Every year, the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) compares each of Appalachia’s 423 counties with national averages. By analyzing unemployment rates, per capita market income, and poverty rates, counties are classified within one of five economic status designations:

• Distressed,
• At-risk,
• Transitional,
• Competitive, or
• Attainment

The designations are used to determine the match requirements for ARC grants, as well as research topics and investment strategies targeting resources to the region’s most distressed areas.

We’ve seen an uptick in at-risk (+14) and distressed (+1) counties, especially in the wake of COVID-19, but Appalachians throughout the region are more resolved than ever to address distress and believe in the potential for progress.

Has your county’s status designation changed this year? Check out our interactive map to find out.

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) officially launched the National Maternal Mental Health Hotline on Mother’s Day, May 8, 2022.

Available 24/7, the National Maternal Mental Health Hotline provides free, confidential support, resources, and referrals from professional counselors to pregnant and postpartum individuals facing mental health challenges. Counselors offer support in English and Spanish and interpreter services are available in 60 additional languages.

In a press release announcing the hotline, HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra said, “This new Maternal Mental Health Hotline will not only advance our priorities of tackling the nation’s mental health crisis, but also support our efforts to ensure healthy pregnancies and support new parents.”

If you have any questions about the hotline service please see our online Frequently Asked Questions, also available in Spanish, or contact hotline@postpartum.net.  This email address should not be distributed to help-seekers.  It will not connect anyone to the 24/7 hotline service. It is for informational questions only.

The Enhancing Oncology Model (EOM) is a voluntary model that will run for five years, from July 2023 through June 2028.

Model participants will include oncology practices that treat people with Medicare undergoing chemotherapy for breast cancer, chronic leukemia, lung cancer, lymphoma, multiple myeloma, prostate cancer, and small intestine/colorectal cancer. For oncology practices interested in participating in EOM, the Request for Applications is available at https://app.innovation.cms.gov/EOM/IDMLogin?ec=302&startURL=%2FEOM%2Fs%2F. Technical questions should be directed to the EOM Help Desk at EOM@cms.hhs.gov or call 1-888-734-6433, option 3.

All EOM applications must be submitted by 11:59 pm Eastern Daylight Time on September 30, 2022.

In light of the recently expanded SLF quarantine, a well-educated population in Pennsylvania is critical to slowing the spread of Spotted Lanternfly in the commonwealth and safeguarding our vital agricultural industries that are threatened by the bug.

The Spotted lanternfly, Lycorma delicatula (White), is an invasive planthopper native to Asia first discovered in Pennsylvania in 2014. Spotted lanternflies feed on sap from a myriad of plants but has a strong preference for plants important to Pennsylvania’s economy including grapevines, maples, black walnut, birch, and willow. Their feeding damage stresses plants which can decrease their health and in some cases cause death.

It’s not just our plants at risk, it’s our economy. The Spotted lanternfly can impact the viticulture (grape), fruit tree, plant nursery, and timber industries, which contribute billions of dollars each year to the state’s economy.  An economic impact study estimates that, uncontrolled, this insect could cost the state $324 million annually and more than 2,800 jobs.

Pennsylvanian’s quality of life also can be impacted. Spotted lanternflies excrete honeydew, a sugary waste that attracts bees, wasps, and other insects and this waste builds up on any surface below them. The build-up of waste also leads to the growth of sooty mold and black-colored fungi.

The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture has created a 2022 Spotted lanternfly toolkit, also available on their website at this link.

Join the effort to control and prevent the spread of Spotted lanternfly!

Registration for the 2022 Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) National Training Program (NTP) virtual workshops is open. Session dates are listed below.

Select the hyperlinked event title(s) to register for each event you’re interested in attending. You’ll be prompted to login to the NTP virtual workshop webpage: https://cmsnationaltrainingprogram.cms.gov/. To login, use the same email address and password you use to register for all NTP webinars. If you don’t have an account, you’ll need to create one before registering. After you register for an event, you’ll get an email confirmation which will include a calendar appointment. Please email NTPHelp@cms.hhs.gov if you need help with your account or registration. Sessions will start at 1 p.m. and conclude no later than 3:30 p.m. (ET). Sessions will be recorded for later viewing.

August 2022

2 – Social Security
Description: This workshop will explain retirement, disability, supplemental security income, and survivors benefits and how they can affect Medicare.

3 – Medicare Enrollment, Eligibility, Part A and Part B
Description: This workshop will explain Medicare coverage—who’s eligible, how and when to enroll, Medicare Part A and Part B, the services they cover, and associated costs.

4 – Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap)
Description: This workshop will discuss how Medicare Supplement Insurance policies (also known as Medigap) work with Medicare, what Medigap policies cover, how they’re structured, and when to buy a Medigap policy.

9 – Medicare Drug Coverage
Description: This workshop will explain drug coverage under the different parts of Medicare and describe how Medicare drug coverage (Part D) works, coverage rules, eligibility, enrollment, and Extra Help.

10 – Medicare Advantage
Description: This workshop will explain Medicare health plan options other than Original Medicare with a primary focus on Medicare Advantage (sometimes called Medicare Part C).

11 – Preventing Medicare & Medicaid Fraud, Waste, & Abuse
Description: This workshop will define health care fraud, waste, and abuse, identify causes of improper payments, and discuss the processes and organizations in place to prevent and detect Medicare and Medicaid fraud.

16 – Coordination of Benefits
Description: This workshop will explain different payers’ responsibilities when people have both Medicare and certain other types of health and/or prescription drug coverage.

17 – Where Do I Find? (Online Resources)
Description: This workshop will identify key websites, like Medicare.gov, associated resources, and tools to help our partners, stakeholders, not-for-profit professionals, and volunteers (who work with consumers and their families) help others make informed health care coverage decisions.

18 – Medicaid & the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP)
Description: This workshop will explain Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and review considerations for those with both Medicare and Medicaid (sometimes called dual eligibles or duals).

23 – Medicare Scenarios (Casework Session)
Description: This workshop will walk through examples of Medicare coverage scenarios in a casework format to evaluate the case, review possible resources and options, and discuss appropriate solutions.

24 – CMS and SAMHSA: Federal Partners addressing Behavioral Health
Description: This workshop will outline the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) new Behavioral Health Strategy from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) which covers multiple elements including access to prevention and treatment services for substance use disorders, mental health services, crisis intervention, and pain care. The Workshop will also include program updates from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

25 – Medicare Plan Finder
Description: This workshop will demonstrate how to shop and compare Medicare plan options using the Plan Finder tool on Medicare.gov.

30 – Medicare Current Topics
Description: This workshop will explain some of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS’) current priorities, initiatives, and recent programmatic updates.

31 – The Public Health Emergency (PHE) and CMS Programs (this topic is subject to change)
Description: This workshop will explain temporary flexibilities to CMS Programs in response to the Public Health Emergency (PHE) declaration for COVID-19, coverage for COVID-19-related treatments, vaccination efforts, and transition activities to prepare for the end of the PHE.

September 2022

1 – Marketplace to Medicare: What You Can Expect
Description: This workshop will focus on considerations if you’re enrolled in a Health Insurance Marketplace® plan and qualify for Medicare. It will explain the programs that can help you pay for Medicare, Periodic Data Matching (PDM), and Medicare and the Marketplace resources.

Session materials will be available for download at the time of the event.

NOTE: Registration requests will be considered on a first-come, first-serve basis until each session reaches capacity. The number of attendees from the same organization may be limited. If any session reaches capacity, we’ll work to schedule an additional offering for a later date.