Researchers interviewed 20 individuals – clinicians, peer support specialists, cultural practitioners, and others familiar with OUD treatment – in a Minnesota tribal community. The Cascade of Care model measures the quality of outcomes at each stage of treatment, from diagnosis to long-term maintenance, and was first proposed in 1998 as an approach to care for HIV/AIDS.
See which states and rural health projects got funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Emergency Health program. This initiative supported 179 new grant recipients that will expand access to health care in 39 states and Puerto Rico. Part of the American Rescue Plan Act passed by Congress in March 2021, the funding is intended to support rural hospitals and healthcare clinics, improve facilities, purchase new equipment, and help distribute fresh food to families, senior citizens, veterans, and people with disabilities.
On July 28, 2023, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released its first monthly data report on Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) eligibility renewals. These data will inform the Biden-Harris Administration’s critical work to help ensure eligible people stay covered, and to help ensure people no longer eligible for Medicaid or CHIP to transition to a range of other coverage options, including affordable health insurance through HealthCare.gov and state Marketplaces.
The data detail updates from the 18 states that had completed at least one cohort of renewals by April 30, 2023, highlighting how many people kept their Medicaid and CHIP coverage, as well as the number of people who were disenrolled from coverage. CMS is also releasing data on state Medicaid call centers, including average wait times and the number of people who disconnected before speaking to a customer service representative. In addition, CMS is releasing HealthCare.gov Marketplace data on consumers who were previously enrolled in Medicaid or CHIP that came to the HealthCare.gov and applied for coverage and State-based Marketplaces (SBM) data on consumers who transitioned to SBM coverage following a Medicaid or CHIP redetermination. See a national summary of the data at a glance, or read more about the data at Medicaid.gov/unwinding-data.
CMS continues to work closely with states as people renew their Medicaid and CHIP coverage or explore other coverage options. In addition to the new data, Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra sent a letter to Governors encouraging states to do more to adopt strategies to automatically renew coverage for people where states already have data showing the person is eligible for Medicaid or CHIP.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Office of Minority Health (CMS OMH) recognizes National Immunization Awareness Month during August. Immunizations—also called vaccinations, vaccines, or shots—protect people of all ages against a wide range of diseases and conditions. Throughout August, and the rest of the year, we’re highlighting the importance of immunizations by working to advance equitable access to vaccines and encouraging all individuals served by CMS to get their routine vaccines.
Each year, the CDC recommends vaccinations like flu shots and COVID-19 vaccines as well as important, routine vaccinations based on different age groups. Despite these recommendations, fewer than 1 in 4 adults who are 19 or older got all their routinely recommended vaccines in 2019 and minority populations have even lower immunization rates. Only 15.9% of Black adults and 17.3% of Hispanic adults get their routine immunization compared to 23.7% of their White counterparts. Additionally, Black (39.0%), Hispanic (37.5%), and adults who identify as other or multiple race (41.4%) have persistently lower flu vaccine rates compared with White adults (49.3%). These racial inequities in vaccination are due to significant disparities in access and health coverage as well as a history of discrimination and distrust.
While vaccination rates for most children’s vaccines are significantly higher, kindergartener vaccination coverage has steadily declined for all vaccines over the past two school years and similar gaps in vaccination coverage exist among children in minority communities. Increasing vaccination rates for all Americans means addressing the social and health inequities that contribute to vaccine disparities.
The Inflation Reduction Act improves coverage and lowers out-of-pocket costs for recommended vaccines in Medicare, Medicaid, and the Children’s Health Insurance Program. People with Medicare drug coverage will pay nothing out-of-pocket for adult vaccines recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) — including the shingles vaccine and Tetanus-Diphtheria-Whooping Cough vaccine. Learn more about these changes.
Health care professionals and partner organizations can encourage their communities to stay up to date on vaccines by emphasizing why immunizations matter and sharing information to help people get the vaccines they need. These resources can help those you serve learn more about recommended vaccinations and how to access them using their health care coverage.
Are you a provider in Western Pennsylvania? Remote Area Medical® (RAM) needs your help at the upcoming clinic in Butler on November 11 and 12. The clinic will offer free dental care to underserved and uninsured individuals in the area. Volunteers are still needed to join in providing much-needed dental care to the community. Signing up to volunteer is simple – visit this link, select “Volunteer” at the top right of the page, and select “USA: Pennsylvania” and “Butler” when registering. You can also check out a video about volunteering for the upcoming Butler clinic.
Click here to watch the video.
Click here to view the volunteer flyer.
Click here for more information.
Good news! The popular resource, “What Should Kids Drink” is now available in Swahili on the PCOH Request Materials Page!
This resource, created with the Pennsylvania Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, is intended to help parents and guardians understand the amount of water, milk, and juice that is appropriate for young children from birth to age 5. Please note this resource has previously been translated to Spanish as well. You can order this resource and more on the PCOH Request Materials Page.
Click here to view the resource.
Click here to visit the Request Materials Page.
The Pennsylvania Department of Aging is gathering input on Pennsylvania’s Master Plan for Older Adults, a 10-year, state-led and stakeholder-driven strategic plan designed to help transform the infrastructure and coordination of services for older Pennsylvanians. Individuals can submit input on the plan via email to AgingPlan@pa.gov or via online form.
Click here for more information.
Click here to submit input online.
The Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP) awarded nearly $11 million to 15 award recipients to strengthen the rural health workforce through the Rural Residency Planning and Development (RRPD) Program. The RRPD program supports the establishment of new rural residency programs or rural track programs in family medicine, internal medicine, preventive medicine, psychiatry, general surgery, and obstetrics-gynecology. Over a three-year grant period, the award recipients will spend up to $750,000 in start-up funding to build the program infrastructure (faculty, curriculum, etc.) needed to deliver rural residency training. Based in 13 states and one U.S. territory, the new awardees include three family medicine programs with enhanced obstetrical training, our first rural preventive medicine program, and two multi-specialty programs.
The programs supported by RRPD funds allow rural communities to build a strong and sustainable rural physician workforce through a “grow-your-own” approach, preparing the next generation of physicians to learn and eventually practice in rural settings. Research has shown that physicians from a rural background and those trained in rural settings are more likely to continue practicing in rural areas after completing their residencies. This newest RRPD cohort will continue to counter persistent workforce shortages by laying and maintaining the infrastructure needed to train physicians in rural communities.
Throughout the duration of their grant, award recipients will have access to one-on-one advisor support, tools, and resources provided by the HRSA-funded RRPD Technical Assistance Center to navigate the various stages of program development. The RRPD Technical Assistance Center also has free resources for other organizations interested in rural residency programs.
These 15 new awards join the 58 organizations across 32 states and five medicine disciplines that are developing new residency programs thanks to the $43.4 million FORHP awarded between 2019 and 2022. So far, these critical investments in the rural health workforce have created 38 new accredited rural residency programs or rural track programs with approximately 503 new residency positions. Other programs are making progress towards achieving accreditation by the end of their grant period. Accredited RRPD-funded programs are already training over 300 resident physicians in family medicine, internal medicine, psychiatry, and general surgery. To learn more about what rural residency programs are doing in your states, please read the latest RRPD program summaries.
In FY 2024, FORHP anticipates investing approximately $11.25 million in RRPD awards contingent on available funding. For more information, visit the forecast on grants.gov or email RuralResidency@hrsa.gov.
On July 28, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released its first monthly data report on Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) eligibility renewals. These data will inform the Biden-Harris Administration’s critical work to help ensure eligible people stay covered, and to help ensure people no longer eligible for Medicaid or CHIP to transition to a range of other coverage options, including affordable health insurance through HealthCare.gov and state Marketplaces.
The data detail updates from the 18 states that had completed at least one cohort of renewals by April 30, 2023, highlighting how many people kept their Medicaid and CHIP coverage, as well as the number of people who were disenrolled from coverage. CMS is also releasing data on state Medicaid call centers, including average wait times and the number of people who disconnected before speaking to a customer service representative. In addition, CMS is releasing HealthCare.gov Marketplace data on consumers who were previously enrolled in Medicaid or CHIP that came to the HealthCare.gov and applied for coverage and State-based Marketplaces (SBM) data on consumers who transitioned to SBM coverage following a Medicaid or CHIP redetermination. See a national summary of the data at a glance, or read more about the data at Medicaid.gov/unwinding-data
CMS continues to work closely with states as people renew their Medicaid and CHIP coverage or explore other coverage options. In addition to the new data, Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra sent a letter to Governors encouraging states to do more to adopt strategies to automatically renew coverage for people where states already have data showing the person is eligible for Medicaid or CHIP.
The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) is proud to announce that today the team of Megan Meacham, Allison Hutchings, and Sarah O’Donnell from the HRSA Federal Office of Rural Health Policy was named the winner of the 2023 Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medals People’s Choice Award by the Partnership for Public Service. This team established the HRSA Rural Communities Opioid Response Program (RCORP), which has helped millions of people in rural communities across the country receive opioid use disorder prevention, treatment, and recovery support services.
The Service to America Medals, known as the Sammies, are often called the “Oscars” of public service and represent the very best of the federal government. The People’s Choice Award grants special recognition to the team that receives the most votes from the general public, highlighting how the work of the federal government resonates in communities. HRSA, an agency of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), provides health care to the nation’s highest need communities and supports training and growing the health care workforce. HRSA programs include support for rural communities, historically underserved communities, people with low incomes, people with HIV, infants, children, and new parents.
“I’m thrilled that the work of the HRSA Rural Communities Opioid Response Program team resonated most with the American public,” said HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra. “The work to reduce the dangers of substance use disorder in high-risk rural communities is critically important. Thank you to the Partnership for Public Service for recognizing this excellent, life-saving work.”
“Our government is powered by dedicated public servants like Megan Meacham, Allison Hutchings, Sarah O’Donnell, and the members of the HRSA Rural Communities Opioid Response Program team,” said HHS Deputy Secretary Andrea Palm. “This award recognizes their important work on behalf of the American people and serves as a reminder of what government can achieve.”
“Megan, Allison, Sarah, and the entire HRSA Rural Communities Opioid Response Program Team represent the best of government service and – like all of our work at HRSA – they are driving change by helping communities get the health care services and supports they need,” said HRSA Administrator Carole Johnson. “Their work to prevent and respond to the opioid crisis is making a real difference on the ground as rural communities have expanded treatment sites, grown their prevention strategies, and built and sustained pathways to recovery. Our People’s Choice Award winning team is an incredible example of the work being done every day at HRSA to make a difference in the lives of people across the country who need health care services. We are very proud of their leadership and their embodiment of the HRSA mission.”
To help tackle the public health crisis of opioid use disorder in rural communities, Meacham, Hutchings, and O’Donnell created the Rural Communities Opioid Response Program. The funding provided through the program allows grant recipients to provide services tailored to the needs of their communities and pilot innovative practices.
To date, the program has invested over $500 million and served more than 4 million rural individuals in over 1,800 rural counties across 47 states and two territories. Through RCORP, HRSA has supported training approximately 634,000 service providers, paraprofessional staff and community members.
