Senate GOP Releases COVID-19 Relief Package

This week Senate Republicans proposed their latest COVID-19 relief package, several bills totaling just over $1 trillion in spending. The package proposes $105.1 billion for the Department of Education, including $29 billion for higher education. It includes $118.4 billion for the Department of Health and Human Services, with funds for vaccine research and testing. The Senate Republican proposal also includes liability protections, unemployment insurance, and a new round of direct payments. The proposal was deemed inadequate by Democrats, who passed an over $3 trillion package in May and are calling for greater education funding.

Inside Higher Ed Article
Safely Back to School and Back to Work Act Text
Safely Back to School and Back to Work Act Section-by-Section Analysis
Simplifying Student Loan Payment One Pager
Appropriations Provisions Summary

New International Students Barred from Fully Online Classes

On Friday, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement issued guidance barring new international students from coming to the U.S. for Fall coursework if their classes are fully online. Earlier this month, DHS issued and then rescinded a policy directive requiring that international students must take at least some in-person classes in order to remain in the U.S. ASAHP advocated against the earlier guidance and was pleased to see it rescinded.

More details may be found here.
ICE News Release
ICE Clarifying Q&A for Fall 2020

Sec. Azar Renews Public Health Emergency Declaration

Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar has renewed the current public health emergency declaration that is needed to adequately deploy necessary recourses and authorities. ASAHP was part of a joint letter sent to Secretary Azar earlier this month urging renewal of the declaration. That letter may be accessed here.

Outlook For Short-Term Health Plans

Although short-term health plans are designed to insure patients for catastrophic medical events, they often lack protections for preexisting conditions and they are accompanied with high out-of-pocket costs. A report from the Commonwealth Fund examines whether these plans have evolved to offer more comprehensive coverage.

The report can be obtained at https://www.commonwealthfund.org/blog/2020/limitations-short-term-health-plans-persist-despite-predictions-theyd-evolve?utm_source=alert&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Health%20Coverage.

Student Loan Repayment and FAFSA Simplification Act Introduced

On Tuesday, Senator Lamar Alexander, Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, introduced the Student Loan Repayment and FAFSA Simplification Act. The bill is intended to simplify the simplify the student loan repayment process as well as the FAFSA application process.

Press Release
Chairman Alexander’s Remarks
One Page Bill Summary

Effect Of COVID-19 On Hospital Financial Health

A new analysis by Kaufman, Hall & Associates LLC highlights COVID-19’s impact on hospitals’ and health systems’ financial health. According to the report, without further government support, hospitals’ margins could sink to minus 7% in the second half of 2020, with half of all hospitals operating in the red.

The analysis can be obtained at https://www.aha.org/system/files/media/file/2020/07/KH-COVID-Hospital-Financial-Health_FINAL.pdf.

ASAHP Urges Patient Data Should Not Bypass the CDC

ASAHP joined nearly 100 organizations in urging the Administration to reverse its decision to bypass the CDC as a recipient in the collection and analysis of COVID-19 patient data.

The letter may be accessed here.

Health Education Funding Bill Moves to House Floor Next Week

Today the House Appropriations Committee announced that an omnibus FY 21 spending package will be considered on the House floor next week. The legislative package is made up of seven FY 21 spending bills including the Labor, Health & Human Services, and Education bill.

The legislation may be found here. A division-by-division summary may be found here. The Committee press release may be found here.

Remaking Primary Care For Women

As the COVID-19 pandemic has made apparent, the primary care system in the U.S. often fails to meet the full range of women’s health care needs. A two-part series from the Commonwealth Fund presents a vision for achieving the kind of primary care that women in America want and need.

The first report can be obtained at https://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/fund-reports/2020/jul/transforming-primary-health-care-women-part-1-framework?utm_source=alert&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Delivery%20System%20Reform and the second report at https://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/fund-reports/2020/jul/transforming-primary-health-care-women-part-2-path-forward?utm_source=alert&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Delivery%20System%20Reform.

Poll Results Show Support For Hospitals And Front-Line Providers

Respondents overwhelmingly support hospitals and further aid as front-line health care providers fight to defeat COVID-19, regardless of party affiliation, according to a poll released today by the Coalition to Protect America’s Health Care.

Results can be obtained at https://www.aha.org/system/files/media/file/2020/07/cpah-national-survey-summary-key-findings.pdf.

COVID -19 Racial/Ethnic Disparities

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues in the U.S., research has shown that racial and ethnic minorities bear a disproportionate burden of illness and death. An article published ahead of print in the journal Health Affairs on June 14 involves the use of pre-pandemic data from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS), sponsored by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, to explore potential explanations.

The article can be obtained at https://www.healthaffairs.org/doi/pdf/10.1377/hlthaff.2020.00897.

CastleBranch Live Webinar: Keeping Students Safe in the Age of COVID-19

Healthcare students stay busy and come in contact with many different people through classes, clinicals and skill labs, not to mention jobs, family and social obligations. But their hard work, drive and passion in these many different areas put them at high risk for exposure to COVID-19. How can you help them return to campus and clinicals safely and responsibly?

Please join CastleBranch on Wednesday, July 29 at 2:00pm EST for a live webinar, “Keeping Students Safe in the age of COVID-19.” Experts will discuss best practices to help keep your healthcare students safe from COVID-19.

Host: Katie Giacalone, Sr. Manager of Strategic Partnerships

Katie Giacalone is the Senior Manager of Strategic Partnerships at CastleBranch.  She has fifteen years of experience with the company in a variety of roles that have allowed her to build and grow key relationships and partnerships both inside and outside the organization. A University of Rhode Island graduate in Business Administration, Katie has served in a variety of marketing and sales roles at CastleBranch including leading a team of sales executives as Director of Sales. 

Guest: Pat Dunty, VP, Executive Team, Best Practice Liaison

Pat Dunty is the Vice President and Best Practice Liaison for CastleBranch and a vital member of the executive team at CastleBranch. He has been a part of CastleBranch for 5 years and held numerous positions which have given Pat a comprehensive understanding of the challenges faced by our clients. His experiences have allowed him to excel at identifying new and innovative products that help meet our client’s needs. Most recently, Pat has worked side by side with our Infectious Disease Council dedicated to helping keep healthcare students safe nationwide.

Register here:  https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/1410590263782747151

Administration Rescinds International Student Directive

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security today rescinded its recent policy directive requiring that international students must take at least some in-person classes in order to remain in the U.S. ASAHP is pleased with today’s decision, as the directive would have limited the flexibility for our institutions, and would have been detrimental to the students, health professions education, research, and public health efforts. As part of the Federation of Associations of Schools of the Health Professions (FASHP), ASAHP joined numerous other associations in sending a letter to the Department of Homeland Security voicing opposition to the earlier guidance.

More details may be found here. The previous newswire post on this issue and the joint letter to DHS may be accessed here.

House Committee Advances Health Education Funding Bill

On Monday, the House Committee on Appropriations approved the FY 2021 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies funding bill on party line vote of 30-22, with Democrats voting in favor. The bill may be taken up on the House floor later this month.

Our previous newswire articles on this bill may be found here and here. The House Appropriations Committee press release may be found here.

ASAHP Urges Continuation of Public Health Emergency Declaration

ASAHP joined many other organizations in a joint letter to HHS Secretary Alex Azar, urging renewal of the current public health emergency declaration for at least an additional 90 days before it expires on July 25. Such a declaration is needed to adequately deploy necessary resources and authorities.

The letter may be accessed here.

ASAHP Joins FASHP Letter on International Student and Exchange Visitor Program

As part of the Federation of Associations of Schools of the Health Professions (FASHP), ASAHP joined numerous other associations in sending a letter to the Department of Homeland Security voicing opposition to guidance released by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) that prohibits international students from returning to or remaining in the US if the institutions they attend adopt online-only instruction models amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The ICE guidance limits the flexibility needed for our institutions, and would be detrimental to the students, health professions education, research, and public health efforts. The associations recommend that ICE should allow students with valid visas the opportunity to continue receiving their education in the manner determined by their school to be the safest and most effective for them and their classmates.

The letter may be accessed here.

House Committee Markup on Health Education Funding Bill

Today the U.S. House of Representative’s Appropriations Committee holds a full committee markup of its FY 2021 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies funding bill. The bill advanced in Subcommittee along party lines last week. The bill includes $512.5 million ($38 million above the FY 2020 enacted level) for Title VII Health Professions programs and nearly $270 million for Title VIII nursing programs. $51.5 million is included for Scholarship for Disadvantaged Students, $42.7 million for geriatric programs, $38.9 million for mental and behavioral health, $127 million for behavioral health workforce education and training, and $15 million is included for the Health Careers Opportunity Program.

Full Committee Markup

Bill language

Report language

Summary

COVID-19 And Medicare Coverage Of Mental Health

The COVID-19 pandemic highlights gaps in Medicare mental health coverage as well as opportunities for improvement. A report from the Commonwealth Fund discusses how policies to expand coverage of telemental health should be studied rigorously and potentially made permanent as a strategy to increase access to mental health services by beneficiaries.

The report can be obtained at https://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/issue-briefs/2020/jul/medicare-mental-health-coverage-covid-19-gaps-opportunities?utm_source=alert&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Medicare.

FY 2021 Education Funding Bill Advances in the House

On Tuesday afternoon, the U.S. House of Representative’s Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies advanced their FY 2021 spending bill on a 9-6 party line vote. The Democratic bill includes $94.6 billion for HHS, an increase of $1.5 billion above the FY 2020 enacted level. The bill includes $7.2 billion for HRSA, an increase of $157 million above the FY 2020 enacted level. HRSA’s Bureau of Health Professions programs would receive $1.2 billion, an increase of $48 million above the FY 2020 enacted level. NIH would receive $47 billion. The bill also includes $73.5 billion in discretionary funding for the Department of Education, an increase of $716 million above the FY 2020 enacted level. The bill includes $2.6 billion for higher education programs and $24.6 billion for Federal student aid programs, including an increase to the maximum Pell Grant. A full committee markup is scheduled for Monday afternoon and amendments will be considered then.

The bill may be accessed here.

The Appropriations Committee Press Release and Bill Summary may be accessed here.

The link to Monday afternoon’s markup may be accessed here.

ACAPT Releases Additional Guidance to Resume Clinical Education

The American Council of Academic Physical Therapy (ACAPT)’s National Consortium of Clinical Educators (NCCE) has released additional guidance for resuming physical therapy clinical education. The guidance includes

• strategies for maximizing capacity by reassessing the curriculum to ensure accreditation standards are met in an efficient manner,

• using “innovative” scheduling and prioritization for clinical education placements, and

• sharing resources across academic programs and clinical sites.

Read more here.