Happy Easter to all who celebrate. Here's what we want you to know today:
UPCOMING VIRTUAL EVENTS
Starting in April, the Maryland Department of Health (MDH) COVID-19 Updates will be held every two weeks. MedChi will follow suit and send these COVID-19 email updates every two weeks as well.
With information coming from many different sources, CMS has up-to-date resources and materials to help you share important and relevant information on the COVID-19 vaccine with the people that you serve. You can find these and more resources on the COVID-19 Partner Resources Pageand the HHS COVID Education Campaign page.
According to a recent CMS survey, many Medicare beneficiaries reported forgoing non-COVID-19 care such as regular check-ups or medical screening tests due to the pandemic. A recent CMS data analysis also showed a significant decline in service use for Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) beneficiaries, particularly for mental health and substance use disorders. With that, the number of services delivered via telehealth has significantly increased during the public health emergency.
Telehealth for Providers: What You Need to Know – Providers can learn how and when to use telehealth. Topics include how to set up telehealth services, how to conduct a successful visit, and how to keep up to date on telehealth payment (particularly for Medicare and Medicaid).
Governor Hogan announced an accelerated timeline for vaccine eligibility. Beginning on Tuesday, March 23, the state made groups in Phase 2 eligible in waves based on risk factors, including age, essential occupations, and underlying health conditions, before opening it up to the general population in Phase 3. All Marylanders 16 and older will be eligible for vaccines by Tuesday, April 27. View the timeline or read more.
