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Substance Use Disorder

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Today, the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs announced the following webinars and resources Please click on the title for further information.

DDAP TRAINING WEBINAR
Lessons Learned: Providing Telehealth Recovery Support Services During COVID-19 – Friday, May 22 at 10:00 AM
Multiple Pathways provides our peers opportunities to see that recovery is possible. What happens when those pathways become limited, or not available with almost no warning? Using the Stages of Change Model take a journey with us as we share lessons learned in providing telehealth Recovery Support Services during COVID-19.

OTHER WEBINARS
Mitigating the Intersection of COVID-19 and Opioid Use Disorder – Wednesday, May 20 at 3:00 PM
Keeping patients with opioid use disorder engaged in treatment in a rapidly altered practice dynamic due to COVID19 is critical. This discussion and interactive panel with clinicians, policy experts, and regulators will highlight the challenges faced in addressing the complex issues involved in such efforts.

Understanding Mental Health in the Black Community – Thursday, May 21 at 6 PM  and Friday, May 22 at 11 AM
A discussion about mental health awareness, breaking down stigmas and barriers plaguing communities of color that prevent individuals and their families from seeking treatment and/or support.

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Mid Atlantic ADA Center and Sierra Group

Mid-ATLANTIC ADA Center Features
Janet D. Fiore in Webinar on SELF-ID
Thursday, May 21, 2020

CEUs AVAILABLE

Learning points include:

  • The new SELF-ID Form
  • The Difference between Self-ID and Self-Disclosure
  • How people FEEL about discussing disability
  • The varied needs/opinions of Business, Individuals and VR professionals
  • Tips on How Professionals can work together to drive up the use of the Self-ID form

This Webinar is timely as the new SELF-ID form has just been released!

Webinar is free to attend, a small fee will be required for a CEU certificate.

Register:
https://www.adainfo.org/training/self-ID-form

“This Webinar will debunk the mystery about when and how to discuss disability in the workplace.”
– Janet D. Fiore, CEO of The Sierra Group

For additional professional development training on unconscious bias, disability inclusion and etiquette visit www.thesierragroup.com for all of your Disability and Inclusion needs.

800-973-7687
TheSierraGroup.com

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The Office of Children, Youth and Families (OCYF) has released Bulletin 3490-20-01, “Pennsylvania Safe Haven Act 201 of 2002 ‘The Newborn Protection Act’ as amended by Act 91 of 2014 and Act 68 of 2017.” The purpose of this bulletin is to transmit requirements and guidance related to legislative changes to the Newborn Protection Act as amended by Act 91 of 2014 and Act 68 of 2017. These changes include allowing police officers at police stations and emergency services providers on the grounds of an entity employing emergency services providers to accept newborns, as well as an optional provision for Safe Haven locations to provide an incubator for the acceptance of a newborn. This bulletin rescinds and replaces OCYF Bulletin 3490-11-01, Implementation of Act 201 of 2002, previously released in July 2011. Questions regarding this bulletin should be directed to Ms. Teresa Musser, Human Service Program Specialist in OCYF’s Bureau of Policy, Program and Operations as outlined on the first page of the bulletin.

If you have further questions, please contact RCPA Children’s Division Director Jim Sharp.

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The Department of Health (Department) has received questions and requests for guidance from hospitals, health systems, and their representatives on their responses to Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) and whether measures being implemented or contemplated are compliant with the statutory and regulatory requirements under the jurisdiction of the Department.

In a document released May 12, 2020, the Department’s guidance includes the following language regarding visitor policies:

The Department strongly encourages that a hospital’s visitor policy allow for a patient support person at the patient’s bedside for patients in labor and delivery; pediatric patients; and patients for whom the hospital determines a support person is essential to the care of the patient, including patients with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities and patients with cognitive impairments such as dementia. Hospitals do not need the Department’s approval to implement a new visitor policy in response to COVID-19.

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As part of RPCA’s ongoing effort with members’ and stakeholders’ support of the telehealth expansion and the building of a sustainable service platform, we are asking members to complete this telehealth survey. Because many organizations provide telehealth across multiple service areas (i.e. Children’s, D&A, Adult Outpatient, etc.); we respectfully request that one survey be completed for each of those program areas in which you are providing telehealth. The data we collect will be instrumental in our collective efforts with DHS, managed care organizations, and other critical decision makers to ensure telehealth has a place in your continuum of care. Thank you.

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Deadline Approaching: Notification Requirements of Confirmed and Suspected COVID-19 Cases Among Nursing Home Residents and Staff

On April 19, CMS announced the agency will be requiring facilities to report COVID-19 information to the CDC and to families. Within three weeks of that announcement, on April 30, CMS issued an Interim Final Rule with Comment Period with new regulatory requirements. With the new regulatory requirements, nursing homes are required to report the first week of data to the CDC beginning May 8 but no later than May 17. For the first time, all 15,000 nursing homes will be reporting this data directly to the CDC through its reporting tool.

In order to report, facilities must enroll in the CDC’s National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN). Information on how to enroll is available here. As nursing homes report this data to the CDC, CMS will be taking swift action and publicly posting this information so all Americans have access to accurate and timely information on COVID-19 in nursing homes. More information on the CDC’s NHSN COVID-19 module can be found here.

CMS Releases Nursing Home Toolkit with Best Practices and Additional Resources

CMS released a new toolkit developed to aid nursing homes, Governors, states, departments of health, and other agencies who provide oversight and assistance to these facilities. These additional resources will help in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic within nursing homes. The toolkit builds on previous actions taken by CMS, which provide a wide range of tools and guidance to states, healthcare providers and others during the public health emergency. The toolkit is comprised of best practices from a variety of front line health care providers, Governors’ COVID-19 task forces, associations and other organizations, and experts, and is intended to serve as a catalogue of resources dedicated to addressing the specific challenges facing nursing homes as they combat COVID-19.

Press Release
Toolkit

Telephone Evaluation and Management Visits

The March 30 Interim Final Rule with Comment Period added coverage during the Public Health Emergency for audio-only telephone evaluation and management visits (CPT codes 99441, 99442, and 99443) retroactive to March 1. On April 30, a new Physician Fee Schedule was implemented increasing the payment rate for these codes. Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs) will reprocess claims for those services that they previously denied and/or paid at the lower rate.

There are also a number of add on services (CPT codes 90785, 90833, 90836, 90838, 96160, 96161, 99354, 99355, and G0506) which Medicare may have denied during this Public Health Emergency. MACs will reprocess those claims for dates of service on or after March 1.

You do not need to do anything.

Hospitals: Physician Time Studies During the COVID-19 PHE

Hospitals that incur physician compensation costs must allocate those costs based on the percentage of total time spent furnishing:

  • Part A services
  • Part B services
  • Non-Medicare allowable activities

Hospitals must submit physician allocation agreements annually as part of the cost report filing process. During the Public Health Emergency (PHE), any one of these time study options is acceptable:

  • One week time study every 6 months (two weeks per year)
  • Time studies completed in the cost report period prior to January 27, the PHE effective date (e.g. hospital with a 7/1/2019 — 6/30/2020 cost reporting period, could use the time studies collected 7/1/2019 through 1/26/2020; no time studies needed for 1/27/2020 — 6/30/2020)
  • Time studies from the same period in CY 2019 (e.g., if unable to complete time studies during February through July 2020, use time studies completed February through July 2019)

For more information, see the Provider Reimbursement Manual:

  • Chapter 21, section 2182.3.E.3  – allocation agreements
  • Chapter 23, section 2313.2.E and Chapter 21, section 212182.3.E – instructions for time studies

Trump Administration Announces Call for Nominations for Nursing Home Commission

CMS announced a call for nominations for the new contractor-led Coronavirus Commission on Safety and Quality in Nursing Homes. The commission’s work will build on the Trump Administration’s long history of decisive actions to protect nursing home residents. The commission will conduct a comprehensive assessment of the overall response to the COVID-19 pandemic in nursing homes and will inform immediate and future actions to safeguard the health and quality of life for an especially vulnerable population of Americans.

Press Release
Nursing Home Commission Nominations

COVID-19: Home Health and Hospice Call — May 19

Tuesdays from 3 to 3:30 pm ET

These calls provide targeted updates on the agency’s latest COVID-19 guidance. Leaders in the field also share best practices. There is an opportunity to ask questions if time allows.

To Participate on May 19:

  • Conference lines are limited; we encourage you to join via audio webcast
  • Or, call 833-614-0820; Access Passcode: 6477704

For More Information:

Target Audience: Home health and hospice providers

COVID-19: Nursing Home Call — May 20

Wednesdays from 4:30 to 5 pm ET

These calls provide targeted updates on the agency’s latest COVID-19 guidance. Leaders in the field also share best practices. There is an opportunity to ask questions if time allows.

To Participate on May 20:

  • Conference lines are limited; we encourage you to join via audio webcast
  • Or, call 833-614-0820; Access Passcode: 4879622

For More Information:

Target Audience: Nursing home providers

COVID-19: Dialysis Organization Call — May 20

Wednesdays from 5:30 to 6 pm ET

These calls provide targeted updates on the agency’s latest COVID-19 guidance. Leaders in the field also share best practices. There is an opportunity to ask questions if time allows.

To Participate on May 20:

  • Conference lines are limited; we encourage you to join via audio webcast
  • Or, call 833-614-0820; Access Passcode: 3287645

For More Information:

Target Audience: Dialysis organizations

COVID-19: Nurses Call — May 21

Thursdays from 3 to 3:30 pm ET

These calls provide targeted updates on the agency’s latest COVID-19 guidance. Leaders in the field also share best practices. There is an opportunity to ask questions if time allows.

To Participate on May 21:

  • Conference lines are limited; we encourage you to join via audio webcast
  • Or, call 833-614-0820; Access Passcode: 2874976

For More Information:

Target Audience: Nurses

COVID-19: Office Hours Call — May 21

Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5 to 6 pm ET

Hospitals, health systems, and providers: Ask CMS questions about our temporary actions that empower you to:

  • Increase hospital capacity – CMS Hospitals Without Walls
  • Rapidly expand the health care workforce
  • Put patients over paperwork
  • Promote telehealth

To Participate on May 21:

  • Conference lines are limited; we encourage you to join via audio webcast
  • Or, call 833-614-0820; Access Passcode: 9984433

For More Information:

Target Audience: Physicians and other clinicians

COVID-19: Lessons from the Front Lines Call — May 22

Fridays from 12:30 to 2 pm ET

These weekly calls are a joint effort between CMS Administrator Seema Verma, Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Stephen Hahn, MD, and the White House Coronavirus Task Force. Physicians and other clinicians: Share your experience, ideas, strategies, and insights related to your COVID-19 response. There is an opportunity to ask questions.

To Participate on May 22:

  • Conference lines are limited; we encourage you to join via audio webcast
  • Or, call 877-251-0301; Access Code: 6086125

For More Information:

Target Audience: Physicians and other clinicians

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This morning, Pennsylvania Department of Human Services Secretary, Teresa Miller, shared the following Office of Long-Term Living announcement:

Office of Long-Term Living Deputy Secretary Kevin Hancock’s last day at DHS will be Friday, June 12. Kevin has been an incredible leader and advocate at DHS, overseeing a major system transformation through the successful implementation of Community HealthChoices. CHC is both modernizing service delivery for people who rely on Medicaid for long-term services and supports and making the system more sustainable by creating more opportunity for innovation. This program’s initial successes are a testament to Kevin’s leadership and the dedication and skill of the entire OLTL team. CHC is a true success story, and I want to thank Kevin for everything he did to make this possible.

Jamie Buchenauer, who currently serves as Director of the Bureau of Fee-for-Service Programs in the Office of Medical Assistance Programs, will move into OLTL’s Deputy Secretary role on Monday, June 15. Jamie has held this position since August 2015 and has held numerous roles in state government at the Department of Health, the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency, and the General Assembly and outside state government with the Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania and the Pennsylvania Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers.

Jamie brings a diverse experience both with DHS and other areas of health policy, and I am confident that she will continue to build on the strong foundation built by Kevin and the OLTL team.

I hope you will join me in welcoming Jamie to this new role and wishing Kevin luck!

Teresa

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