FEDERAL NEWS
CMS Information on “Wind Down” of Medicaid Eligibility Freeze
CMS hosted the second meeting of “Medicaid and CHIP Continuous Enrollment Unwinding: What to Know and How to Prepare, A Partner Education Monthly Series.” Despite not knowing if the Public Health Emergency (PHE) will conclude in mid-October or next year, the CMS message, as detailed in LeadingAge National article, is for states, their partners and stakeholders to prepare and act now, so that beneficiaries maintain coverage.
LEADINGAGE KANSAS NEWS
Will You Be on This Friday’s Call? Big Announcement Coming
Get the latest on COVID-19, CMS, and more each Friday at 10 AM. If you haven’t registered for future calls, you can do so here. If you would like to listen to updates you have missed, visit this page.
LEADINGAGE NATIONAL NEWS
LeadingAge National Federal Legislation Tracker Now Available
Need to keep track of all the legislation LeadingAge is following and the summary we have produced? Their federal legislation tracker has all that information available for you to see.
Coronavirus Update Calls for Week of June 27th
- Monday, June 27th, 2:30 Central – Topic: In addition to policy and federal government news updates, DavidSmart, VP of Operations at Still Hopes communities in South Carolina will share ways they are working to reduce staff turnover by building leadership and developing new leaders, and their middle Middle Market initiative that is focused on providing care and services to underserved older adults while expanding their portfolio.
- Wednesday, June 29th, 2:30 Central – Topic: In addition to policy and federal government news updates, discussion about how some organizations are working on inclusion for LGBTQ+ individuals and building for the future.
If you haven’t registered for LeadingAge Update Calls, you can do so here. You can also find previous call recordings here.
RESOURCES
LeadingAge Webinar: Active Shooter Preparedness
On June 29th, 1 PM CT, this webinar will outline the critical decision-making techniques and safety protocols that can save lives during an active shooter event. Recent events have once again triggered safety and security concerns across the nation. Now more than ever, it is essential for LeadingAge members to develop an active shooter emergency response plan to prepare all community members to quickly respond when someone poses a threat to the lives of older adults, families, visitors, and coworkers. Register for the Active Shooter Preparedness webinar.
Free At-Home COVID-19 Tests for People Who Are Blind or Have Low Vision
The Biden-Harris Administration has launched a new initiative to expand the availability of at-home tests that are more accessible for people who are blind or have low vision, including older adults living with macular degeneration and glaucoma. The tests work with a compatible Bluetooth-enabled smartphone and a free app to provide users with audible instructions and audible test results. Read more about the tests. Tests can be ordered online or by calling 1-800-232-0233.
New CDC MMWR
CDC released two Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Reports (MMWRs) today related to anti-viral pills (Paxlovid and Molnupiravir). One, “Dispensing of Anti-Viral Drugs for Treatment of COVID-19 by SIP Code Level of Social Vulnerability,” reports that dispensing rates of the anti-viral pills in “high vulnerability” ZIP codes are half those seen in low and medium vulnerability communities. The number of drug courses dispensed since the White House began its Test to Treat initiative in March. As of May 21st, the largest number of dispensing sites was in high vulnerability communities. Still dispensing rates in lower and medium vulnerability communities are more than double rates in higher vulnerability communities. The second MMWR issued today, “Hospitalization and Emergency Department Encounters for COVID-19 After Paxlovid Treatment,” reports that data from a large California health system found that emergency room visits and hospitalizations for COVID occurred in fewer than 1% of patients who had previously been treated with Paxlovid.
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