House Committee Examines U.S. Health System's role in Climate Change

The House Ways and Means Committee released a report detailing the role the U.S. health system plays in climate change. The report, “Health Care and the Climate Crisis: Preparing America’s Health Care Infrastructure”, was based on respondents to a Request For Information that includes climate innovators, providers, and trade associations. A hearing entitled, “Preparing America’s Health Care Infrastructure for the Climate Crisis ” was held on Thursday.

The report and more information may be accessed here. The hearing may be accessed here.

Hospitals Face Worst Year Financially Since Start Of COVID Pandemic

A report issued by the American Hospital Association indicates that as labor shortages and inflation drive up expenses, U.S. hospitals and health systems this year face the worst financial crisis since the COVID-19 pandemic began. 

The report can be obtained at https://www.aha.org/system/files/media/file/2022/09/The-Current-State-of-Hospital-Finances-Fall-2022-Update-KaufmanHall.pdf.

Integrating Behavioral Health With Primary Care

Although behavioral health and physical health are profoundly linked, behavioral health care in the U.S. is usually delivered separately from primary care and the two often are poorly coordinated. A report from the Commonwealth Fund indicates that integrating behavioral health care with primary care can help address this crisis and promote equitable access to behavioral health services.

The report can be obtained at Integrating Primary Care and Behavioral Health to Address Crisis | Commonwealth Fund.

ASAHP's Research Committee Research Repository

ASAHP’s Research Committee has developed a Research Repository for Health Professions. The page is broken down into 4 sections with specific details, links, and opportunities:

1. Federal Grant Opportunities

2. Nonfederal Grant Opportunities

3. Grant Writing

4. Managing Grant Funds

Please contact Kristen at media@asahp.org for access to the repository. It is open only to ASAHP members.

Medicare Shared Savings Program

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that the Medicare Shared Savings Program, through its work with Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs), groups of doctors, hospitals and other health care providers, saved Medicare money while continuing to deliver high-quality care. Specifically, the program saved Medicare $1.66 billion in 2021 compared to spending targets, marking the fifth consecutive year the program has generated overall savings and high-quality performance results.  

More information can be obtained at Shared Savings Program | CMS.

WHO Weekly Epidemiological Update On COVID

Globally, the WHO reported that the number of new weekly cases decreased by 9% during the week of 15 to 21 August 2022, as compared to the previous week, with over 5.3 million new cases reported. The number of new weekly deaths decreased by 15%, as compared to the previous week, with over 14,000 fatalities reported. As of 21 August 2022, 593 million confirmed cases and 6.4 million deaths have been reported globally 

The report can be obtained at https://www.who.int/publications/m/item/weekly-epidemiological-update-on-covid-19---24-august-2022.

Administration Announces Targeted Student Debt Cancellation and Pause Extension

Today, the Biden-Harris Administration announced it will provide provide targeted student debt cancellation to borrowers with loans held by the Department of Education. Borrowers with annual income during the pandemic of under $125,000 (for individuals) or under $250,000 (for married couples or heads of households) who received a Pell Grant in college will be eligible for up to $20,000 in debt cancellation. Borrowers who met those income standards but did not receive a Pell Grant will be eligible for up to $10,000 in relief. The Department will be announcing further details on how borrowers can claim this relief in the weeks ahead. The application will be available no later than when the pause on federal student loan repayments terminates at the end of the year. The Administration also announced a final extension of the pause on student loan repayment, interest, and collections through December 31, 2022. Borrowers should plan to resume payments in January 2023.

The U.S. Department of Education fact sheet may be accessed here. A White House fact sheet may be accessed here.

Department of Education Webinar on How Educators Can Benefit from PSLF

The U.S. Department of Education will be holding a webinar on Wednesday, August 31, to discuss how educators can benefit from the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program, specifically the temporary waiver which provides time-limited changes to rules that allow borrowers to receive credit for past periods of repayment that would otherwise not qualify for PSLF. Borrowers are encouraged to act now since these changes are currently set to expires on October 31, 2022. The webinar will also highlight recent improvements to the Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant program.

More details and registration may be accessed here.

How Insurance Payments To Providers Can Affect Patients

Different approaches that Medicaid, Medicare, and commercial insurers use to set provider payment rates have resulted in growing health care disparities, according to a new report from the Commonwealth Fund 

The report can be obtained at How Differences in Medicaid, Medicare, and Commercial Health Insurance Payment Rates Impact Access, Health Equity, and Cost | Commonwealth Fund.

HRSA Geriatrics Academic Career Awards Funding Opportunity

HRSA has released a funding opportunity announcement for Geriatric Academic Career Awards (GACA). The purpose of the GACA program is to support the career development of junior faculty as academic geriatricians or academic geriatrics specialists. 26 awards are expected. The estimated total program funding is $2,100,000. Applications are due by November 3, 2022.

More details may be accessed here.

Life Expectancy In The United States

According to a new Commonwealth Fund study, although the U.S. spends more on health care than any other nation, Americans have a shorter average lifespan, and a higher rate of preventable deaths, compared to individuals in many high- and even middle-income countries. 

The report can be obtained at Americans, No Matter the State They Live In, Die Younger Than People in Many Other Countries | Commonwealth Fund.

Racism And Public Safety

Patient safety events in health care settings, such as medical errors, diagnostic errors, and preventable injuries are understudied. Evidence suggests that these events vary across patients from different racial and ethnic backgrounds, and that minoritized patients are more likely to experience them. A new report, from RAND examines this issue and provides recommendations to help improve patient safety and health equity. 

The report can be obtained at Identifying and Understanding Ways to Address the Impact of Racism on Patient Safety in Health Care Settings | RAND.

ASAHP Advocacy Committee Releases Advocacy Toolkit

ASAHP’s Advocacy Committee released an Advocacy Toolkit including information on contacting hill offices, preparing for advocacy meetings, and much more. The 36-page guide is a valuable resource for advocating for health professions education.

The Advocacy Toolkit may be accessed here.

NC-SARA & WCET/State Authorization Network Webinar Series

The National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA) and WICHE Cooperative for Educational Technologies (WCET)/ State Authorization Network (SAN) held a two-part webinar series focused on state authorization and SARA. Part 1 was entitled “State & Federal Building Blocks for Out-of-State Activity Compliance” and Part 2 was entitled “Introduction to SARA”.

More details, including the webinar video recordings, may be accessed here.

Expanding Medicaid Eligibility

According to a report from the Urban Institute, if the 12 non-expansion states were to implement a Medicaid expansion fully in 2023, 3.7 million fewer individuals would be uninsured, a reduction of 29.1%. Groups with the largest gains in coverage due to Medicaid expansion would include non-Hispanic Black persons, young adults, and women, particularly women of reproductive age.

The report can be obtained at https://www.urban.org/sites/default/files/2022-08/3.7%20Million%20People%20Would%20Gain%20Health%20Coverage%20If%20the%20Remaining%20States%20Were%20to%20Expand%20Medicaid.pdf.

ASAHP Announces October Annual Conference to Focus on Leadership And Innovation

Washington, D.C. – The Association of Schools Advancing Health Professions (ASAHP) announced today that its 2022 Annual Conference  will take place in-person October 19-21, 2022 at the Westin Long Beach  hotel in Southern California. The theme of this year’s conference is “Leading the Charge - Advancing Innovation in Higher Education and the Health Professions.”  Registration is now open to all and is available here.  Health profession educators, clinicians, and industry partners can engage and network with peers on key issues impacting higher education and the health professions. In addition, numerous awards will be presented during the Conference to ASAHP members who have brought recognition or demonstrated excellence in the fields of health professions, including interprofessional collaboration.

National and international speakers will share insights on emerging issues including:

• Innovative Approaches to Interprofessional Education/Collaboration

• Leadership

• New Models for Health Professions Education and Practice

• Models for Excellence for Enhancing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

• Select Topics in Health Professions

The preliminary roster of conference speakers will include:

• Bernadette Mazurek Melnyk, PhD, ARPN-CNP, EBP-C, FAANP, FAAN is the Vice President for Health Promotion and University Chief Wellness Officer at The Ohio State University. Dr. Melnyk is a globally recognized expert in Evidence-Based Practice (EBP), intervention research, child, teen and young adult mental health, and health and wellness. She will speak about resiliency in health professions.

• Cheryl Dowd, JD, MS is the Senior Director for the State Authorization Network (SAN) & digital learning advocacy group WCET Policy Innovation. Cheryl will focus on state authorization and compliance.

• Erik S. Johnson is an Occupational Therapist and Assistant Professor at University of Mary Hardin-Baylor and Chief Medical Officer at Warfighter Engaged. As an occupational therapist, Erik specializes in the use of technology as a therapeutic medium for rehabilitation. He has used video games as a treatment tool for over 14 years and looks for opportunities to advance practice by incorporating them into the mix of traditional approaches.

• Shelley Mishoe, PhD is Dean Emerita of the College of Health Sciences at Old Dominion University. During her time as Dean, the college launched several initiatives, including the Center for Global Health, Monarch Physical Therapy, the Interprofessional Education program, a master's degree in athletic training and a Ph.D. in kinesiology and rehabilitation.

• Additional speakers and roundtables to be announced soon.

ASAHP is a national professional organization of more than 120 universities and employers focused on critical issues affecting health professions and health sciences education. Its mission is to improve health through excellence in education, interprofessional collaboration, leadership, research, and advocacy. 

Nearly 60% of the U.S. healthcare workforce are classified as health professions and there are more than 100 areas of practice ranging from audiologist, dental hygienist, paramedic to nutritionist, lactation consultant, physical, occupational or respiratory therapist to mental health counselor or athletic trainer. With the critical shortage in healthcare workers exacerbated by the pandemic, ensuring workforce readiness through the collaboration and partnerships established through ASAHP has never been more important.

About ASAHP

The Association of School Advancing Health Professions (ASAHP) is a national professional organization of 130 universities and employers focused on critical issues affecting health professions education. ASAHP’s mission is to  advance health professions education and discovery through interprofessional collaboration, leadership, excellence, and innovation.

Administration Releases Two New Reports on Long COVID

Today, the Biden-Harris Adminstration released two reports on Long COVID. The National Research Action Plan on Long COVID, created in coordination with 14 government departments and agencies, introduces the first U.S. government–wide national research agenda focused on advancing prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and provision of services and supports for individuals and families experiencing Long COVID. The Services and Supports for Longer-Term Impacts of COVID-19 Report outlines federal services available to the American public to address longer-term effects of COVID-19, including Long COVID and related conditions, as well as other impacts on individuals and families.

The reports and more details may be accessed here.

2022 Long-Term Federal Budget Outlook

According to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), the U.S. faces a challenging fiscal outlook according to extended baseline projections, which show budget deficits and federal debt held by the public growing steadily in relation to gross domestic product over the next three decades. 

The report can be obtained at https://www.cbo.gov/system/files/2022-07/57971-LTBO.pdf.