- 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
- Unleashing Prosperity Through Deregulation of the Medicare Program (Executive Order 14192) - Request for Information
- Dr. Mehmet Oz Shares Vision for CMS
- CMS Refocuses on its Core Mission and Preserving the State-Federal Medicaid Partnership
- Social Factors Help Explain Worse Cardiovascular Health among Adults in Rural Vs. Urban Communities
- Reducing Barriers to Participation in Population-Based Total Cost of Care (PB-TCOC) Models and Supporting Primary and Specialty Care Transformation: Request for Input
- Secretary Kennedy Renews Public Health Emergency Declaration to Address National Opioid Crisis
- Secretary Kennedy Renews Public Health Emergency Declaration to Address National Opioid Crisis
- 2025 Marketplace Integrity and Affordability Proposed Rule
- Rural America Faces Growing Shortage of Eye Surgeons
- Comments Requested on Mobile Crisis Team Services: An Implementation Toolkit Draft
KFF’s Kaiser Health News Launches Weekly “KHN Health Minute” on CBS News Radio
KFF’s Kaiser Health News (KHN) is launching a weekly one-minute health information segment for CBS News Radio stations that will help millions of listeners stay informed and make better health decisions.
CBS News Radio began offering the KHN Health Minute to its more than 700 affiliate stations weekly on Jan. 12. The brief segments will include a broad range of health stories and consumer information reported by KHN’s nationwide team of health reporters. Listeners can expect stories ranging from navigating medical bills and debt, to changes in health care delivery and policy and public health. A signature focus of the minutes will be on what all the changes and policy debates that people hear about actually mean for them.
In the first KHN Health Minute, hear how noise pollution affects health and why an optimistic outlook may help people live longer.
The collaboration is the latest product of an ongoing partnership between CBS News and KHN.
“Expanding on KHN’s partnership with CBS, I’m thrilled to offer the network’s radio listeners across the country the KHN Health Minute,” said KHN Editor-in-Chief Elisabeth Rosenthal. “It offers a fun, fast and informative way to keep up with the latest and most important health care news.”
“Every day health news is in the headlines as we battle new and emerging threats. Our listeners will benefit greatly with this topical information that is both accessible and actionable,” said Craig Swagler, vice president and general manager of CBS News Radio. “The powerful audience reach of the radio medium connects on-the-go listeners with health information they need and can use instantaneously.”
Listeners can check for the KHN Health Minute on their local CBS News Radio station.
The broader partnership also features regular appearances by Dr. Céline Gounder, KHN’s senior fellow and editor-at-large for public health, on all of CBS News’ platforms, as well as stories, segments, and specials drawing upon reporting from across KHN’s newsroom and bureaus. It includes the popular “Bill of the Month” series, in which Rosenthal appears regularly on “CBS Mornings” to discuss surprising medical bills and what they tell us about the U.S. health care system. “Bill of the Month” is a collaborative investigative project of KHN and NPR.
KHN, a program of KFF, is an award-winning news service with a national newsroom in Washington, D.C., and a rapidly growing network of regional bureaus in California, the Midwest, the Mountain States, and the South, as well as a new Rural Health Desk. KHN works with many editorial partners, and media outlets can republish KHN stories at no charge. News organizations interested in working with KHN should contact the news service at KHNPartnerships@kff.org.
About KFF and KHN
KHN (Kaiser Health News) is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues. Together with Policy Analysis, Polling and Survey Research and Social Impact Media, KHN is one of the four major operating programs at KFF. KFF is an endowed nonprofit organization providing information on health issues to the nation.
About CBS News Radio:
CBS News Radio provides news, talk, information, entertainment, and special events coverage to more than 700 radio stations in the United States, with affiliates in 24 of the top 25 markets. CBS News Radio is also heard hourly on the SiriusXM Platform on P.O.T.U.S. (Channel 124). CBS News Radio is home to the “CBS World News Roundup,” the nation’s longest-running news program, debuting in 1938. In addition to providing breaking news and information, the division provides simulcasts of the CBS EVENING NEWS, FACE THE NATION, and 60 MINUTES to affiliates. CBS News Radio programming is available digitally through the CBS News Radio app, Apple Music, Amazon’s Alexa service, and on the web.
Follow CBS News Radio on Twitter, Facebook, and online at CBSNews.com/Radio.
HHS Launches MyHealthfinder Tool
The Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (ODPHP) created the Take Good Care campaign to help people get essential clinical preventive services. Focusing on Black and Hispanic women ages 45 to 54 who are often in caregiving roles, the campaign encourages prioritizing preventive care through the MyHealthfinder tool.
Preventive care includes health care like screenings, checkups, and vaccines. These services can find health problems before you have symptoms — or even stop issues from developing altogether.
New Resource: E-Cigarette Use, Vaping, and Oral Health
The CareQuest Institute for Oral Health released a new visual report, “Electronic Cigarette Use, Vaping, and Oral Health.” The report explains how individuals who use e-cigarettes are significantly more likely to report having periodontal (gum) disease compared to those who do not smoke or use other nicotine products. E-cigarette use is linked with signs of periodontal disease such as increased plaque, deeper periodontal pockets around the teeth, and bone loss.
Pennsylvania Oral Health Coalition Releases Oral Health Workforce Report Part II
PCOH released the second part of a workforce report that uncovers some Pennsylvanians have wait times up to three years to receive dental treatment for tooth decay. The “Access to Oral Health Workforce Report” determined that the average wait time for a new dental appointment in PA is two months with an additional month wait to have a filling placed. Rural residents can face up to a two to three year wait. Over the last three years, Pennsylvania has been affected by a significant number of dental hygienists and dental assistants leaving dentistry as well as increases in dentist retirements. This has resulted in dwindling availability of dental appointments.
KFF Publishes Brief on Pandemic Private Insurance Payments
Early in the Pandemic, Private Insurers Paid Similarly for In-Person and Telemedicine Services, Including for Mental Health Therapy
Telehealth use surged as the COVID-19 pandemic hit, though the shift toward virtual physician and mental health care did not materially affect how much insurers paid for each patient encounter in 2020, a new KFF analysis finds.
Using data from the Health Care Cost Institute, the analysis examines nearly 100 million claims to compare the average paid amount for in-person and telehealth evaluation and management services and mental health therapies.
In each case, the average payments were similar in 2020.
The analysis suggests that the expanded use of telehealth services did not lead to significant cost savings early in the pandemic though likely provided other benefits by making services more convenient and accessible for patients. Whether insurers have continued to pay similar rates for telehealth and in-person services is not yet clear. The analysis also does not assess the extent to which the availability of telehealth substitutes for in-person services or leads to greater use of health care overall.
The analysis is available through the Peterson-KFF Health System Tracker, an online information hub that monitors and assesses the performance of the U.S. health system or by clicking here.
CMS Rollout “GO” Final Full Package: 2023 ACO REACH, KCC Model Participants, and MSSP Announcement
CMS posted several updates for the Global and Professional Direct Contracting (GPDC) / ACO REACH Model on innovation.cms.gov. This includes a list of the 110 provisionally accepted ACOs in the ACO REACH model and DCEs participating in the third Implementation Period (IP3) of the ACO REACH model. It also includes quarterly updates to a document with GPDC’s financial and quality performance results. The ACO REACH’s Application Fact Sheet and FAQs also received minor updates to ensure consistency with the newly released documents. We kindly ask that you please share this information with your partners.
Please review the below links for further information.
Web links/Materials:
- Press Release: https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cms-announces-increase-2023-organizations-and-beneficiaries-benefiting-coordinated-care-accountable
- ACO Reach Model Fact Sheet: https://innovation.cms.gov/media/document/aco-reach-model-fs-jan2023
- Kidney Care Choices (KCC) Model Fact Sheet: https://innovation.cms.gov/media/document/kcc-model-fs-jan2023
- MSSP Fact Sheet: https://www.cms.gov/files/document/2023-shared-savings-program-fast-facts.pdf
- Public Use Files (PUFs): ): https://data.cms.gov/medicare-shared-savings-program/accountable-care-organizations & https://data.cms.gov/medicare-shared-savings-program/accountable-care-organization-participants
Any technical questions should be directed to the model team at ACOREACH@cms.hhs.gov.
Appalachian Regional Commission Announces SUD Recovery Ecosystem Grant Funding
On January 17, 2023 the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC), a federal-state partnership working to strengthen economic growth and community development in 13 Appalachian states, issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for its Investments Supporting Partnerships in Recovery Ecosystems (INSPIRE) initiative. The grant program addresses the region’s substance use disorder (SUD) crisis with investments up to $13 million in the creation and expansion of a SUD recovery ecosystem that helps facilitate workforce entry and re-entry.
Awards issued through the INSPIRE Initiative will support a wide variety of projects on the post-treatment to employment continuum, including investments in healthcare networks to better meet the needs of SUD recovery professionals, recovery-focused job and workforce training programs, expanded recovery support networks, training and certification of recovery specialists, and more. Successful INSPIRE grant applications will demonstrate the potential for individuals in recovery to obtain and maintain stable employment, with a focus on contributing to and expanding a strong recovery ecosystem of support services and training opportunities that lead to successful entry and re-entry into the workforce. Proposals may also include expanded community- and partnership-based approaches to establish stronger coordination among recovery and training services, as well as strategies to integrate plans with existing state and regional economic development activities. Letters of Intent (LOI) for implementation grants up to $500,000 and planning grants up to $50,000 under INSPIRE are due February 21, 2023. The deadline for final applications is March 17, 2023. Award announcements are anticipated to be made in September 2023.
For more information on this initiative and how to apply, please visit: https://www.arc.gov/inspire-initiative-application-information/
Throughout the month of February, ARC will be hosting several events focusing on the INSPIRE Initiative for communities to learn more about the program. Mark your calendars now to join us on the following dates:
- February 15 at 10:00 a.m. EST (Virtual Pre-Application Workshop)
- February 23 (In-Person Pre-Application Workshop)*
- February 28 (In-Person Pre-Application Workshop)*
- March 2 at 9:00am EST (Virtual Grant Writing Workshop)
*More information on the in-person application workshops will be forthcoming. Please visit ARC’s website for workshop updates.
Pennsylvania Broadband Development Authority Submits Bulk Challenge to FCC’s National Broadband Map
Approximately 35,000 locations identified with inaccuracies related to broadband service availability
Pennsylvania Broadband Development Authority (Authority) Executive Director Brandon Carson announced today that approximately 35,000 locations have been submitted as part of a bulk challenge to the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) National Broadband Map. This action will prompt the FCC to work directly with internet service providers to verify the information submitted.
“Submitting these challenges to the FCC is the next step in the federal funding allocation process,” said Carson. “In addition to the Authority’s efforts to prepare a bulk challenge, we have also been urging all Pennsylvanians to review their information on the map. Submitting these inaccuracies will help ensure Pennsylvania receives adequate federal funding for highspeed internet access to unserved and underserved areas of the commonwealth.”
The FCC’s National Broadband Map displays broadband serviceable locations across the United States where fixed internet service is or can be installed. The commonwealth’s allocation of funding for broadband deployment under the federal infrastructure law is dependent upon the map being accurate. The 35,000 locations submitted as part of the bulk challenge will be reviewed by the FCC and internet service providers and the map will be updated accordingly.
Updates to the National Broadband Map will be a continual process, but this bulk challenge submission is the best opportunity for Pennsylvania’s data to be considered as part of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s state broadband funding allocations, anticipated in summer 2023.
The Authority plans to continue to partner with internet service providers and local communities to verify and update information to ensure that the FCC’s map has the most up-to-date information for Pennsylvania. The data will help to inform investments in broadband infrastructure across the commonwealth.
Former Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf announced the creation of the Authority in February 2022 to manage at least $100 million in federal aid to coordinate the rollout of broadband across Pennsylvania. The Authority was charged with creating a statewide broadband plan and distributing federal and state monies for broadband expansion projects in unserved and underserved areas of the commonwealth.
For more information about the Pennsylvania Broadband Development Authority, visit the Authority’s page on the Department of Community and Economic Development’s website and be sure to stay up-to-date with all of our agency news on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
MEDIA CONTACT: Penny Ickes, dcedpress@pa.gov
CMS Announces Corrections to Certain Regulations
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has released corrected clarificaitions to recently-published rules for hospitals and “primary roads” for determination of Critical Access Hospital (CAH) eligibility.
- Medicare Program; Updates to Face-to Face Encounter and Written Order Prior to Delivery List – Final Rule published 1/17/23; effective 4/17/23
- Medicare Program: Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment and Ambulatory Surgical Center Payment Systems and Quality Reporting Programs; Organ Acquisition; etc.; Correction – Rule published 1/4/2023; Effective date 1/1/2023
- Medicare Program; Implementing Certain Provisions of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 and Other Revisions to Medicare Enrollment and Eligibility Rules; Correction – Rule published 12/30/2022; Effective 12/30/2022
- Medicare Program; End-Stage Renal Disease Prospective Payment System, Payment for Renal Dialysis Services Furnished to Individuals With Acute Kidney Injury, End-Stage Renal Disease Quality Incentive Program, and End-Stage Renal Disease Treatment Choices Model; Correction – Rule published 12/30/22; Effective 1/1/2023
- Medicare Program: Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems; Correction – Final Rule published 12/13/2022; effective date 12/12/2022
Pennsylvania Children’s Partnership Publishes Policy Roadmap for the Next Two Years
In December, our Board of Directors approved our biennial policy roadmap that aligns with our organizational mission to improve the health, education and well-being of children and youth in the commonwealth.
Learn more about our five policy areas, including data points, policy priorities, and legislative or other significant actions:
- Child Welfare: Ensure each child in Pennsylvania lives in a home where they are safe and protected from abuse and neglect.
- Early Care and Education: Ensure each child in Pennsylvania can participate in affordable and accessible high-quality early care and education, including infant and toddler child care and pre-kindergarten education.
- Home Visiting: Ensure each child in Pennsylvania can grow up in a stable and healthy home environment.
- K-12 Education: Ensure each child in Pennsylvania has the opportunity for an adequate and equitable high-quality public education.
- Perinatal and Child Health: Ensure each birthing person and child in Pennsylvania can access affordable, quality health care.
PPC is committed to policy choices that improve maternal and child well-being, advance racial equity and support economically disadvantaged families.
Our work to advance equitable policy solutions is critical in our long-term vision because we can’t achieve our goals if any child is left behind.
Explore the policies we work on to build better futures within the 2023-24 Policy Roadmap.
Also new this year is our revamped State of the Child, which serves as a data companion to the roadmap. View a variety of data points pertaining to Pennsylvania’s children and their well-being