Your Input Sought/Of Possible Interest (Washington Update, February 27, 2019)

YOUR INPUT SOUGHT

NEW FEMA National Advisory Council – Due March 15, 2019
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is accepting applications until March 15, 2019, for 12 open positions on its National Advisory Council. They are seeking one person to fill the slot called “Disabilities, Access and Functional Needs.” This person must be in a position to represent one or more of these groups: individuals with disabilities, older adults, and individuals with limited English proficiency, access to transportation, and/or access to financial resources to prepare for, respond to, and recover from an emergency. For more information see the Membership Application Information and Instructions (also in PDF).

NEW SNAP Work Requirements – Due April 2, 2019.
Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced a proposed rule that would enforce time limits on SNAP (food stamp) benefits for individuals who do not document sufficient weekly work hours. Comments are due April 2, 2019.

Pain Management Task Force Draft Report – Due April 1, 2019
The Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act of 2016 (CARA), requires that the public be given at least ninety (90) days to submit comments on any proposed updates and recommendations developed by the Pain Management Best Practices Inter-Agency Task Force (Task Force). The Task Force is requesting comments on its Pain Management Best Practices: Updates, Gaps, Inconsistencies, and Recommendations (PDF), which includes sections on Unique Issues Related to Pediatric Pain Management; Sickle Cell Disease; and Health Disparities in Racial and Ethnic Populations, Including African-Americans, Latinos, American Indians, and Alaska Natives. Submit comments.

Electronic Health Information – due early April
On Monday, February 11, 2019, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released a proposed rule intended to facilitate the use of electronic health information and promote patient access to and control over their health information. See the CMS Fact Sheet CMS will accept comments on the major provisions in this proposed rule until early April (exact date will be updated upon posting at the Federal Register).

OF POSSIBLE INTEREST

‘You Want A Cookie?’: As Families Arrive En Masse, Border Agents Offer Snacks and Medical Checks (Washington Post, 2/19/19)

Health Coverage of Immigrants (Kaiser Family Foundation Fact Sheet, 2/15/19)

Why the Battle to Bring Back School Nurses Is Such A Big Deal for Health and Academics (USC Annenberg Center for Health Journalism, 2/15/19)

Build Your Own ‘Medicare for All’ Plan. Beware: There Are Tough Choices  (NY Times, 2/21/19 – limited number of articles per month without subscription).

A Parent-To-Parent Campaign To Get Vaccine Rates Up (NPR, 2/20/19)

Facing My Own Mortality Renewed My Faith In The Common Struggle For Universal Health Care (The Boston Globe. 2/25/19, by Rob Restuccia, former executive director of Community Catalyst and founder of Health Care For All)