MCIR - MHA | Michigan Health & Hospital Association

Combating the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19): Week of Oct. 11

October 15, 2021November 16, 2021 Member News, Issues in Healthcare, Top Issues - Healthcare

As federal regulatory agencies evaluate COVID-19 vaccine and treatment possibilities, more than 5.5 million Michigan residents ages 16 and older have received at least one dose of a vaccine to protect them against the deadly disease, equating to 68.2% of that population as of Oct. 15. Meanwhile, despite the rate of new cases decreasing in many of the states that had been experiencing a surge in hospitalizations and deaths, cases in Michigan have been increasing. Nearly 8,300 new cases were reported for Oct. 14 and 15, with 2,010 adults and 29 children hospitalized in the state Oct. 15. Total deaths in Michigan attributed to confirmed cases of COVID-19 reached 21,563 Oct. 15.

The MHA continues to keep members apprised of pandemic-related developments affecting hospitals through email updates and the MHA Coronavirus webpage. Important updates are outlined below.

Moderna Expiration Date Extended for Frozen Vaccines

The Michigan Department of Health & Human Services (MDHHS) announced Oct. 13 that Moderna received approval for a two-month extension of FROZEN Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. Some lots with an initial expiration of September or October will be extended if stored in frozen state. Seventy-eight lots are impacted by this extension.

The MDHHS does not have a list of these lot numbers, but Moderna is working diligently to get the extended lots updated in their tools and databases, with a priority on older lots first. To look up Moderna expiration, scan the QR code located on the carton or use the company’s expiration date lookup feature on its website. Healthcare providers are encouraged to continue checking these resources to determine whether they have lots that are impacted by this extension. Moderna vaccine should not be disposed of until an accurate expiration date is assessed.

Providers who have vaccines that are unexpired under the extension should update their outbreak inventory in the Michigan Care Improvement Registry (MCIR) with a new expiration date, following the instructions on the tip sheet How to Correct a COVID-19 Vaccine Expiration Date in the MCIR. Questions about the extension or the MCIR process can be directed to the MDHHS Division of Immunization team. Members with other vaccine-related questions may contact Ruthanne Sudderth at the MHA.

Merck Requests FDA Approval for COVID-19 Treatment Pill

Merck formally requested approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Oct. 13 for a groundbreaking antiviral medication that effectively treats COVID-19. Trials demonstrate the treatment regimen, which comes in pill form that patients can take themselves at home, reduced risk of hospitalization and severe illness by at least 50%.

Approval would add a new effective treatment to providers’ toolboxes in keeping patients with COVID-19 out of the hospital. Unlike currently available antibody treatments that require providers to set up and staff infusion clinics, the pill could help provide relief to providers struggling with staffing and other treatment resources. If approved, the MHA will advocate that all payers, both public and private, cover the drug for all covered lives.

The MHA will keep members apprised of developments on this issue.

CDC Releases Planning Information for Vaccinating 5- to 11-year-olds

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently issued an initial planning document for jurisdictions to prepare for the distribution of vaccines for children ages 5 to 11. The document provides initial information pertaining to pediatric COVID-19 vaccines, as well as several assumptions that can be made about the pediatric COVID-19 vaccination program. Specifically, the document highlights the packaging changes and storage requirements for the Pfizer pediatric COVID-19 vaccine for kids ages 5 to 11. The Pfizer vaccine for this age group is currently under review at the FDA, and a decision on whether an emergency use authorization (EUA) for the product will be granted is expected in the coming weeks.

Ordering of the Pfizer vaccine and any subsequent pediatric COVID-19 vaccines will begin when the FDA issues an EUA. Vaccine administration will begin once the CDC director makes a determination after reviewing recommendations from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. The MHA will keep members apprised of developments on the vaccine for younger children. Members with questions may contact Ruthanne Sudderth at the MHA.

U.S. Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs Committee Requests Provider Input

Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI), chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs, and the committee’s ranking member Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH) are seeking firsthand accounts from individuals and organizations (healthcare providers, state and local governments, first responders, etc.) who experienced challenges securing personal protective equipment and other medical products during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Currently, the committee request is open-ended.

This is part of the committee’s ongoing oversight of federal pandemic preparedness and the COVID-19 response. The committee will examine reports of fraud, exploitation, and faulty equipment and medical supplies. To this end, providers can report issues about vendors, counterfeit medical products, price-gouging or other challenges obtaining supplies during the response. The information received will help inform the senators’ bipartisan oversight and efforts to strengthen U.S. medical supply chains, improve emergency preparedness, highlight new and successful supply chain methods, and prevent bad actors from taking advantage of future national crises. Members interested in submitting their experiences can do so online.

Additional information on the COVID-19 pandemic is available to members on the MHA Community Site and the MHA COVID-19 webpage. Questions on COVID-19 and infectious disease response strategies may be directed to the MDHHS Community Health Emergency Coordination Center (CHECC).

Combating the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19): Week of Sept. 13

September 17, 2021October 28, 2022 Member News, Issues in Healthcare, Top Issues - Healthcare

COVID-19 cases and related hospitalizations have continued to climb in Michigan, with 1,356 adults and 17 children hospitalized Sept. 17 with confirmed cases. The total number of confirmed cases in the state since the pandemic began is nearing 1 million, reaching 988,725 cases that had caused 20,665 deaths as of Sept. 17. Meanwhile, by Sept. 16, just 66.7% of Michigan residents ages 16 and over had received at least one dose of a vaccine to combat the illness.

The MHA continues to keep members apprised of pandemic-related developments affecting hospitals through email updates and the MHA Coronavirus webpage. Important updates are outlined below.

Hospitals May Verify Employee Vaccination Status Through MCIR

The MHA has been working with the Michigan Department of Health & Human Services (MDHHS) Division of Immunizations on changes that will allow hospitals to use the Michigan Care Improvement Registry (MCIR) to verify the COVID-19 vaccination status of employees to comply with state and federal data reporting rules. Hospitals may now use MCIR for this purpose; however, they must submit an additional form. The original MCIR provider agreement was meant for the establishment of a MCIR site for provider/patient relationships and does not cover providers as employers.

Hospitals and health systems that would like to use their existing MCIR site to do employee status checks need to complete the new MCIR Agreement “Provider as Employer” Addendum and send it to the Division of Immunizations Lansing Office as instructed on the Addendum. Before accessing MCIR to verify employee vaccination status, the employer must obtain written employee consent and retain it indefinitely to make available to the MDHHS upon request.

Organizations may also consider setting up a new MCIR site to effectively separate patient vaccination status checks from those for employees. To do so, they will need to complete a new MCIR Provider Agreement to establish the site and obtain a MCIR ID, and then complete the Addendum.

Additional functions for the MCIR system are being explored, and hospitals and health systems will receive additional information when they are in production. Members with questions may contact Ruthanne Sudderth at the MHA.

No Expansion of Expiration Date for Johnson & Johnson Vaccine

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has confirmed that expiration dates of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine have not been given an additional extension. Many unused doses will expire soon, and providers are urged to check their inventory to ensure no expired doses are administered. Expiration dates can be found by scanning the QR code located on the outer carton, checking the Janssen Expiration Lookup website or calling (800) 565-4008. Providers should use this vaccine only until the expiration date and then follow requirements for disposal and report wastage into MCIR.

Questions regarding vaccines may be directed to Ruthanne Sudderth at the MHA.

Combating the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19): Week of Aug. 16

August 20, 2021October 28, 2022 Member News, Issues in Healthcare, Top Issues - Healthcare

The delta variant of COVID-19 has created crises in many parts of the nation and caused Michigan’s case numbers to climb, with nearly 930,000 confirmed cases that have led to over 20,000 deaths as of Aug. 20. Hospitalizations due to confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the state Aug. 20 totaled 912 adults and eight children. Meanwhile, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s data tracker indicated 65% of Michigan residents ages 16 and above had received at least one dose of vaccine as of Aug. 18.

The MHA continues to keep members apprised of pandemic-related developments affecting hospitals through email updates and the MHA Coronavirus webpage. Important updates are outlined below.

Federal Agencies Announce Plans for Third and Booster Shots

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently announced it recommends a third dose of mRNA vaccines (Pfizer and Moderna) for individuals with moderately to severely compromised immune systems. At this time, a second dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine has not been recommended. The CDC advises that people talk to their healthcare provider about their medical condition and whether getting an additional dose is appropriate for them.

In addition, the Biden administration plans to offer COVID-19 booster shots starting Sept. 20 to all Americans ages 18 and older who received Pfizer or Moderna vaccines. This is due to growing evidence that a third dose of the vaccine will be needed to maintain strong immunity, which experts have long expected would be necessary. The recommendation will include waiting until eight months after becoming fully vaccinated to receive a booster, meaning healthcare workers and nursing home residents would likely be first in line.

The administration shared that this booster dose policy depends on authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and a review by the CDC’s vaccine advisory committee. Administration officials said they anticipate also offering booster shots to people who received the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine but are waiting for further data before officially making that recommendation. The recommendations are based on several studies showing effectiveness of the mRNA vaccines may decline by as much as 30% around the eight-month mark.

There is an important nuance in the language used to describe these additional doses: the “third dose” is used to describe the dose given to immunocompromised individuals, while a “booster” is used to describe the additional dose given to all other recipients.

Vaccines administered by Michigan providers have increased recently to an average of 39,000 first doses per week, rising from averages in the 20,000s in June and early July. Members with questions may contact Ruthanne Sudderth at the MHA.

MDHHS Launches Vaccination Record Website for Public

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) has launched the Michigan Immunization Portal, a website that allows any individual 18 or older who has been immunized in the state of Michigan to check and obtain a copy of their vaccination record online. Once an individual provides the necessary information, their immunization record will be pulled from the Michigan Care Improvement Registry and provided to them. This function may be especially useful for providers who are contacted by individuals who have misplaced their COVID-19 vaccination cards. Members may promote this tool to their patients and the public as appropriate. Questions may be directed to Ruthanne Sudderth at the MHA.

Changes Coming to Payer Policies for COVID-19 Coverage

Health insurers in Michigan have begun announcing that, in the coming months, they will no longer cover the full cost of COVID-19 treatments. Beneficiaries of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, for example, will resume taking responsibility for their cost sharing for any necessary COVID-19 care after Sept. 30, 2021. It should be noted that COVID-19 vaccines will remain available at no cost to patients in the U.S. The MHA will continue to urge the public to take advantage of free and low-cost preventive measures like masks and vaccines to avoid the risk of hospitalization, death and preventable healthcare costs. Members with questions may contact Ruthanne Sudderth at the MHA.

Combating the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19): Week of June 7

June 13, 2021October 27, 2022 Member News, Issues in Healthcare, Top Issues - Healthcare

The Michigan First-Dose Tracker indicates that, as of June 10, 60% of Michiganders ages 16 and over had received a COVID-19 vaccine. By June 12, more than 892,000 cases of COVID-19 had been confirmed in the state since the pandemic began; but more than 852,000 of those Michiganders had recovered from the disease as of June 11.

The MHA continues to keep members apprised of pandemic-related developments affecting hospitals through email updates and the MHA Coronavirus webpage. Important updates are outlined below.

FDA Extends Shelf Life of Johnson & Johnson (J&J) Vaccine

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced it is increasing the shelf life of J&J/Janssen’s COVID-19 vaccine by 1.5 months. This extension comes at a time when hundreds of thousands of doses of the vaccine had been set to expire at the end of June.

The announcement extends the vaccine’s shelf life from three months to 4.5 months and was based on data from ongoing studies, which demonstrated that the vaccine is stable at 4.5 months when refrigerated at temperatures of 36 to 46 degrees Fahrenheit (2 to 8 degrees Celsius). J&J said vaccine providers should visit its website to check expiration dates of vaccines currently available.

To check the expiration date for a current supply of the vaccine, enter the lot number from the carton or vial at the company’s Expiry Checker webpage or call its automated response system at (800) 565-4008. The J&J COVID-19 vaccine may be administered until 11:59 p.m. ET on the expiry date.

Members are encouraged to use their J&J supply for vaccination at discharge from inpatient or emergency/urgent care settings. If additional doses of this vaccine are needed, providers should use the normal weekly ordering process through the Michigan Care Improvement Registry.

Members with vaccine questions may contact Ruthanne Sudderth at the MHA.

Visitor Screening Requirements Remain in Place

Although there have been many changes to public health orders recently, members are reminded that the requirement that all visitors coming into health facilities be screened for COVID-19 remains in place. This requirement is part of the emergency public health order issued in June 2020, which remains in effect until rescinded. Members with questions may contact Adam Carlson at the MHA.

MDHHS Seeks Healthcare Provider Input on Expanded Vaccine Data Tool

MI Lighthouse is a tool focused on providing granular, community-level vaccine coverage data to local public health departments, built by the University of Michigan and the MDHHS. The current version has been helpful for local public health departments but contains identifiable information. The MDHHS is now looking to expand access to information by building a version of this tool with unidentifiable data for vaccine providers, municipalities and other partners to inform more focused vaccine clinic planning and outreach.

The MDHHS would like to meet with organizations that have a need for statistics on vaccination coverage to inform the planning for building the next version of the MI Lighthouse tool. Organizations that volunteer would be asked to participate in user research interviews and to potentially be the initial testers for the tool. Interested hospitals/health systems should email Kirtana Choragudi at the University of Michigan, with a copy to Sarah Lyon-Callo at the MDHHS.