This post has been archived and contains information that may be out of date.
CDPH Updates Guidelines for Vaccine Eligibility
On March 11, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) issued three documents updating its guidance on prioritizing individuals for the COVID-19 vaccine. In addition to providing important clarifications on the implementation of vaccines for people with high-risk medical conditions or disabilities, the guidance adds categories of individuals in specified settings who are eligible to be vaccinated due to their increased risk. Details about the guidance and who is now eligible to receive the vaccine are available on CHA’s website.
CMS Increases Payment for COVID-19 Vaccine Administration
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has announced that, effective March 15, Medicare payment for COVID-19 vaccine administration will increase to approximately $40 per dose. Previously, the Medicare payment for a COVID-19 vaccine dose was $16.94 for an initial dose in a series and $28.39 for the final dose in the series, and $28.39 for a single-dose vaccine. The exact payment rate for administration of each dose will depend on the type of entity that furnishes the service and will be geographically adjusted based on where the service is provided. More information on Medicare payment for COVID-19 vaccine administration — including a list of billing codes, payment allowances, and effective dates — is available on the CMS website.
CMS Issues Additional Information on SNF Visitation
CMS has issued an infographic — available in both English and Spanish — to provide additional information about recent changes to guidance for safely expanding visitation options in skilled-nursing facilities during the public health emergency. More details are available on the CMS website.
Next CDPH Office Hours: March 19
CDPH will hold a COVID-19 Vaccination Office Hours webinar for hospitals on March 19 from 9 to 10 a.m. (PT). To participate, visit this link.
Next CDPH Call for Health Care Facilities: March 23, 8-9 a.m. (PT)
Dial: (844) 721-7239
Passcode: 7993227
Summary of March 9 CDPH Call
CDPH has provided a summary of its recent weekly call with health care facilities.
Recent Media Coverage
Here are some recent stories on the impacts of COVID-19 on behavioral health and substance use disorder:
- NPR: Hospital Emergency Rooms Struggle With Overdose Spike During Pandemic
- Wall Street Journal: COVID-19’S Lasting Effects On Mental Health—For Good And Bad
- Healthline: Impact of COVID-19 Lockdown on Teens’ Mental Health
- Business Insider: The COVID-19 pandemic has turbo-charged the surge in fentanyl overdoses sweeping the western states, as drug experts warn of a crisis within a crisis
- Pew Research Center: Many Americans continue to experience mental health difficulties as pandemic enters second year
Data Resources
- State Resources: Monitor ICU capacity by region or by county.
- CHA Resources: Hospitals can access county dashboards through the CHA COVID-19 Tracking Tool, which includes hospital-specific data on ICU capacity.