Policy Corner: June 19, 2020

BIAA Joins National and State Organizations on COVID-19 Letter to Senate Leadership

The Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA) joined 252 member organizations of the Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities, Disability and Aging Collaborative, and other state and national organizations in a June 15 letter to Senate leadership urging them to include funding to support the vital needs of people with disabilities and aging adults in the next COVID-19 relief package. The House of Representatives included a number of provisions to assist individuals with disabilities and aging in the HEROES bill passed May 15, including dedicated funding for Medicaid Home and Community-based (HCBS) services to support the direct care workforce. The HEROES bill also increased the Federal Medical Assistance Percentages, the federal match, to states to help with HCBS and other health care needs funded by the Medicaid program. Almost half of states administer Medicaid HCBS waiver programs for individuals with brain injury, with a few states offering more than one waiver program.

GAO Releases Report on Domestic Violence and Brain Injury

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) released the report, “Domestic Violence: Improved Data Needed to Identify the Prevalence of Brain Injuries among Victims,” as the result of House Report 115-952, which included a provision for GAO to report on the relationship between intimate partner violence and brain injuries. GAO (1) describes efforts to provide education, screen for, or treat brain injuries resulting from intimate partner violence; and (2) examines what is known about the prevalence of brain injuries resulting from intimate partner violence, including the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) efforts to determine prevalence.

GAO examined peer-reviewed literature, federal websites, and documentation from HHS and the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). GAO also interviewed officials from HHS, DOJ, and 11 non-federal stakeholders, such as domestic violence organizations and brain injury associations including BIAA. GAO identified 12 non-federal initiatives that provide education, screen for, or treat brain injuries resulting from intimate partner violence. All 12 developed and distributed education and training materials to domestic violence shelter staff, victims, health care providers, and others. Six of the 12 initiatives used screening tools to identify potential brain injuries among intimate partner violence victims, and two included a treatment component. Additionally, eight of the 12 initiatives received HHS or DOJ grant funding, although agency officials reported that the funding had no specific requirements to address brain injuries resulting from intimate partner violence. To read the report here, click here.

HHS Announces New Guidance for Data Reporting for Laboratories and COVID-19 Tests

HHS announced new guidance that specifies what additional data must be reported by laboratories along with COVID-19 test results. The guidance standardizes reporting to ensure that public health officials have access to comprehensive and nearly real-time data to inform decision making in their response to COVID-19. As the country begins to reopen, access to clear and accurate data is essential to communities and leadership for making decisions critical to a phased reopening.

The guidance requires “relevant demographic details” including patient age, race, ethnicity, and sex to be reported. However, there is an additional set of criteria noted as “ask on order entry” questions for electronic health records and laboratory information management systems that laboratories “should” collect, which includes a yes/no/unknown field for whether the patient is a “resident in a congregate care setting” including nursing homes, residential care for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, psychiatric treatment facilities, group homes, board and care homes, homeless shelter, foster care, or other setting.” To read the announcement, click here.

Democratic Leaders Request the Administration Help Americans who are Uninsured and Underinsured

 The Bicameral Democratic Health Committee leaders wrote a letter to HHS Secretary Alex Azar and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Seema Verma to reassert their request for a Special Enrollment Period to help the millions of uninsured and underinsured Americans sign up for health insurance coverage during the COVID-19 pandemic. The letter was signed by House Energy and Commerce Chairman Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-N.J.), House Ways and Means Chairman Richard E. Neal (D-Mass.), House Education and Labor Chairman Bobby C. Scott (D-Va.), Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-Wash.), and Senate Finance Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-Ore.). To date, more than 44 million Americans have filed for unemployment benefits since mid-March. The rate at which Americans continue to lose their jobs and health insurance each week as COVID-19 continues to spread throughout the country is rising. Meanwhile, approximately 28 million Americans are currently uninsured, and the number of uninsured individuals has increased by nearly 2 million since 2017.

BIAA gratefully acknowledges the Centre for Neuro Skills and Avanir Pharmaceuticals for their support for legislative action.