Lance's Corner

HRSA Issues Health Newsletter

Dec 11, 2024

The United States Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) has issued its latest health newsletter, which you can read below.

November in Brief

In November 2024, HRSA joined a conference of Medicaid leaders, launched a public awareness campaign for the National Maternal Mental Health Hotline, spoke to a community health center in Seattle, led convenings of the Enhancing Maternal Health Initiative in Alabama and Oregon, celebrated National Rural Health Day in Alabama and across the country, announced new funding for HRSA-funded health centers to support transitions in care for people reentering the community after incarceration, and more.

 

Recent HRSA Highlights

HRSA Joins the National Association of Medicaid Directors Conference

HRSA Joins the National Association of Medicaid Directors ConferenceOn November 12, HRSA Administrator Carole Johnson joined leaders from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the Administration for Community Living, and the Administration on Children, Youth, and Families in a panel session during the National Association of Medicaid Directors (NAMD) 2024 Fall Conference in Washington, DC. The three-day event brought together 1,400 Medicaid directors and agency officials, representatives of federal agencies, health care researchers, health policy partners, and other health care stakeholders from across the country.

In her remarks, Administrator Johnson highlighted HRSA initiatives to address the maternal mortality crisis and expand the number of obstetricians and gynecologists, nurses, midwives, doulas, and community health workers.

 

HRSA Launches Public Awareness Campaign To Promote the National Maternal Mental Health Hotline

HRSA Launches Public Awareness Campaign To Promote the National Maternal Mental Health HotlineOn November 14, HRSA announced a new nationwide campaign to raise public awareness about the National Maternal Mental Health Hotline (1-833-TLC-MAMA). The hotline is a cornerstone of the Biden-Harris Administration’s broader efforts to improve maternal health and supports HRSA’s ongoing initiative to reduce maternal mortality and health disparities.

The campaign is enlisting the help of Maternal Mental Health Champions—stores, pharmacies, and health and community organizations—to promote the hotline and other mental health resources for mothers and pregnant people. The first six Maternal Mental Health Champions together have thousands of locations in all 50 states, Washington, DC, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Oregon Maternal Mental Health ConveningThe announcement came during a convening of HRSA’s Enhancing Maternal Health Initiative in Portland, Oregon. HRSA Deputy Administrator Jordan Grossman led the convening, joined by Bureau of Health Workforce Acting Associate Administrator Dr. Candice Chen and HRSA Office of Women’s Health Acting Director Shirley Payne. Attendees included mothers, health care professionals, and HRSA maternal health grantees from across Oregon.

HRSA’s Enhancing Maternal Health Initiative in Portland, Oregon

 

HRSA Participates in Community Health Center Conference

HRSA Participates in Community Health Center ConferenceOn November 19, Bureau of Primary Health Care Associate Administrator Jim Macrae delivered remarks at the 2024 National Association of Community Health Centers Partner Conference in Seattle, Washington.

The conference brought together leaders from primary care associations, Health Center Controlled Networks, and National Training and Technical Assistance Partners to discuss shared strategies on policy, data, operations, payment, and workforce. Associate Administrator Macrae spoke about HRSA’s Health Center Program key initiatives and reflected on recent successes as well as future training and technical assistance needs.

 

HRSA Celebrates National Rural Health Day and Highlights Importance of Maternal Health in Rural Communities

HRSA IEA Public Health Advisor Rhonda Jackson presenting at the WV Rural Health Association Annual Rural Health ConferenceHRSA celebrated National Rural Health Day on November 21. The event was an opportunity to recognize the dedication of rural health providers, community organizations, and state offices of rural health in meeting the health care needs of rural America. 

This year, HRSA highlighted the importance of maternal health in rural communities (PDF - 264 KB) by holding a convening for the Enhancing Maternal Health Initiative in Centreville, Alabama. Led by Tom Morris, Associate Administrator of the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy, Dr. Michael Warren, Associate Administrator of the Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB), and Onyekachukwu Anaedozie, MCHB Deputy Associate Administrator, the event brought together women and families from rural communities who are served by HRSA programs, as well as grant recipients, state and local health officials, community organizations, and health care professionals from across the state. The participants will continue working together to address maternal mortality and provide critical supports to help ensure the health and well-being of families in Alabama.
HRSA also celebrated National Rural Health Day across the country, with staff from each HRSA regional office visiting health centers and rural grantees, presenting at rural health conferences, and meeting with state health officials.

HRSA Celebrates National Rural Health Day

 

HRSA Announces New Funding and Policy Change for Health Centers To Support Care for People Reentering the Community After Incarceration

HRSA Supports Care for People Reentering the Community After IncarcerationOn November 22, HRSA announced nearly $52 million in awards for 54 HRSA-funded health centers to increase access to high-quality primary care for people soon to be released from incarceration and reentering the community. The funding enables health centers to use innovative approaches to support these individuals before their release to address health risks during reentry.

As part of the announcement, HRSA Administrator Johnson held a roundtable with community leaders in Boston, Massachusetts, to discuss how HRSA-funded health centers provide care for justice-involved individuals as they return to their communities. Administrator Johnson joined staff from the Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program on a tour of their facilities, highlighting their efforts to meet community health needs, including primary care, chronic disease management, treatment for mental health and substance use disorders, and overdose prevention.

HRSA Supports Care for People Reentering the Community After Incarceration

 

HRSA Participates in Secretary’s Tribal Advisory Committee

HRSA Administrator Johnson joined the Secretary, Deputy Secretary, and leaders from the Indian Health Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Administration for Children and Families, National Institutes of Health, and Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health at the November Secretary’s Tribal Advisory Committee meeting in Washington, DC, to discuss public health priorities and initiatives. She highlighted HRSA’s work in Indian Country and reiterated the agency’s commitment to eliminating health disparities.
HRSA Participates in Secretary’s Tribal Advisory Committee

See News & Announcements on HRSA.gov.

USDOL Issues Comprehensive Employer Guidance on Long COVID

The United States Department of Labor (USDOL) has issued a comprehensive set of resources that can be accessed below for employers on dealing with Long COVID.

Supporting Employees with Long COVID: A Guide for Employers

The “Supporting Employees with Long COVID” guide from the USDOL-funded Employer Assistance and Resource Network on Disability Inclusion (EARN) and Job Accommodation Network (JAN) addresses the basics of Long COVID, including its intersection with mental health, and common workplace supports for different symptoms.  It also explores employers’ responsibilities to provide reasonable accommodations and answers frequently asked questions about Long COVID and employment, including inquiries related to telework and leave.

Download the guide

Accommodation and Compliance: Long COVID

The Long COVID Accommodation and Compliance webpage from the USDOL-funded Job Accommodation Network (JAN) helps employers and employees understand strategies for supporting workers with Long COVID.  Topics include Long COVID in the context of disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), specific accommodation ideas based on limitations or work-related functions, common situations and solutions, and questions to consider when identifying effective accommodations for employees with Long COVID.  Find this and other Long COVID resources from JAN, below:

Long COVID, Disability and Underserved Communities: Recommendations for Employers

The research-to-practice brief “Long COVID, Disability and Underserved Communities” synthesizes an extensive review of documents, literature and data sources, conducted by the USDOL-funded Employer Assistance and Resource Network on Disability Inclusion (EARN) on the impact of Long COVID on employment, with a focus on demographic differences.  It also outlines recommended actions organizations can take to create a supportive and inclusive workplace culture for people with Long COVID, especially those with disabilities who belong to other historically underserved groups.

Read the brief

Long COVID and Disability Accommodations in the Workplace

The policy brief “Long COVID and Disability Accommodations in the Workplace” explores Long COVID’s impact on the workforce and provides examples of policy actions different states are taking to help affected people remain at work or return when ready.  It was developed by the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) as part of its involvement in USDOL’s State Exchange on Employment and Disability (SEED) initiative.

Download the policy brief

Understanding and Addressing the Workplace Challenges Related to Long COVID

The report “Understanding and Addressing the Workplace Challenges Related to Long COVID” summarizes key themes and takeaways from an ePolicyWorks national online dialogue through which members of the public were invited to share their experiences and insights regarding workplace challenges posed by Long COVID.  The dialogue took place during summer 2022 and was hosted by USDOL and its agencies in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Surgeon General.

Download the report

Working with Long COVID

The USDOL-published “Working with Long COVID” fact sheet shares strategies for supporting workers with Long COVID, including accommodations for common symptoms and resources for further guidance and assistance with specific situations.

Download the fact sheet

COVID-19: Long-Term Symptoms

This USDOL motion graphic informs workers with Long COVID that they may be entitled to temporary or long-term supports to help them stay on the job or return to work when ready, and shares where they can find related assistance.

Watch the motion graphic

A Personal Story of Long COVID and Disability Disclosure

In the podcast “A Personal Story of Long COVID and Disability Disclosure,” Pam Bingham, senior program manager for Intuit’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in Tech team, shares her personal experience of navigating Long COVID symptoms at work.  The segment was produced by the USDOL-funded Partnership on Employment and Accessible Technology (PEAT) as part of its ongoing “Future of Work” podcast series.

Listen to the podcast

HHS OIG Issues Annual Report on State MFCUs

Per the notice below, the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) of the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has issued its annual report on the performance of state Medicaid Fraud Control Units (MFCUs).

Medicaid Fraud Control Units Fiscal Year 2023 Annual Report (OEI-09-24-00200) 

Medicaid Fraud Control Units (MFCUs) investigate and prosecute Medicaid provider fraud and patient abuse or neglect. OIG is the Federal agency that oversees and annually approves federal funding for MFCUs through a recertification process. This new report analyzed the statistical data on annual case outcomes—such as convictions, civil settlements and judgments, and recoveries—that the 53 MFCUs submitted for Fiscal Year 2023.  New York data is as follows:

Outcomes

  • Investigations1 - 556
  • Indicted/Charged - 9
  • Convictions - 8
  • Civil Settlements/Judgments - 28
  • Recoveries2 - $73,204,518

Resources

  • MFCU Expenditures3 - $55,964,293
  • Staff on Board4 - 257

1Investigations are defined as the total number of open investigations at the end of the fiscal year.

2Recoveries are defined as the amount of money that defendants are required to pay as a result of a settlement, judgment, or prefiling settlement in criminal and civil cases and may not reflect actual collections.  Recoveries may involve cases that include participation by other Federal and State agencies.

3MFCU and Medicaid Expenditures include both State and Federal expenditures.

4Staff on Board is defined as the total number of staff employed by the Unit at the end of the fiscal year.

Read the Full Report

View the Statistical Chart

Engage with the Interactive Map

GAO Issues Report on Medicaid Managed Care Service Denials and Appeal Outcomes

The United States Government Accountability Office (GAO) has issued a report on federal use of state data on Medicaid managed care service denials and appeal outcomes.  GAO found that federal oversight is limited because it doesn't require states to report on Medicaid managed care service denials or appeal outcomes and there has not been much progress on plans to analyze and make the data publicly available.  To read the GAO report on federal use of state data on Medicaid managed care service denials and appeal outcomes, use the first link below.  To read GAO highlights of the report on federal use of state data on Medicaid managed care service denials and appeal outcomes, use the second link below.
https://www.gao.gov/assets/d24106627.pdf  (GAO report on federal use of state data on Medicaid managed care service denials and appeal outcomes)
https://www.gao.gov/assets/d24106627_high.pdf  (GAO highlights on federal use of state data on Medicaid managed care service denials and appeal outcomes)

CMS Issues Latest Medicare Regulatory Activities Update

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has issued its latest update on its regulatory activities in the Medicare program.  While dentistry is only minimally connected to the Medicare program, Medicare drives the majority of health care policies and insurance reimbursement policies throughout the country.  Therefore, it always pays to keep a close eye on what CMS is doing in Medicare.  To read the latest CMS update on its regulatory activities in Medicare, use the link below.
https://www.cms.gov/training-education/medicare-learning-network/newsletter/2024-03-14-mlnc