In October, the number of Pennsylvanians enrolled in the food stamp program topped 2 million for the first time even as the state reported record unemployment. The number of people receiving Supplement Nutritional Assistance Program benefits in October stood at 2,016,298 in October, according to data posted on the state’s open data website. The state’s unemployment rate in November remained at 3.4%, the lowest it’s been since at least the 1970s. The number of people enrolled in SNAP in Pennsylvania has been relatively stable for the last decade, but it’s begun to tick up since the pandemic. The number of people receiving SNAP benefits increased 4.4% from September 2022 to September 2023.

An NPR story noted that workforce shortages stir labor unrest. The story focused on how community health centers are the medical safety net of last resort, serving the uninsured, the underinsured, and other vulnerable people. NPR noted that there are more than 1,400 community health centers nationwide, and 67% of them lost between 5% and 25% of their workforce during a six-month period in 2022, according to a report by the National Association of Community Health Centers. Read the story.

Pennsylvanians now have a one-stop webpage to access all of Pennsylvania’s health insurance options. www.pa.gov/Healthcare provides links to:

• Pennie, Pennsylvania’s Health Insurance Marketplace
• The Department of Human Services COMPASS website for Medicaid and CHIP Enrollment
• Department of Aging’s webpage for access to Medicare and PA MEDI
• And the United States Department of Veteran’s Affairs for VA Benefits

This is part of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s guide to needed human service resources including mental health, employment, and personal services.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Low-Income Subsidy (LIS) Program (also known as Extra Help) provides premium and cost-sharing assistance for low-income Medicare beneficiaries enrolled in Medicare Part D. The way this program operates will change with the new year.

• Currently: Medicare beneficiaries with income up to 135% of the federal poverty level (FPL) receive full financial assistance. Those with an income between 135% and 150% of the FPL receive partial financial assistance.
• On and after January 1: The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) expands the full financial assistance to Medicare beneficiaries with income up to 150% of the FPL. Medicare beneficiaries who are eligible and enroll in the Medicare Savings Programs (MSP) are automatically eligible for the full LIS subsidies. Other Medicare beneficiaries have to apply via the Social Security Administration to obtain the extra help subsidies.

Providers are encouraged to assist their Medicare patients in applying for MSP coverage. Enrollment in an MSP automatically makes them eligible for full Part D LIS subsidies and the payment of Medicare Parts A and B premiums and cost-sharing.

The Consolidated Appropriations Act requires all states to provide 12-month continuous eligibility to children under age 19 in Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) beginning Jan. 1, 2024. “Continuous eligibility” means that an enrollee can keep their coverage for 12 months after their eligibility determination (or redetermination) regardless of changes in household circumstances, like income fluctuations. Continuous eligibility helps improve health outcomes and is associated with improved coverage rates, reductions in gaps in coverage, a lower probability of being in fair or poor health, and an increase in the average length of enrollment. While half of states already provided 12-month continuous eligibility for children enrolled in Medicaid or CHIP prior to Jan. 1, 2024, this policy will help ensure that millions more children in Medicaid or CHIP receive the benefits of yearlong periods of uninterrupted coverage.

Every five years, Pennsylvania Department of Health’s Title V Maternal and Child Health Services Block Grant requires that the Bureau of Family Health conduct a state-level, comprehensive assessment of the health status of women, birthing people, children, adolescents, and children and youth with special health care needs to identify the priority health needs that will guide state and local public health work funded by Title V. During this assessment, the Bureau of Family Health also evaluates its capacity to serve the maternal and child health populations. The results from the assessment will be used to identify seven to 10 specific priorities that can be positively impacted by strategic public health work over the next five years. State and local Title V staff will identify and implement evidence-based strategies with the goal of making a positive impact on the selected priorities and the health of the maternal and child health populations.

Over the next four months, the Bureau of Family Health will be hosting in-person and virtual regional events across Pennsylvania to engage maternal and child health stakeholders, including providers, service recipients and their families, and anyone interested in maternal and child health in Pennsylvania in discussions about health needs in Pennsylvania and how to prioritize those needs for the next five years.

Please join us at the event in your region and share your voice!

Northcentral:

Tuesday January 30, 2024, 10 AM @ The Penn Stater Hotel & Conference Center, 215 Innovation Blvd, State College, PA 16803 Registration Link and Flyer[pdf]

Southcentral:

Tuesday February 13, 2024, 10 AM @ The Community Center at Camp Hill GIANT, 3301 Trindle Rd., Camp Hill, PA 17011 Registration Link and Flyer[pdf]

Southeast:

Thursday, March 7, 2024, 3 PM @ The Community Center at Willow Grove GIANT, 315 York Rd. Willow Grove, PA 19090 Registration Link and Flyer[pdf]

Northeast:

Thursday, March 14, 2024, 3 PM @ The Woodlands Inn, Ascend Hotel Collection, 1073 Hwy 315, Wilkes-Barre, PA 18702 Registration Link and Flyer[pdf]

Northwest:

Tuesday, March 26, 2024, 3 PM @ The Ambassador Banquet & Conference Center, 7794 Peach St., Erie, PA 16509 Registration Link and Flyer[pdf]

Southwest:

Wednesday, March 27, 2024, 3 PM @ The Kovalchick Convention & Athletic Complex, 711 Pratt Dr., Indiana, PA 15705 Registration Link and Flyer[pdf]

A meal will be provided at each event, and we request that you pre-register if you are planning to attend.

The attached flyers provide additional details, please share with others who may be interested in attending!

Frequently Asked Questions

• Is registration required to attend an event? We strongly encourage you to pre-register if you intend to join us at an event so that we can plan accordingly. Please register by clicking on the registration link associated with the date you plan to attend or sending an email to RA‑DHPATITLEV@pa.gov indicating which event you will be attending.
• Can clients/service recipients attend these events to provide input? Absolutely! These will be family friendly events, and all are welcome. We welcome the participation of clients, service recipients and their families. Parents and caregivers, families with special needs, birthing people and their partners, and youth are all welcome to participate. Maternal and child healthcare and other professionals, and organizations serving this population in Pennsylvania are also welcome to share their thoughts! We are relying on providers and partners to share information about these events with the families that they serve. We greatly appreciate your assistance!
• Can we post these flyers in our office and/or send them to our own email distribution lists? Yes! Please share widely and advertise these events as you see fit. We have attached a flyer for each in-person event.
• These events are not convenient for me. Can I still provide input? We will be holding two virtual events between January and April 2024. Information about those events will be sent out in the coming weeks. If you are not able to attend any of the events, please complete the online prioritization survey which will be sent at later date, or you can send comments via email to RA‑DHPATITLEV@pa.gov or via mail to Department of Health, Bureau of Family Health, Attn. Title V Health Priorities, 625 Forster St., 7th Floor East, Health & Welfare Building, Harrisburg, PA 17120.

If you have any questions about these events or other aspects of the Title V Five Year Needs and Capacity Assessment, please contact Morgan Williams-Fake at mwilliamsf@pa.gov and Caryn Decker at cadecker@pa.gov

The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) is developing an 1115 Medicaid program, Bridges to Success: Keystones of Health for Pennsylvania (Keystones of Health). DHS hopes to use this program to make health care more accessible, improve quality of care and services, and design and evaluate innovative strategies in health care to help people live healthier lives. DHS’ goal and vision for the waiver is to address Pennsylvania’s Medicaid participants’ health-related social needs with interventions that are both lifesaving and cost saving. Keystones of Health will focus on four key areas: reentry from correctional facilities; housing supports; food and nutrition supports; and multi-year continuous eligibility for children up to age six. Visit the Keystones of Health webpage for more details, including an opportunity to submit comments.