HHS Funds Opioid Use Disorder Treatment; Immigration Policy Impacts Care Access

August 11, 2021 - In this week’s policy recap, opioid use disorder treatment and discrimination take the spotlight, as HHS commits $90 million to combat the disease and OCR settles a case with Genesis HealthCare over discriminatory practices toward patients undergoing treatment. Meanwhile, a new bill introduced to the House targets asynchronous telehealth coverage, and a study finds immigration policies impact patient outcomes and care access.

2.5 Million Now Covered by Health Insurance As Special Enrollment Period Deadline Looms

Data from CMS revealed over 2.5 million Americans enrolled in health insurance coverage under the Special Enrollment Period as of August 10. Additional insights show more than 81.7 million individuals are also now covered by Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program. The deadline for special enrollment is set for August 15. READ MORE

Rural Telehealth Expansion Act Targets Asynchronous Telehealth Coverage

A recently introduced House bill aims to expand Medicare telehealth coverage. The proposed law would include coverage for asynchronous or store-and-forward telehealth programs that allow patients and providers to connect on their own time rather than in a live video conference. Services covered would include sharing images, data, and messages in a secure portal. READ MORE

HHS, HRSA Fund Substance Use Disorder Treatments, Maternal Health in Rural Areas

Through HHS, the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) announced $90 million in funding to rural areas to combat substance use disorders and improve maternal health. The awards are being divided among four programs including the Rural Communities Opioid Response Program-Implementation that provides 78 organizations across 35 states funding to reduce the morbidity and morality of substance use disorder and promote prevention of the disease. Funding will also be awarded to community-based organizations to test various models that promote care coordination and the use of telehealth in maternal and obstetric health. READ MORE

Regional SNF Reaches Agreement with OCR Over Discriminatory Practice Allegations

Twelve skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) operated by Genesis HealthCare, Inc reached an agreement with the Office of Civil Rights (OCR) and the US Attorney’s Office in Rhode Island and Massachusetts over accusations of discriminatory practices toward patients in need of opioid use disorder treatment. Under the terms of the agreement, the SNFs must adopt non-discrimination policies and provide training on federal civil rights laws and opioid use disorder to personnel. Genesis HealthCare, Inc is also subject to a $60,000 civil penalty, $50,000 of which will be forgiven if the company’s facilities comply with the agreement. The investigation came after the US Attorney’s Office received complaints that the SNFs were denying admission to patients being treatment with buprenorphine or methadone—both common medications for opioid use disorder treatment. READ MORE

Impacts of Immigration Policy on Patient Outcomes, Care Access

A recent study from Brown University revealed US immigration policies correlate with changes in healthcare utilization. After the 2017 “Muslim ban” executive order, researchers found over 100 missed primary care appointments and 232 additional emergency department visits among the order’s targeted populations in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area. Before the ban, primary care utilization was steadily increasing among US residents from Muslim-majority countries. Researchers say the findings reflect a cumulative stress among this population due to hostile climates and restrictive policies. READ MORE