Public Policy Updates

Pediatricians: Respiratory Virus Trifecta is a Public Health Emergency

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), flu, and COVID have overwhelmed and gridlocked emergency departments this fall, a situation that children’s hospitals and pediatricians say can only be solved by a federal emergency declaration from the White House and HHS. An emergency declaration would allow for more telehealth flexibilities and waive certain Medicare, Medicaid, and CHIP requirements that make it hard for providers to share resources.

Surgeon General Releases New Framework for Mental Health & Well-Being in the Workplace

A new Surgeon General’s Framework for Mental Health & Well-Being in the Workplace outlines the “five essentials” to help organizations develop, institutionalize, and update policies, processes, and practices that best support the mental health and well-being of their workers. The resources and tools listed under the five essentials may include something you’ve been looking for related to protection from harm, connection and community, work-life harmony, mattering at work, and opportunities for growth.

Biden Administration Finalizes “Family Glitch” Fix

On October 13, a final rule was published, amending the definition of affordability of health insurance coverage in the state-based health insurance marketplaces. The so-called “family glitch” determined the affordability of an employer health care plan based on the cost for a single individual’s premium, rather than the premium for a family plan. If the individual premium did not exceed 9.5% of the family’s income it was deemed “affordable,” making the entire family ineligible for subsidies to buy coverage on the marketplace. Of course, the cost of family coverage is much higher than individual coverage. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, the average monthly worker premium contribution for a family plan in 2021 was $497 versus $108 for individual coverage.

Public Health Emergency Extended to Mid-January

On October 13, HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra renewed the declaration of the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) for another 90 days, through mid-January 2023. He has committed to giving states at least 60 days’ advance notice before the end of the PHE, which will trigger an enormous unwinding of the continuous enrollment requirement and other COVID-19 temporary authorities in Medicaid and CHIP. This week, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued an updated FAQ providing guidance for states’ unwinding efforts.

State Approaches to Serving Children and Youth in HCBS

Under the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), the federal government expanded funding to states’ Medicaid home and community-based services (HCBS) programs, including a one-year, 10 percentage point increase in federal matching funds. Nearly three-quarters of states are allocating these funds specifically to strengthening youth-serving systems. All states have received approval to begin implementing their proposals and claiming the enhanced funding.

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