MHA Today | November 22, 2021

Staff Contact: Andrew Wheeler

Last week, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a $1.75 trillion package called the Build Back Better Act. The bill includes several health care initiatives, including temporary expansion of Marketplace subsidies, expanding Medicare benefits, phasing out the temporary increase to the federal medical assistance percentage and increasing the number of Medicare-funded residency slots. The bill includes additional health spending of $401 billion with savings of $314 billion due to changes in prescription drug rebates, pricing and inflation rebates. MHA published an issue brief with additional details about the cost of the major health care-related sections.

Staff Contact: Jane Drummond

Based on clarification from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services regarding medical exemptions under its vaccination interim final rule, MHA revised its CMS COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate Guidance. Under the rule, medical exemptions only may be granted for “recognized clinical contraindications” to one or more of the vaccines. CMS previously pointed to the two conditions for which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advise against vaccination — anaphylactic reaction to a dose of the vaccine or known allergy to a component of a vaccine — as qualifying for medical exemptions. Recently, one of the agency’s medical officers acknowledged on a national conference call that there may be other recognized conditions for which vaccination would be inadvisable. Because the rule allows exemptions for recognized contraindications only, CMS suggests exemptions be based on documented findings from medical studies or the vaccine literature.

Staff Contact: Stacie Hollis

The Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response’s Technical Resources, Assistant Center and Information Exchange recently provided a technical assistance document that includes comments from ASPR TRACIE subject matter experts, as well as resources related to emergency department waiting room processes and workflows that may improve door-to-triage times during patient surges.

Staff Contact: Shawn Billings

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 100,000 American people have died in one year from drug overdoses. Health experts say that the increase in overdose deaths is a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and a more dangerous supply of drugs. In Missouri, there has been a 14.6% increase in overdoses from April 2020 to April 2021.

Staff Contact: Stephen Njenga or Alison Williams

The Commonwealth Fund published a report that examines maternal health in relation to social determinants of health, addressing disparities for Black, rural, veteran and incarcerated mothers. The report highlights environmental and health care issues, as well as strategies to improve maternal health outcomes through workforce initiatives, data collection and policy changes.

Staff Contact: Becky Boyce

Marshaun Butler has been named vice president and administrator of Crittenton Children’s Center, located in Kansas City, Mo., effective Nov. 1. Butler has more than 25 years of experience in health care, working extensively in leadership, strategic planning and business development. Butler succeeds Julie Mitchell who has been serving as interim administrator since August.