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Authors Posts by Melissa Dehoff

Melissa Dehoff

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Melissa Dehoff is responsible for all medical rehabilitation and brain injury service issues. Ms. Dehoff attends multiple state-level meetings to advocate on behalf of members on brain injury and rehabilitation issues and is a member of the Department of Health Traumatic Brain Injury Advisory Board.

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The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is conducting interactive training webinars that cover Medicare basics today, June 14, 2022, and tomorrow, June 15, 2022, from 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm. The topics and registration links for both days are provided below:

Day 1 (June 14) — Topics will include Medicare enrollment and eligibility; SSA and CMS roles and responsibilities; cost and coverage under Medicare Part A (Hospital Insurance) and Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance); why enrolling on time is important; and an overview of Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap) policies.

Register for the Day 1 webinar here.

Day 2 (June 15) — Topics will include Medicare drug coverage (Part D); Medicare Advantage Plans; coordination of benefits; how to detect and report suspected Medicare fraud, waste, and abuse; and different resources to help you find answers to Medicare policy and coverage questions.

Register for the Day 2 webinar here.

These webinars will be recorded and posted to the National Training Program (NTP) website. You can view the recordings here.

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On June 7, 2022, the Pennsylvania Statewide Independent Living Council (PA-SILC), along with the Pennsylvania Council on Independent Living (PCIL), will be holding a rally titled “Our Lives, Our Services, Our Agencies, Our Choice,” at the Capitol Building on Commonwealth Avenue from 11:00 am – 12:00 pm. The primary focus of the rally is to discuss the issues surrounding major changes regarding the Agency With Choice (AWC) aspect of in-home care, which is being rushed into implementation. A number of speakers are scheduled, including Fady Sahhar, President/CEO of ProVantaCare.

Please see the following documents for additional information:

If you have any questions, please contact Jeffrey Iseman, Public Policy and Outreach Coordinator for PA SILC.

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The documents from the June 1, 2022, Managed Long-Term Services and Supports (MLTSS) Subcommittee meeting are available for review. The documents include:

  • The agenda;
  • A “Money Follows the Person and Nursing Home Transition” update;
  • A Value-Based Purchasing update from the Department of Human Services (DHS) and the Community HealthChoices Managed Care Organizations (CHC MCOs); and
  • A CHC Financial Management Services (FMS) Transition update.

The next MLTSS Subcommittee meeting is scheduled for July 6, 2022, and will be held in person (and also via remote streaming).

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There is a significant intersection between behavioral health and brain injury. As many as 75 percent of those seeking services for co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders are living with the effects of brain injury. Further complicating this fact is that many individuals seeking behavioral health services have not been properly diagnosed or screened for brain injury. These individuals may not even be aware that a brain injury may be part of why they are struggling. Additionally, many state behavioral health systems have policies or practices in place that can inadvertently turn someone with a brain injury away from much needed behavioral health services. Behavioral health clinicians often feel ill-equipped to address the needs of someone with a brain injury, which can lead to poor treatment outcomes.

The Administration for Community Living (ACL) Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Technical Assistance and Resource Center’s (TARC’s) will be offering a webinar to introduce their Behavioral Health Guide, designed to provide state brain injury professionals with the tools to effectively partner with their state behavioral health entities and improve outcomes. This webinar, “Introductory Webinar to the Behavioral Health Guide: Considerations for Best Practices for Children, Youth, and Adults with TBI,” will be held on Wednesday, June 22, 2022 from 3:00 pm – 4:30 pm. To participate in this webinar, register here.

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The agenda for the June 1, 2022, Managed Long-Term Services and Supports (MLTSS) Subcommittee meeting was recently released by the Office of Long-Term Living (OLTL). The June meeting will continue to be offered via webinar and remote streaming. OLTL is planning to hold the July 6, 2022, MLTSS Subcommittee meeting in person with optional webinar and remote streaming.

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On May 23, 2022, United States Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy released a new Surgeon General’s advisory that highlights the urgent need to address the health worker burnout crisis across the country. The advisory titled “Addressing Health Worker Burnout” warns that the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated longstanding system challenges in the health care system. Health workers, including physicians, nurses, community and public health workers, nurse aides, and others have risked their own lives throughout the pandemic.

A series of recommendations are included in the advisory.

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The Office of Long-Term Living (OLTL) continues to remind participants of the in-person drop-in sessions for those that are in Community HealthChoices (CHC) participant-directed services due to Tempus taking over as the fiscal/employer agent for these services. These sessions are scheduled to assist with the completion of the Common Law Employer (CLE) and Direct Care Worker (DCW) packets and provide training on how to use the Electronic Visit Verification (EVV) system. Appointments do not need to be scheduled, and the entire process will take one hour. Session dates and locations are provided below.

Wednesday, May 25
Allentown
Renaissance Allentown
12 North 7th Street
Allentown, PA 18101
10:00 am – 7:00 pm

Thursday, May 26
Philadelphia
Liacouras Center at Temple University
1776 North Broad Street
Philadelphia, PA 19121
10:00 am – 7:00 pm

Tuesday, May 31
Erie
Bayfront Convention Center
1 Sassafras Pier, Room 103 A/B
Erie, PA 16507
10:00 am – 7:00 pm

Wednesday, June 1
Pittsburgh
UPMC Harbor Gardens
1650 Metropolitan Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15233
10:00 am – 7:00 pm

Thursday, June 2
Altoona
Altoona Public Library
1600 5th Ave.
Altoona, PA 16602
10:00 am – 7:00 pm

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The Department of Human Services (DHS) Office of Long-Term Living (OLTL) has announced a funding opportunity under an approved Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) spending plan that will provide American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to HCBS providers. The purpose of the funding is for the implementation of quality improvement (QI) projects to improve the services available to HCBS participants through the Community HealthChoices (CHC) and OBRA 1915(c) waivers. This opportunity focuses on supplementing activities in a manner that improves and strengthens the quality of HCBS services. The use of the ARPA funding, however, is limited to those activities that supplement rather than supplant the existing services.

DHS will provide funding of up to $40,000 per approved request submission and approve funding on a one-time basis to each qualified provider. DHS will review and approve submissions in the order in which they are received until the total funding allocated has been exhausted. Members are encouraged to submit their requests as soon as possible.

Funding will only be provided for the following improvement projects:

  • Supplemental activities to address the Social Determinants of Health (SDOH). For example, SDOH activities may include:
    • Activities to address affordable and accessible housing (rent, room, and board are not allowable expenditures under this funding opportunity);
    • Activities to improve access to competitive integrated employment for participants. This may include access to benefits counseling or remote technology to support employment;
    • Activities to improve or enhance transportation for CHC and OBRA participants; and
    • Activities to alleviate food insecurities for participants.
  • Purchase of remote support technology by providers. This can include provider technology initiatives that improve service transparency and quality assurance, such as providing direct care workers with access to tablets and software that support in-home documentation of participant conditions and other related care needs.
  • Payment for the development and implementation of enhanced training for direct care workers, Medical Assistance (MA) providers, or both. This may include enhanced training on infection control practices, such as the development of videos and online modules to address best practices in infection control. This may also include training for professional development. For example, this funding may be used to promote training or coursework related to the professional advancement or development for direct care workers.
  • Purchase and implementation of new software and technology for electronic health records or quality/risk management functions. This includes funding for providers to contract with a Health Information Organization. Having access to electronic health care records enables HCBS providers to connect with local hospitals and physicians and ensure real-time communication between the HCBS provider and the participant’s medical providers.

Additional information, including the HCBS Quality Incentive Funding Request Form, is available on the DHS Long-Term Care Providers web page. Questions should be sent via email to OLTL.

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