- 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
FCC Launches New Affordable Connectivity Program
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC), acknowledging the importance of connection, is offering a new program known as the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP). This program is meant to help low-income individuals pay for their internet services. With the rapid expansion of telehealth since the start of the pandemic, interest in connection to the internet has expanded. For many, the cost can be an added barrier to receiving care. The program offers multiple forms of assistance:
· Up to a $30/month discount on internet service
· Up to a $75/month discount for households on qualifying Tribal lands
· A one-time discount of up to $100 for a laptop, tablet, or desktop computer (with a co-payment of more than $10 but less than $50)
Eligibility requirements and the application for your patients can be found here.
Mobilizing Health Care Workforce Via Telehealth Commences
ProviderBridge.org was created by the Federation of State Medical Boards through the CARES Act and the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP)-supported Licensure Portability Grant Program. The site provides up-to-date information on emergency regulation and licensing by the state as well as a provider portal to connect volunteer healthcare professionals to state agencies and healthcare entities.
COVID-19 Cardiac Risk is Much Higher than Vaccination
Concerns about cardiac risk are often the source of vaccine confidence issues. Data from 40 health care systems participating in a large network found that the risk for cardiac complications was significantly higher after COVID-19 infection than after mRNA COVID-19 vaccination for both males and females in all age groups. Read the CDC study.
Medicaid Option for Community-Based Mobile Crisis Intervention Services Takes Effect
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) reminded states that Medicaid agencies have the option to implement qualifying community-based mobile crisis intervention services in their state plans. The option took effect on April 1, 2022, as per the American Rescue Plan (ARP). CMS also awarded planning grants to 20 state Medicaid agencies, including Pennsylvania, for the purpose of implementing the option. CMS guidance states that programs must include health centers as part of the intervention services teams.
Pennie System Enhancements and Changes in Pennsylvania Start in April
Changes made to the Pennsylvania Assister Dashboard and Pennie Customer Application will ease enrollment. Additional information, including screens to review enrollment details, customer enrollment history, coverage period by member, and premium history are available to review to assist with answering questions and removing the need to contact the Pennie Call Center. Income eligibility thresholds have been updated with 2022 Federal Poverty Level (FPL) data for Medicaid and CHIP eligibility as of April 1, 2022. Pennie continues to use 2021 FPL tables for the 2022 plan year eligibility.
Pennsylvania Insurance Department Promotes Collection of Race and Ethnicity Data
Acting Pennsylvania Insurance Commissioner Michael Humphreys announced the Pennsylvania Insurance Department (PID) has submitted a statement of policy to the Pennsylvania Bulletin that will allow insurers to ask applicants to voluntarily provide race and ethnicity data on insurance applications in an effort to promote equity initiatives. The new statement of the policy ends the enforcement of a prohibition on data collection originally published in 1969. Pennsylvania’s insurance laws clearly prohibit discrimination, including discrimination based on race and ethnicity. PID clarifies that both questions as to “race or color” and data collection will be permitted when asked or collected in a manner that promotes health equity. Unfair discrimination remains prohibited.
HHS Extends Public Health Emergency for 90 Days to July 15
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra has extended the public health emergency (PHE) by 90 days to July 15, 2022. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has said it will give states 60-days’ notice before the end of the PHE.
Pharmacists in PA Push to Retain Right to Vaccinate Kids
Pennsylvania pharmacists visited the state Capitol this week to push state lawmakers to allow them to continue providing a range of vaccinations to children, something they have been doing since early on in the COVID-19 pandemic. Read more.
This Proposed Rule Would Add LGBTQ to Anti-Discrimination Laws
Pennsylvania officials took a historic step by advancing a proposed rule that for the first time would extend the state’s anti-discrimination laws to include discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Developed by the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission, the proposed rule appeared in the April 9 issue of the Pennsylvania Bulletin. The proposed rule spells out the definitions of sex, race, and religious creed under state laws barring discrimination in employment, housing, education, commercial property, and public accommodations. A state panel called the Independent Regulatory Review Commission is taking comments on the proposal until May 9.
USDA Invites Applications to Advance Equity for Disadvantaged Groups Through Job Creation and Business Opportunities
WASHINGTON, April 14, 2022 – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development Under Secretary Xochitl Torres Small today announced that the Department is seeking applications for grants that will help create jobs and business opportunities for socially disadvantaged groups in rural America.
USDA is making the funding available under the Socially Disadvantaged Groups Grant program, which provides technical assistance to socially disadvantaged groups in rural areas.
This program supports Rural Development’s mission to improve the quality of life for rural Americans and commit agency resources to those in need.
USDA is offering priority points to projects that advance key priorities under the Biden-Harris Administration to help communities recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, advance equity, and combat climate change. These extra points will increase the likelihood of funding for projects that will advance these key priorities and expand the geographic diversity of socially disadvantaged groups from these funds. A socially disadvantaged group is defined as one whose members have been subjected to racial, ethnic, or gender prejudice without regard to their individual qualities.
Eligible applicants include cooperatives, groups of cooperatives, and cooperative development centers where a majority of governing board members are from socially disadvantaged groups.
Grants must be used to provide technical assistance to socially disadvantaged groups in rural areas. The maximum grant award is $175,000.
Examples of technical assistance include:
- Feasibility studies
- Business plans
- Strategic planning
- Leadership training
Electronic applications must be submitted to Grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on June 13, 2022.
Interested applicants are encouraged to contact their local USDA Rural Development State Office well in advance of the application deadline to discuss their project and ask any questions about the Socially Disadvantaged Groups Grant program or the application process. Contact information for State Offices can be found at http://www.rd.usda.gov/contact-us/state-offices.
Additional information is available on page 22171 of April 14, 2022, of the Federal Register.
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