- Colorectal Cancer Is Rising among Younger Adults. Some States Want to Boost Awareness.
- Rural Hospitals Built During Baby Boom Now Face Baby Bust
- Food Stamps Go Further in Rural Areas — Until You Add Transportation Costs
- CMS Announces Resources and Flexibilities to Assist with the Public Health Emergency in the State of Texas
- CMS Proposes New Payments for Digital Health Under CY2025 PFS Draft Rule
- Improving Public Health by Strengthening Community Infrastructure
- Biden Harris Administration Proposes Policies to Reduce Maternal Mortality, Advance Health Equity, and Support Underserved Communities
- Nearly Half of U.S. Counties Don't Have a Single Cardiologist
- Randolph County, Ill. Turns Unused Part of Nursing Home Into State-Of-The-Art Behavioral Health Center
- Safe and Stable Housing Is a Foundation of Successful Recovery
- Rural RPM Program Is a Lifeline for Pregnant Women
- Expert: Rural Hospitals Are Particularly Vulnerable to Increasing Cyberattacks Targeting Healthcare Facilities
- Biden-Harris Administration Invests Over $200 Million to Help Primary Care Doctors, Nurses, and Other Health Care Providers Improve Care for Older Adults
- AJPH Call for Papers Special Section on Intersections of Public Health And Primary Care
- NIH HEAL Initiative Turns Attention to Pragmatic Trials in Rural Communities
Pennsylvania Governor: Counties, Cities, Local Governments Should Request American Rescue Plan Local Funding Allocations
Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) Secretary Dennis Davin announced that counties, metropolitan cities, and local governments are now able to request their portion of federal Local Fiscal Recovery funding provided by the American Rescue Plan.
“Today, county and municipal governments are able to request the Local Fiscal Recovery funds that have been made available to them by the American Rescue Plan,” said Sec. Davin. “This funding provides immediate relief for local governments that have seen unprecedented fiscal challenges due to COVID-19. I encourage every county, city, and municipal government to take advantage of these funds that will help them recover from the pandemic and chart a course for long-term growth.”
As part of the American Rescue Plan signed by President Joseph R. Biden, the federal government is providing a total of approximately $6.15 billion to Pennsylvania counties, metropolitan cities, and local government units to support COVID-19 response efforts, replace lost revenue, support economic stabilization for households and businesses, and address systemic public health and economic challenges.
The U.S. Department of Treasury has established two separate methods for local governments to request these funds, depending on the type of local government:
- County governments and metropolitan city governments must request funds directly from the U.S. Department of the Treasury via their Submission Portal webpage.
- Local governments that are NOT metropolitan cities or counties – called non-entitlement units of local government (NEUs) – must request the funds through the commonwealth by visiting the DCED website.
Due to Treasury’s requirements that states disburse all Local Fiscal Recovery funding within 30 days of the state receiving the federal funds, DCED strongly recommends that NEUs request their funding in the next five days to allow adequate processing time for each request.
Information about how to request funds, eligible uses for the funding, and federal allocation amounts for counties, cities, and NEUs can be found on the DCED website and the U.S. Department of Treasury website. Local governments with further questions about accessing these funds should email covidarpa@pa.gov.
GAO: Don’t Get Too Carried Away with Telehealth
The Government Accountability Office says the full effect of CMS waivers on telehealth coverage during the pandemic isn’t yet known, so agencies should wait until there is more research before expanding telehealth coverage for Medicare and Medicaid programs. The GAO made its case before Congress and in a May 19 report. It has concerns in four areas: spending, program integrity, patient health and safety and equity. Read more.
Moderna Seeks Full FDA Approval of Its COVID-19 Vaccine
Moderna is the second vaccine maker to seek full approval from U.S. regulators, which would allow it to market the shot directly to consumers. Full approval also makes it easier for schools, employers and the military to require inoculation against COVID-19. More than 100 million of the shots have already been administered, according to data compiled by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Read more.
Health Equity – and Inequity – Mapped
A new tool tracks health disparities in the U.S. and highlights major data gaps. Developed by a coalition of researchers and advocates from Google, Gilead, and Morehouse School of Medicine, Health Equity Tracker is a portal that collects, analyzes, and makes visible data to illustrate the health disparities that are a mainstay of medicine in the U.S. The COVID-19 pandemic has especially highlighted these disparities. But it has also shown that data on race and ethnicity are inconsistently reported; 38 percent of federally-collected COVID-19 cases don’t specify race and ethnicity. The coalition’s hope is that even after the pandemic, the tool can highlight the medical problems plaguing the U.S. to help community health leaders make informed policy decisions about other health crises. Read more here. Another health equity tool is PA HEAT (Pennsylvania’s Health Equity Assessment Tool) that is available here. PA HEAT is intended to provide a granular geographic perspective of areas that have significant opportunities to improve equity.
CMS Revises Medicare Diabetes Prevention & Diabetes Self-Management Training
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) revised the Medicare Learning Network Medicare Diabetes Prevention & Diabetes Self-Management Training (PDF) booklet to extend COVID-19 flexibilities to all patients getting services as of March 31, 2020, and update information for the Association of Diabetes Care and Education Specialists.
Government IDs and Pay NOT Required for COVID-19 Testing, Treatment or Vaccines
There is a growing number of reports that patients are being refused COVID-19 services because they cannot provide a government-issued ID or cannot pay. The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) has developed two fact sheets to help both patients and providers better understand that:
- Everyone is eligible for COVID-19 services, no matter their immigration status.
- Testing, treatment or vaccinations paid for by the federal government will not affect anyone’s immigration status nor be shared with immigration agencies.
- A Social Security Number or government ID may be requested but is NOT required.
- A person may not be billed for COVID-19 services if they are uninsured.
- The Fact Sheets and additional information can be found here in both English and Spanish.
EEOC Also Issues Guidance on Vaccine Incentives
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) recently issued guidance, Employer Incentives For COVID-19 Voluntary Vaccinations Under ADA and GINA – Technical Assistance Questions and Answers K.16 – K.21. It indicates that under equal employment opportunity laws, employers may offer limited incentives to employees to be vaccinated. The agency cautioned that a “very large incentive” could make employees feel pressured to disclose protected medical information and the incentives may not be deemed coercive. It also noted that other federal, state and local laws may come into play.
Health Insurance Offers Steep Savings Due to COVID-19 Relief
The American Rescue Plan Act, the latest effort out of Washington to lift the economy out of the COVID-19 doldrums, boosted subsidies, making it cheaper for more people to buy plans on Affordable Care Act insurance marketplaces. Read more.
PA Health Department Says Adult Vaccinations on Track; Mask Order to Be Lifted by June 28
Pennsylvania Department of Health Acting Secretary Alison Beam announced that the commonwealth’s mask order will be lifted by June 28. “After reviewing the vaccination data for people 18 and over and discussing it with the COVID-19 Vaccine Legislative Task Force, we have determined that the commonwealth’s mask order can be lifted on June 28 or when 70 percent of adults get their second dose, whichever comes first,” Acting Secretary Beam said. “Pennsylvanians are realizing that they have the power to stop COVID-19 and they are stepping up to get vaccinated.” To date, 52.7 percent of the 18 and older population are fully vaccinated. According to the CDC, 97.7 percent of Pennsylvanians over 65 have received at least one dose of vaccine. Click here for more information on the commonwealth’s vaccination efforts and data dashboard.
NRHA Joins COVID-19 Vaccine Education and Equity Projects (from NRHA Today)
To reinforce the association’s dedication to health equity, the National Rural Health Association (NRHA) has recently joined several national coalitions aimed at communicating vaccine safety and efficacy. HHS’ COVID-19 Community Corps aims to establish a network of trusted voices to promote vaccines. The Made to Save Coalition is a public education and grassroots effort to increase vaccine access in communities of color. And the COVID-19 Vaccine Education and Equity Project includes resources to reach a variety of populations. Bookmark NRHA’s COVID resources page to find rural-relevant resources all in one place.