Health
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- Written by: Lake County News Reports
The governor announced $52 million for Central Valley counties – San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Merced, Madera, Fresno, Kings, Tulare and Kern – to help expand disease investigation, contact tracing and quarantine efforts.
In addition, the state will deploy three Unified Support Teams to these counties, which are experiencing increased cases and hospitalizations.
Statewide, Latinos make up 38.9 percent of the population but comprise a disproportionate number of COVID-19 cases (56 percent) and deaths (45.7 percent).
In the Central Valley, where between 41-65 percent of any given county is Latino, there are a disproportionate number of Latino deaths compared to population – for example, in Fresno County, Latinos comprise 52.6 percent of the population and 65 percent of COVID-19 deaths.
We also know that of the cases where we have no race or ethnicity data, based on surnames, local public health officials estimate that roughly 70 percent appear Latino, thus the current case numbers likely underestimate the total number of Latinos who are impacted by the virus.
“The data is clear that COVID-19 is disproportionately impacting Latinos in California,” said Gov. Newsom. “The rising community transmission rates we are seeing, particularly among Latinos in the Central Valley, are concerning. This is alarming and we are taking action. That’s why today we are making $52 million available to counties in the Central Valley to support local public health departments with additional resources to stop the spread of the virus and reduce the number of hospitalizations related to COVID-19.”
In collaboration with local partners, the state will deploy Unified Support Teams into the eight Central Valley counties to support and boost on-the-ground efforts to reduce transmission rates. The teams will work side by side with local public health, emergency, medical, community and business organizations to evaluate on-the-ground needs and develop strategies and interventions to address them.
These assessments could include an evaluation and improvement in testing, contact tracing, disease investigation, data management, public education and surge planning for local health care systems.
The teams will review data and look at outbreaks in factories and congregate settings such as long-term care facilities, high-density housing developments and agricultural workplaces where individuals may be exposed to COVID-19.
The mission will be supported by various state agencies and departments including the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services, Department of Public Health, Department of Food and Agriculture, Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency, Cal/OSHA and the Department of Social Services.
This mission is similar to the one carried out recently in Imperial County, which included the deployment of state and federal personnel to reduce transmission rates, augment surge capacity at local hospitals and operate an 80-bed alternate care site.
That effort boosted public health support for disease investigation and contact tracing and helped manage outbreaks at workplaces and other congregate settings. Those efforts also dramatically reduced the number of COVID-19 patients being transferred out of the county for care. For context, in Imperial County the 14-day case rate dropped 63 percent, from 836 cases per 100,000 to 308 cases per 100,000 people.
The state’s targeted efforts are funded in part with a grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which has provided California $499 million to support the state’s response to COVID-19, of which $286 million is being made available to local governments in their efforts to fight COVID-19.
Nearly $52 million of these funds will go to eight counties in the Central Valley – Fresno, Kern, Kings, Madera, Merced, San Joaquin, Stanislaus and Tulare.
California is grateful to its federal partners for their continued support. Recently, and in coordination with the state, a federal COVID-19 Response Assistance Field Team was deployed to California to help us further assess local need and leverage all federal resources to stop the spread of the COVID-19 in Kern, Stanislaus and San Joaquin counties.
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- Written by: Lake County News Reports
“Providing front-line workers the protective equipment they need is critical to our state’s response to COVID-19,” said Gov. Newsom. “Securing a reliable supply chain of PPE allows us to distribute millions of protective masks to our essential workforce while preserving millions more in our state’s stockpile for future use.”
Further building a stable stockpile so that health care and essential workers in California do not face the same supply shortages that characterized the early stages of the pandemic, Gov. Newsom has directed the Department of Public Health and Office of Emergency Services to further increase the state’s strategic stockpile to 100 million N-95 respirators and 200 million surgical masks by early fall in order to account for the potential need given the recent rise in COVID-19 cases.
Wednesday’s announcement builds on early action taken by the state to secure a stable, reliable supply chain and envision short and long-term strategies to procure respirators and masks.
California’s strategy has paid off. The state has been able to supply millions of medical providers, essential workers, and schools with critical PPE to preserve public health and safety.
To date, the state has distributed 86.4 million N-95 respirators and 297 million surgical masks to Californians working on the front lines against COVID-19, including to our hospitals, emergency responders, farm and factory workers and nursing home workers.
In order to fulfill the stockpile goal, which was developed in consultation with health leaders and informed by advanced modeling data, the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services has entered into a new contract with California-based BYD North America to produce 120 million N-95 respirators and 300 million surgical masks for the state.
The global COVID-19 pandemic has created worldwide competition and shortages for vital PPE supply, with certified N-95 respirator masks in highest demand. California, like other states and national governments all over the world, is working to secure a reliable supply of PPE for the front-line health care workforce and other critical infrastructure workers.
California has also been able to help other states with their unmet emergency PPE needs, supplying 17 million surgical masks to our neighbors in Arizona, Nevada, Oregon and Alaska.
Ensuring continued supply
The announcement is part of an ongoing effort to move expeditiously in a globally competitive market to meet California’s anticipated demands, by putting a bridge contract into place with the critical supply of life-saving masks.
The bridge contract signed today with BYD will ensure California can provide PPE to its front-line workforce during the ongoing global pandemic, at a competitive price rate and with an established and reliable partner.
In the longer term, California is establishing a leveraged master procurement where any manufacturers can apply, and California purchasers can secure supplies at competitive pricing.
Other actions to secure PPE
This new bridge contract is part of a wider effort by the administration to prioritize the acquisition, dispersal and reuse of critical personal protective equipment and other emergency assets and commodities during the COVID-19 pandemic to protect the public health and safety.
Operation Airbridge: The state has worked closely with FEMA and the federal government to provide a total of 14,757,500 N-95 masks, and 87,552,500 surgical masks to private sector medical providers who sold to hospitals and clients.
Safely Making CA: In June, the Governor announced a partnership with the California Manufacturers and Technology Association (CMTA) to allow small businesses, health care providers and others in need of PPE to purchase PPE directly from the California-based businesses.
There are approximately 400 companies signed up to sell non-medical grade PPE on this website. Since the Governor announced Safely Making CA, the site has had over 40,300 unique hits, with 435 product listings (e.g. cloth masks, face shields, hand sanitizer and gloves).
For more information about California PPE manufacturers, visit www.safelymakingca.org .
Battelle Units: Through partnership with FEMA, the state leveraged Battelle Critical Care Decontamination systems to decontaminate N-95 respirators, allowing for their reuse during the supply chain shortage of this critical piece of PPE. On April 20, the first Battelle site was established in Burbank. The second was established in Fremont on April 25.
As of July 19, California’s Battelle units have decontaminated 194,865 N-95 respirators, with 1,904 facilities signed up for the service.
Facilities currently utilizing the decontamination units include hospitals, assisted living facilities, skilled nursing facilities, hospice care, first responders, state and local government, U.S. Veterans Affairs hospitals and other health care facilities.
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- Written by: Lake County News Reports
This bipartisan bill will continue the expanded use of telehealth beyond the Coronavirus pandemic by eliminating restrictions on the use in Medicare, providing a bridge for patients currently using the practices because of the crisis, and requiring a study on the use of telehealth during COVID-19.
“Telehealth is a proven and cost-effective way to get care out to patients, particularly during a crisis. Since the spring, many patients who need routine care have been using telehealth to see their doctors without increasing the risk of spreading Coronavirus and many face an abrupt end to this practice after the crisis is over,” said Thompson. “That’s why today I joined my colleagues to introduce the Protecting Access to Post-Covid-19 Telehealth Act. My bill will expand the use of this proven practice for seniors and those on Medicare and ensure that telehealth care be used during future disasters and emergencies. We know telehealth can be an essential bridge in delivering care, particularly during a crisis and today we are working to ensure telehealth continues in a post-coronavirus world.”
“This unprecedented pandemic has proven that telehealth not only works, but that it’s essential,” said Welch. “These practical telehealth provisions have been successfully implemented and should be continued to ensure that everyone has access to quality healthcare no matter where they live or how mobile they are. This is a commonsense step to make sure our policies keep pace with our technology.”
“Prior to the coronavirus pandemic, there was still some question as to whether telehealth could be an effective alternative to going to the doctor’s office. The answer is now clear: unequivocally, yes,” said Johnson. “This bipartisan legislation will enable Medicare beneficiaries to continue using telehealth services when the current emergency declaration ends, and ensures that the enormous resources invested in making this technology work are not wasted. It’s time to expand high-quality telehealth services to all Americans, not roll back the progress we’ve made.”
“I am pleased to introduce this legislation with my colleagues on the Telehealth Caucus, continuing our work to advance solutions for how we can provide efficient and accessible care,” said Schweikert. “It is clear that telemedicine is part of the future of our healthcare system, and should be continued as an attainable tool post-pandemic. Telehealth services are allowing society to become safer, healthier, and more effective at delivering the care patients deserve. This legislation will ensure individuals have a choice in how they receive their care, and I am proud to give patients the care and control they deserve through this affordable innovation.”
“Rising to the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, providers nationwide are leaning in to telehealth to ensure patients have access to the care they need while safely social distancing. Especially in our medically underserved communities and for individuals highly vulnerable to the virus’ spread, leveraging telehealth is helping to advance our broader mission to equalize access to care,” said Matsui. “Waivers during the emergency have been critical to supporting digital care, but we must act to make these pro-telehealth policies permanent. This important legislation would permanently expand Medicare telehealth services to patients in all geographic areas and allow patients to receive virtual care at home. It also supports our FQHC’s ability to continue to provide vital services via telehealth. Recognizing our changing world, we must continue to explore and support innovative solutions to enhance access to health care, improve connectivity, and meet patients where they are at.”
You can click here to read the full text of the Protecting Access to Post-Covid-19 Telehealth Act.
This bipartisan bill works to expand the use of telehealth after the end of the Coronavirus crisis by:
– Eliminating most geographic and originating site restrictions on the use of telehealth in Medicare and establishing the patient’s home as an eligible distant site so patients can receive telehealth care at home and doctors can still be reimbursed;
– Preventing a sudden loss of telehealth services for Medicare beneficiaries by authorizing the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Service to continue reimbursement for telehealth for 90 days beyond the end of the public health emergency;
– Making permanent the disaster waiver authority, enabling Health and Human Service to expand telehealth in Medicare during all future emergencies and disasters; and
– Requiring a study on the use of telehealth during COVID, including its costs, uptake rates, measurable health outcomes, and racial and geographic disparities.
“Too many patients are still going without care that is absolutely vital to their health, and putting essential medical procedures on hold due to the pandemic or lack of access to care,” said Scott Whitaker, president and CEO of AdvaMed. “Making recently expanded telehealth access permanent will improve patients’ ability to get care outside of doctors’ offices and other traditional health care settings and save and improve countless lives.”
“Giving all seniors access to telehealth – regardless of geographic location – is the right policy, and one that’s been proven necessary by both patients and providers,” said Krista Drobac, Executive Director of the Alliance for Connected Care. “The Protecting Access to Post-COVID-19 Telehealth Act takes a critical step toward this goal.”
“During the COVID-19 pandemic, telehealth has allowed our nation’s healthcare system to continue to effectively deliver needed care virtually, ensuring patients can safely access care when and where they need it. As the only organization exclusively dedicated to advancing telehealth, the ATA commends the House Telehealth Caucus for introducing this essential but commonsense legislation to ensure Medicare patients continue to have the choice to access telehealth after the current public health emergency,” said Ann Mond Johnson, CEO, the ATA (American Telemedicine Association).
“The California Medical Association supports the introduction of the Protecting Access to Post COVID-19 Telehealth Act of 2020 by California Representatives Mike Thompson and Doris Matsui. As long-time champions of telehealth, the CMA applauds Representatives Thompson and Matsui for their continued efforts to ensure that Medicare telehealth services are available to seniors beyond the COVID-19 pandemic,” said CMA President, Peter N. Bretan, M.D. “Telehealth has been vital during the pandemic in protecting vulnerable seniors from the risks associated with leaving home to get care. It has allowed seniors to obtain safe and timely health care evaluations and preventive care. This is not just good policy during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is good policy, period. CMA strongly supports the provisions in this bill that permanently make it easier for seniors to receive telehealth care from their home regardless of where they live. Many seniors suffer from multiple chronic conditions that make travel to a physician’s office difficult. As we move toward value-based care models where physicians are managing chronic conditions, telehealth is an important tool in improving health, controlling costs and ensuring that seniors get timely access to care.”
“Many healthcare organizations and their patients have welcomed the benefits that telehealth provided during the pandemic and they want them to continue. Extending telehealth flexibilities beyond the public health emergency will allow clinicians to continue to safely treats patients while battling this highly contagious disease,” said John Kravitz, Chair of CHIME Board of Trustees and CIO of Geisinger.
“The eHealth Initiative (eHI) is proud to support the Protecting Access to Post-COVID-19 Telehealth Act of 2020,” said eHI CEO Jennifer Covich Bordenick. “The legislation would once and for all remove arbitrary geographic restrictions on all Medicare telehealth services and ensure access for patients for whom traditional office visits don’t always work. We applaud Congressman Thompson and the House Telehealth Caucus for their continued leadership on telehealth and look forward to working with them to advance this critical legislation.”
“HIMSS and PCHAlliance applaud the introduction of the telehealth bill sponsored by Representative Thompson and members of the House Telehealth Caucus, and call upon Congress to take swift action and make permanent the flexibilities that have supported the use of evidence-based connected care technologies to improve healthcare quality, access, and value for all Americans during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Hal Wolf, President and CEO of HIMSS.
Thompson represents California’s Fifth Congressional District, which includes all or part of Contra Costa, Lake, Napa, Solano and Sonoma counties.
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- Written by: National Governors Association
A letter to governors, signed by Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar and White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx, was sent Monday evening, requiring the use of a new reporting mechanism for hospitals, daily reporting from hospitals and additional data to be included.
The administration implemented these changes effective as of Wednesday.
The administration has stated that it plans to utilize this data to better allocate supplies and drugs to states.
To ensure the accurate reporting of this data, governors are requesting a 30-day delay of these new requirements, in order for hospitals to learn a new system, as they continue to deal with this pandemic.
In addition, governors urge the administration to make this information publicly available.
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