- Request for Information (RFI): Evolving the Network of the National Library of Medicine
- Dental Therapists, Who Can Fill Cavities and Check Teeth, Get the OK in More States
- 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
CMS Releases First Round of Medicaid and CHIP Renewals Data
On July 28, 2023, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released its first monthly data report on Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) eligibility renewals. These data will inform the Biden-Harris Administration’s critical work to help ensure eligible people stay covered, and to help ensure people no longer eligible for Medicaid or CHIP to transition to a range of other coverage options, including affordable health insurance through HealthCare.gov and state Marketplaces.
The data detail updates from the 18 states that had completed at least one cohort of renewals by April 30, 2023, highlighting how many people kept their Medicaid and CHIP coverage, as well as the number of people who were disenrolled from coverage. CMS is also releasing data on state Medicaid call centers, including average wait times and the number of people who disconnected before speaking to a customer service representative. In addition, CMS is releasing HealthCare.gov Marketplace data on consumers who were previously enrolled in Medicaid or CHIP that came to the HealthCare.gov and applied for coverage and State-based Marketplaces (SBM) data on consumers who transitioned to SBM coverage following a Medicaid or CHIP redetermination. See a national summary of the data at a glance, or read more about the data at Medicaid.gov/unwinding-data.
CMS continues to work closely with states as people renew their Medicaid and CHIP coverage or explore other coverage options. In addition to the new data, Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra sent a letter to Governors encouraging states to do more to adopt strategies to automatically renew coverage for people where states already have data showing the person is eligible for Medicaid or CHIP.
Immunizations Matter – National Immunization Awareness Month
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Office of Minority Health (CMS OMH) recognizes National Immunization Awareness Month during August. Immunizations—also called vaccinations, vaccines, or shots—protect people of all ages against a wide range of diseases and conditions. Throughout August, and the rest of the year, we’re highlighting the importance of immunizations by working to advance equitable access to vaccines and encouraging all individuals served by CMS to get their routine vaccines.
Each year, the CDC recommends vaccinations like flu shots and COVID-19 vaccines as well as important, routine vaccinations based on different age groups. Despite these recommendations, fewer than 1 in 4 adults who are 19 or older got all their routinely recommended vaccines in 2019 and minority populations have even lower immunization rates. Only 15.9% of Black adults and 17.3% of Hispanic adults get their routine immunization compared to 23.7% of their White counterparts. Additionally, Black (39.0%), Hispanic (37.5%), and adults who identify as other or multiple race (41.4%) have persistently lower flu vaccine rates compared with White adults (49.3%). These racial inequities in vaccination are due to significant disparities in access and health coverage as well as a history of discrimination and distrust.
While vaccination rates for most children’s vaccines are significantly higher, kindergartener vaccination coverage has steadily declined for all vaccines over the past two school years and similar gaps in vaccination coverage exist among children in minority communities. Increasing vaccination rates for all Americans means addressing the social and health inequities that contribute to vaccine disparities.
The Inflation Reduction Act improves coverage and lowers out-of-pocket costs for recommended vaccines in Medicare, Medicaid, and the Children’s Health Insurance Program. People with Medicare drug coverage will pay nothing out-of-pocket for adult vaccines recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) — including the shingles vaccine and Tetanus-Diphtheria-Whooping Cough vaccine. Learn more about these changes.
Health care professionals and partner organizations can encourage their communities to stay up to date on vaccines by emphasizing why immunizations matter and sharing information to help people get the vaccines they need. These resources can help those you serve learn more about recommended vaccinations and how to access them using their health care coverage.
Resources
- Find immunization resources for health care providers, partners, and patients on our Immunization and Vaccine Resources
- Learn more about the changes to coverage through the Inflation Reduction Act and find social media toolkits to share with patients in your community.
- View the Coverage to Care (C2C) Prevention Resources webpage for newly updated flyers that offer information on covered immunizations for all age groups. These resources are each available in 8 languages.
- Download the Annual Influenza Vaccination Disparities in Medicare Beneficiaries data snapshot to learn more about flu vaccines and disparities among Medicare fee-for-service enrollees.
- Share CDC’s Adult Vaccine Assessment Tool to help those you serve learn more about which immunizations they should receive.
- Visit CDC’s Vaccine Information for Adults webpage and review the Adult Immunization Schedule for details on recommended vaccinations in adulthood. Additionally, view the Vaccines for Your Children webpage and Child & Adolescent Immunization Schedule for details about vaccines for children. Visit the CDC “Back-to-School” Campaign for downloadable resources and additional materials.
- Explore CDC’s Resources to Encourage Routine Childhood Vaccinations webpage to access materials to help both health care providers and parents contribute to efforts to increase routine vaccination coverage.
- Utilize and share the CMS Flu Vaccine Partner Toolkit which provides the most up-to-date information from CMS, CDC, and HHS on the importance of receiving the flu vaccine.
- Find the latest information on the COVID-19 vaccine and guidance on how to get vaccinated on the CDC Vaccines for COVID-19.
Calling All Western Pennsylvania Providers: Your Help is Needed!
Are you a provider in Western Pennsylvania? Remote Area Medical® (RAM) needs your help at the upcoming clinic in Butler on November 11 and 12. The clinic will offer free dental care to underserved and uninsured individuals in the area. Volunteers are still needed to join in providing much-needed dental care to the community. Signing up to volunteer is simple – visit this link, select “Volunteer” at the top right of the page, and select “USA: Pennsylvania” and “Butler” when registering. You can also check out a video about volunteering for the upcoming Butler clinic.
Click here to watch the video.
Click here to view the volunteer flyer.
Click here for more information.
Oral Health Kids Resource Now Available in Swahili
Good news! The popular resource, “What Should Kids Drink” is now available in Swahili on the PCOH Request Materials Page!
This resource, created with the Pennsylvania Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, is intended to help parents and guardians understand the amount of water, milk, and juice that is appropriate for young children from birth to age 5. Please note this resource has previously been translated to Spanish as well. You can order this resource and more on the PCOH Request Materials Page.
Click here to view the resource.
Click here to visit the Request Materials Page.
Input Needed: Pennsylvania Master Plan for Older Adults
The Pennsylvania Department of Aging is gathering input on Pennsylvania’s Master Plan for Older Adults, a 10-year, state-led and stakeholder-driven strategic plan designed to help transform the infrastructure and coordination of services for older Pennsylvanians. Individuals can submit input on the plan via email to AgingPlan@pa.gov or via online form.
Click here for more information.
Click here to submit input online.
FORHP Invests $11 Million to Expand Medical Residencies in Rural Communities
The Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP) awarded nearly $11 million to 15 award recipients to strengthen the rural health workforce through the Rural Residency Planning and Development (RRPD) Program. The RRPD program supports the establishment of new rural residency programs or rural track programs in family medicine, internal medicine, preventive medicine, psychiatry, general surgery, and obstetrics-gynecology. Over a three-year grant period, the award recipients will spend up to $750,000 in start-up funding to build the program infrastructure (faculty, curriculum, etc.) needed to deliver rural residency training. Based in 13 states and one U.S. territory, the new awardees include three family medicine programs with enhanced obstetrical training, our first rural preventive medicine program, and two multi-specialty programs.
The programs supported by RRPD funds allow rural communities to build a strong and sustainable rural physician workforce through a “grow-your-own” approach, preparing the next generation of physicians to learn and eventually practice in rural settings. Research has shown that physicians from a rural background and those trained in rural settings are more likely to continue practicing in rural areas after completing their residencies. This newest RRPD cohort will continue to counter persistent workforce shortages by laying and maintaining the infrastructure needed to train physicians in rural communities.
Throughout the duration of their grant, award recipients will have access to one-on-one advisor support, tools, and resources provided by the HRSA-funded RRPD Technical Assistance Center to navigate the various stages of program development. The RRPD Technical Assistance Center also has free resources for other organizations interested in rural residency programs.
These 15 new awards join the 58 organizations across 32 states and five medicine disciplines that are developing new residency programs thanks to the $43.4 million FORHP awarded between 2019 and 2022. So far, these critical investments in the rural health workforce have created 38 new accredited rural residency programs or rural track programs with approximately 503 new residency positions. Other programs are making progress towards achieving accreditation by the end of their grant period. Accredited RRPD-funded programs are already training over 300 resident physicians in family medicine, internal medicine, psychiatry, and general surgery. To learn more about what rural residency programs are doing in your states, please read the latest RRPD program summaries.
In FY 2024, FORHP anticipates investing approximately $11.25 million in RRPD awards contingent on available funding. For more information, visit the forecast on grants.gov or email RuralResidency@hrsa.gov.
CMS Releases First Round of Medicaid and CHIP Renewals Data
On July 28, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released its first monthly data report on Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) eligibility renewals. These data will inform the Biden-Harris Administration’s critical work to help ensure eligible people stay covered, and to help ensure people no longer eligible for Medicaid or CHIP to transition to a range of other coverage options, including affordable health insurance through HealthCare.gov and state Marketplaces.
The data detail updates from the 18 states that had completed at least one cohort of renewals by April 30, 2023, highlighting how many people kept their Medicaid and CHIP coverage, as well as the number of people who were disenrolled from coverage. CMS is also releasing data on state Medicaid call centers, including average wait times and the number of people who disconnected before speaking to a customer service representative. In addition, CMS is releasing HealthCare.gov Marketplace data on consumers who were previously enrolled in Medicaid or CHIP that came to the HealthCare.gov and applied for coverage and State-based Marketplaces (SBM) data on consumers who transitioned to SBM coverage following a Medicaid or CHIP redetermination. See a national summary of the data at a glance, or read more about the data at Medicaid.gov/unwinding-data
CMS continues to work closely with states as people renew their Medicaid and CHIP coverage or explore other coverage options. In addition to the new data, Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra sent a letter to Governors encouraging states to do more to adopt strategies to automatically renew coverage for people where states already have data showing the person is eligible for Medicaid or CHIP.
HRSA’S Rural Communities Opioid Response Program Team Wins 2023 Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medals People’s Choice Award
The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) is proud to announce that today the team of Megan Meacham, Allison Hutchings, and Sarah O’Donnell from the HRSA Federal Office of Rural Health Policy was named the winner of the 2023 Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medals People’s Choice Award by the Partnership for Public Service. This team established the HRSA Rural Communities Opioid Response Program (RCORP), which has helped millions of people in rural communities across the country receive opioid use disorder prevention, treatment, and recovery support services.
The Service to America Medals, known as the Sammies, are often called the “Oscars” of public service and represent the very best of the federal government. The People’s Choice Award grants special recognition to the team that receives the most votes from the general public, highlighting how the work of the federal government resonates in communities. HRSA, an agency of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), provides health care to the nation’s highest need communities and supports training and growing the health care workforce. HRSA programs include support for rural communities, historically underserved communities, people with low incomes, people with HIV, infants, children, and new parents.
“I’m thrilled that the work of the HRSA Rural Communities Opioid Response Program team resonated most with the American public,” said HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra. “The work to reduce the dangers of substance use disorder in high-risk rural communities is critically important. Thank you to the Partnership for Public Service for recognizing this excellent, life-saving work.”
“Our government is powered by dedicated public servants like Megan Meacham, Allison Hutchings, Sarah O’Donnell, and the members of the HRSA Rural Communities Opioid Response Program team,” said HHS Deputy Secretary Andrea Palm. “This award recognizes their important work on behalf of the American people and serves as a reminder of what government can achieve.”
“Megan, Allison, Sarah, and the entire HRSA Rural Communities Opioid Response Program Team represent the best of government service and – like all of our work at HRSA – they are driving change by helping communities get the health care services and supports they need,” said HRSA Administrator Carole Johnson. “Their work to prevent and respond to the opioid crisis is making a real difference on the ground as rural communities have expanded treatment sites, grown their prevention strategies, and built and sustained pathways to recovery. Our People’s Choice Award winning team is an incredible example of the work being done every day at HRSA to make a difference in the lives of people across the country who need health care services. We are very proud of their leadership and their embodiment of the HRSA mission.”
To help tackle the public health crisis of opioid use disorder in rural communities, Meacham, Hutchings, and O’Donnell created the Rural Communities Opioid Response Program. The funding provided through the program allows grant recipients to provide services tailored to the needs of their communities and pilot innovative practices.
To date, the program has invested over $500 million and served more than 4 million rural individuals in over 1,800 rural counties across 47 states and two territories. Through RCORP, HRSA has supported training approximately 634,000 service providers, paraprofessional staff and community members.
New Report Released on Network Adequacy in Pennsylvania
By law, health plans must provide their members with reasonable access to in-network providers and services. Yet many Pennsylvanians face delays of months or even years in scheduling appointments as well as excessively long driving distances to treatment locations.
Our new report, Healthcare Network Inadequate to Serve All: Causes and Solutions in Pennsylvania, discusses what happens when health plan networks are inadequate to serve their members, why this happens, and what the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania can do about it.
USDA Rural Development Funds First Responder Programs in Pennsylvania
Grants Will Benefit More Than 52,000 People in Rural Pennsylvania
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) State Director for Rural Development in Pennsylvania announced that USDA is awarding $1.7 million in grants to five organizations as part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda.
“USDA Rural Development is committed to preserving access to care in rural communities,” State Director of Pennsylvania Bob Morgan said. “Rural towns are a gathering place where first responders put people’s safety first and hospitals care for everyone. USDA promotes a healthy community and environment through grants to make sure people, kids and families have access to the health care they need.”
The awards are part of the Emergency Rural Health Care Grants program. These projects are estimated to benefit 52,245 rural Pennsylvanians.
For example, the Olean General Hospital received $1 million to offset the revenue lost in 2021 due to lower volume of patients resulting in lower revenues for Olean General Hospital, which is in the City of Olean, in Cattaraugus County, New York. Olean General Hospital is doing business as (DBA) Bradford Regional Medical Center, which is in the city of Bradford, in McKean County, Pennsylvania. This project will benefit an estimated 43,450 people.
“Supporting rural health care infrastructure is crucial to the safety, well-being and prosperity of our rural communities,” New York State Director for USDA Rural Development Brian Murray said. “Under the leadership of President Biden and Vice President Harris, USDA Rural Development is dedicating resources to support and improve the long-term viability of our rural health care partners and their facilities to ensure patients have access to high-quality health care.”
The Albion Volunteer Fire Department in Erie County received $83,400 to purchase a Medix MSVII Type 1 Ambulance. The ambulance will be used to provide pre-hospital emergency medical care and transport of patients to medical facilities. This project will benefit an estimated 1,516 people.
Endless Mountain Health Systems Inc. in Susquehanna County received $32,300 to purchase a pharmaceutical dispensing cabinet. The equipment will be used in the hospital’s emergency room department and store over 200 different types of medication for use in emergency and pandemic-related situations. This project will benefit an estimated 2,844 people.
The McConnellsburg Volunteer Fire Company No. 1 in Fulton County received $562,500 to purchase a 2020 Pierce Arrow Pumper. The department will use the new vehicle to replace a 1991 truck that is nearing the end of its useful life. The new vehicle will allow the company to provide more reliable service to the community. This project will benefit an estimated 1,220 people.
The New Love Center received $177,500 to purchase food supplies for a food pantry that will be distributed and stored in Jersey Shore, Pennsylvania. Funds will also be used to purchase a mobile food pantry unit to include an F350 truck and an enclosed pantry trailer, which will be upfitted with coolers, shelving, storage, and supplies. The organization primarily serves the residents of Clinton and Lycoming Counties by providing the daily and long-term needs of food, shelter and clothing. This project will benefit an estimated 3,215 people.
You can read the complete news release on our website.