The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) released a Draft Scope of Project and Telehealth Policy Information Notice (PIN). The agency welcomes feedback by the public comment deadline of Nov. 14. PACHC also welcomes your feedback on the proposal.

Nationally, the number of children under age 19 without health insurance fell to 3.9 million in 2021, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s annual report on health insurance coverage. This is 475,000 fewer children without coverage than in 2020. During the pandemic, Congress introduced measures to increase access to care by reducing the cost of Health Insurance Marketplace coverage and expanding Medicaid in some states. In Pennsylvania, the number of children on CHIP is 134,569 and Medicaid is 1,428,818. The number of children on Medicaid has increased 7.7% over the 20 – 21 reporting period.

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) introduced legislation to install a nationwide ban on abortion after 15 weeks. The message from some other GOP legislators on the issue is that they prefer it to be a state decision. Because of the Supreme Court’s recent decision on Roe, abortion currently is a state decision, leading to conflicting state laws which have led to both great variability as well as confusion, both on the part of physicians and other healthcare providers as well as consumers.

The Homeless and Housing Resource Center (HHRC) released a free Whole-Person Opioid Use Disorder Training Course for all interested individuals. This introductory course provides foundational information about the neurobiology and prevalence of opioid use disorder (OUD), the whole-person care framework and best practices, treatment, recovery support necessary for OUD, and maintaining housing stability for individuals with OUD. To learn more about the course and to register, click here.

Beginning September 27, the National Nurse-Led Care Consortium (NNCC) and the School-Based Health Alliance (SBHA) are convening a learning collaborative to assist health centers and school-based health centers operated by health centers/FQHCs, in enhancing their work by providing targeted interventions for school-aged children with pre-diabetic indicators to prevent diabetes. The initiative aims to provide a peer-learning experience with a case-centered model approach to educate participants on how health centers can implement programs to address pre-diabetes risk factors in school-aged children. The content will highlight evidence-based programs delivered both in-person and via telehealth interventions and how to best reach students by leveraging school and other community-based organization partnerships. For details and registration, click here. 

Employers that pay for their employees’ healthcare coverage will face a 6.5% increase in 2023, according to a report from consulting firm Aon. That’s more than twice the 3% increase in 2022, but well below the 9.1% increase in the Consumer Price Index. One approach for employers is to address chronic conditions, which also have implications for absence, productivity, and disability, Aon said in a statement.

Health plans that spend more for primary care are more likely to have better care quality, better patient experience, and better ratings from NCQA, according to a study that evaluated primary care spending data from 13 Medi-Cal managed care plans. “Increasing emphasis on primary care in Medi-Cal is essential to improving health and well-being and reducing health disparities,” Kathryn E. Phillips of the California Health Care Foundation, said in a statement. “This study provides an important baseline for understanding how greater investment in primary care can improve performance.” Read more.

The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released two new pieces of guidance on expanding access to children’s behavioral health services through the EPSDT benefit and expanding access to school-based services through Medicaid. In the behavioral health guidance, CMS reminds states that, under the EPSDT benefit, behavioral health services must be provided when necessary to treat an identified condition. CMS also highlights other coverage authorities and state strategies for providing high-quality behavioral health services to children and youth. In the school-based services guidance (SBS), CMS reviews relevant federal regulations and requirements, including the provision of SBS through managed care and via telehealth. The guidance also highlights best practices for implementing or expanding school-based services.

A FORHP-funded program partners a Federally Qualified Health Center with an ambulance district to help vulnerable patients access care at home.