August 2023
Pennsylvania’s Master Plan for Older Adults
The Pennsylvania Department of Aging 

On May 25, the Governor Josh Shapiro signed Executive Order 2023-09, directing the Pennsylvania Department of Aging to lead the Master Plan for Older Adults, a state-led, stakeholder driven, 10-year strategic planning resource to help Pennsylvania transform the infrastructure and coordination of services for its older adult and disability populations. 
Due to the Governor on or before February 1, 2024, the plan will include goals, objectives, and initiatives to promote the “health, well-being, and quality of life of Pennsylvania’s aging population”[1].  

A multi-disciplinary team drawn from the Pennsylvania Long-Term Care Council will serve as the working group responsible for assisting the Department of Aging in gathering and reviewing the data to support the Master Plan. Additionally, the working group will identify new programs or policies that could be developed to aid older adults Pennsylvanians; find ways to eliminate barriers to advancement for older adult Pennsylvanians; identify where gaps in services, programs, or other initiatives exist that negatively affect older adult Pennsylvanians; and determine where coordination of existing programs could promote, improve, or expand services for older adult Pennsylvanians. All levels of government will be asked for input on the Master Plan’s goals, opportunities, and challenges.
 
People who are older adults, anyone or any group with an interest in or interaction with older adults and disability-related services, programs, and infrastructure are urged to provide input via the upcoming virtual listening sessions and in-person listening sessions to be held in all of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties. Additional channels for input including a website form, email, and mail which can be found at the Department of Aging website: aging.pa.gov/MasterPlan. A white paper will be issued for public comment. Learn more about the Pennsylvania’s Master Plan here. 


[1] Executive Order 2023-09 – Pennsylvania’s Master Plan for Older Adults,
AMDA Calls to Legislative Action

Action #1: Tell Congress to Avert Important Health-Care Funding Cuts

House Appropriators began the process of passing a health funding bill that contains $17.4 billion in cuts to the Department of Health and Human Services that could result in shutting down AHRQ and cutting $1.6 billion from CDC’s current funding levels. The next several weeks of legislative activity will be critical for the future of health-care and medical research. Congressional appropriators are making decisions right now that will have implications for patient safety and our nation’s health security for the next decade. 

The House Appropriations Committee fiscal year 2024 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (LHHS) funding bill contains sweeping cuts across all portfolios under their jurisdiction, including several high-priority federal programs for healthcare professionals within the healthcare. Among the most concerning proposed funding cuts include:

Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) – The bill includes a total of $103.7 billion for HHS, a cut of $17.4 billion – 14 percent – below the FY 2023 enacted level. Of this amount:

  • Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) – The bill eliminates funding for AHRQ, a cut of $374 million below the enacted level.
  • Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) – The bill includes a total of $3.3 billion for CMS administrative expenses, a cut of $798 million below the enacted level.
  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) – The bill includes a total of $7.6 billion for CDC, a cut of 1.6 billion below the enacted level.
  • Public Health Infrastructure and Capacity - The bill includes $100 million, a cut of $250 million below the enacted level.
  • Public Health Data Modernization - The bill includes $75 million, a cut of $100 million below the enacted level.
  • Center for Forecasting and Analytics - The bill eliminates funding the program, a cut of $50 million below the enacted level
  • National Institutes of Health (NIH) – The bill includes a total of $44.6 billion for NIH, a cut of $2.8 billion below enacted level, including $5.1 billion for the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), a cut of $1.5 billion below the enacted level.

Follow the link below to contact your Congressional representatives to urge them to reject these cuts and keep funding the important work done by these agencies.
Action #2: Tell Congress to Stabilize Medicare Payments

A bipartisan group of lawmakers introduced H.R. 2474, the Strengthening Medicare for Patients and Providers Act. The legislation that would reform this flawed system and provide annual inflationary updates, based on the Medicare Economic Index (MEI), for Medicare physician services, similar to updates received by other health care providers.

Medicare physician payments have lagged 26% behind the rate of inflation growth since 2001. During this current period of record inflation and coming on the heels of a highly disruptive pandemic, this statutory flaw often amplifies the impact of other payment policy changes like "budget neutrality" adjustments, performance incentives, and so forth.

Thankfully, a bi-partisan group of physician members of Congress - Representatives Larry Bucshon, MD (IN), Raul Ruiz, MD (CA), Mariannette Miller-Meeks, MD (IA) and Ami Bera, MD (CA) recently introduced H.R. 2474, the Strengthening Medicare for Patients and Providers Act. The legislation that would reform this flawed system and provide annual inflationary updates, based on the Medicare Economic Index (MEI), for Medicare physician services, similar to updates received by other health care providers.

While there are many other concerns with the Medicare physician payment system that still need to be addressed, this legislation is a great first step toward fixing payment inequities and injecting more financial stability into physician practices, allowing them to invest in new ways of providing care and ultimately assuring Medicare beneficiaries have access to high-quality care.

Please take a moment and contact your legislators and urge them to help fix the flawed Medicare physician payment system by supporting H.R. 2474 today!
PMDA 2023 Annual Symposium Breaks New Ground In Gettysburg, October 6 – 7, 2023 at the Wyndham Gettysburg
For slightly less than four score and seven years, PMDA has held its annual symposium in Hershey, Pennsylvania, but in 2023, PMDA will go forth to a new location - Gettysburg, PA, a memorable backdrop for networking and learning.

Renowned for its historical significance and natural beauty, Gettysburg is situated in south-central Pennsylvania, making it easily accessible from Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, and with the Harrisburg International Airport an hour’s drive away, there is air connectivity for attendees from far more distant locales.

And while Gettysburg is best known for the historic Battle of Gettysburg, one of the more critical battles of the Civil War, the town offers a range of activities beyond history, including outdoor recreation, scenic drives, and cultural events. Gettysburg’s bucolic countryside views and picturesque landscapes reveal a multitude of attractions to enhance your stay including museums, antique shops, a charming downtown, and nearby vineyards. All offer numerous opportunities to unwind during and after the PMDA symposium.

And for students of history and the Civil War, Gettysburg’s most important attractions include the National Military Park, the site of the Gettysburg Museum and Visitor Center; the Gettysburg Battlefield spanning several thousand acres and accessible on bike or horseback; and the Gettysburg National Cemetery, the resting place for more than 3,500 Union soldiers and the site of the Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address. Additional museums are located on Seminary Ridge and at the Jennie Wade House, and the Gettysburg Heritage Center offers interactive exhibits, displays, and multimedia presentations that detail events leading up to the Battle of Gettysburg. There are even guided ghost tours that tell of Gettysburg’s haunted history for the fearless.

Plan to join PMDA in Gettysburg October 6 – 7 for the 31st Annual Symposium at the Wyndham Gettysburg hotel. Be steeped in history, enhance your knowledge and skills, connect with like-minded individuals, share experiences, and create new professional relationships that lead to collaboration and career growth. You don’t want to miss it!
Support the Nursing Home Disclosure Act NOW

The Nursing Home Disclosure Act is a bipartisan bill that would require nursing homes to report their medical directors to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), which must publish this information on the online Care Compare tool. Currently, some nursing homes do not provide a full public report of who their medical directors are, leaving families without critical information they need as they search for quality nursing homes.

Follow the link below to let your legislator know how important it is for families to have the information they need when making the important decision about a nursing home.   
Still NOT a PMDA Member?

You can become a member of PMDA by clicking on the membership application below.

To pay for your membership dues, you may either mail a check to PMDA (400 Winding Creek Blvd., Mechanicsburg, PA 17050) or complete the credit card/billing information in the membership application or call Jill Bennish, Finance Coordinator at 717-909-2679 to pay via credit card over the phone. And If you have any questions about membership, please contact PMDA at pmda@pamedsoc.org.
If you have any questions about membership, please contact PMDA at pmda@pamedsoc.org.
Help PMDA Recognize and Celebrate Excellence in LTC 

The PMDA Long-Term Care Clinician of the Year Award is one of the Society’s highest honors. Nominate a colleague or mentor who has demonstrated vision, passion, leadership, knowledge, and commitment to taking patient care in the facilities they serve to exceptional levels of quality, excellence, and innovation.

The awardees will be recognized for their outstanding accomplishments by PMDA and their peers at the 2023 PMDA Annual Symposium,
October 6 – 7, at the Wyndham Gettysburg in Gettysburg, PA.
The deadline for nominations for the 2023 Clinician of the Year Award is September 11, 2023. Click here to submit your nomination.  
Podcast Spotlights Professional Passion

Authors of studies published in JAMDA very often feel a great passion for their subject matter, and this was clear in a recent episode of the JAMDA On-The-Go podcast. During the program, Naushira Pandya, MD, CMD, talked about her study, Medication Prescribing for Type 2 Diabetes in the US Long-Term Care Setting: Observational Study. “One reason I wanted to do this study was the high prevalence of diabetes in long-term care,” she said. 
Recognize Your Peers – Nominations Wanted

Each year, the Foundation for PALTC Medicine recognizes the unique qualities of the AMDA membership. Nominations are now being accepted for the following awards: Medical Director of the Year, Clinician of the Year, the James Pattee Award for Excellence in Education, and the William Dodd Founder’s Award for Distinguished Service. The deadline to submit nominations is September 30. The awards will be presented at PALTC24 in March. 
Win a Lake/Mountain Getaway for a 4 Night Stay!
$100 donation You Could Win (only 200 tickets will be sold) 5 Days / 4 Night Vacation on the beautiful and historic Smith Mountain Lake (Valued at $2,500)
Located at Mariners Landing, which is a 1,000-acre community resort, surrounded by the peaks of the Blue Ridge Mountains overlooking the waters of Smith Mountain Lake. 
Become a Certified Medical Director this year by taking the Core Curriculum. Find out how.