In a recent conversation with the Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS) it was stated that audio-only services for telehealth should only be used when the individual does not have access to technology such as a smart phone, tablet, or computer that would allow real time audio-visual communication. Additional requirements for audio-only services include the following: payers are allowed to require a signature after each encounter, providers are still required to fill out service verification (encounter forms), and providers can send a form in the mail to patients with a pre-paid return envelope or utilize a HIPAA compliant system that captures an electronic signature in a manner that is auditable. If you have questions about obtaining a signature from your patients, please contact your payer.

From April 2023 to Feb. 2024, Pennie engaged 412,070 Medicaid unwinding applicants through transfers from Medicaid and direct enrollments. Of the applicants, 61,567 enrolled in a plan for an average total conversion rate of 15% as of April 30. Philadelphia, Allegheny, Delaware, Berks, and Lehigh counties saw the largest number of unwind applicants. Unwinding consumers tend to pay less for coverage than other consumers due to the additional tax credits and cost-sharing reductions based on household size and income: 23% of enrollees paid less than $1 and 55% of enrollees paid $50 or less for a plan. The majority of the unwinding population, totaling 81% of enrollees, fell below 250% of the Federal Poverty Level and chose Gold or Silver plans. The data shows unwind consumers tend to be younger than the average consumer, more likely to be female, and more likely to be non-Hispanic/Latino. To view additional data, go to the May Pennie Board Meeting Deck.

The Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee of the House Energy and Commerce Committee has scheduled a hearing on “Oversight of the 340B Drug Pricing Program” for Tuesday, June 4 at 10:30 am. The list of witnesses has yet to be announced. The hearing will be open to the public and press and will be live streamed online. Visit the committee website to learn more.

An unusual boost in a state revenue source could have an impact on negotiations leading to the anticipated passage of the next state budget next month. It’s called the Treasury Windfall. The term refers to a large multi-year jump in Treasury collections going to the General Fund. The state Independent Fiscal Office (IFO) projects that Treasury will send $780 million for Fiscal Year 2023-24. Treasury collections totaled $452 million in Fiscal Year 2022-23, a dramatic jump from $23 million in Fiscal Year 2021-22, according to the IFO. Treasury collections are projected at $600 million at this stage for Fiscal Year 2024-25. The entire state budget this year is in the $44 billion range to put this windfall in perspective. The $780 million anticipated in Treasury collections for this fiscal year is 26% of the cost of the two rival initiatives that appear at the heart of this year’s budget debate.

A paper from the national nonprofit, Grantmakers in Health, discusses the Imperial Vally Wellness Foundation’s efforts to support community development and health equity through its implementation of the Rural Development Hub model.

Captions are included in a video recording of 2.5 hour meeting of the U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs that took place on May 22.  The link includes transcript of testimony from Bryan Newland from the Department of the Interior, Patrice Kunesh from the Department of Health and Human Services, and Allison Randall from the Department of Justice. Each witness discussed and answered questions from the committee on drug-related crime, human trafficking, and violence and abuse.

This resource provides detailed descriptions of 36 projects funded in fiscal year 2023, listing grantees by organization type and focus area, and describing their network structures, geographic areas served, network partners, and contacts for each network.

In this five-minute video, a clinician working at a Rural Health Clinic talks about her experience at an NHSC-approved site in Wisconsin.