Bill O?Boyle: DHS encourages choices to protect individuals with disabilities

Jul. 4--WILKES-BARRE -- The Department of Human Services (DHS) this week encouraged Pennsylvanians to make socially responsible decisions that protect themselves, their families, their communities and vulnerable populations, such as individuals with disabilities, from the dangerous COVID-19 virus.

As Pennsylvania businesses reopen and people increasingly interact in public spaces, we must remain vigilant in heeding the advice of public-health professionals to wear a mask or other face covering, wash hands regularly, stay home if you're sick and avoid large gatherings as much as possible.

"When you wear a mask in public spaces, you are protecting not just the people you encounter in the grocery store, or the barber shop or the July 4 family gathering," said DHS Secretary Teresa Miller. "You are protecting everyone who might become a later link in a chain of COVID-19 transmission that you didn't know you were a part of until it was too late. Too often, the people on the end of that chain are individuals with disabilities whose lives depend on the rest of us to make good decisions."

Secretary Miller also announced that starting July 1, funding from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act will begin to go out to long-term care, LIFE program, personal assistance service providers as well as Community HealthChoices (CHC) managed care organizations. This funding includes:

-- $245 million to nursing facilities in two one-time payments:

-- $196 million of these funds will be distributed based on the number of Medical Assistance (MA) bed days in the third quarter of CY 2019. This will be for both fee-for-service and CHC Community HealthChoices.

-- $49 million will be distributed to all nursing facilities proportionally based on their number of licensed beds.

-- $8 million for a one-time payment will be made based on the proportion of MA residents who receive necessary ventilator or tracheostomy care during the 3rd quarter of CY 2019. Private or county nursing facilities may qualify for this.

-- $140 million to providers of personal assistance services to be split between agency and participant-directed service providers in the Office of Long-Term Living's programs.

-- $112 million will be distributed to agency providers; AND,

-- $28 million will be directed to support participant-directed personal assistant service workers.

-- $50 million to assisted living residences and personal care homes.

-- $45 million will be allocated based on facilities' occupancy during their last inspection prior to April 1, 2020.

-- $5 million will be distributed based on the number of individuals living at the facility who received SSI payments during March 2020.

-- $13 million to adult day care services and $1 million to residential habilitation, calculated based on payments from MA fee-for-service and CHC for the third quarter of CY 2019.

-- $50 million to CHC managed care organizations (MCO) proportionally allocated based on their number of nursing facility clinically eligible participants covered by each MCO on March 31, 2020.

-- $10 million to LIFE Program providers based on the organization's total amount reimbursed for long-term care managed care for the first quarter of CY 2020.

"Long-term care providers across Pennsylvania have experienced great challenges caring for vulnerable populations during a pandemic that has created unique challenges in congregate care settings, and we know that threat has not subsided," said Secretary Miller. "We will continue to work closely with our partners in the long-term care field so they are not alone in the uncertain weeks and months to come, and we hope this funding will help as providers continue to learn about this virus and grow prevention and mitigation efforts."

The Department of Human Services administers Pennsylvania's Medicaid program, which helps more than 2.9 million Pennsylvanians access health care. About 17 percent -- or roughly 480,000 people -- are individuals with disabilities. These Pennsylvanians access health care and other assistive services primarily through two offices: developmental programs and long-term living.

DEP releases draft report

on statewide water quality

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) this week released the draft 2020 Integrated Water Quality Monitoring and Assessment Report, detailing the health of Pennsylvania's 86,000 plus miles of streams and rivers and more than 160,000 acres of lakes.

The draft report is open for public comment until Aug. 11, and comments can be made through the DEP eComment system.

"In a state as rich in water resources as Pennsylvania it is important to be able to show people how their local streams, lakes, and rivers are doing," said DEP Secretary Patrick McDonnell. "The online report lets people focus in on their local waterways to see how healthy they are or what is causing any impairments. Local input on impaired waters can help DEP restore those waterways."

In addition to the fully online report -- required every two years under the federal Clean Water Act -- the 2020 Draft Integrated Water Report also features a map viewer that allows users to zoom down to individual stream or river sections and export information. These tools can be useful for residents looking to learn more about their waters and for decision makers at the local level for planning purposes.

"In a world now shaped by the COVID-19 pandemic, it is even more important for DEP to make our informational resources available digitally," said McDonnell. "The 2020 draft of the Integrated Water Report is another step towards making more DEP resources available and accessible."

The report also highlights specific efforts in Pennsylvania to restore impaired watersheds. Abandoned mine drainage and sediment pollution from runoff from agricultural, urban, and suburban landscapes have all degraded water quality in many parts of Pennsylvania, and intensive efforts have been made in several key watersheds to restore these natural resources. In Union County, local groups and DEP worked to restore the Turtle Creek watershed after it was impaired by sediment runoff.

All comments, including comments submitted electronically, must include the originator's name and address. Those wishing to submit comments are urged to use the DEP's online eComment system. Written comments should be submitted by email to ecomment@pa.gov, or by mail to Department of Environmental Protection, Policy Office, Rachel Carson State Office Building, P.O. Box 2063, Harrisburg, PA 17105-2063.

PA offering assistance ahead

of July 15 tax filing deadline

With the deadline to file 2019 Pennsylvania personal income tax returns set for July 15, the Department of Revenue is encouraging taxpayers who need help with their returns to call the department's main call center.

The department's Customer Experience Center is available by calling 717-787-8201. The call center will be open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on non-holiday weekdays through Wednesday, July 15, so that Revenue call center agents can assist taxpayers who need help with their returns. Taxpayers may also schedule a call at a time that is convenient for them.

"We understand that many Pennsylvanians are still working to file their returns. That's why we want to offer as much help as we can prior to the filing deadline to make sure that any questions they may have are answered," Revenue Secretary Dan Hassell said. "We're encouraging taxpayers to reach out to us over the phone or visit our website to find information on personal income tax filing and answers to frequently asked questions."

The deadline to file tax returns typically falls on April 15. However, this year taxpayers were granted an additional 90 days to file their 2019 returns due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The extension of this year's tax-filing deadline to July 15, 2020 applied to both final 2019 tax returns and payments, as well as estimated payments for the first and second quarters of 2020. The department also waived penalties and interest on 2019 personal income tax payments through the new deadline of July 15, 2020.

In addition to the assistance over the phone that is available by calling 717-787-8201, the Department of Revenue also offers help through its Online Customer Service Center. This online option provides taxpayers with answers to specific questions about 2019 personal income tax returns and the department's electronic filing, or e-filing, options. It also provides an option to submit a question to a Department of Revenue representative through a secure, electronic process that is similar to sending an email.

As a reminder, tax returns that are filed electronically are processed faster, leading to taxpayers receiving their refunds sooner.

Reach Bill O'Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.

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