On June 2, 2020, the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) awarded $20.3 million to 44 recipients to increase the number of fellows at accredited addiction medicine and addiction psychiatry fellowship programs. The awardees will train addiction specialists at facilities in high need communities that integrate behavioral and primary care services. Addiction specialists have the knowledge and skills to provide comprehensive behavioral healthcare to under-served populations during the COVID-19 pandemic. Read more here.

On behalf of Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf, Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) Secretary Dennis Davin announced that 133 companies have been approved for funding in the final disbursement of the COVID-19 Working Capital Access Program (CWCA). The latest cohort of businesses to receive funding includes chiropractors, restaurants, breweries and wineries, salons, fitness facilities. Over the course of the program, nearly $61 million was awarded to businesses across Pennsylvania.

In total, 745 businesses were approved for loans totaling $60,722,641.

A list of approved projects can be found on the website. New projects are highlighted in yellow.

DCED continues to update its website with financial and other resources.

The Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP) has awarded over $11.2 million to 15 recipients for the 2020-2025 Black Lung Clinics Program (BLCP).  The purpose of this program is to reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with occupationally-related coal mine dust lung disease through the provision of quality medical, outreach, educational, and benefits counseling services for active, inactive, retired, and disabled US coal miners.  In an effort to address current disease trends, the program includes an emphasis on Coal Workers’ Pneumoconiosis & Progressive Massive Fibrosis.

Additionally, one cooperative agreement has been awarded to the University of Illinois at Chicago for the Black Lung Data and Resource Center (BLDRC).  The purpose of this program is to strengthen the operations of BLCP recipients through programmatic assistance and improved data collection and analysis related to the health status and needs of U.S. coal miners.

Becker’s Hospital Review

The number of CMS beneficiaries has grown from 12,000 weekly telehealth visits to “well into six figures” during the pandemic, and both President Donald Trump and CMS Administrator Seema Verma aim to continue those benefits.

Kellyanne Conway, assistant to the president and senior counselor, and Ms. Verma spoke at a recent news teleconference and discussed, among other topics, their efforts regarding telehealth. During the pandemic, CMS has expanded access to telehealth visits so all beneficiaries are covered for audio and video visits during the pandemic. The agency also updated coverage rates to pay the same rate as in-person visits for the duration of the crisis. Previously, telehealth visits had lower reimbursement rates.

Ms. Conway said that the president would like telehealth access to continue “long after the virus is completely vanquished.”  Ms. Verma echoed that sentiment, saying that the president “has made it clear that he wants to explore extending telehealth benefits more widely.”  She also said that the administration had made strides toward expanding access to telehealth before the pandemic.

“We had increased the amount of services that qualify for telehealth and even provided small, kind of, short visits over the phone or through Skype, even before the coronavirus,” she said. “So we’re looking at all of the waivers that we provided. We’re evaluating them to determine whether they should be extended past the coronavirus.”  She also said that the agency is in the process of rulemaking and she expected some provisions that had been extended during the pandemic temporarily to become permanent.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced new Guidance that specifies what additional data must be reported to HHS by laboratories along with Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) test results. The Guidance standardizes reporting to ensure that public health officials have access to comprehensive and nearly real-time data to inform decision making in their response to COVID-19. As the country begins to reopen, access to clear and accurate data is essential to communities and leadership for making decisions critical to a phased reopening.

Full press release

Spotlight PA from the Philadelphia Inquirer

The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) announced that the system changes necessary to implement the pilot program that lets recipients of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) purchase groceries online through participating retailers have been completed, and online grocery purchasing is now active at approved retailers.