The Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC) is a nonpartisan agency in the legislative branch that analyzes policy and makes recommendations to federal and state-level policymakers. In this report, MACPAC provides an overview of the federal government’s role in providing health care to American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/AN), including the structure of the Indian Health Service and the special Medicaid rules and protections that apply to AI/AN beneficiaries and Indian health providers.
NGA: Supporting a Trained Direct Care Workforce During and After the Pandemic
The National Governor’s Association (NGA) reports on waivers issued by states and by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to address staffing challenges during the public health emergency. The NGA explains these, including temporary adjustments to training requirements, and presents strategies for retaining this workforce when the waivers expire.
Report: Emergency Medical Services Personnel (EMS) as Vaccinators
The National Association of State EMS Officials reports on state-level policy that allows paramedics and other first-responders to administer vaccines.
CDC: Trends in Drug and Synthetic Opioid Overdose Deaths
In the February 12 issue of its Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report an increase in overdose deaths involving synthetic opioids other than methadone, cocaine, and psychostimulants. During the period studied, 2013 – 2019, synthetic opioid deaths largely consisted of illicitly manufactured fentanyl. In 2019, a total of 70,630 drug overdose deaths occurred, an increase of 4.3 percent over deaths in 2018.
CDC: Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Pandemic-Related Stress
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report that Hispanic adults reported a higher prevalence of symptoms of depression during the COVID-19 pandemic. Estimates of self-reported suicidal thoughts/ideation among Hispanic persons (22.9%) were four times those among non-Hispanic Black (Black) persons (5.2%) and White persons (5.3%) and approximately twice those of multiracial and non-Hispanic persons of other races/ethnicities (8.9%).
Extended Public Comment Period for FCC’s COVID-19 Telehealth Program
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) continues to seek public comment on the metrics that should be used to evaluate applications for Round 2 of the COVID-19 Telehealth Program and how the FCC should treat applications filed during initial funding rounds. In January, the FCC announced an additional $250 million for the program that was established in April 2020 and set a deadline of January 19 for comments. That deadline has been lifted and the FCC will continue to accept comments at any time.
CDC National Forum on COVID-19 Vaccine – February 22-24
Beginning Monday, February 22, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will hold a virtual event over three days to promote the most effective strategies for building confidence and increasing access to the vaccine nationwide. Community health stakeholders including pharmacies, labor associations, faith-based organizations, and academic institutions are encouraged to attend and hear from leaders at every level of government and across sectors.
Final Recommendation Statement: Screening for Asymptomatic Carotid Artery Stenosis
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) released a final recommendation statement on screening for asymptomatic carotid artery stenosis. The Task Force continues to recommend against screening in adults. View the recommendation, the evidence on which it is based, and a summary for clinicians, here.
2021 Recommended Immunization Schedules Now Online
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 2021 Recommended Immunization Schedules have been updated and are available online. You can view online, download PDFs to print, or find code to embed a schedule into your website. NOTE: if you currently display CDC schedules on your web page, you do not need to make any changes; the 2021 coding is automatically updated.
For Healthcare Professionals:
- Recommended Immunization Schedule for Children and Adolescents Age 18 Years or Younger, 2021
- Recommended Immunization Schedules for Adults, 2021
For Everyone, in Easy-to-Read Formats:
- Immunization Schedule for Infants and Children, 2021 (Includes PDFs in English and Spanish)
- Immunization Schedule for Preteens and Teens, 2021 (Includes PDFs in English and Spanish)
11 Things to Know about Expansion of Retail Giants into Telehealth
From making telemedicine more consumer friendly to increasing access to care during the pandemic, retail giants including Amazon, Walmart and Walgreens are ramping up their virtual care initiatives and innovating the healthcare delivery system. Read more about Walmart, Amazon, Sam’s Club, CVS and Walgreens’ telehealth expansions over the past year.