Lyme disease is a bacterial tickborne disease that is treated with a short course of antibiotics. Most patients with Lyme disease recover fully after treatment, but about 5 to 10 percent can have prolonged symptoms such as fatigue, pain, and difficulty thinking, as a result of their infection. Some patients are concerned that their long-term symptoms may be due to Lyme disease and may take potentially harmful treatments, such as extended courses of antibiotics. The American Medical Association (AMA), in partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), has developed a new toolkit to help clinicians provide better care for patients with prolonged, non-specific symptoms and concerns about Lyme disease. On Thursday, the CDC hosted a CDC Clinician Outreach and Communication Activity (COCA) Call, during which presenters shared a brief overview of Lyme disease, provided a diagnostic and management framework for patients with prolonged symptoms and concerns about Lyme disease, and reviewed new clinical tools and resources to help support these patients.

CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) published updated recommendations for COVID-19 vaccination. They recommend the 2024-25 vaccine for anyone ages 6 months and older. See the full announcement in CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR). ACIP also recently updated their flu vaccine recommendations. See the full announcement in CDC’s recent MMWR.

The federal agency that oversees the 340B program formally warned Johnson & Johnson (J&J) that it must “cease implementation of its rebate proposal immediately and to inform HRSA no later than September 30, 2024, in order to provide adequate notice to covered entities.” Click here to access the letter HHS sent to J&J. In addition, a bipartisan group of six Representatives began circulating for signatures a letter to HHS urging the agency to stop J&J’s rebate model.

The House Energy & Commerce Committee considered sixteen bills on September 18, including the bipartisan Telehealth Modernization Act (H.R. 7623). This NACHC-endorsed bill includes:

·    a two-year extension of existing Medicare telehealth coverage flexibilities involving health center patients and providers’ locations and audio-only access, and

·    a fix in the disparity in payment between in-person and telehealth medical visits, which would increase telehealth visits by about $100.

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro signed Executive Order 2024-03, directing his Administration to create Pennsylvania’s first comprehensive Housing Action Plan to address the state’s housing shortage, address homelessness, and expand affordable housing options – ensuring Pennsylvanians have access to safe, affordable housing and attracting more people to live here in the Commonwealth. The Executive Order tasks the Department of Community & Economic Development (DCED) with leading the plan’s development, working alongside various stakeholders to identify housing needs and devise a strategic response. The Housing Action Plan will guide efforts to expand affordable housing and provide support to the unhoused. It will also ensure a coordinated, multi-agency approach involving state, local, and federal partners, as well as private organizations. Click here to learn more.

Pennsylvania Attorney General Michelle Henry announced the launch of an online portal to streamline the process for companies and other entities reporting data breaches impacting more than 500 Pennsylvania residents — which is required under Pennsylvania law beginning on September 26, 2024. Credit reporting companies, or other entities that hold personal data, must report data breaches to the Office of Attorney General, pursuant to the recent amendments to Pennsylvania’s Breach of Personal Information Notification Act (BPINA). Governor Josh Shapiro approved amendments to BPINA when a data breach affected more than 500 Pennsylvanians. The companies must also provide impacted individuals with 12 months of credit monitoring and access to a credit report, if the breach involves the person’s name and Social Security Number, bank account number, or driver’s license or state ID number. Click here to access the reporting portal.

In this episode, Jordan Berg, Principal Investigator for the National Telehealth Technology Assessment Resource Center focuses on applications of artificial intelligence (AI) in rural health care, as well as how patient information in an AI system is safeguarded.

A new feature article in The Rural Monitor explains the importance of succession planning for leadership at rural health care organizations.

Last week, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released factsheets, takeaway cards, and a new website related to the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan. The factsheets and takeaway cards are available in English Spanish, Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese.  The Medicare Prescription Payment Plan is a new payment option in the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 that works to assist Medicare beneficiaries with management of their out-of-pocket expenses by spreading copayments across the calendar year. Beginning in 2025, anyone with a Medicare drug plan or Medicare health plan with drug coverage can use this option. Additionally, an enrollee’s out-of-pocket spending for insulin and 10 other frequently used drugs will be capped at $2,000 per year. In March 2024, the Assistant Secretary For Planning and Evaluation released a report that estimates this cap will help enrollees who take high-priced drugs, including rural enrollees.

On September 13, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Labor, and the Department of the Treasury released the final rule Requirements Related to the Mental Health Parity and Addition Equity Act. The rule finalizes standards for determining network composition and out-of-network reimbursement rates, adds protections against more restrictive, Non-Quantitative Treatment Limitations in coverage; and prohibits plans from using biased or non-objective information and sources that may negatively impact access to mental health and substance use disorder care. The rule will be published September 23^rd with an effective date of November 23, 2024.