews Public Health Emergency Declaration to Address National Opioid Crisis
- 2025 Marketplace Integrity and Affordability Proposed Rule
- Rural America Faces Growing Shortage of Eye Surgeons
- NRHA Continues Partnership to Advance Rural Oral Health
- Comments Requested on Mobile Crisis Team Services: An Implementation Toolkit Draft
- Q&A: What Are the Challenges and Opportunities of Small-Town Philanthropy?
- HRSA Administrator Carole Johnson, Joined by Co-Chair of the Congressional Black Maternal Health Caucus Congresswoman Lauren Underwood, Announces New Funding, Policy Action, and Report to Mark Landmark Year of HRSA's Enhancing Maternal Health Initiative
- Biden-Harris Administration Announces $60 Million Investment for Adding Early Morning, Night, and Weekend Hours at Community Health Centers
UPMC Health Plan Transitioning to SKYGEN USA
UPMC Health Plan will transition to SKYGEN USA for administering dental benefits beginning April 1, 2021 for the following UPMC products:
- CHIP
- Medical Assistance
- UPMC Community HealthChoices (MLTSS)
- Medicare (select University of Pittsburgh retirees only)
- Medicare Special Needs Plans
- Federal Employees Health Benefits.
This means that SKYGEN USA will be responsible for various dental administration processes including, but not limited to contracting, credentialing and processing claims for dental providers participating in any of the mentioned UPMC programs. UPMC will hold the participation contract with dental providers. To continue participation in the UPMC programs listed above, beginning April 1, 2021, you must sign and return a new Participating Dental Agreement with SKYGEN USA. Please Contact SKYGEN USA’s Network Development at 1-800-508-6965 or networkdevelopment@skygenusa.com to do so. Avesis will continue to administer UPMC’s dental benefits for the above product lines through March 31, 2021. If there are dental contracting, credentialing or claims related questions through March 31, 2021, please contact your Avesis provider network representative. These changes will not impact your Commercial and/or Medicare contract with UPMC Dental Advantage. If you have questions in regards to your Commercial or Medicare contract, please email HPDental@upmc.edu or contact UPMC Dental Advantage Provider Services at 1-877-648-9609.
Total Forgiveness Offered for PPP Loans of $50,000 or Less
On Oct. 8, 2020, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) issued interim final rule (IFR) guidance for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) that includes small business loan forgiveness relief on amounts of $50,000 or less. In addition, the SBA created a new two-page application form, Form 3508S, and related instructions for borrowers with loans of $50,000 or less. A borrower using this form is exempt from both:
- Any reduction in its loan forgiveness amount on account of full-time equivalent reductions
- Any reduction in its loan forgiveness amount on account of reductions in employee salaries or wages
The rule does not exempt a borrower that is using Form 3508S from submitting the required documentation to substantiate payroll and nonpayroll costs. These requirements (including the requirement that at least 60 percent of the potential forgiveness amount was used for eligible payroll costs) are largely unchanged from the existing ones. A BKD CPAs & Advisors article provides more information on the additional guidance and new lender review responsibilities.
Pennsylvania Releases Guidance on Reporting COVID-19 Test Results
The Pennsylvania Department of Health released Pennsylvania Health Alert 531 – 10/8/20 – ADV on reporting point of care SARS-CoV-2 test results. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued Emergency Use Authorizations (EUA) for a number of COVID-19 point of care (POC) tests for rapid detection of SARS-CoV-2. These POC tests may be used by both traditional healthcare providers (e.g., hospitals, outpatient providers) and by non-traditional settings that have appropriate CLIA Certificate to conduct this testing. All entities conducting these POC tests are required to report these results, including positive, negative and inconclusive/indeterminate, to public health authorities through PA-NEDSS. Click here to view all the 2020 PA Health Alerts, Advisories and Updates.
Pennsylvania Releases Guidance on Point of Care Antigen Tests
The Pennsylvania Department of Health released Pennsylvania Health Alert 532 – 10/8/20 – ADV on point of care antigen test use and interpretation. The availability and use of antigen tests to detect SARS-CoV-2 is increasing. The main advantage of using these antigen tests is the rapid turnaround time for results; however, these tests are not as sensitive as molecular tests. This guidance is designed to describe what an antigen test is and how it differs from PCR testing, some best practices for sites conducting these tests, when point of care (POC) antigen testing should be considered, and circumstances that should be considered when interpreting antigen test results. Click here to view all the 2020 PA Health Alerts, Advisories and Updates.
Pennsylvania Seeks Comments on Managed Care Quality Strategy
The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) published in the PA Bulletin the Medical Assistance (MA) and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Managed Care Quality Strategy for the commonwealth for public review and comment. The Quality Strategy is to assure that the managed care organizations (MCOs) that are implementing DHS’s managed care programs are in compliance with the terms of their DHS agreements and have committed resources to: perform monitoring and ongoing quality improvement; contribute to the improvement of health for the populations they serve and incorporate new programmatic changes to assure that the individuals they serve have timely access to high-quality care. Interested persons are invited to submit comments regarding the MA Quality Strategy for the commonwealth to DHS at RA-PWQualityStrategy@pa.gov.
Congressional Committee Leaders Seek Ideas on How to Improve 340B
Two retiring GOP congressional committee leaders invited 340B stakeholders to submit ideas by Oct. 30 on “how we can improve the 340B program.” Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) and Rep. Greg Walden (R-Ore.) said “changes are needed and long overdue,” and Congress and program participants “must be open to updating 340B.” Read more.
HIV/AIDS Clinics Sue HHS Over Drug Manufacturers’ Denials of 340B Pricing
The national association of HIV/AIDS clinics and two of its members sued U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar in federal court to compel him to protect their rights to buy covered outpatient drugs from four manufacturers that refuse to sell them when ordered through 340B contract pharmacy arrangements. The Oct. 9 suit brought by Ryan White Clinics for 340B Access (RWC-340B), its Kentucky member Matthew 25 AIDS Services and its Tennessee member Cempa Community Care, is a major turning point in the months-long struggle over 340B contract pharmacy involving the drug industry, 340B covered entities and their trade associations, HHS, the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) and Congress. It brings the federal judiciary into the equation. A second similar lawsuit against HHS and HRSA is expected soon. Click here for more information on the lawsuit.
Dept. of Health Announces Rapid Antigen Test Card Distributions
The Wolf Administration has begun distributing the state’s first allotment of 250,000 COVID-19 antigen test kits provided by the federal government to Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA)-certified institutions across Pennsylvania. Distribution is starting with Bradford, Centre, Lebanon, Montour, Northumberland, Schuylkill and Snyder counties because of the recent high disease incidence rate in these areas. The Secretary of Health also issued an order to laboratories, healthcare practitioners, healthcare providers and facilities reinforcing that all antigen test results, both positive and negative, are required to be reported to the Department of Health via its reporting system, PA-NEDSS. Click here to learn more.
NACHC Releases America’s Health Center Factsheet
This annual fact sheet presents data on the number of health center patients served, health center demographics in 2019 and health center employees and visits. Contact Sarah Baizer at NACHC with any questions.
NHSC and Nurse Corps Build Healthy Communities
2020 Health Workforce Field Strength Numbers Increase Access to Primary and Substance Use Disorder Care
Read the full press release
There are now more than 16,000 National Health Service Corps (NHSC) members providing care to more than 17 million Americans. An additional 1.8 million patients are cared for by over 1,700 Nurse Corps clinicians. Nurse Corps also added 135 faculty to its rolls.
NHSC and Nurse Corps programs support the recruitment and retention of dedicated primary care, dental, and behavioral health providers who care for underserved patients daily in high-need areas of the U.S. and its territories.
As part of our commitment to recruiting clinicians interested in serving in underserved areas, we take an active role in connecting clinicians with employment opportunities at approved sites. After a pause this spring and summer, we recently resumed hosting Virtual Job Fairs -a live interactive platform that provides students and clinicians the opportunity to meet with hundreds of recruiters hiring in underserved communities across the country.
Share how we’re making strides to impact health equity and increase access to care for those who need it most. Forward this email and use the graphics below to share with your audiences. Follow and tag us on our NHSC and Nurse Corps Facebook, NHSC and Nurse Corps LinkedIn, and NHSC Twitter accounts.
Thank you all for the hard work you do. Your dedication and support throughout 2020 has helped communities all over the nation get through a very difficult year.
Learn about HRSA’s Coronavirus response at hrsa.gov/coronavirus