Rural Health Information Hub Latest News

CMS Releases Final Annual Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters for Plan Year 2022

Posted on by lad3

On January 14, 2021, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a final annual Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters for plan year (PY) 2022 (final 2022 Payment Notice). CMS anticipates continuing to review comments in response to the proposed rule and finalizing other proposed policies in a subsequent final rule to be published at a later date. Working to address comments and feedback from the public after publishing the proposed 2022 payment notice in November 2020, CMS is using this this final rule to address a number of critical priorities. The rule finalizes changes to reduce consumer costs, empower states to develop their own unique plans, accelerate innovation, and clarify program requirements.

The final rule is currently posted for public inspection on the Federal Register at the following link: https://www.federalregister.gov/public-inspection/2021-01175/patient-protection-and-affordable-care-act-benefit-and-payment-parameters-for-2022-updates-to-state.  For more information, please review the fact sheet or press release posted on the CMS website.

Pennsylvania Human Services Agency Published COVID-19 Update

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Stopping a pandemic requires using all the tools available. Vaccines are safe, effective, and the best way to protect  you and those around you from serious illnesses. Vaccines work with your immune system so your body will be ready to fight the virus if you are exposed. Other steps, such as wearing masks and social distancing, help reduce your chance of being exposed to the virus or spreading it to others. Together, COVID-19 vaccination and following the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC’s) recommendations to protect yourself and others will offer the best protection from COVID-19. In Pennsylvania, the COVID-19 vaccine will be distributed in a phased approach.

Vaccine Allocation & Eligibility

In order to facilitate vaccine distribution across Pennsylvania, Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine signed an an order on December 30, 2020, directing at least 10 percent of each vaccine shipment to hospitals, health systems, federally-qualified health centers, and pharmacies be designated for non-hospital affiliated health care personnel who would otherwise be included in Phase 1A of Pennsylvania’s Interim Vaccination Plan.

Health care personnel as defined in Phase 1A:

  • Physicians, nurses, nursing assistants, technicians, therapists, phlebotomists, emergency medical service personnel, direct support professionals (in-home and community-based services and adult day facilities), staff of long-term care facilities that have residents prioritized in 1A, staff in residential care providers serving children, pharmacists, clinical personnel in school-settings or correctional facilities, contractual staff working in but not employed by the health care facility, and people who are not involved in patient care who could be exposed to COVID-19 like dietary, environmental services, laundry, security, maintenance, facilities management, and other administrative staff as defined in the Interim Vaccination Plan.

Long-term care facilities as defined in Phase 1A includes:
Note: Long-term care facility staff are considered health care personnel and long-term care facility residents are also in Phase 1A.

  • Skilled Nursing Facilities, Personal Care Homes, Assisted Living Facilities, Private Intermediate Care Facilities for Individuals with Developmental Disabilities, Community Group Homes, Residential Treatment Facilities for Adults, Long-term Structured Residences, State Veterans Homes, State Centers, private psychiatric hospitals, and State Hospitals.

Federal Pharmacy Partnership Program Update

The Federal Pharmacy Partnership for Long-Term Care Facilities is expanding to start vaccinating personal care homes and assisted living facilities also covered through Phase 1A. Facilities registered to be vaccinated through the partnership will be contacted by either CVS or Walgreens to schedule vaccination. More information can be found from the Pennsylvania Department of Health.

Finding a Vaccine Provider

The Department of Health recently released a map of providers that can administer a COVID-19 vaccine to anyone covered by Phase 1A. Anyone covered under Phase 1A that has not yet received a COVID-19 vaccine can contact any of these providers to check availability and schedule their vaccination, but we encourage providers to contact sites and coordinate for their employees who are eligible. Employees should be prepared to show proof of employment.

*NOTE: Long-term care facility staff and residents may be eligible for the Federal Pharmacy Partnership Program for Long-Term Care facilities. The Federal Pharmacy Partnership Program is currently prioritizing skilled nursing facilities at this time. If your facility is enrolled in the program, CVS and Walgreens may have already reached out to schedule a vaccination date with your facility. However, if your facility has not already scheduled a vaccination date with CVS or Walgreens, your facility is encouraged to contact your local vaccine provider available at the above link. The Department of Human Services and Department of Health are also working together on additional solutions to expedite vaccine distribution to DHS-licensed facilities.

Additional Vaccine Resources

COVID-19 Vaccine FAQ: Long-Term Facilities

CMS Puts Patients Over Paperwork with New Rule that Addresses the Prior Authorization Process

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Final rule gives providers access to patient treatment histories, and streamlines prior authorization to improve patient experience and alleviate burden for health care providers

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) finalized a signature accomplishment of the new Office of Burden Reduction & Health Informatics (OBRHI). This final rule builds on the efforts to drive interoperability, empower patients, and reduce costs and burden in the healthcare market by promoting secure electronic access to health data in new and innovative ways. These significant changes include allowing certain payers, providers and patients to have electronic access to pending and active prior authorization decisions, which should result in fewer repeated requests for prior authorizations, reducing costs and onerous administrative burden to our frontline providers. This final rule will result in providers having more time to focus on their patients and provide higher quality care.

“Today, we take a historic stride toward the future long promised by electronic health records but never yet realized: a more efficient, convenient, and affordable healthcare system,” said CMS Administrator Seema Verma. “Thanks to this rule, millions of patients will no longer have to wrangle with prior providers or locate ancient fax machines to take possession of their own data. Many providers, too, will be freed from the burden of piecing together patients’ health histories based on incomplete, half-forgotten snippets of information supplied by the patients themselves, as well as the most onerous elements of prior authorization. This change will reverberate around the healthcare system for years and decades to come.”

The “CMS Interoperability and Prior Authorization” rule is the next phase of CMS interoperability rulemaking, aimed at improving data exchange while simultaneously reducing provider and patient burden. This final rule requires the payers regulated under this rule (namely, Medicaid and CHIP managed care plans, state Medicaid and CHIP fee-for-service programs (FFS) and issuers of individual market Qualified Health Plans (QHPs) on the Federally-facilitated exchanges (FFEs)) to implement application programing interfaces (APIs) that will give providers better access to data about their patients, and streamline the process of prior authorization. APIs are the foundation of smartphone applications, and when integrated with a provider’s electronic health record (EHR), they can enable data access at the touch of a button.  By exchanging relevant health information between patients, providers and payers, APIs support a better health care experience for patients. Patients have easier access to their own health information, their providers have a more complete picture of their care, and patients can take their information with them as they move from plan to plan, and from provider to provider throughout the healthcare system. This ensures more coordinated, quality care, and less repetitive and unnecessary care that is costly.

Today’s final rule requires Medicaid and CHIP (FFS) programs, Medicaid and CHIP managed care plans, and issuers of individual market QHPs on the FFEs to include, as part of the already established Patient Access API, claims and encounter data, including laboratory results, and information about the patient’s pending and active prior authorization decisions. These payers are also required to share this data directly with patients’ providers if they ask for it and with other payers as the patient moves from one payer to another. In this way, patients, providers, and payers have the data when and where they need it, to help ensure that patients receive the best possible care. While Medicare Advantage plans are not included in and therefore not subject to this final rule, CMS is considering whether to do so in future rulemaking.

Prior Authorization Burden Reduction

Payers use prior authorization as a way to manage health care costs and ensure payment accuracy.  For certain services, providers request approval from payers before rendering care to ensure that the payer will determine that the care is medically necessary, a threshold requirement for care to be reimbursed under the patients’ health coverage. This administrative process can be burdensome, and the challenges of the prior authorization process have motivated industry efforts to develop tools to increase automation. This final rule aims to reduce the inefficiencies and burdens of the prior authorization process for providers, and give them back time to focus on what matters most, treating patients in a timely manner.

The final rule requires Medicaid and CHIP FFS programs, Medicaid and CHIP managed care plans, and issuers of individual market QHPs on the FFEs to build, implement, and maintain APIs using the Health Level 7 (HL7) Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources (FHIR) standard to support automation of the prior authorization process, specifically addressing the challenges raised by both providers and payers. The requirements of this rule specify that each of these payers will build an API-enabled documentation requirements look-up service, and make these public so providers may access documentation and prior authorization requirements from their EHR platforms.  Once a provider knows what is required for each prior authorization, the next step is submitting it electronically.  The final rule also requires Medicaid, CHIP, and QHP payers to implement and maintain prior authorization support APIs using the HL7 FHIR standard, which will advance a streamlined approach for communicating prior authorization requests and responses between those payers and provider EHR platforms or other practice management systems.

The final rule also requires Medicaid and CHIP (FFS) programs, and Medicaid and CHIP managed care plans to meet reduced decision timelines for prior authorizations. These payers will now have a maximum of 72 hours to make prior authorization decisions on urgent requests and seven calendar days for non-urgent requests, and all payers subject to the rule are required to provide a specific reason for any denial, which will allow providers some transparency into the process beginning January 1, 2024 or the rating period that starts on or after January 1, 2024.  In addition, to promote accountability, the rule requires these payers, to make public, prior authorization metrics that demonstrate how they operationalize the prior authorization process.  All of these requirements together will promote a more streamlined and efficient prior authorization process for providers and payers alike.

The rule will improve the patient experience as well.  When a patient sees, for instance that a prior authorization is needed and has been submitted for a particular item or service, they will better understand the timeline for the process and be able to work with their provider to plan accordingly.

Today’s final rule aims to improve longstanding inefficiencies in the healthcare system —including the lack of data sharing and access. This final rule expands the current Administration’s goals of quality and lower costs in health care as payers and providers will now have access to more complete patient histories, allowing for more coordinated and seamless patient care.

The final rule is available to review today at: https://www.cms.gov/files/document/11521-provider-burden-promoting-patients-electronic-access-health-information-e-prior.pdf

HHS Invests $8 Million to Address Gaps in Rural Telehealth through the Telehealth Broadband Pilot Program

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The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), awarded $8 million to fund the Telehealth Broadband Pilot (TBP) program. The TBP program assesses the broadband capacity available to rural health care providers and patient communities to improve their access to telehealth services.

“HHS has made it a priority to transform rural healthcare, including through innovations like telehealth, where we’ve seen many years’ worth of progress in just the past year,” said HHS Deputy Secretary Eric Hargan. “As someone who hails from rural America, supporting delivery of care in the most remote parts of America, like Alaska, is a personal passion of mine, and telehealth is a crucial part of that work. This telehealth pilot program is part of the Rural Action Plan that HHS launched this past year, which lays out a path forward to coordinate agency efforts to transform and improve rural health care in tangible ways.”

Through the new program, $6.5 million was awarded to the National Telehealth Technology Assessment Resource Center (TTAC), based out of the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium. The TTAC works in the area of technology assessment and selecting appropriate technologies for a variety of telehealth services. TTAC will implement the TBP in four state community locations, including Alaska, Michigan, Texas and West Virginia. TTAC will also work with the Rural Telehealth Initiative’s federal partners to improve rural communities’ access to broadband and telehealth services through existing funding opportunities and grant programs.

HRSA’s Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP) also awarded the Telehealth-Focused Rural Health Research Center through the University of Arkansas $1.5 million to evaluate the TBP program across all participating communities and to serve as a resource on telehealth for rural communities around the nation.

“We are excited to collaborate on this pilot program that will identify rural communities’ access to broadband to improve their ability to use telehealth services,” said HRSA Administrator Tom Engels. “HRSA remains dedicated to helping rural communities build the capabilities to improve access to quality health care.”

The TBP program is a three-year pilot and the result of the Memorandum of Understanding that was signed on September 1, 2020 by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The memorandum also created the Rural Telehealth Initiative, a cross cutting, multi-department initiative that coordinates programs to expand broadband capacity and increase telehealth access to improve health care in rural America.

For more information about telehealth, visit HHS’s Telehealth Website, HRSA’s Office for the Advancement of Telehealth, and Telehealth Resource Centers pages.

To learn about HRSA-supported resources, visit HRSA’s Federal Office of Rural Health Policy page.

Pennsylvania Wolf, Democratic Leaders Urge Legislature to Allocate $145 Million in Financial Support to Businesses Adversely Affected by COVID-19

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Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf urged the General Assembly to act now to allocate $145 million that is available now to provide much needed support to Pennsylvania businesses that have been adversely affected by the COVID-19 public health crisis.

Governor Wolf, joined by Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa (D-Allegheny) and House Democratic Leader Joanna McClinton (D-Philadelphia/Delaware), noted that it has been three weeks since the governor initiated a transfer of $145 million to be appropriated by the state legislature into grants for businesses. This transfer requires legislative authorization to appropriate the funding to make grants for businesses.

“This pandemic has brought us many challenges, but we have the means in front of us to help Pennsylvanians overcome one of those challenges,” Gov. Wolf said. “We all need the Republican-led General Assembly to step up and do their part. Republican leaders have failed to act thus far and that has to change. They need to act quickly because businesses need this help now.”

“It is not mitigation efforts but rather inaction on assistance programs that is putting permanent ‘Closed’ signs on the doors of business across the state,” Costa said. “This $145 million is an important step to helping our small business community through this difficult time. The Senate Democrats are ready to vote yes on the plan as soon as we are back to session.

“For nearly a year now our local businesses have been struggling to keep their doors open,” McClinton said. “These are the neighborhood businesses that create the jobs, sponsor the little league team, let the Girl Scouts sell cookies out front and are the backbone of the communities they serve. They deserve our help and we’re going to deliver the help they need.”

Since the start of the pandemic, the Wolf Administration has provided for more than $525 million in relief to businesses and non-profits in addition to federal support through programs such as the Paycheck Protection Program.

The governor said the Republican legislature, rather than prioritize supporting businesses, has instead focused its efforts over the past few weeks on spreading disinformation about the 2020 General Election, delaying the swearing-in of a Democratic senator who won his election, and trying to find ways to disenfranchise voters.

“The General Assembly must commit to working together to get this money into the hands of businesses that need it. Delaying now, when the funds have already been transferred, only harms working Pennsylvanians,” Gov. Wolf said. “The money is available and ready to be distributed, and our businesses can’t afford to wait.”

Pennsylvania Announces Statewide Virtual Photo Exhibit to Document State’s COVID-19 Experience  

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Pennsylvania First Lady Frances Wolf announced One Lens: Sharing Our Common Views, a statewide virtual photo exhibit she is launching to document the story of Pennsylvania throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. The exhibit will celebrate the hard work and commitment of all Pennsylvanians as we continue our fight against COVID-19.

More information about the exhibit and how to participate can be found here.

“We are living through an extraordinary moment right now,” said First Lady Wolf. “How we live, how we communicate, and how we educate our children have changed drastically since last March, but we all still yearn for a sense of community because that’s what reminds us of our own strength and tenacity. The One Lens exhibit is an extended community for Pennsylvanians, one where we can share our stories with our neighbors from every corner of the state, inspire each other, and help each other heal while creating our history of this time.”

One Lens, the brainchild of First Lady Wolf, highlights the importance of preserving history by encouraging Pennsylvanians to share their experiences during COVID-19 through photography. The submitted images will be displayed for public viewing and saved as visual documentation of the pandemic. By using photography as the medium to tell these stories, One Lens also emphasizes using art as a tool for Pennsylvanians to cope and to heal. The exhibit covers three themes:

  • Our Heroes, paying homage to the pandemic heroes who cannot stay home;
  • Our Lives, looking at how we spend our time when no one is watching; and
  • Our Communities, showcasing Pennsylvanians uniting in the face of a global      health crisis.

The photo submission period will open on Monday, February 8, 2021 and remain open until Monday, March 8, 2021. The full exhibit will be released on Friday, March 19, 2021.

In preparation of the exhibit, five ambassadors were selected to represent the central, northeast, northwest, southeast, and southwest regions of the state. These regional ambassadors will use their strong connection to their regions to ensure that the One Lens exhibit will truly reflect the experiences of Pennsylvania’s diverse, vibrant, and resilient communities.

 One Lens Regional Ambassadors:

Shannon Maldonado (southeast) is the founder and creative director of YOWIE, a creative platform and design studio founded in 2016. After over a decade working in fashion, she created the storefront and design studio to showcase emerging artists and create spaces that evoke emotion and discovery.

 Matthew Galluzzo (southwest) has dedicated his entire career to Pittsburgh and its neighborhoods. In September 2019 he joined Riverlife as president and CEO, and leads a transformative agenda for creating, activating, and celebrating Pittsburgh’s riverfronts.

 Porcha Johnson (central) has six years of experience in health advocacy, motivating women to live healthier lifestyles, as well as 13 years of experience as a TV news reporter and anchor. Her strong background in television news helped her connect with women and girls all around the country through Black Girl Health (BGH), a company she founded in 2014.

 James Hamill (northeast) is the Director of Public Relations for the Pocono Mountain Visitors Bureau, the destination marketing organization for Wayne, Pike, Monroe and Carbon counties. Hamill helps create content for the various platforms at the PMVB including social media, television and web.

Ceasar Westbrook (northwest) is a Pennsylvania-based artist and teacher in Erie. Currently, he does commissioned work for various collectors throughout the country, including well-known celebrities, musicians, and government officials.

State Resources

The Wolf Administration stresses the role Pennsylvanians play in helping to reduce the spread of COVID-19:

  • Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available.
  • Cover any coughs or sneezes with your elbow, not your hands.
  • Clean surfaces frequently.
  • Stay home to avoid spreading COVID-19, especially if you are unwell.
  • If you must go out, you are required to wear a mask when in a business or where it is difficult to maintain proper social distancing.
  • Download the COVID Alert PA app and make your phone part of the fight. The free app can be found in the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store by searching for “covid alert pa”.

Updated Coronavirus Links: Press Releases, State Lab Photos, Graphics

PPP Reopens January 11, 2021

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The U.S. Small Business Administration, in consultation with the Treasury Department, announced that the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) will re-open the week of January 11 for new borrowers and certain existing PPP borrowers. To promote access to capital, initially only community financial institutions will be able to make First Draw PPP Loans on Monday, January 11, and Second Draw PPP Loans on Wednesday, January 13.  The PPP will open to all participating lenders shortly thereafter. Updated PPP guidance outlining Program changes to enhance its effectiveness and accessibility was released on January 6 in accordance with the Economic Aid to Hard-Hit Small Businesses, Non-Profits, and Venues Act.

This round of the PPP continues to prioritize millions of Americans employed by small businesses by authorizing up to $284 billion toward job retention and certain other expenses through March 31, 2021, and by allowing certain existing PPP borrowers to apply for a Second Draw PPP Loan.

“The historically successful Paycheck Protection Program served as an economic lifeline to millions of small businesses and their employees when they needed it most,” said Administrator Jovita Carranza.  “Today’s guidance builds on the success of the program and adapts to the changing needs of small business owners by providing targeted relief and a simpler forgiveness process to ensure their path to recovery.”

“The Paycheck Protection Program has successfully provided 5.2 million loans worth $525 billion to America’s small businesses, supporting more than 51 million jobs,” said Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin.  “This updated guidance enhances the PPP’s targeted relief to small businesses most impacted by COVID-19.  We are committed to implementing this round of PPP quickly to continue supporting American small businesses and their workers.”

Key PPP updates include:

  • PPP borrowers can set their PPP loan’s covered period to be any length between 8 and 24 weeks to best meet their business needs;
  • PPP loans will cover additional expenses, including operations expenditures, property damage costs, supplier costs, and worker protection expenditures;
  • The Program’s eligibility is expanded to include 501(c)(6)s, housing cooperatives, direct marketing organizations, among other types of organizations;
  • The PPP provides greater flexibility for seasonal employees;
  • Certain existing PPP borrowers can request to modify their First Draw PPP Loan amount; and
  • Certain existing PPP borrowers are now eligible to apply for a Second Draw PPP Loan.

A borrower is generally eligible for a Second Draw PPP Loan if the borrower:

  • Previously received a First Draw PPP Loan and will or has used the full amount only for authorized uses;
  • Has no more than 300 employees; and
  • Can demonstrate at least a 25% reduction in gross receipts between comparable quarters in 2019 and 2020.

The new guidance released includes:

For more information on SBA’s assistance to small businesses, visit sba.gov/ppp or treasury.gov/cares.

Poll Finds Rural Residents More Hesitant to Get Vaccinated

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By Tim Marena

About a third of rural residents are reluctant get to vaccinated, while about a quarter of metropolitan residents are.

Rural residents are more hesitant than their metropolitan counterparts to get a Covid-19 vaccination, even though rural areas have higher rates of infections and deaths from the coronavirus, according to a new report.

About a third (35%) of people living in rural areas said they probably would not or definitely would not get a Covid-19 vaccine, compared to about a quarter of suburban (27%) and urban residents (26%) who said the same.

The increased reluctance of rural residents to get vaccinated for Covid-19 was evident even when researchers controlled for other factors such as age, education, and party affiliation.

The poll, part of the Kaiser Family Foundation’s vaccine monitor project, was conducted November 30 to December 8, the week before the first doses of Covid-19 were administered in the U.S.  The poll asked approximately 1,700 respondents whether they would get a vaccine if it was free, safe, and effective.

Party affiliation was the biggest indicator of whether a person said they would refuse vaccination. Forty-two percent of Republicans said they probably or definitely would not get vaccinated. Only 12% of Democrats said they would not take the vaccine.

Read the full article and view the graphs.

Next Steps: Changes to the RHC Program

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The year-end COVID-19 relief package made significant changes to Medicare reimbursement for Rural Health Clinics (RHC).  While increases to the cap for freestanding RHCs are a positive development, other changes will have implications for provider-based RHCs.

Attached and below are policy recommendations of further modernizations to be made to the program in the 117th Congress.

Section 130 of the bill made the following notable changes to the RHC Program   

  • Increases the freestanding RHC limit to $100 beginning April 1, 2021 taking it to $190 in 2028.
  • Subjects all “new” (certified after 12/31/19) RHCs, both freestanding and provider-based, to the new per-visit cap.
  • Eliminates the exemption of payment limit for new provider-based RHCs. Any provider-based RHC certified after 12/31/19 will be subject to the same limits as freestanding facilities, meaning no new provider-based RHCs can receive uncapped cost-based reimbursement.
  • Provider-based RHCs in existence as of 12/31/19 would be grandfathered-in at their current All-Inclusive Rate (AIR) and would receive their 2020 AIR plus an adjustment for MEI (the Medicare Economic Index) or their actual costs for the year.

Technical Correction Recommendation

  • Addressing provider-based RHC’s who were under construction and/or in development as of date of enactment. The backdating for new provider-based RHC of the December 31, 2019 is not acceptable and should be changed to April 1, 2021, when the change goes into effect. That will give hospitals currently in the process of converting RHCs an opportunity to address their planning and complete pending conversions.  In the middle of a pandemic, as much flexibility should be given to rural providers as possible.

RHC Modernization Policy Recommendations   

  • Permanently enable all RHCs to serve as distant-site providers for purposes of Medicare telehealth reimbursement and to set reimbursement for these services at their respective AIR. Additionally, these services should be counted as a qualified encounter on the Medicare cost report.
  • Modernize physician, physician assistant, and nurse practitioner utilization requirements to allow for arrangements consistent with State and local law relative to practice, performance, and delivery of health services.
  • Continue cost-based reimbursement without a per-visit cap in exchange for requiring provider-based RHCs reporting of quality measures, perhaps per the Uniform Data System (UDS) or another like system. Provider-based RHCs would use the higher rate to pay for their participation in a quality program.
  • Create an option for low-volume facilities (perhaps those meeting frontier and/or volume threshold) to automatically be eligible to receive a provider-based designation exception to address low-volume issues.
  • Allow RHC’s the flexibility to contract with physician assistants and nurse practitioners, rather than solely employment relationships.
  • Remove outdated laboratory requirements.

Pennsylvania Provides Update on Latest Medicaid, SNAP Enrollment Data, Announces Recent Changes to SNAP Benefits and Eligibility 

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Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) Secretary Teresa Miller reminded Pennsylvanians that safety-net programs like Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Medicaid are available to individuals and families who are struggling to afford food or access health care. Secretary Miller also discussed recent SNAP changes that will help individuals and families amidst the continuing public health crisis and heightened unemployment.

“We all deserve the dignity of having those most essential needs met, especially when we fall on hard times. That’s why DHS is here, regardless of the pandemic, to make sure you can get through times like these,” said DHS Secretary Teresa Miller. “Our public assistance network can be a lifeline that makes sure people can go to the doctor, have enough to eat, or pay their utilities as other bills and needs arise. This network exists to help you through any change in your circumstances, whether it’s a loss of employment or a reduction in income. No one should feel like they have to endure this period and its stress, anxiety, and uncertainty alone. If you or someone you know could use a hand, please let us try to help.”

Enrollment statewide for Medicaid has increased by 300,076 people since February 2020, for a total enrollment of 3,131,639 people in November — a 10.6 percent increase.

Pennsylvanians who have lost health coverage or are currently uninsured and need coverage for themselves or their children may qualify for coverage through Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). Medicaid and CHIP provide coverage for routine and emergency health services, tests and screenings, and prescriptions, and COVID-19 testing and treatment are covered by Medicaid and CHIP. Medicaid and CHIP enroll individuals throughout the year and do not have a limited or special enrollment time, so people needing health coverage can apply for these programs at any time. There are income limits for Medicaid, but all children qualify for comprehensive health, vision, and dental coverage through CHIP regardless of their parents’ income. Children who are not income eligible for Medicaid are automatically referred to CHIP for coverage.

Enrollment for SNAP statewide has increased by 96,549 people since February 2020, for a total enrollment of about 1,834,008 in November — a 5.6 percent increase.

SNAP helps more than 1.8 million Pennsylvanians purchase fresh food and groceries, helping families with limited or strained resources be able to keep food on the table while meeting other bills and needs. Inadequate food and chronic nutrient deficiencies have profound effects on a person’s life and health, including increased risks for chronic diseases, higher chances of hospitalization, poorer overall health, and increased health care costs. As the nation faces the COVID-19 pandemic, access to essential needs like food is more important than ever to help keep vulnerable populations healthy and mitigate co-occurring health risks.

Congress has temporarily increased the SNAP maximum benefit allotment by 15 percent through the recently-signed federal government funding bill. This change affects every SNAP recipient in the commonwealth and is effective from January 1, 2021, through June 30, 2021. Below is the new SNAP maximum monthly allotment based on household size:

People in Household

Maximum Monthly Allotment

1

$234

2

$430

3

$616

4

$782

5

$929

6

$1,114

7

$1,232

8

$1,408

Each additional person

+$176

Additionally, Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) will no longer be counted as income for people applying for SNAP eligibility, opening SNAP as an option for more people who have lost income or employment due to the pandemic.

“We are thankful for these rule changes, as those with the lowest income that were receiving the maximum SNAP benefits did not see an increase in their benefits during the pandemic and economic downturn. This not only hurt our lowest-income neighbors, but our communities, as charitable food networks were overburdened. This is incredibly helpful for our lowest-income families and others who are going through difficult times,” said Secretary Miller. “If you were previously ineligible for SNAP because of pandemic unemployment assistance, I strongly urge you to apply again and let this program help with one essential need.”

Applications for SNAP, Medicaid, and other public assistance programs can be submitted online at www.compass.state.pa.us. Those who prefer to submit paper documentation can print from the website or request an application by phone at 1-800-692-7462 and mail it to their home.