Article Explores Hospital Closures in Pennsylvania

Posted on by lad3

The Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council’s (PHC4) article, Hospital Closures, as part of PHC4’s Current Events series, details the closing of two Pennsylvania hospitals, serving as a case study to support a better understanding of the dynamics of hospital closures in the Commonwealth.

From 2018 to the time of this article, 10 general acute care (GAC) hospitals licensed by the PA Department of Health have closed, 1 GAC hospital has converted to a psychiatric hospital, 17 have merged with another licensed GAC hospital, and 10 GAC hospitals have opened in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. This article focuses on the closures of Brandywine Hospital (Brandywine) and Jennersville Hospital (Jennersville), both of which were operated by Tower Health at the time of closing. Jennersville closed to patients on December 31, 2021, followed by Brandywine on January 31, 2022. Both located in Chester County; the two hospitals were less than 20 miles apart from each other at the time of closure.

PHC4 is an independent council formed under Pennsylvania statute (Act 89 of 1986, as amended by Act 15 of 2020) in order to address rapidly growing health care costs. PHC4 continues to produce comparative information about the most efficient and effective health care to individual consumers and group purchasers of health services. In addition, PHC4 produces information used to identify opportunities to contain costs and improve the quality of care delivered.  

For more information, visit phc4.org or access the article here.

New Brief Details Access to Care and Facility Ownership in Pennsylvania

Posted on by lad3

The Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council (PHC4) announced the release of new data detailing ownership of hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) across Pennsylvania, along with updated access to care information on facility locations and services for hospitals, ASCs, and nursing homes. The data is now available for purchase and supports updates to PHC4’s online resources.

The interactive resource, MAPPED: Facility Ownership (formerly MAPPED 1), initially published in 2023, provides a comprehensive view of hospital and ASC locations alongside ownership information. The tool features an interactive map and bar graph showing the number of hospitals and ASCs owned by each health system. Users can filter results, search for and highlight specific facilities or owners, and explore detailed ownership categories through dynamic visualizations.

MAPPED: Access to Care (formerly MAPPED 2), first published in 2025, highlights areas where health care services may be limited for patients in Pennsylvania counties. This resource includes data on hospitals, ASCs, and nursing homes, promoting transparency into the types of care available at each location. Users can filter by county, facility name, or selected data points, and customize the visualization search and dropdown features.

Both MAPPED resources were designed to help patients, policymakers, researchers, and health care providers in better understanding Pennsylvania’s health care landscape. By offering user-friendly access to reliable data, these resources help to identify gaps in care and improve awareness of available services across the Commonwealth.

“These types of online tools support legislators, health care providers, and researchers to explore health care deserts in PA, while also helping patients and caregivers find care in their communities,” said Barry D. Buckingham, PHC4’s Executive Director. “Navigating the ever-changing landscape of care is a key challenge for stakeholders and these MAPPED resources provide the ease, information, and access needed to stay informed.”

PHC4 is an independent council formed under Pennsylvania statute (Act 89 of 1986, as amended by Act 15 of 2020) in order to address rapidly growing health care costs. PHC4 continues to produce comparative information about the most efficient and effective health care to individual consumers and group purchasers of health services. In addition, PHC4 produces information used to identify opportunities to contain costs and improve the quality of care delivered.

For more information, visit phc4.org or interact with each of these online resources at:

USDA Rural Development Pennsylvania Announces Over $4.4 Million in Community Infrastructure Investments

Posted on by lad3

U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development Pennsylvania State Director Michael Cabell announced that Connoquenessing Township Fire Company and Relief Association will receive $4 million for a new fire station, and West Mead Township will receive $400,077 to purchase a new fire truck.

State Director Cabell said, “The investments in Connoquenessing and West Mead Townships increase emergency response capacity and capability to nearly 10,000 residents in western Pennsylvania. National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week is a perfect reminder of the brave work of fire departments, and we’re proud to play an essential role in funding indispensable equipment for rural Pennsylvanian Fire Departments.”

The Connoquenessing Township investment comes through a Community Facilities Direct Loan and Grant totaling $4 million. The Connoquenessing Volunteer Fire Company and Relief Association will construct a new fire station to store multiple fire and rescue vehicles along with meeting rooms, bunkrooms, kitchen, and community space. The new facility will allow critical fire and rescue services to the area and will also serve as the local emergency shelter for the 4,931 residents of Connoquenessing Borough and Township in Butler County Pennsylvania.

The West Mead Township District No. 1 Volunteer Fire Company will use a $400,077 Community Facilities Grant to purchase and equip a new fire truck to provide critical emergency and fire response services to 5,014 rural residents of West Mead Township.

USDA Rural Development’s Community Facilities Programs offer direct loans, loan guarantees and grants to develop or improve essential public services and facilities in communities across rural America. These investments strengthen critical community infrastructure, enhance quality of life, and help rural towns attract and retain businesses and services. To learn more about these programs, contact USDA Rural Development Community Facilities staff at (717) 237-2199. For more information on USDA Rural Development investments in rural America, visit the Rural Data Gateway. The Rural Data Gateway is an online tool that strengthens USDA Rural Development partnerships with rural people, entrepreneurs, government officials and Congress by making investment data accessible to the public.

Learn more online at www.rd.usda.gov, subscribe to GovDelivery updates, and follow us on X at @RD_Pennsylvania.

Pennsylvania’s Maternal Health Strategic Action Plan Released

Posted on by ejt140

On March 31, the Governor Shapiro Administration unveiled Pennsylvania’s Maternal Health Strategic Action Plan, entitled Healthy Moms, Vibrant Futures. The comprehensive multi-agency plan is the first in Pennsylvania and contains strategic goals, data and research, ongoing work, and recommendations to combat maternal health disparities that can shape quality of life for both mothers and their children.

The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) launched the Plan along with members of the Governor’s Commission on Women and leaders from the Pennsylvania General Assembly, as well as maternal health advocates.

The full press release is available here.

Maternal Health Resources Available for Community-based Care

Posted on by ejt140

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) released two resources to support strengthening and sustaining high-quality maternal health care. The Quality Improvement Toolkit for Maternal Health offers practical strategies, implementation guidance, and actionable tools to enhance maternal health services. The Maternal Health Sustainability Planning Guide provides structured frameworks and sustainability approaches to help maintain and expand successful initiatives. Used together, these resources support innovative program implementation, continuous quality improvement, and long-term impact.

CHWs Must Be Certified to Participate in Pennsylvania Medicaid Billing

Posted on by ejt140

As of January 1, 2026, the Pennsylvania HealthChoices Program now covers Community Health Worker (CHW) Services for all eligible members through two pathways as a rendering provider directly with the Medicaid Program or through a direct contract with a Managed Care Organization. Both pathways require CHWs to be certified through the PA Certification Board. CHWs must:

  • Complete 75 total hours of education from a PCB accredited CHW training provider
  • Have one (1) year of full-time volunteer or paid employment or 2,000 hours of part-time volunteer or paid employment as a Community Health Worker.
  • Submit a copy of current Community Health Worker volunteer/job description; and
  • Have 60 hours of on-the-job supervision of qualifying work experience specific to the domains.

Check out the 2026 HealthChoices Agreement and the CHW MA Bulletin.

Pennsylvania Human Services Launches New Tools to Track, Manage, Protect Benefits

Posted on by ejt140

The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) has been rolling out new tools over the last year to help Pennsylvanians track, manage, and protect their benefits.

There’s a new My Benefits Status Tracker, which shows Pennsylvanians their benefits application status in real-time. Applicants can verify their identity by answering just a few simple questions and can check their status anytime without needing to log into their COMPASS account. Users can track new applications, and this tool will later be expanded to include benefit renewals. The tracker is available at trackmybenefits.pa.gov.

Recipients can now also lock their EBT Cards. Locking an EBT card when not using it helps protect recipients – and their benefits – from theft. SNAP and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) recipients can lock and unlock their EBT cards using the secure ConnectEBT app. This free app is available on Apple and GooglePlay app stores. They can also lock and unlock their card via the Connect EBT website. Watch this video to see how to lock and unlock an EBT card. Click here to learn more.

Pennsylvania Pennie Enrollment Continues to Drop

Posted on by ejt140

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released the Health Insurance Exchange 2026 Open Enrollment report which summarized data on health plan selections during this most recent enrollment period. Nationally in Federally Facilitated and State-based Marketplaces, about 1.2 million fewer consumers signed up for coverage during the 2026 Open Enrollment Period (OEP) compared to the 2025 OEP, a 5% decrease.

During 2026 open enrollment, Pennie saw a 12% decrease in new enrollments compared to 2025. A record 85,000 enrollees terminated coverage throughout open enrollment. On average, nearly 1,000 Pennsylvanians dropped Pennie coverage each day during open enrollment. Compared to 2025, Pennie ended 2026 open enrollment with 2% less enrollees. As of March 24, 2026, total Pennie Enrollment was 471,442. Since the close of Open Enrollment on January 31, an additional 26,000 consumers have dropped coverage through Pennie. In total, including Open Enrollment 2026, Pennie has seen over 120,000 individuals cancel coverage. Enrollees ages 55-64 saw the highest number of terminations along with those in the income band of 150-200% of the Federal Poverty Level. Source Pennie.com/Affordability

Federal Budget Proposes Nearly $16 Billion in Cuts at HHS

Posted on by ejt140

In its 2027 fiscal request, the White House is calling for roughly $16 billion in cuts to funding for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), including $5 billion from the National Institutes of Health. The White House’s budget request would reduce HHS’s budget by 12.5 percent if enacted.

Among the largest proposed cuts are $5 billion from NIH and another $5 billion in “consolidations and eliminations” of programs across various sub-agencies. It proposes eliminating entire institutes such as the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities; the Fogarty International Center; and the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.

The budget also seeks to consolidate costs through the creation of the Administration for a Healthy America (AHA), an office that the White House announced last year but has yet to be formalized. Congress did not include funding for the AHA in the last HHS budget. Part of establishing the AHA would involve eliminating programs that the White House said promote “radicalized DEI ideologies.” It specifically cited examples like funding for youth LGBTQ services provided through Planned Parenthood and eczema awareness campaign for Black Indigenous People of Color.