Quarterly 340B Program site registration is open from April 1 to 15. Health centers will be able to register a site that has been verified as implemented and with a site status reflected as “active” in EHB Form 5B through Friday, May 28. After that date, the system will close to prepare for the July 1 start. Email the 340B Prime Vendor Program or call 888-340-2787 (Monday-Friday, 9:00 am – 6:00 pm) to register a new site or ask questions. You will need to provide the following information when calling: health center name, site/clinic name, site IDs for all sites, HRSA/BPHC grant number, contact name and email address and authorizing official name and email address.

Pennie has made some design changes to its website, Pennie.com:

• The “Connect” tab has been renamed to “Support”
• Under the tab customers can request help from a Pennie CSR, Broker, or Assister
• Customers can send messages directly to Pennie
• Customers have access to the top Frequently Asked Questions
• Under the SHOP option at pennie.com, there is now a “Calculate Your Savings” option that uses the Kaiser Family Foundation Tool.
• Under the LEARN option at pennie.com, there are FAQs that help customers regarding the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, COVID-19 and data matching issues.

On March 11, 2021, the Pennsylvania Insurance Department and Pennie, Pennsylvania’s health insurance marketplace, issued a joint statement on the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.

“The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 will not only provide financial assistance through the forthcoming stimulus checks but will also provide an estimated $270 million in additional subsidies to current Pennie™ customers in 2021 alone. Through this law, marketplace premiums will be capped at 8.5% of a household’s income, meaning current Pennie™ customers will see lower monthly premiums and those without coverage or who were previously ineligible will now have access to financial help if they shop at pennie.com. In some cases, lower-income enrollees will have their monthly premiums eliminated entirely. Additionally, anyone who was eligible for unemployment income in 2021 will be eligible for coverage through Pennie™ with a $0 premium for the remainder of the year.

These changes allow Pennie™ to further support current customers and delivers an extraordinary opportunity for individuals seeking coverage to protect themselves and their families as we continue to grapple with the impacts of COVID-19. We will move quickly to implement these changes in the interest of delivering this financial relief as expeditiously as possible.”

Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf announced he has nominated Suzanne V. Estrella, Esq. to serve as Pennsylvania’s Victim Advocate for the Office of Victim Advocate. Estrella possesses more than 20 years of legal experience primarily serving survivors of sexual and domestic violence. For the past five years, Estrella has held positions with the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape, most recently serving as legal director. In this role she established and oversaw the Sexual Violence Legal Assistance Project which provides comprehensive, short-term civil legal services to victims of sexual abuse, sexual harassment and sexual assault. She also provided training and education to rape crisis centers and other professionals who serve survivors of sexual assault throughout the commonwealth.

The Rural Policy Research Institute (RUPRI) Rural Health Value team has recently updated their Catalog of Value-Based Initiatives for Rural Providers. The resource includes one-page summaries of various HHS value-based programs appropriate for rural participation. It covers programs implemented by HHS, primarily by CMS and its Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation (CMMI). Recent catalog additions include 1) Community Health Access and Rural Transformation (CHART) Community Transformation and Accountable Care Organization Tracks 2) the Radiation Oncology Model, and 3) the Value in Opioid Disorder Treatment Model.

The Senate voted to confirm President Biden’s nominee for HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra.  The Senate voted 50-49 in favor of Bacerra’s nomination with Susan Collins (R-ME) as the lone Republican supporting his nomination. Xavier Bacerra will be the first Latino HHS Secretary.

The Senate HELP Committee advanced President Biden’s nominations for Surgeon General, Vivek Murthy, and Assistant Secretary for Health (ASH), Rachel Levine, out of committee. Both nominees received bipartisan support, with Murthy receiving a vote of 16-6 and Levine receiving a vote of 13-9. Next, the nominations will go before the full Senate.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) seeks input on how the National Institute of Mental Health might learn about and remedy research gaps in knowledge to address mental health disparities in rural people and communities. Comments may be submitted via email to rural_mental_health@nih.gov or on the submission website by April 15, 2021. Include the Notice number, NOT-MH-21-190, in the subject line.