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Author: Rishi Sharma

Aetna Better Health Medicaid Coverage Discontinued

Aetna Better Health Medicaid Coverage Discontinued

Aetna Better Health of Pennsylvania (ABH-PA) Medicaid Coverage was Discontinued Wednesday, August 31st, 2022. As of Thursday, September 1, 2022, patients with this plan will no longer be covered by this plan. Letters were sent to ABH-PA plan members to help them with the transition. They can also call the phone number on the back of their card for more information.

As a provider, please:

  • Continue to vaccinate these patients. They are still VFC and medicaid eligible.
  • Do not charge patients out of pocket for care or vaccine administration. 
  • Support patients identify, or as they identify, a new provider if their new Medicaid plan is out of network. Email our team at vaccines@phila.gov with any questions.

These changes do not affect the Aetna Better Health of Pennsylvania Kids Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). Aetna Better Health CHIP will remain in place following the changes to their Medicaid program. 

Questions?

You can direct questions regarding the closure of ABH-PA to their dedicated mailbox at PAMedicaidClosureProviderRelationsMailbox@AETNA.com. 

Other questions can be directed to vaccines@phila.gov. Thank you for keeping Philadelphia safe and healthy!

Invitation to Discuss Monkeypox Testing, Treatment, and Vaccine

Invitation to Discuss Monkeypox Testing, Treatment, and Vaccine

FQHC Partners,

On Wednesday, August 17, PDPH is inviting you to participate in a discussion about monkeypox testing, treatment, and vaccine. Please mark your calendars, and join using the meeting information below!

PDPH is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: FQHC Discussion on monkeypox testing, treatment, and vaccine
Time: Aug 17, 2022 12:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81516780822

Meeting ID: 815 1678 0822

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Meeting ID: 815 1678 0822

Find your local number: https://us06web.zoom.us/u/kcXvdHapmW

Thank you for your dedication to keeping Philadelphians safe and healthy.

Updated Eligibility Criteria for Monkeypox Vaccine

Updated Eligibility Criteria for Monkeypox Vaccine

There has been a recent update in eligibility criteria for monkeypox vaccination, including sex workers of any sex or gender, as well as anyone who has had recent close contact with someone infected with monkeypox.Eligible individuals include:
  • Gay, bisexual, transgender, non-binary, and other men who have sex with men, transgender, or non-binary persons, who are 18 years of age or older.
    • And have had multiple or anonymous sex partners in the last 14 days, and/or believe they have been exposed to an STI within the last 14 days.
    • Or have had any newly diagnosed STI in the past 6 months*, including gonorrhea, chlamydia, early syphilis, or HIV.
  • Sex workers of any sex or gender.
  • Anyone with known close, skin-to-skin contact within the last 14 days with someone infected with monkeypox.
*Eligibility criteria has been modified from a newly diagnosed STI in the past 3 months to the past 6 months.
Thank you for your dedication to curbing the spread of monkeypox. If you have any questions about these criteria, please reach out to vaccines@phila.gov.

Contact the Immunization Program!

Contact the Immunization Program!

The Immunization Program manages several email accounts to support providers and the public with immunization-related queries. Use this guide to determine who to contact based on the nature of your request:

PhilaVax@phila.gov: PhilaVax account support and technical issues (patient update requests, vaccine reporting questions, etc.)

Vaccines@phila.gov: General inquiries.

DPHProviderHelp@phila.gov: Medical provider assistance (Clinic Tools and inventory support, vaccine ordering and returns, reconciliation, staff changes, etc.)

TempCheck@phila.gov: Vaccine storage and handling inquiries (temperature logs, storage units, DDL technical problems, etc.)

Covidproviders@phila.gov: Adult COVID-19 provider questions and Bridge Access Program questions.

Prefer calling?

The following telephone and fax numbers are available for providers as well:

Storage and Handling
p 215.685.6777
f 215.238.6948

VFC & VFAAR
p 215.685.6728
f 215.238.6948

Thank you for keeping Philadelphia safe and healthy!

Recommend HPV Vaccine at Every Visit!

Recommend HPV Vaccine at Every Visit!

During the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a decrease in HPV doses administered in the United States.

Here in Philadelphia, there was a 29% decrease in the total number of HPV doses administered in 2020 compared to 2019. This decrease affected every eligible age group:

  • 9-13 year olds: HPV doses administered decreased by 17.5% from 2019 to 2020.
  • 13-17 year olds: HPV doses administered decreased by 41.7% from 2019 to 2020.
  • 18-26 year olds: HPV doses administered decreased by 53.7% from 2019 to 2020.

March 4 is International HPV Awareness Day!

To help bring HPV vaccination rates back to pre-pandemic levels, recommend HPV vaccine at every visit for 9-26 year olds who have not begun or completed their series. 

Register for this CME webinar on March 2 from 1-2pm EST! Dr. Danielle Casher (Attending Physician, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia) will join cancer survivor Megan Lesar to discuss improving HPV vaccine rates in Pennsylvania.

On March 4, watch and share this video from the Association of Immunization Managers (AIM) to promote timely, complete HPV vaccination.

Steps to Recommend HPV Vaccine to Hesitant Parents

Announce: 

  • Your child is __ years old.
  • Today, they are eligible to receive Tdap, HPV, and MCV vaccine.
  • We will make sure they get all these shots to keep them safe and healthy.

If parent hesitates:

Connect and Counsel:

  • What’s your main concern?
  • Counsel using a research-tested method (ex.”Over 30,000 Americans get cancer from HPV every year. Most could be prevented with the HPV vaccine.”)

If parent declines:

Try Again: 

  • Almost 70% of parents who initially declined later agree to HPV vaccine or plan to vaccinate soon.

Resources

Print:

Online:

Have questions? Reach out to our team at vaccines@phila.gov. Thank you for all that you do to keep Philadelphia safe and healthy!