- 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
- Volunteer Opportunity for HUD's Office of Housing Counseling Tribe and TDHE Certification Exam
- Who Needs Dry January More: Rural or Urban Drinkers?
- Rural Families Have 'Critical' Need for More Hospice, Respite Care
- States Help Child Care Centers Expand in Bid To Create More Slots, Lower Prices
- Rural Telehealth Sees More Policy Wins, but Only Short-Term
- Healing a Dark Past: The Long Road To Reopening Hospitals in the Rural South
- Study: Obstetrics Units in Rural Communities Declining
- Q&A: Angela Gonzales (Hopi), on New Indigenous Health Research Dashboard
- Not All Expectant Moms Can Reach a Doctor's Office. This Kentucky Clinic Travels to Them.
Nearly 75% Of U.S. Counties Lost Population Last Year as Deaths Outnumbered Births
Almost three-quarters of all U.S. counties reported more deaths than births last year, a development largely caused by the pandemic, which contributed to a dramatic slowing in the nation’s overall population growth, according to data released by the U.S. Census Bureau. Low fertility rates, which have persisted since the end of the Great Recession, and the nation’s continuing demographic shift toward an older population also combined to create the smallest population increase in 100 years. Read more.
U.S Records Highest Annual Death Rate in History
Nearly 3 in 4 counties across America suffered more deaths than births between the middle of 2020 and the middle of 2021, according to new data from the U.S. Census Bureau, as the coronavirus pandemic claimed hundreds of thousands of lives and slowed the nation’s growth rate to its slowest pace in history. More people died than were born in 2,297 of the nation’s 3,143 counties last year, the largest number of counties to record a natural decrease in American history. The new figures show more than 3.4 million Americans died in the yearlong period covered by the new data; the highest number of deaths ever recorded in a single year. The figure is 20% greater than it was two years ago before the pandemic began.
Need to Connect with a Pennsylvania HealthChoices MCO New to Your Region?
As Pennsylvania prepares to transition to new Physical HealthChoices managed care organization (MCO) zone assignments effective July 1, 2022, MCOs new to a zone should be reaching out to providers to build their network and establish network adequacy. The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) says that because all the future MCOs are current MCOs, there are no new contacts; there are only MCOs slated to leave the program (Aetna), to leave specific zones (United and Highmark) and to enter specific zones (Geisinger, HealthPartners). MCO contacts can be found in the HealthChoices MCO directory. The directory has all the contact information for all the plans and can be used with the list of selected plans for each zone.
HHS Updates COVID-19 Test Results Guidance
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) updated its guidance on reporting COVID-19 test results. This updated guidance will go into effect on April 4, 2022. Specifically, beginning April 4, 2022, COVID-19 testing facilities that test under a CLIA certificate of waiver are no longer required to report NEGATIVE results for tests authorized for use under a CLIA certificate of waiver, which includes PCR and antigen tests. Find the guidance here.
Pennsylvania Refugee and Immigrant Health Needs Assessment are Being Conducted
The Penn State College of Medicine and the Pennsylvania Refugee Health Promotion Program are working to conduct the state’s first Refugee/Immigrant Health Needs Assessment. The goal is to work with resettled Nepali-speaking Bhutanese, Congolese, and Syrian communities to assess their perceived healthcare needs. Survey participants must identify with one of the aforementioned communities and be 18 years or older to participate. The goal is to collect data from around 150 participants from each community. Each participant who completes the survey will receive a $10 gift card via email to thank them for their time. The survey can be found here. For more information, contact Chandat Phan, President of the Global Health Interest Group, Penn State College of Medicine.
The House of Representatives Plans a Vote on Insulin Cap Legislation
The U.S House of Representatives intends to vote on a bill later this week to cap the cost of an insulin co-pay at $35 for privately insured and Medicare patients. The bill, HR 6833, the Affordable Insulin Now Act, is an effort by Democrats to lower the rising costs of prescription drugs. After the bill moves through the House, the Senate plans to take up the bill and pair it with a yet to be determined bipartisan proposal that would target Pharmacy Benefit Managers to lower the price of insulin.
Pennsylvania PROMISe No Longer Quite Meeting Its Promises
The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) announced that it will release a request for proposals (RFP) on September 1, 2022, for a vendor to take over the state’s Medicaid Management Information System (MMIS). Implementation is targeted for Nov. 1, 2024. The commonwealth is procuring a new MMIS to replace its aging Provider Reimbursement and Operations Management Information System (PROMISe™). The state also plans to release a solicitation for an external quality review organization on July 1, 2022.
Preparing for the End of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency: What Partners Need to Know
CMS is committed to ensuring access to comprehensive health care coverage by providing partners with guidance and resources as they plan for the eventual end of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE) and the Medicaid continuous coverage condition established under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act. Since the beginning of the Administration, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has committed that it will provide states with 60 days of notice before any planned expiration or termination of the PHE to give states as much lead time as possible. In line with that commitment, CMS will be communicating early and often with states and other partners to support planning and coordination of this unwinding process. This communication is a part of that ongoing outreach.
KEY RESOURES
CMS has created a new Unwinding homepage with additional tools and resources.
- On this page, you can find the new Communications Toolkit and graphics to help partners begin reaching out to Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) enrollees so that they are prepared for the upcoming renewal, along with several other unwinding resources.
- The toolkit and graphics are available in both English and Spanish.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
On March 3, 2022, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) provided states with additional guidance and tools as they plan for whenever the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE) does conclude. When the PHE does eventually end, states will be required, over time, to redetermine eligibility for all people enrolled in Medicaid and CHIP. The recently released guidance will help states keep consumers connected to coverage by either renewing individuals’ Medicaid or CHIP eligibility or transferring them to other health insurance options.
WHAT PARTNERS CAN DO NOW
Right now, partners can help prepare for the renewal process by educating people with Medicaid and CHIP coverage about the upcoming changes. People with Medicaid & CHIP coverage should:
- Update their contact information with their State Medicaid or CHIP program; and
- Look out for a letter from their state about completing a renewal form.
KEY MESSAGES FOR PARTNERS TO SHARE
There are three main messages that partners should focus on now when communicating with people that are enrolled in Medicaid and CHIP.
- Update your contact information – Make sure [Name of State Medicaid or CHIP program] has your current mailing address, phone number, email, or other contact information. This way, they’ll be able to contact you about your Medicaid or CHIP coverage.
- Check your mail – [Name of State Medicaid or CHIP program] will mail you a letter about your Medicaid or CHIP coverage. This letter will also let you know if you need to complete a renewal form to see if you still qualify for Medicaid or CHIP.
- Complete your renewal form (if you get one) – Fill out the form and return it to [Name of State Medicaid or CHIP program] right away to help avoid a gap in your Medicaid or CHIP coverage.
Sample social media posts, graphics, and drop-in articles that focus on these key messages can be found in the Communications Toolkit. The Unwinding homepage will continue to be updated as new resources and tools are released.
For more information, please contact us: Partnership@cms.hhs.gov
CMS Announces a New Way for Medicare Beneficiaries to Get Free Over-the-Counter COVID-19 Tests
The Biden-Harris Administration announced that more than 59 million Americans with Medicare Part B, including those enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan, now have access to Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved, authorized, or cleared over-the-counter COVID-19 tests at no cost. People with Medicare can get up to eight tests per calendar month from participating pharmacies and health care providers for the duration of the COVID-19 public health emergency.
“With today’s announcement, we are expanding access to free over-the-counter COVID-19 testing for people with Medicare Part B, including those enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan. People with Medicare Part B will now have access to up to eight FDA-approved, authorized or cleared over-the-counter COVID-19 tests per month at no cost. This is all part of our overall strategy to ramp -up access to easy-to-use, at-home tests free of charge,” said HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra. “Since we took office, we have more than tripled the number of sites where people can get COVID-19 tests for free, and we’re also delivering close to 250 million at-home, rapid tests to send for free to Americans who need them. Under the Biden-Harris Administration’s leadership, we required state Medicaid programs, insurers and group health plans to make tests free for millions of Americans. With today’s step, we are further expanding health insurance coverage of free over-the-counter tests to Medicare beneficiaries, including our nation’s elderly and people with disabilities.”
This is the first time that Medicare has covered an over-the-counter self-administered test at no cost to beneficiaries. This new initiative enables payment from Medicare directly to participating eligible pharmacies and other health care providers to allow Medicare beneficiaries to receive tests at no cost, in addition to the two sets of four free at-home COVID-19 tests Americans can continue to order from covidtests.gov. National pharmacy chains are participating in this initiative, including: Albertsons Companies, Inc., Costco Pharmacy, CVS, Food Lion, Giant Food, The Giant Company, Hannaford Pharmacies, H-E-B Pharmacy, Hy-Vee Pharmacy, Kroger Family of Pharmacies, Rite Aid Corp., Shop & Stop, Walgreens and Walmart.
“Testing remains a critical tool in mitigating the spread of COVID-19, and we are committed to making sure people with Medicare have the tools they need to stay safe and healthy,” said Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure. “By launching this initiative, the Biden-Harris Administration continues to demonstrate that we are doing everything possible to make over-the-counter COVID-19 testing free and accessible for millions more Americans.”
Providers and suppliers eligible to participate include certain types of pharmacies and other health care providers who are enrolled in Medicare and able to furnish ambulatory health care services such as preventive vaccines, COVID-19 testing and regular medical visits. To ensure that people with Medicare have access to these tests, Medicare is not requiring participating eligible pharmacies and health care providers go through any new Medicare enrollment processes. If a health care provider currently provides ambulatory health care services such as vaccines, lab tests or other clinic type visits to people with Medicare, then they are eligible to participate in this initiative.
“For the first time in its history, Medicare is paying for an over-the-counter test,” said Deputy Administrator Dr. Meena Seshamani, Director of the Center for Medicare at CMS. “This is because COVID-19 testing is a critical part of our pandemic response. Combined with the free over-the-counter tests available through covidtests.gov, this initiative will significantly increase testing access for Americans most vulnerable to COVID-19 and will provide valuable information for future payment policy supporting accessible, comprehensive, person-centered health care.”
A list of eligible pharmacies and other health care providers that have committed publicly to participate in this initiative can be found here. Because additional eligible pharmacies and health care providers may also participate, people with Medicare should check with their pharmacy or health care provider to find out whether they are participating.
This initiative adds to existing options for people with Medicare to access COVID-19 testing, including:
- Requesting free over-the-counter tests for home delivery at gov. Every home in the U.S. is eligible to order two sets of four at-home COVID-19 tests.
- Access to no-cost COVID-19 tests through health care providers at over 20,000 testing sites nationwide. A list of community-based testing sites can be found here.
- Access to lab-based PCR tests and antigen tests performed by a laboratory when the test is ordered by a physician, non-physician practitioner, pharmacist, or other authorized health care professional at no cost through Medicare.
- In addition to accessing a COVID-19 laboratory test ordered by a health care professional, people with Medicare can also access one lab-performed test without an order and cost-sharing during the public health emergency.
For more information, please see this fact sheet https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-sheets/medicare-covers-over-counter-covid-19-tests
People with Medicare can get additional information by contacting 1-800-MEDICARE and going to: https://www.medicare.gov/medicare-coronavirus. Medicare also maintains several resources to help ensure beneficiaries receive the correct benefits while also avoiding the potential for fraud or scams. More details—particularly on identifying scams due to COVID-19—can be found at https://www.medicare.gov/basics/reporting-medicare-fraud-and-abuse.
Pharmacies and other health care providers interested in participating in this initiative can get more information here: https://www.cms.gov/COVIDOTCtestsProvider
Get CMS news at cms.gov/newsroom, sign up for CMS news via email and follow CMS on Twitter @CMSgov
CMS Provides Resources for National Minority Health Month
During April, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Office of Minority Health (CMS OMH) recognizes National Minority Health Month. Officially established by Congress in 2002, this health observance offers an opportunity to build awareness about the health inequities that have historically affected underserved and marginalized communities.
In keeping with Executive Order 13985, Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government, our office is working to develop a comprehensive approach to advance equity for all including people of color and those adversely affected by persistent poverty and inequity to ensure those served by CMS can achieve their highest level of health and well-being. This is an effort that has involved furthering and embedding equity work across all CMS programs and continuing to provide resources to encourage advancing health equity for all the populations we serve. From the CMS Innovation Center, to the Medicare program, Medicaid and CHIP programs across the country, the Marketplace team, and more, CMS is committed to advancing health equity across Medicare, the Marketplaces, and Medicaid and CHIP.
This observance exemplifies our goal to help eliminate health disparities while improving the health of all minority populations. Below is a list of the resources offered by CMS OMH in order to help achieve this goal.
Resources
- Review the Health Equity Challenges and CMS Resources to Help Address Them infographic, which outlines various barriers to health equity and related challenges that populations often face and shares CMS resources that can help close the health equity gap.
- Review the Health Equity Technical Assistance Program which offers resources aimed at helping health care organizations take action against health disparities.
- Use the Mapping Medicare Disparities Tool to identify areas of disparity between subgroups of people with Medicare (e.g., racial and ethnic groups) in health outcomes, utilization, and spending.
- Download Improving Health in Rural Communities: 2021 Year in Review to learn about the activities and accomplishments that CMS has made in improving the health and wellbeing of individuals living and working in rural, frontier, and tribal communities in fiscal year 2021.
- Download Paving the Way to Equity: A Progress Report to learn more about the progress CMS has made in advancing health equity between 2015 and 2021.
- View our Coverage to Care initiative, which was developed to help people understand their health coverage and connect to the primary care and preventive services that are best for them.