- Fact Sheet: The Biden-Harris Administration Highlights Investments in Rural America, Invites Public Nominations for Rural Innovators Initiative
- Rural Victims of Intimate-Partner Violence Need More Resources and Support, Study Finds
- A Tribe in Maine Is Using Opioid Settlement Funds on a Sweat Lodge to Treat Addiction
- Fact Sheet: USDA, HHS Announce New Actions to Reduce Impact and Spread of H5N1
- Call for Experts: Forum on Aging, Disability, and Independence
- Bill to Expand Definition of 'Village' Qualifying for Water Funds Passes Alaska House
- Child Care Workers Caught in Middle of Michigan's Broken Child Care System
- Few Options Available for Substance Abuse Treatment in the Big Bend
- In Rural Texas, ERs Are Facing a Growing Mental Health Crisis
- Ways and Means Members Put Forth Solutions to Strengthen Telehealth Access and Improve Health Care for Rural Communities
- Sage Memorial Hospital in Navajo Nation Constructs New Facility to Improve Health Care
- How the State, Tribes and Federal Government Are Working to Curb SD's Syphilis Epidemic
- Rural Children Struggle to Access Hospital Services, Say Researchers
- RPHARM Program Fulfills Need for Rural Pharmacists
- A Pilot Program in Rural Vermont Hopes to Build a Blueprint for Substance Abuse Recovery
Voting to Begin for Pennsylvania’s 2021 River of the Year
Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn announced the public is invited to again vote online for the 2021 Pennsylvania River of the Year, choosing from among five waterways nominated throughout the state.
“Never has the value of our wealth of waterways shined brighter than during this pandemic as people in unprecedented numbers are being drawn to Pennsylvania’s river and streams and the natural refuge they supply,” Dunn said. “Much more than a public vote gauging popularity, this annual competition builds community support around our rivers and streams, putting them in the public limelight. All have truly unique attributes, offer incredible recreational opportunities, and offer significant boosts to local economies.”
Waterways nominated for 2021 are Buffalo Creek, Lehigh River, Loyalhanna Creek, Shenango River and Tunkhannock Creek.
Nominations were based on each waterway’s conservation needs and successes, as well as celebration plans if the nominee is voted 2021 River of the Year. In cooperation with DCNR, selection of public voting choices is overseen by the Pennsylvania Organization for Watersheds and Rivers (POWR).
Dunn said the online public selection process continues to be increasingly popular as it enters its eleventh year.
The public can vote for a favorite state waterway beginning today, Monday, December 14, 2020, through 5:00 PM Friday, January 22, 2021. A POWR website enables voting and offers details on nominated waterways and the River of the Year program. Voting is managed through Woobox, an online contest application restricting voting to one email address.
POWR, an affiliate of the Pennsylvania Environmental Council, administers the River of the Year program with funding from DCNR. Presented annually since 1983, this year’s 2020 designation was awarded to the Lackawanna River.
“We are excited to kick off, for the eleventh year, the public online voting process for Pennsylvania River of the Year,” said Janet Sweeney, Pennsylvania Organization for Watersheds and Rivers. “During this trying time, we have all deepened our appreciation for the outdoors and the many benefits found through spending time in nature. The Annual River of the Year voting process is a way for the public to rally behind and support their favorite waterway.”
After a waterway is chosen for the annual honor, local groups implement a year-round slate of activities and events to celebrate the river, including a paddling trip, or sojourn. The organization nominating the winning river will receive a $10,000 leadership grant from DCNR to help fund River of the Year activities.
POWR and DCNR also work with local organizations to create a free, commemorative poster celebrating the River of the Year.
The River of the Year sojourn is among many paddling trips supported each year by DCNR and POWR. An independent program, the Pennsylvania Sojourn Program, is a unique series of a dozen such trips on the state’s rivers. The water-based journeys for canoeists, kayakers and others raise awareness of the environmental, recreational, tourism and heritage values of rivers. For more information about the sojourns, visit www.pawatersheds.org.
To learn more about DCNR’s Rivers Program, visit www.dcnr.pa.gov (go to “Conservation” and click on “Water”).
For details on the River of the Year program, visit www.pariveroftheyear.org
COVID-19 Vaccine Codes: Updated Effective Date for Pfizer-BioNTech
On December 11, 2020, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID‑19 Vaccine for the prevention of COVID-19 for individuals 16 years of age and older. Review Pfizer’s Fact Sheet for Healthcare Providers Administering Vaccine (Vaccination Providers) regarding the limitations of authorized use.
During the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE), Medicare will cover and pay for the administration of the vaccine (when furnished consistent with the EUA). Review our updated payment and HCPCS Level I CPT code structure for specific COVID-19 vaccine information. Only bill for the vaccine administration codes when you submit claims to Medicare; don’t include the vaccine product codes when vaccines are free.
Related links:
- CMS COVID-19 Provider Toolkit
- CMS COVID-19 FAQs
- CDC COVID-19 Vaccination Communication Toolkit for medical centers, clinics, and clinicians
- FDA COVID-19 Vaccines webpage
Bipartisan Group of Senators Release COVID-19 Framework
NRHA highlighted the fantastic work by a group of bipartisan Senators led by Senators Manchin (D-WV), Collins (R-ME), Cassidy (R-LA), Murkowski (R-AK) and others to work toward a COVID-19 relief package. The framework of this package was made public. Included in the framework was a 20 percent carveout for rural providers in new Provider Relief Fund (PRF) and Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Telehealth Program funding. Additionally, the framework provides updated language on PRF use requirements, so it is more provider friendly. Further, the framework includes a one-year extension of current telehealth flexibilities.
HRSA Funds Additional RHCs to Expand COVID-19 Testing
On December 7, 2020, the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) disbursed $9.3 million to support COVID-19 testing at Rural Health Clinics (RHCs). HRSA used updated data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to identify 188 previously unsupported RHCs and calculate more than $49,000 per site for the December 2020 payment. The terms and conditions for recipients of this round of funding remain the same as those for RHCs previously funded in May 2020. Recently posted Frequently Asked Questions about the program provide more details.
HHS Publishes COVID-19 Hospital Facility-Level Data
On Monday, HHS released new hospital COVID-19 capacity data at the facility level. Previously released data about hospital capacity that had been released was aggregated at the state level. This new, more granular, data release aggregates daily hospital reports into a “week at a time” picture to protect patient privacy, while providing a view of how COVID-19 is impacting hospitals and local communities across the country.
Providing Services through the Holiday Season
On Dec. 15 at 12:00 pm, Life Unites Us will host a webinar to educate participants on new ways to treat patients struggling with a substance use disorder (SUD) during the pandemic. Attendees will hear from experts in the recovery community who will share their experiences of how they are navigating these unique challenges. Register here.
Updated 65+ Flu Defense Website
To assist providers in maximizing protection for their patients, the Immunization Action Coalition (IAC) in collaboration with Seqirus, has updated the 65+ Flu Defense website. This helpful site includes information, tools and tips for communicating with adults, 65+, about the scope and severity of influenza. A new handout on the site, The Importance of Preventing Influenza during a Pandemic, offers responses to help guide discussions with patients on the increased importance of flu vaccination during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Behavioral Health Workforce Survey
The Health Resources and Service Administration (HRSA) and their Behavioral Heath Workforce Research Center at the University of Michigan and the School of Social Work at the University of Pittsburgh have created a survey to learn more about how HRSA-funded health centers integrate and bill for behavioral health care. The purpose of the survey is to better understand the clinical and administrative barriers to providing integrated behavioral health service. Please consider taking this short survey to assist with findings.
HHS Expands Access to Telehealth Services Across State Lines for COVID19 Countermeasures
Modern Healthcare reported on Dec. 3, 2020, that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) authorized healthcare practitioners to provide telehealth services like COVID-19 diagnostic testing and other countermeasures across state lines for the duration of the public health emergency. HHS also made it easier for providers to get immunity from liability for COVID-related medical countermeasures.
FFCRA to Expire 12/31, But in the Meantime…
As of this moment, the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) is set to expire on Dec. 31, 2020. Considering the tense atmosphere in Washington D.C., renewal of FFCRA is not guaranteed. However, in these last weeks of 2020, it’s important to remember that FFCRA regulations were revised in mid-September due to a U.S. District Court decision. The U.S. Department of Labor regulations revised the definition of “healthcare provider” to “include only employees who meet the definition of that term under the Family and Medical Leave Act regulations or who are employed to provide diagnostic services, preventative services, treatment services, or other services that are integrated with and necessary to the provision of patient care which, if not provided, would adversely impact patient care.” Roles such at IT, HR, billing and maintenance may affect the provision of patient care, but they are not integrated with patient care. For more information, contact Andrea Wandling, Manager, PACHC Member Relations and Human Resources or Judd Mellinger-Blouch, Director of Pennsylvania Primary Care Career Center.