- Telehealth Study Recruiting Veterans Now
- USDA Delivers Immediate Relief to Farmers, Ranchers and Rural Communities Impacted by Recent Disasters
- Submit Nominations for Partnership for Quality Measurement (PQM) Committees
- Unleashing Prosperity Through Deregulation of the Medicare Program (Executive Order 14192) - Request for Information
- Dr. Mehmet Oz Shares Vision for CMS
- CMS Refocuses on its Core Mission and Preserving the State-Federal Medicaid Partnership
- Social Factors Help Explain Worse Cardiovascular Health among Adults in Rural Vs. Urban Communities
- Reducing Barriers to Participation in Population-Based Total Cost of Care (PB-TCOC) Models and Supporting Primary and Specialty Care Transformation: Request for Input
- Secretary Kennedy Renews Public Health Emergency Declaration to Address National Opioid Crisis
- Secretary Kennedy Renews Public Health Emergency Declaration to Address National Opioid Crisis
- 2025 Marketplace Integrity and Affordability Proposed Rule
- Rural America Faces Growing Shortage of Eye Surgeons
- NRHA Continues Partnership to Advance Rural Oral Health
- Comments Requested on Mobile Crisis Team Services: An Implementation Toolkit Draft
- Q&A: What Are the Challenges and Opportunities of Small-Town Philanthropy?
Important Program Year 2020 Attestation Dates and Deadlines in Pennsylvania
Here are some important dates to remember for the Pennsylvania Medical Assistance Promoting Interoperability Program:
- Eligible Professionals (EPs) may attest for PY 2020 until March 31, 2021
- The Electronic Health Record Meaningful Use (EHR MU) reporting period is a minimum of any continuous 90 days between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31, 2020
- The EHR Clinical Quality Measure (CQM) reporting period is a minimum of any continuous 90 days for all providers regardless of previous MU attestation history.
- The last reporting period for Program Year 2020 is Oct. 3 – Dec. 31, 2020
NHSC Loan Repayment Program Applicants Can Receive Award Preference
Two HRSA National Health Service Corps (NHSC) Loan Repayment programs-–the NHSC Substance Use Disorder Workforce Loan Repayment Program (LRP) and NHSC Rural Community LRP–give award preference to program applicants who have obtained DATA 2000 waivers. These programs provide opportunities for clinicians working at NHSC-approved sites to receive up to $100,000 in loan repayment funds in exchange for three years of service. The application cycles open in early 2021. To provide this training, NSHC collaborates with the Providers Clinical Support System to connect behavioral health clinicians to free medication-assisted treatment training and professional development resources. Learn more about the NHSC-PCSS Collaboration and be ready to apply to an LRP with award preference.
Waived and Suspended Pennsylvania Licensing Regulations
Due to the novel coronavirus (“COVID-19”), additional healthcare practitioners are still needed to treat ill Pennsylvanians. This need may extend beyond the capacity of the professionals currently licensed by Pennsylvania’s health-licensing boards. To increase the available number of practitioners, the Department of State requested a suspension from Governor Wolf to several provisions that create barriers to temporary licensure. The following list provides information on extensions for healthcare professionals that were published in December 2020. Click here for a complete list.
- Pennsylvania Expands Authority of Supervised Nursing Students to Administer Vaccines Outside Their Clinical Placements
- Pennsylvania Extends Waiver Temporarily Allowing Licensees to Meet Continuing Education Requirements Entirely Through Online Learning or Distance Education
- Pennsylvania Extends State Board of Medicine Renewal Deadline, Continues License Reactivations for Retired Professionals and Extends Expiration Date of Temporary Licenses Issued to Out-of-State
- Chiropractors, Dentists, Optometrists, Pharmacists and Podiatrists Who Hold Clinical Lab Permits to Order and Administer COVID-19 Tests
- Pennsylvania Further Extends Temporary Waiver of Certain CPR Rules for Pharmacists
- Pennsylvania Expands Authority of Supervised Pharmacy Interns to Administer Vaccines
- Pennsylvania Further Extends Temporary Waiver of Certain CPR Rules for State Board of Massage Therapy and State Board of Dentistry
- Pennsylvania Extends Waiver Suspending “Live Patient” Requirements for Dental Clinical Licensing Exam
- Pennsylvania Extends Temporary Practice Permits Issued to RNs and PNs Applying for PA Licensure By Endorsement
Nearly 8 Million Americans Have Fallen into Poverty Since the Summer
The U.S. poverty rate has surged over the past five months, with 7.8 million Americans falling into poverty, the latest indication of how deeply many are struggling after government aid dwindled. The poverty rate jumped to 11.7 percent in November, up 2.4 percentage points since June, according to new data released Wednesday by researchers at the University of Chicago and the University of Notre Dame. Read more.
Flu Activity in Pennsylvania Low to Date
Across Pennsylvania a total of 767 laboratory-confirmed influenza cases have been reported to date in 49 counties. The percent of outpatient visits associated with influenza-like illness has been low and is still below the state epidemic threshold. A total of 17 influenza associated hospitalizations and six deaths have been reported in Pennsylvania during the current flu season. Social distancing and wearing of masks–key elements of the COVID-19 strategy–are believed to be factors in the low flu rate. The confirmed influenza laboratory tests received by the PA DOH Surveillance will be updated when numbers per county increase to a level that protects the confidentiality of the patients’ health information. For more information, visit the 2020/2021 Influenza Season Data page.
New Studies Highlight FQHC Work During COVID-19
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently published two studies on health centers’ operations during COVID-19. One presents health centers’ high rate of testing racial and ethnic minority groups, highlighting the role health centers have played in providing testing to communities disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 and their greater work towards overcoming structural inequities. The other study discusses health centers’ adoption of telehealth during the pandemic. Both demonstrate health centers’ vital work on the frontlines since the pandemic began.
COVID-19 Vaccine Administration Added to State Medicaid Program Fee Schedule
The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services, Office of Medical Assistance Programs has issued a new MA Bulletin 01-20-59 to inform Medical Assistance (MA) providers that the Department of Human Services (DHS) added Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes 0001A, 0002A, 0011A and 0012A to the MA Program Fee Schedule for the administration of the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) vaccines in response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, effective Dec. 1, 2020.
Pennsylvania Publishes Proposed TANF Rule
The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) published a proposed rule in the Pennsylvania Bulletin to expand the types of interviews available to Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) applicants and recipients to meet application and redetermination requirements. The proposed rulemaking removes the need for a face-to-face interview and adds a definition for ”personal interview,” which will enable TANF applicants and recipients to participate in required interviews by phone, in person or by other means approved by DHS. This change will make the TANF interview process more flexible, efficient and accessible for applicants and recipients. Comments on the rule are due 30 days after publication.
UDS 2020 Reporting Period Opens January 1
The Uniform Data System (UDS) reporting period for 2020 begins on Friday, Jan. 1, 2021 and extends through Feb. 15, 2021. Upon successful submission, HRSA will assign your UDS report to a UDS reviewer who will work with you to finalize your data submission. The 2020 UDS Manual includes detailed instructions for completing each of the tables and appendices, as well as information on how to submit the UDS through EHBs. The Manual and other UDS reporting resources are available on HRSA’s UDS Resources webpage. The UDS Training website may also assist you in reporting. Direct any electronic reporting questions to Health Center Program Support online or by phone: 877-464-4772, 7:00 am to 8:00 pm, Monday-Friday (except federal holidays). Direct all UDS content questions to the UDS Support Center: 866-UDS-HELP (866-837-4357) or udshelp330@bphcdata.net.
HHS Proposes Big Changes to HIPAA
The federal Department of Health and Human Services (DHS) has proposed sweeping changes to HIPAA to remove barriers to value-based care, give patients more control over their data and support contact tracing. Plans and providers could use health data much more broadly if it is for care coordination and case management. The proposed changes would also make it easier to do contact tracing for COVID-19, loosening the rules about disclosing information during emergencies, facilitating greater coordination among health companies and family and caregiver involvement. Learn more.