The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released a report that recommends cost savings from lower-than-expected Medicare Part B spending be passed along to people with Medicare Part B coverage in the calculation of the 2023 Part B premium. Earlier this year, Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra instructed CMS to reassess the 2022 Part B premium amount in response to a price reduction for Aduhelm™, a monoclonal antibody directed against amyloid for use in treating Alzheimer’s disease. Given the information available today, it is expected that the 2023 premium will be lower than 2022. The final determination will be made later this fall.

“At the Secretary’s direction, CMS reassessed the Medicare Part B premium and recommends that the identified savings be incorporated into the Medicare Part B premium for 2023,” said CMS Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure. “Due to changes in the cost of Aduhelm™ and coverage since the premium was established, CMS recommends that the lower-than-anticipated spending in 2022 be incorporated into the 2023 Part B premium determination. The Biden-Harris Administration remains committed to lowering health care costs for beneficiaries by increasing price transparency, lowering the cost of prescription drugs, and connecting people to savings programs.”

Medicare Part B covers physician services, outpatient hospital services, certain home health services, durable medical equipment, and certain other medical and health services not covered by Medicare Part A, which covers inpatient hospital care, skilled nursing facility, hospice, lab tests, surgery, home health care.

As detailed in the report, when calculating the Part B premium, CMS builds in a reserve to ensure the Medicare Supplementary Medical Insurance (SMI) Trust Fund remains adequately financed for the year. In 2022, CMS appropriately built in a reserve to ensure the SMI Trust Fund could cover the potential costs of Aduhelm™ and similar drugs. At the time CMS announced the premium in Fall 2021, Aduhelm™ cost an average of $56,000 per year, and CMS had not yet issued a National Coverage Determination (NCD). After the 2022 Medicare Part B premium was set, the manufacturer of Aduhelm™ reduced the price to an average of $26,200, and CMS finalized Medicare coverage with evidence development for Aduhelm™ and similar, future FDA-approved drugs with an indication for use in treating the Alzheimer’s disease. CMS determined that reflecting these savings in the calculation of the 2023 Medicare Part B premium is the most effective way to deliver these savings back to people with Medicare Part B. CMS is still assessing other current and projected Medicare Part B costs to inform the premium recommendation for 2023, which will be announced in Fall 2022 consistent with the statutory process.

In November 2021, CMS announced that the Part B standard monthly premium increased from $148.50 in 2021 to $170.10 in 2022. This increase was driven in part by the statutory requirement to prepare for potential expenses, such as spending trends driven by COVID-19 and uncertain pricing and utilization of Aduhelm™. Despite the increase, most people with Medicare saw a significant net increase in Social Security benefits due to a higher-than-usual Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) in 2022.

People with Medicare coverage may be eligible for help paying their Medicare costs through the Medicare Savings Programs (MSP). CMS encourages people with Medicare to check their eligibility to receive financial assistance from MSP as they may also help pay Medicare Part A (Hospital Insurance) and Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance) deductibles, coinsurance, and copayments if individuals meet the eligibility criteria. People with Medicare can learn more about the Medicare Savings Programs by calling 1-800-MEDICARE or visiting Medicare.gov at https://www.medicare.gov/your-medicare-costs/get-help-paying-costs/medicare-savings-programs.

The report and analysis of the reexamination of the 2022 Medicare Part B premium is available at www.cms.gov/files/document/cms-report-secretary-2022-medicare-part-b-premium-reexamination.pdf.

Just Released! Build Healthy Places Network is excited to announce the release of our latest publication “A Playbook for New Rural Healthcare Partnership Models of Investment”

Many rural communities across the country face challenges in meeting community needs around health, workforce development, financial stability, infrastructure, etc. However there are calls to change the narrative around areas existing outside of urban centers to recognize the unique assets embedded in these enduring rural communities. Recently the Biden Administration embarked on a 30-stop tour of rural areas across the country to promote the White House’s Rural Playbook, a guide for communities to access the $1.2 trillion in funding now available through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. But what are the implications and opportunities for rural healthcare organizations?

Build Healthy Places Network’s Playbook for New Rural Healthcare Partnership Models of Investments is an action-oriented guide designed for healthcare organizations who want to pursue partnerships with rural community and economic development and other sectors, to create the community conditions that support improved community health. After interviewing dozens of experts we share case studies highlighting core strategies used by healthcare entities as examples for future multi-sector rural partnerships to follow.

The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) met with their our newest POWER awardees to discuss the grant management skills that will be most critical to the success of their projects.  Since the POWER Initiative started in 2015, ARC has invested more than $319.3 million in 395 projects touching 358 counties across Appalachia. Learn more about the newest grantees.

United States Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy issued a new Surgeon General’s Advisory highlighting the urgent need to address the health worker burnout crisis across the country. Health workers, including physicians, nurses, community and public health workers, nurse aides, among others, have long faced systemic challenges in the health care system even before the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to crisis levels of burnout.

The Surgeon General’s Advisory Addressing Health Worker Burnout lays out recommendations for health care organizations, health insurers, health technology companies, policymakers, academic institutions, researchers, and communities to address health worker burnout and ensure their well-being – so that health workers can thrive and better answer their call as healers.

As Mental Health Awareness Month draws to a close, the Public Health Communications Collaborative has developed a new directory of resources to help you communicate about this important public health issue all year. Our guide spotlights resources for public health and health professionals, parents and caregivers, employers and employees, youth, and anyone who is looking for general mental health information and guidance on how to connect with a mental health professional.

As we navigate life’s challenges compounded by the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, while processing unspeakable national tragedies such as the Buffalo and Uvalde shootings in the last two weeks, ensuring our communities have access to mental health resources is crucial to their overall health and wellbeing.

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development Under Secretary Xochitl Torres Small today announced that USDA is seeking applications for grants to help owners of rental housing repair and rehabilitate their units, if they make them available for low- and very-low-income rural residents. USDA is providing the funding through the Housing Preservation Grant program.

Eligible applicants include town or county governments, public agencies, federally recognized Indian tribes, and nonprofit and faith-based organizations.

USDA encourages applicants to consider projects that will advance the following key priorities:

• Assisting rural communities recover economically from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly disadvantaged communities;
• Ensuring all rural residents have equitable access to USDA Rural Development (RD) programs and benefits from RD-funded projects; and,
• Reducing climate pollution and increasing resilience to the impacts of climate change through economic support to rural communities.

USDA does not provide funding directly to individual homeowners under this program.

Paper pre-applications are due by 4:30 p.m. local time on July 11, 2022, at the Rural Development state office where the project will be located. Electronic pre-applications are due by 4:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time, July 11, 2022. For a list of offices, visit the state office website.

See page 31976 of the May 26, 2022, Federal Register for additional information.

If you’d like to subscribe to USDA Rural Development updates, visit our GovDelivery subscriber page.

USDA announced a suite of new actions delivering on key commitments from President Biden’s Executive Order on Promoting Competition in the American Economy, including issuing a new Packers & Stockyards Act rulemaking, making available $200 Million to expand competition in meat processing, and investing $25 million in workforce training

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced more support, resources, and new rules that will strengthen the American food supply chain, promote fair and competitive agricultural markets, prevent abuse of farmers by poultry processors and make prices fairer for farmers and American consumers. These actions build on President Biden’s historic whole-of-government effort to promote competition in the American economy and fulfill key pillars of the Meat and Poultry Supply Chain Action Plan launched in January by President Biden, Secretary Vilsack, and Attorney General Garland. These actions combat market dominance by a small number of major meat and poultry processors in key markets, where excessive concentration and control has led to lower prices paid to producers and higher prices paid by consumers.

Read the full announcement here.

June event hosted by the White House will highlight private sector commitments

Today, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), in partnership with the White House, is issuing a call to action for health care stakeholders to commit to tackling the climate crisis through a new initiative aimed at reducing emissions across the health care sector.

Climate change exacerbates health disparities and private health care stakeholders have an opportunity to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate future damage. Federal Health systems are already taking actions to reduce emissions under the leadership of the Biden Administration. This new initiative challenges private health systems to match or exceed these goals and to build climate considerations into the future of health care.

U.S. hospitals, health systems, suppliers, pharmaceutical companies and other industry stakeholders are invited to submit pledges to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase their climate resilience. The White House plans to host a convening in June to highlight health care sector progress in promoting climate actions.

“We need all players on the field confronting the climate crisis; sitting on the sidelines is not an option.” said HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra. “Every stakeholder group in America must step up, and collaboration across the public and private sector is key. At HHS, we stand ready to partner with as many players as possible. Reducing emissions and fighting climate change’s catastrophic and chronic impact on vulnerable people is key to building a healthier nation.”

The voluntary pledge asks signees to, at a minimum, commit to: (1) reducing their organization’s emissions (by 50% by 2030 and to net zero by 2050) and publicly reporting on their progress; (2) completing an inventory of Scope 3 (supply chain) emissions; and (3) developing climate resilience plans for their facilities and communities. It also asks them to designate an executive lead for this work.

“We are encouraged by the bold and specific commitments to decarbonization that many organizations across the country have already made,” Admiral Rachel Levine, Assistant Secretary for Health, said. “It is time for us to both celebrate those commitments and galvanize others to take this critical step.”

“The health care sector contributes 8.5% of total U.S. emissions, so they have a big role to play,” National Climate Advisor Gina McCarthy said. “We are excited for health care leaders across the country willing to step up, reduce emissions, and help us reach the President’s bold climate goals.”

Starting with the establishment of the Office of Climate Change and Health Equity (OCCHE) in August of 2021, HHS is taking a more active role to address the challenges climate poses to health. This includes the Administration’s commitment at last November’s United Nations Climate Conference  to creating a low-carbon health system. It also includes co-chairing the National Academy of Medicine Action Collaborative on Decarbonizing the U.S. Health Sector , a public-private partnership of leaders from across the health system committed to addressing the sector’s environmental impact while strengthening its sustainability and resilience.

The Department expects to make more climate-readiness resources and technical assistance supports available to health care providers in the coming months.

Pledge signers can download forms and find more information on the submission process here. Forms will be due by June 3, 2022.

President Biden has directed his administration to work urgently to ensure that during the Abbott Nutrition voluntary recall, infant formula is safe and available for families across the country. Today, President Biden spoke with retailers and manufacturers, including Wal-Mart, Target, Reckitt, and Gerber, to discuss ways we can all work together to do more to help families access infant formula.

On February 17, the largest infant formula manufacturer in the country—Abbott Nutrition—initiated a voluntary recall of several lines of powdered formula. This came after concerns about bacterial contamination at Abbott’s Sturgis, Michigan, facility after four infants fell ill and two died. The federal government—including the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Department of Agriculture (USDA), Department of Justice (DOJ), Department of Transportation (DOT), U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Department of Commerce (DOC), and the White House—has worked diligently over the last few months to address the shortfall in infant formula production while the Sturgis plant remains offline, including working with other infant formula manufacturers to increase production, expediting the import of infant formula from abroad, and calling on both online and in store retailers to establish purchasing limits to prevent the possibility of hoarding. As a result, more infant formula has been produced in the last four weeks than in the four weeks preceding the recall — despite one of the largest infant formula production facilities in the U.S. being offline.

Families across the country remain concerned about the availability of infant formula—especially families that depend on specialty formulas for which the Sturgis facility is a key supplier. These 20 specialty formulas are used by about 5,000 infants as well as some older children and adults with rare metabolic diseases, and Abbott Nutrition is the only supplier for some of these formulas.

Today, President Biden is announcing additional steps to bolster our work to get infant formula onto store shelves as quickly as possible without compromising safety. These steps include:

• Cutting Red Tape to Get More Infant Formula to Store Shelves Quicker: Manufacturers typically produce many different sizes of the same type of infant formula. Simplifying product offerings allows manufacturers to increase the speed and scale of their infant formula production, stabilizing the overall volume of formula available in the market. The type of formula that companies make and distribute is impacted by the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), administered by USDA. About half of infant formula nationwide is purchased by participants using WIC benefits, based on both federal requirements and additional rules set by individual states that have a large effect on the availability and distribution of infant formula in a given state.

To help further increase manufacturers’ ability to meet demand and distribute formula, USDA is working with states to make it easier for vulnerable families to purchase the formula they need with their WIC benefits. USDA is urging states to allow WIC recipients to use their WIC benefits on a wider variety of products so that if certain sizes or types of formula are out of stock, they can use their benefits on those that are in stock. And, USDA is urging states to relax their requirements that stores keep a certain amount of formula in stock. This will offer relief to retailers and allow companies to manage inventories to meet demand. Some states are already doing this. All fifty states should. These actions will make it easier for vulnerable families to get the necessary nutritional support for their infants.

• Calling on the FTC and State Attorneys General to Crack Down on Any Price Gouging or Unfair Market Practices Related to Sales of Infant Formula: Parents looking to feed their child should not be taken advantage of by unscrupulous retailers unfairly jacking up prices. There have been several reports that actors are purchasing formula at retail stores and reselling it online at a markup several times the retail price, especially specialty brands of formula that have experienced the most disruption. These actions not only are costing families hundreds of dollars for formula they need, but drive scarcity on the market. Since February, the FDA has worked with companies, calling on them to issue purchasing limits to help limit such predatory behavior. Many responsible retailers have responded to that call. Now, DOJ is engaging with state attorneys general to encourage them to use their powers to monitor and address price gouging in the infant formula market, and urging them to devote more resources to monitoring predatory behavior in the market for infant formula. And, the President today asked the Federal Trade Commission to use all its available tools to monitor and investigate reports of illegal and predatory conduct.

• Increasing the Supply of Formula Through Increased Imports: The U.S. normally produces 98% percent of the infant formula it consumes, and trading partners in Mexico, Chile, Ireland, and the Netherlands are key sources of imports. But given the production and distribution issues leading to local short supplies of infant formula, the FDA will, in the coming days, announce specific new steps it is taking concerning importing certain infant formula products from abroad.

More information on actions that the FDA announced earlier this week to address the shortage of infant formula can be found here. The Biden-Harris Administration will continue to monitor the situation and identify other ways it can support the safe and rapid increase in the production and distribution of baby formula.

FACT SHEET: President Biden Announces Additional Steps to Address Infant Formula Shortage

Naloxone saves lives by reversing opioid overdoses. In addition to efforts like expanding access to treatment, services, and supports for people with substance use disorder (SUD), naloxone is a critical tool in Pennsylvania’s efforts to address the opioid epidemic.

Since 2017, Pennsylvania Governor Wolf’s administration has taken a number of steps to increase naloxone access for people and communities across Pennsylvania who need it the most. As we continue to deal with the mental and behavioral health impacts brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, we realize the fight is far from over. We are again seeing an uptick in drug overdose deaths, and the vast majority of these deaths are opioid- and fentanyl-related.

Pennsylvanians can play an important role in addressing this public health crisis. By being prepared, learning the signs of overdose and how to respond, and getting naloxone, you can help save lives. As a commonwealth we are anticipating a significant supply of naloxone in the coming months. The Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs encourages you to learn about the ways individuals, organizations, and agencies can access naloxone.  Please see the attached one-page PDF for resources to access no-cost naloxone in Pennsylvania.

Naloxone Program Overview