- CMS: Medicare Program; Prospective Payment System and Consolidated Billing for Skilled Nursing Facilities; Updates to the Quality Reporting Program for Federal Fiscal Year 2026
- CMS: Medicare Program; FY 2026 Hospice Wage Index and Payment Rate Update and Hospice Quality Reporting Program Requirements
- Public Inspection: CMS: Medicare Program: Prospective Payment System and Consolidated Billing for Skilled Nursing Facilities; Updates to the Quality Reporting Program for Federal Fiscal Year 2026
- Public Inspection: CMS: Medicare Program: Fiscal Year 2026 Hospice Wage Index and Payment Rate Update and Hospice Quality Reporting Program Requirements
- CMS: Request for Information; Health Technology Ecosystem
- VA: Staff Sergeant Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program Funding Opportunity
- State: 60-Day Notice of Proposed Information Collection: J-1 Visa Waiver Recommendation Application
- Public Inspection: CMS: Request for Information: Health Technology Ecosystem
- HHS: Request for Information (RFI): Ensuring Lawful Regulation and Unleashing Innovation To Make American Healthy Again
- VA: Solicitation of Nominations for the Appointment to the Advisory Committee on Tribal and Indian Affairs
- GAO Seeks New Members for Tribal and Indigenous Advisory Council
- VA: Staff Sergeant Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program Funding Opportunity
- 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
Nationwide Study Shows Rise in Opioid Affected Births
A new study conducted by researchers at the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services indicates that mothers with opioid-related diagnoses documented at delivery increased by 131 percent from 2010 to 2017. Rural, white, and Medicaid populations continue to have the highest rates of maternal opioid-related diagnoses and neonatal abstinence syndrome.
HHS Invests $8 Million to Address Gaps in Rural Telehealth
The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) made awards for the Telehealth Broadband Pilot, a new program to assess the broadband capacity available to rural communities. Read more here.
Regional Virtual Dental Listening Sessions
The American Dental Association recently revised its code of professional conduct to include the duty to provide dental health care, or make an appropriate referral, to patients experiencing disabilities. This listening series is for dental providers who are looking to better serve patients with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Do you have questions about payment, treatment models, or best practices? Join the PA Coalition for Oral Health (PCOH) and Achieva, the ARC of Greater Pittsburgh, for a series of regional virtual listening sessions in January and February for dental providers and MA-enrolled Public Health Dental Hygiene Practitioners (PHDHPs). You will also be able to share your thoughts, concerns and most importantly, suggestions, on how they can help providers to provide this care. The first 20 participants for each session will receive an e-gift card for $15.00 (limit one per provider). Click on the call that is accessible for your schedule. (Although listed by regions, you can register for any call.)
Persevere PA, Pennsylvania’s COVID-19 Crisis Counseling Program
A helpline is available 24/7 and was established to help people navigate the impacts and stresses related to COVID-19. This is a free resource staffed by skilled and compassionate counselors available to counsel Pennsylvanians struggling with anxiety and other challenging emotions. Attached are flyers in both English and Spanish. Please use and distribute as you see fit.
Resources for Healthcare Workers Administering Vaccines
The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and their partners have many resources on how to keep health care workers safe during this time of vaccine administration. There is information on how to reduce sharps injuries and what to do if you have a sharps injury:
CDC/NIOSH Resources
- Ensuring the Proper PPE when Administering COVID-19 Vaccine
- Preparing Your Practice for COVID-19 Vaccination
- Preventing Needlesticks in Health Care Settings (Also Available in Spanish)
- Preventing Needlesticks and Sharps Injuries
- Stop Sticks Campaign
- What Every Worker Should Know: How to Protect Yourself from Needlestick Injuries
OSHA Resources
ECRI Pandemic Operational Recovery Guide
The Pandemic Operational Recovery Guide for Health Centers and Free Clinics was written to assist health centers and free clinics in identifying and minimizing risks as they recover from operational disruptions related to a pandemic. The handbook contains links to tools as well as links to additional resources for a more comprehensive discussion of individual topics. Readers can refer to descriptive “Strategy” headings in each section, and consult the recommendations, tools, and resources that follow for more detailed information. Although some tools and resources focus on the COVID-19 pandemic, they can be adapted to respond to other public health emergencies.
New Online: Dental Risk Management Tool
The Dental Toolkit, now available on the Clinical Risk Management Program website, includes resources to help risk and safety leaders protect patients and employees, ensure compliance with federal and state laws and implement and foster a culture of safety in dental settings. Key resources include:
COVID Vaccination Indications and Contraindications
The Pennsylvania Department of Health is providing additional guidance through Health Alert 545 – 01-06-ADV for providers on COVID-19 vaccination. The information in this HAN should be used to supplement other relevant guidance documents and guide the implementation of public health expectations for vaccine providers. Key messages included in the guidance:
- There are two mRNA vaccines with 90-95% efficacy in preventing clinical COVID-19 currently available through an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) by the FDA in the United States.
- The only absolute contraindication to COVID-19 vaccination is history of an immediate allergic reaction to either COVID-19 vaccine or any of their components.
- Severe adverse reactions are uncommon, but vaccine providers should be prepared for this rare event.
- Vaccine providers should report all adverse events following vaccination to Vaccine Adverse Event Recording System (VAERS).
- All COVID-19 mitigation measures should continue to be followed after vaccination.
Click here to access all the Pennsylvania health alerts, advisories and updates.
EEOC Issues Guidance on Employee Vaccination
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has posted an updated and expanded technical assistance publication addressing questions arising under the Federal Equal Employment Opportunity Laws related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The publication, “What You Should Know About COVID-19 and the ADA, the Rehabilitation Act, and Other EEO Laws,” now includes a new section providing information to employers and employees about how a COVID-19 vaccination interacts with the legal requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA). This includes issues pertaining to medical pre-screening questions and employer accommodations for those unable to receive a vaccination.
Pennsylvania Certification Board Offering Online Examinations
The Pennsylvania Certification Board (PCB) has announced that beginning Jan. 15, 2021 several Behavioral Health career examinations will be offered in an on-demand online format. The following tests will be offered: Certified Peer Specialists, Certified Recovery Specialists, Family-Based Therapy positions and Certified Allied Addiction Practitioners. Also beginning in 2021, in-person examinations will be limited to scheduled regional locations throughout the Commonwealth. Counselor, Clinical Supervisor and Prevention examinations are not available for on-demand online testing or in-person regional examinations. Applicants for those credentials will need to schedule an examination at an approved site. To learn more about these examinations please click here.