The CareQuest Institute for Oral Health released a new video, “The Oral-Systemic Connection and Why It’s Important for Dental Professionals.” The video features Dr. Sean Boynes, Vice President of Health Improvement. Dr. Boynes emphasizes the importance of recognizing that the mouth is part of the body. A disease in the mouth affects the rest of an individual’s systemic wellbeing.
USDA Names Bob Morgan as Rural Development’s State Director in Pennsylvania
Morgan Among 12 State Directors from Rural Development and the Farm Service Agency to be Appointed by the White House
Following a press release from President Joe Biden announcing the appointment of several regional appointments, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced the appointments of seven Rural Development (RD) State Directors and five Farm Service Agency (FSA) State Executive Directors.
“These twelve individuals are incredible public servants who have a proven track record when it comes to their commitment to advance their states and communities,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “Each will serve on the frontlines, carrying out USDA’s mission at the state level and ensuring the voice of each and every USDA customer is heard. We are fortunate to have each of these talented individuals at this critical time for farmers and producers and rural communities across America.”
Included in the announcement is Bob Morgan a native of Mountain Top, Luzerne County, Pa. Morgan’s 25-year career spans from bank teller in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., to current State Director of USDA Rural Development.
“I am honored to have been selected for this position, and I am committed to extending greater and equitable access to the federal programs designed to upgrade the economic engine driving investment in our rural communities,” Morgan said.
Morgan has proven experience in the investment, insurance and banking sectors assisting fellow Pennsylvanians in making decisions that impact and improve lives. He also worked for 8 years as Deputy Chief of Staff and District Director for Congressman Matthew A. Cartwright (PA-08) working with community leaders on several major economic development initiatives designed to enhance the communities of the Northeastern corner of the state.
As State Director, he will use his leadership experience to oversee Rural Development programs to provide greater economic opportunities throughout the Commonwealth. Morgan is a 1985 graduate of King’s College where he earned his bachelor’s degree in Government. In addition, he is the former President of the Board of Directors for the Wyoming Valley Children’s Association.
RD State Directors serve as the chief executive officer of Rural Development in the states and territories and are tasked with carrying out the mission of rural development to the benefit of everyone in rural America. In conjunction with the guidance and support of the National Office, State Directors are responsible for promoting the mission and strategic goals of Rural Development and provide key leadership to develop and support a productive, diverse, and inclusive state workforce.
A Call to Action: Address Oral Health for Low-Income Populations
A new commentary in JAMA Network Open underscores the importance of strengthening Medicaid benefits to include dental coverage. In the commentary, authors Tamanna Tiwari, MPH, MDS, BDS, and CareQuest Institute’s Julie Franstve-Hawley, PhD, CAE, write that “it is imperative to have a concerted call to action for federal policy that mandates comprehensive, nationwide adult dental benefits as a permanent part of Medicaid.”
Read the article.
Biden-Harris Administration Invests $272 Million to Improve Rural Water Infrastructure for 270,000 People Living in Rural Communities Across the Country
Pennsylvania Projects Receive $1.5 million
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is investing $272 million to modernize rural drinking water and wastewater infrastructure for 270,000 people living in rural communities across 37 states and Puerto Rico.
“As people in many parts of the nation battle drought and fires brought on by climate change, there has never been a more urgent need for this assistance,” Vilsack said. “When we invest in rural infrastructure, we build opportunity and prosperity for people in rural communities. These investments support the local economy by making rural communities attractive, economically viable and safe places to live and work, therefore helping to create and save jobs by attracting and retaining employers and workers. Investing in rural water infrastructure is one of the many things the Biden-Harris Administration is doing to help the nation build back better during the ongoing recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.”
USDA is financing 114 projects through the Water and Waste Disposal Loan and Grant Program. These investments will help improve rural infrastructure for 270,000 people and businesses.
In Pennsylvania, two projects are receiving funding:
- The Borough of Smethport Authority (BOSA) in McKean County is receiving a $1.2 million loan to replace and/or upgrade water distribution, sewer collection, conveyance lines and fire hydrants. These lines are more than 50 years old and need to be replaced due to high unaccounted water loss. This project will also allow for full fire emergency response, which is lacking in the area. The BOSA currently owns and operates the public water and wastewater system within Smethport Borough with users located in the borough and Keating Township.
- The Neshannock Creek Watershed Joint Municipal Authority in Mercer County is receiving a $219,000 loan and $96,000 grant to install a mechanical bar screen at the Thompson Road pump station. The pump station requires continuous inspection and cleaning to remove debris buildup on the stationary bar screen and trash basket. Additionally, debris that is not being captured in the screening chamber, is entering the wet well and being pumped to the treatment plant resulting in excess debris in the aeration tanks. An open type shelter will be built as well to provide cover and protection for the equipment and control panel at the site.
Background:
The Water and Waste Disposal Loan and Grant Program provides funding for clean and reliable drinking water systems, sanitary sewage disposal, sanitary solid waste disposal, and storm water drainage. The program serves people and businesses in eligible rural areas with populations of 10,000 or less.
In addition, USDA announced investments today in Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Wyoming and Puerto Rico.
To learn more about investment resources for rural areas, contact a USDA Rural Development state office.
Under the Biden-Harris Administration, Rural Development provides loans and grants to help expand economic opportunities, create jobs and improve the quality of life for millions of Americans in rural areas. This assistance supports infrastructure improvements; business development; housing; community facilities such as schools, public safety and health care; and high-speed internet access in rural, tribal and high-poverty areas. For more information, visit www.rd.usda.gov. If you’d like to subscribe to USDA Rural Development updates, visit our GovDelivery subscriber page.
USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. In the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to safe, healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate-smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visit www.usda.gov.
DATA 2000 Waiver Training Payments Still Available for Rural Health Clinics
The HHS Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) continues to accept applications for payment from Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) employing buprenorphine-waivered providers under the Drug Addiction Treatment Act of 2000 (DATA 2000) Waiver Training Payment Program.
The program gives RHCs the opportunity to apply for a $3,000 payment for each eligible employed provider who attained a DATA 2000 waiver on or after January 1, 2019. Approximately $1.5 million in program funding remains available for RHCs and will be paid on a first-come, first-served basis until funds are exhausted.
HRSA is collaborating with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to process these applications.
For more information, the program provides a video and FAQs.
CMS Releases 2022 Medicare Advantage and Part D Star Ratings to Help Medicare Beneficiaries Compare Plans
Today, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released the 2022 Star Ratings for Medicare Advantage (Medicare Part C) and Medicare Part D prescription drug plans to help people with Medicare compare plans ahead of Medicare Open Enrollment, which kicks off on October 15. Plans are rated on a one-to-five scale, with one star representing poor performance and five stars representing excellent performance. Star Ratings are released annually and reflect the experiences of people enrolled in Medicare Advantage and Part D prescription drug plans. The Star Ratings system supports CMS’s efforts to empower people to make health care decisions that are best for them.
“The Medicare Advantage and Part D Star Ratings are important tools in the toolbox for beneficiaries to use as they consider Medicare coverage options,” said CMS Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure. “CMS’s annual ratings deliver meaningful information about the quality of each plan to help people with Medicare make informed health care decisions.”
Medicare Open Enrollment begins October 15, 2021, and ends December 7, 2021. During this time, Medicare beneficiaries can compare coverage options like Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage, and choose health and drug plans for 2022. Medicare Advantage and Part D plan costs and covered benefits can change from year to year, so Medicare beneficiaries should look at their coverage choices and decide on the options that best meet their health needs. They can visit Medicare.gov (https://www.medicare.gov/), call 1-800-MEDICARE, or contact their State Health Insurance Assistance Program.
For more information on the 2022 Medicare Advantage and Part D Star Ratings, including a fact sheet, please visit: https://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Prescription-Drug-Coverage/PrescriptionDrugCovGenIn/PerformanceData, and download the “2022 Star Ratings Data” zip file in the downloads section.
Pilot Cohort for NRHA Rural Hospital CNO Certification Program Graduates
The National Rural Health Association’s (NRHA) Rural Hospital CNO Certification Program has completed its first cohort, starting in April 2021. The pilot cohort consisted of the following NRHA CNO-certified participants:
- Andrea Hagist – Mahaska Health, Oskaloosa, Iowa
- Carrie Owens – Lincoln Health, Hugo, Colo.
- Jeremy Cannon – Kalkaska Memorial Health Center, Kalkaska, Mich.
- Jyme Kinnard – Ochiltree General Hospital, Perryton, Texas
- Katie Peterson – Pender Community Hospital, Pender, Neb.
- Leslie Hackett – Covenant Hospital Plainview, Plainview, Texas
- Lori Forneris – Nursetribe, Holstein, Iowa
- Maegen Garner – Seminole Hospital District, Seminole, Texas
- Megan Heath – Gordon Memorial Hospital, Gordon, Neb.
- Nicole Thorell – Lexington Regional Health Center, Lexington, Neb.
- Roxanne Stelle – Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital, Lincoln, Ill.
- Shawn Nethery – Ward Memorial Hospital, Monahans, Texas
- Steve Olson – Carthage Area Hospital, Carthage, N.Y.
- SuLynn Mester – Childress Regional Medical Center, Childress, Texas
- Mandy Graves – Lynn County Hospital District, Tahoka, Texas
- Clay Jordan – Tri Valley Health System, Cambridge, Neb.
- Kim Combs – Titusville Area Hospital, Titusville, Penn.
- Kim Cicon – Penn Highlands Healthcare, DuBois, Penn.
- Christina Peterson – Iowa Specialty Hospitals & Clinics, Clarion, Iowa
- Lakin Lyon – Smith County Memorial Hospital, Smith Center, Kan.
- Judy Geiger – Columbia Memorial Hospital, Astoria, Ore.
- Jennifer Janssen – Cuero Regional Hospital, Cuero, Texas
- Miranda Adams – Cuero Regional Hospital, Cuero, Texas
- Kate Schaefer – Childress Regional Medical Center, Childress, Texas
- Marlene Elliot – Coulee Medical Center, Grand Coulee, Wash.
- Rachel Sem – Sakakewea Medical Center, Hazen, N.D.
- Candy Detchon – Mayer’s Memorial Hospital District, Fall River Mills, Calif.
About NRHA’s Rural Hospital CNO Certification Program
Leadership makes the difference. Today’s rural hospitals and clinics have tremendous challenges and uncertainty and are closing at an unprecedented rate. One out of three rural hospitals have been identified as “at risk.” According to Alan Morgan, CEO of the National Rural Health Association (NRHA), “Leadership is the biggest predicter of rural hospital success.” The NRHA Rural Hospital CNO Certification Program was developed by successful rural hospital CNOs for rural hospital CNOs with the intent of assisting current rural hospital CNOs strengthen their leadership skills to help lead their hospital to success. An individual with this certification will immediately be recognized as someone qualified to be a nurse leader in a rural hospital with excellence.
To see our pilot CNO Cohort’s Graduation Ceremony, click here!
For more information about available programs, click here.
HHS Study Finds COVID-19 Vaccine Linked to Saving Lives for Older Americans
A new report from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) shows that COVID-19 vaccinations may have helped prevent hundreds of thousands of new COVID-19 infections and tens of thousands of deaths among seniors. The study shows that COVID-19 vaccinations were linked to a reduction of approximately 265,000 COVID-19 infections, 107,000 hospitalizations, and 39,000 deaths among Medicare beneficiaries between January and May 2021.
The report reaffirms the importance of COVID-19 vaccinations in saving lives and controlling the pandemic. People 65 years and older are at a higher risk of becoming severely ill or death from COVID-19, which is why it’s so important to be vaccinated.
Learn more about the COVID-19 vaccine and if you have not yet been vaccinated remember it is free and you can find a place near you by visiting vaccines.gov
To read more about the report here.
CMS recognizes that more than 57 million Americans live in rural areas, and face several unique challenges. And those challenges can differ dramatically among the different kinds of rural areas across the country. Rural residents tend to be older and in poorer health than their urban counterparts, and rural communities often face challenges with access to care, financial viability, and the important link between health care and economic development.
Pennsylvania Hospital Association Releases Hospital Economic Analysis, Interactive Dashboard
The Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania (HAP) released a new economic impact report based on an analysis of 2020 data.
This analysis examines how, even during the COVID-19 pandemic, the hospital community continued its vital economic role regionally and across the state. It assesses the effects of hospital spending and employment, documenting that hospitals remain among the largest employers across the commonwealth. It also recognizes the role hospitals play in attracting federal research dollars and the broader benefits hospitals provide by training tomorrow’s clinicians, providing charity and unreimbursed care.
Findings from this paper should be used to inform policy discussions surrounding topics that affect long-term hospital sustainability. This includes, but is not limited to, hospital funding, promoting health equity, prior authorization reform, telemedicine service reimbursement, credentialing process streamlining, adequate Quality Care Assessment support, and bolstering Pennsylvania’s health care workforce.
The overview, full report, and interactive dashboard can be accessed here.
CareQuest Addresses Oral Health of Low-Income Populations
The CareQuest Institute for Oral Health published “Addressing Oral Health of Low-Income Populations: A Call to Action” in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Network Open. The article underscores the importance of strengthening Medicaid benefits to include dental coverage. The commentary was in response to the article and study that suggested that the combination of Medicaid expansion and addition of Medicaid dental benefits not only improved coverage and access to dental care among low-income adults but also produced significant improvements in clinical indicators of oral health.