The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is announcing a new Affordable Connectivity Program landing page at GetInternet.gov. The transition of GetInternet.gov to the new landing page occurred on the evening of May 3.  AffordableConnectivity.gov will continue to exist as a resource for consumers and digital navigators and contain more detailed information about the Affordable Connectivity Program.

The FCC continues its efforts to promote the Affordable Connectivity Program by providing grants to community partners, providing additional support for navigators who help eligible consumers enroll, and developing paid and earned media strategies to increase public awareness.

The FCC chose to utilize GetInternet.gov as the URL for consumer information and advertising about the Affordable Connectivity Program because it is simple and memorable, communicates what the program is about, serves as a call to action for eligible consumers, and links consumers directly to the application.  The information previously available at GetInternet.gov will continue to be available by accessing whitehouse.gov/getinternet.

 Questions?

Further questions regarding today’s announcement can be directed to Jamile Kadre at Jamile.Kadre@fcc.gov.

For general Affordable Connectivity Program questions, please contact ACPinfo@fcc.gov.

In March 2020, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) temporarily waived certain Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) requirements and conditions as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The easing of these requirements was referred to as the ‘Medicaid Continuous Enrollment Condition,’ and it helped prevent people with Medicaid and CHIP from losing their health coverage during the pandemic.

The Medicaid Continuous Enrollment Condition ended on March 31, 2023, and states are now returning to regular operations, including restarting full Medicaid and CHIP eligibility renewals and terminations of coverage for individuals who are no longer eligible. Some states began terminating Medicaid enrollment for individuals no longer eligible as of April 1, 2023. On February 24, 2023, CMS posted the anticipated state timelines for initiating unwinding-related renewals on the Unwinding and Returning to Regular Operations after COVID-19 webpage.

NEW MEDICAID AND CHIP RESOURCES FOR PARTNERS

CMS has developed a variety of tools and materials for partners to help ensure that people enrolled in Medicaid and CHIP know what steps to complete regardless of where they are in the Medicaid and CHIP renewal process. All of these resources can be found on the recently updated Medicaid.gov/Unwinding webpage. These resources will help CMS partners educate Medicaid and CHIP enrollees on steps they need to take and when.

• Medicaid and CHIP Eligibility Renewals Communications Toolkit: The Unwinding Communications Toolkit has been updated with new materials for Phase II, including social media posts and graphics, a drop-in article, a Partner Tip Sheet, and factsheets on different coverage options.
• Unwinding Toolkit Supporting Materials: This zip folder contains downloadable versions of the materials featured in the Toolkit, including social media graphics, flyers, postcards, the Tip Sheet, and more.
• Medicaid and CHIP Renewals Webpage: A webpage designed for people enrolled in Medicaid and CHIP to help them prepare to renew their coverage. The page includes an interactive map with each state Medicaid office’s website and other contact information.
• Unwinding Speaking Request Form: Submit a request to have someone from HHS or CMS speak about Medicaid Unwinding at an upcoming event.

The complete Medicaid and CHIP Eligibility Renewals Communications Toolkit is available in Spanish, and select materials are available in five additional languages, which include:

• Chinese
• Hindi
• Korean
• Tagalog
• Vietnamese

All flyers, cards, and other handouts in the Medicaid Unwinding Toolkit Supporting Materials zip folder are available in Spanish. Select materials have also been translated to Chinese, Hindi, Korean, Tagalog, and Vietnamese. These materials include:

• Phase I Medicaid Unwinding Non-fillable Flyer
• Phase II Medicaid Unwinding Factsheet
• Phase II Post Card

The information on the Medicaid and CHIP Renewals page is also now available in Spanish.

UPDATES TO HEALTHCARE.GOV (MARKETPLACE INSURANCE)

The HealthCare.gov homepage was recently updated to highlight information for those who may be losing Medicaid or CHIP. Consumers can find information about health insurance coverage options and see if they qualify for a Special Enrollment Period (SEP).

Information has also been added to CuidadoDeSalud.gov.

UPCOMING PARTNER WEBINARS

HHS and CMS continue to host a series of monthly webinars on Medicaid and CHIP Continuous Enrollment Unwinding to educate partners. Topics covered during the webinar vary each month. Webinars take place the fourth Wednesday of each month from 12:00pm – 1:00pm ET. Register for upcoming webinars here.

Recordings, transcripts, and slides from past webinars can be found on the CMS National Stakeholder Calls webpage

During May, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Office of Minority Health (CMS OMH) recognizes National Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month.

Throughout this month, and the entire year, CMS OMH is working to highlight disparities for Asian Americans, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islanders who account for more than 7% of the U.S. population, with Asian Americans being the fastest-growing race group in the United States. Between 2017 and 2019, the population of Asian Americans enrolled in Medicare grew by 11%, which was the highest percentage increase in enrollment compared to White, Black, and Hispanic enrollees.

However, nearly one-third of Asian Americans have limited English proficiency. CMS OMH’s Coverage to Care (C2C) initiative is working to close health literacy gaps and eliminate barriers to health care by helping AANHPI enrollees understand their health coverage and connect to primary care and preventive services. C2C resources are available in multiple languages—including Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese— to help individuals make informed decisions and become active partners in their health care and the health care of their families.

As the number of AANHPI Medicare enrollees grows, we are working to ensure these populations can effectively access the health care they need through policy and equity initiatives. Throughout the month of May, CMS OMH encourages you to share the below resources with the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander populations you serve.

Resources:

• Review the Understanding the Health Needs of Diverse Groups of Asian and Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander Medicare Beneficiaries data highlight, which includes data on self-rated general health status, days with activity limitations, prevalence of depression and obesity, and sleep health in AANHPI populations.
• Download the C2C Roadmap to Better Care, which explains what health coverage is and how to use it to get primary care and preventive services. The Roadmap to Behavioral Health, which highlights mental health and substance use services is also available for download. Both resources are available in 9 languages, including Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese.
• Share the C2C Enrollment Toolkit designed to support community partners, assisters, and others who help consumers enroll in health insurance coverage or change their health plan.
• View the Asian American, Native Hawaiians, & Pacific Islanders Fact Sheet, which includes population data and trends in this population’s health insurance coverage.
• Read the Medicare & You handbook in Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese.

Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander webpage to find behavioral health resources specific to these populations.

Sandra Lane said she has been to the emergency room about eight times this year. The 62-year-old has had multiple falls, struggled with balance and tremors, and experienced severe swelling in her legs free.

A paramedic recently arrived at her doorstep again, but this time it wasn’t for an emergency. Jason Frye was there for a home visit as part of a new community paramedicine program.

Frye showed up in an SUV, not an ambulance. He carried a large black medical bag into Lane’s mobile home, which is on the eastern edge of the city, across from open fields and train tracks that snake between the region’s massive open-pit coal mines. Lane sat in an armchair as Frye took her blood pressure, measured her pulse, and hooked her up to a heart-monitoring machine.

“What matters to you in terms of health, goals?” Frye said.

Lane said she wants to become healthy enough to work, garden, and ride her motorcycle again.

Frye, a 44-year-old Navy veteran and former oil field worker, promised to help Lane sign up for physical therapy and offered to find an anti-slip grab bar for her shower.

Community paramedicine allows paramedics to use their skills outside of emergency settings. The goal is to help patients access care, maintain or improve their health, and reduce their dependence on costly ambulance rides and ER visits.

Read more.

The Self-Measured Blood Pressure (SMBP) Monitoring Implementation Toolkit (PDF) helps organizations integrate SMBP monitoring into care processes and workflows. The latest version adds a section to help a care team identify the best uses of SMBP for patients based on their blood pressure readings and risk factors. This workflow is courtesy of the Health Federation of Philadelphia, an HRSA-funded Health Center Controlled Network. The National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) developed the toolkit for CDC’s Million Hearts initiative.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has released a new report, Moving Beyond Change Efforts: Evidence and Action to Support and Affirm LGBTQI+ Youth (PDF). The resource provides a comprehensive research overview of effective and ineffective therapeutic practices related to youth of diverse sexual orientations and gender identities.

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Cybersecurity Task Force is offering new resources to help address the rising threat of cyberattacks in the health and public health sectors. See the HHS press release for details and to access resources to improve your health center’s cyber security

In a briefing document formatted as a Medical Assistance Advisory Bulleting and shared with the Medical Assistance Advisory Committee (MAAC) last week, the Department of Human Services (DHS) officially proposes to require both in-house and contract pharmacies to include a modifier on all Medicaid managed care drug claims. After the Dec. 22, 2022, MA Bulletin prohibiting contract pharmacies from dispensing 340B drugs was rescinded, DHS convened a workgroup with stakeholders to identify the best strategy for avoiding duplicate discounts at contract pharmacies. PACHC and FQHC representatives actively participated in these meetings and were led to believe that DHS was evaluating the options and considering the input offered and that a decision on strategy was unlikely before 2024. Consequently, the formal proposal without notification of or discussion with the workgroup came as a surprise, as was the choice of a model that is unworkable for large chain pharmacies and burdensome for in-house pharmacies. Comments on the document are due by May 4 and the proposed implementation date is July 1. PACHC will be submitting comments based on feedback from our 340B workgroup and subcommittee as well as from national 340B experts. Questions? Contact Eric Kiehl.