- CMS: Request for Information; Health Technology Ecosystem
- VA: Staff Sergeant Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program Funding Opportunity
- State: 60-Day Notice of Proposed Information Collection: J-1 Visa Waiver Recommendation Application
- Public Inspection: CMS: Request for Information: Health Technology Ecosystem
- HHS: Request for Information (RFI): Ensuring Lawful Regulation and Unleashing Innovation To Make American Healthy Again
- VA: Solicitation of Nominations for the Appointment to the Advisory Committee on Tribal and Indian Affairs
- 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
Crisis Plan App for People with SMI
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) released a new mobile app, My Mental Health Crisis Plan, which allows individuals who have serious mental illness (SMI) to create a plan to guide their treatment during a mental health crisis. The app was developed through SMI Adviser, a project funded by SAMHSA and administered by the American Psychiatric Association and provides an easy step-by-step process for individuals to create and share a psychiatric advance directive (PAD). Learn more about this app.
CDC Identifies HIV Clusters & Outbreaks – Issues Advisory
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a Health Alert Advisory (HAN) for recent HIV clusters and outbreaks occurring across the U.S. in people who inject drugs and considerations during the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of the HAN is to alert public health departments and healthcare providers to the possibility of new injection-related HIV infections and outbreaks. It provides guidance for preventing, identifying, and responding to HIV among people who inject drugs. It also provides considerations for delivering services in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Reducing Diabetes Risk in Elementary School Children through School Partnerships ECHO
The National Nurse-Led Care Consortium and the School-Based Health Alliance are offering a new free ECHO series learning model for reducing diabetes risk in elementary school children through school partnerships. This initiative aims to educate participants on the power of health centers and school partnership programs and virtual adaptations to address prediabetes risk factors in elementary school-aged children during the COVID-19 pandemic. Each health center must include at least one clinical care champion and one administrator. The series dates are Oct. 21, Nov. 4, Nov. 18 and Dec. 2, from 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm. Participants must commit to incorporating knowledge and skills from the training into their work. Each module in this ECHO is pending for up to 1.5 prescribed credit hours by the American Academy of Family Physicians. To register, click here.
COVID-19 One-Stop Shop Toolkits
CDC has released COVID-19 one-stop shop toolkits. The toolkits provide guidance to communicate with specific target audiences, such as young adults, childcare programs and summer camps, K-12 schools, and workplaces. They include videos, social media, PSAs, print resources, checklists, FAQs and web resources. Use and tell your patients about these communication toolkits to help meet their diverse needs to slow the spread of COVID-19.
CMS Releases Short Guidance on MAT Drug Coverage
On Oct. 1, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued an informal notice to states discussing the statutory requirement in the SUPPORT Act for states to cover MAT services and drugs. In the notice, CMS interprets the SUPPORT Act “to require that, as of Oct. 1, 2020, states must include as part of the new MAT mandatory benefit all forms of drugs and biologicals that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved or licensed for MAT to treat Opioid Use Disorder (OUD). “CMS also notes that the continuing resolution signed into law this week clarifies that “MAT drugs when used for OUD as described under the mandatory benefit are deemed prescribed drugs, and covered outpatient drugs” and thus eligible for rebates under the Medicaid Drug Rebate Program. Lastly, CMS intends to issue additional guidance to states on other implementation issues around the mandatory MAT benefit.
Connecticut Attorney General Demands Drug Makers Abandon Unlawful 340B Actions
Connecticut Attorney General William Tong sent letters to Eli Lilly, Astra Zeneca, Merck, Sanofi and Novartis demanding the drug makers immediately abandon unlawful actions imperiling access to affordable prescriptions for low-income patients under the 340B program. Attorney General Tong states that the drug makers actions directly undermine the 340B Drug Pricing Program, obstruct patient access to critical prescription medications, and devastate the financial stability of healthcare centers and hospitals serving vulnerable communities. PACHC is meeting with the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General to discuss potential action by their office. Click here to download the letters.
ACA Reduced Catastrophic Expenditures for 2 Million Adults
Affordable Care Act (ACA) implementation was associated with 2 million fewer adults with catastrophic expenditures each year, researchers write in JAMA Open Network. Catastrophic medical expenditures are defined as those that force people to spend more than 40% of their income on health costs (out-of-pocket plus premium) after accounting for subsistence items (e.g., food and housing). Nevertheless, each year, 11 million U.S. adults, including 6 million with private insurance, experience catastrophic health expenditures. The numbers are likely to grow during the pandemic, according to the researchers. “Health reform should move beyond expanding insurance coverage alone to address persistently high out-of-pocket spending among the insured.”
CARES Act Provider Relief Fund: New Phase of Provider Relief Fund Opens for Applications
Providers are encouraged to apply for the latest round of Provider Relief Fund (PRF) support. Applications will be considered regardless of whether your organization was previously eligible for, applied for, received, accepted, or rejected prior PRF payments. For this newest phase, funding will be allocated to providers based on assessed financial losses and changes in operating expenses caused by COVID-19. For more information about the Phase 3-General Distribution, please visit the Provider Relief Fund webpage.
Apply here through November 6
Register for the webcast on October 15 at 3 p.m. ET to learn more.
Insulin Cost in U.S. Up to 10 Times Higher
Amid raging debate over the cost of insulin, a new report finds prices in the U.S. were often five to 10 times higher two years ago than in all the other countries in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), an intergovernmental group that was created to stimulate economic progress and world trade. In 2018, the average U.S. price per standard unit across all types of insulin was $98.70, compared with $6.94 in Australia, $12.00 in Canada, $7.52 in the U.K. and $8.81 across all other OECD countries combined, according to the report by the RAND Corp., which conducted the analysis on behalf of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation.
Medicaid and CHIP Data Showing Decline in Children’s Care
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently announced an analysis of Medicaid and CHIP data showing a sharp decline in children’s care, including childhood screenings, mental health, and dental care. Compared to this time last year, the analysis noted a 22% drop in vaccinations, 44% drop in screenings, 44% drop in mental health services and 69% drop in dental visits. In its urgent call to action, CMS highlighted the flexibilities they have provided states, including telehealth and allowing pharmacists to provide vaccinations and called on partners, including health centers, to work together to address this critical public health issue.