Short-term health insurance plans are exempt from key Affordable Care Act protections — consumers with preexisting medical conditions who purchase these plans can be denied coverage and anyone who buys one may lack coverage for key services. The Trump administration loosened regulation of short-term plans, with a stated goal of increasing coverage and reducing the uninsured rate. A new analysis indicates that it did not accomplish this: coverage did not increase and the uninsured rate did not drop.

The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) announced on October 1, due to changes made by the USDA’s Food and Nutrition Services, that it was raising its income and benefit limits for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), meaning some people who previously weren’t eligible to receive assistance through the SNAP Program may now qualify. Factors that could contribute to a household’s higher SNAP allowances and income limits include household size, monthly income, and if a member of the household is 60 years of age or older or has a disability. Benefits were also expanded for college students enrolled in some employment and training programs. The SNAP income limit changes run through September 30, 2024.

All nine managed care organizations offering health insurance coverage through Pennie, PA’s Health Insurance Marketplace, presented their individual markets and plan designs during this a Pennie Insurer Marketplace Plan Review. Jefferson Health Plans, a new competitor in Bucks, Montgomery, and Philadelphia counties, presented their new plans for potential customers along with hospital and provider networks. Highmark and Geisinger have added plans in several new counties as they expand their footprint from 2023. According to the PA Insurance Department, all insurers currently offering individual market coverage in Pennsylvania’s 67 counties will continue to provide plans in 2024 with a statewide average premium increase of 3.9%, which is lower than what insurers initially filed and what was reported this summer. The individual health insurance market rate increases are lower than last year’s increases and are trending lower than current national averages for 2024 health plans. Open Enrollment begins November 1, 2023, and ends January 19, 2024.

There have been some confusing reports around Pennsylvania’s Medicaid unwinding process and the Department of Human Services (DHS) requests your help in correcting misunderstandings, particularly that DHS is pausing its Medicaid unwinding process. Pennsylvania is not pausing redeterminations. DHS is operating under an approved mitigation strategy to manually address a known issue with the ex parte review process which is the highest priority right now.

Many Americans believe that lawmakers don’t care about what constituents think and that influencing legislative outcomes is impossible. Yet research from the Congressional Management Foundation shows that Members of Congress strongly believe that constituents are a valuable and informative resource in the decision-making process. Your “backstage pass” will dispel myths about Congress and provide practical strategies on how decisions are really made and by whom. Register here for the November 14, 3:00 – 4:00 p.m. webinar.

In advance of Gov. Shapiro signing Act 5 into law, creating better reporting of maternal morbidity data, state Reps. Morgan Cephas, D-Phila.; Gina H. Curry, D-Delaware; and La’Tasha D. Mayes (D-Allegheny) formed the Pennsylvania Black Maternal Health Caucus. Building on the momentum of legislative victories and the increasing need for attention to maternal mortality and morbidity issues, particularly among Black families, the caucus intends to boldly address the disturbing trends of Black maternal mortality and morbidity in Pennsylvania through strategic, intersectional legislation and policy; create a collaborative, representative and action-oriented legislative and policy space for Pennsylvania legislators, advocates and stakeholders; and introduce, advance, and pass the Pennsylvania MOMNIBUS – a legislative package making critical investments and policy changes to improve maternal health outcomes in Pennsylvania. Click here to watch the press conference.

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro signed an Executive Order directing commonwealth agencies to collaborate with mental health and substance use disorder (SUD) stakeholders to streamline and improve the accessibility of mental health and substance use disorder (SUD) services across the Commonwealth. A first-of-its-kind Council for Pennsylvania will develop and recommend to the governor a statewide action plan to address any gaps in access, affordability, or delivery of services. The Council has the goals of removing silos across state agencies, healthcare providers, payers, and state and local government sectors and decreasing the wait time for services for Pennsylvanians in need. The EO also creates an Advisory Committee that will share industry knowledge, expertise, reports, findings, and feedback from the communities they serve with the Council to assist members in their work to improve the delivery of services.

PACHC was pleased to offer continuing medical education (CME) and continuing dental education (CDE) at the PACHC Annual Conference and Clinical Summit this year. If you haven’t already returned your continuing education worksheet, please email it to Katie Noss, Manager, Clinical and Quality Improvement, no later than Oct. 26. If you need another form, a PDF is available. Due by  Oct. 26, 2023