Late on Thursday, May 28, lawmakers approved SB 1108, which appropriates a substantial portion of the $3.9 billion in federal CARES Act dollars appropriated to Pennsylvania, including $20 million to the Department of Health. Of the $20 million, $10 million is designated for community-based health care centers that receive HRSA grant funding and $10 million for vaccine research. PACHC does not have details yet on how and when the funds will be distributed. The language in the legislation clearly states that “a payment received under this section may only be used to cover necessary COVID-19 related costs, including, but not limited to, those not otherwise reimbursed by Federal, State or another source of funding incurred during the period between March 1, 2020, and November 30, 2020.”

The legislature also approved a five-month PA 2020-21 budget, HB 2387. The approved budget took the 2019-20 budget and cut each line item across the board by 60 percent to account for the five months, which will require lawmakers and the Governor during the next few months to figure out how to pay for the other seven months of 2020-21, along with any additional spending they might want or need to do in excess of the flat funding already approved. The 60 percent cut included the line item for the Primary Health Care Practitioner program. It is expected that both bills will be signed by the Governor.

As stay-at-home restrictions are relaxed, healthcare organizations must strategically plan on how and when to reopen.

• The American Medical Association (AMA) resource, COVID-19: A Physician Practice Guide to Reopening, originally developed for physician practices, can also help health centers prepare to reopen during the COVID-19 pandemic. Strategies and recommendations include compliance with governmental guidance; development of a preopening plan; institution of patient and staff safety measures; a tele-triage program; process to screen patients before in-person visits and limiting non-patient visitors.
• The United Kingdom’s Academy of Medical Royal Colleges released a May 2020 report, Principles for Reintroducing Healthcare Services, outlining six principles for reopening healthcare services. These principles are designed to help increase patient confidence in the healthcare system’s ability to provide care while also decreasing the spread of COVID-19. The six principles address clear messaging to the public that stresses the need to seek medical help for serious conditions; providing the option to seek remote or virtual care when appropriate; utilizing a shared decision-making process; enabling staff to deliver safe, equitable and clinically prioritized care and supporting staff with training and education.

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) is the lead Federal agency charged with improving the safety, quality, and value of patient care delivered by America’s health care system.  AHRQ is providing guidance and resources in response to COVID-19, including a surge capacity planning tool for hospitals. Read more here.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provide comprehensive guidelines for local health departments determining who has been diagnosed with an infectious disease and providing support to people (contacts) who may have been infected through exposure to the patient. Read more here.