OMB Issues Memo on Federal Financial Assistance

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Pioneer Health Network Board Meeting - Feb. 5

PHN is a consortium of 22 hospitals serving over 150,000 people in Western Kansas. Its central office is located on the campus of St. Catherine Hospital in Garden City, Kansas. The purpose of the Network is to provide a mechanism for its members to collaborate and pool resources. PHN partners with various organizations and agencies to leverage economies of scale to bring added value to its members.

Sunflower Health Network Board Meeting - Feb. 6

The Sunflower Health Network is a not-for-profit organization that consists of 26 counties located primarily in North Central and North West Kansas. Sunflower Health Network's (SHN) specific purpose is to improve the population's health status. The 26 member hospitals, in conjunction with their medical staff, have developed a network that fosters cooperation and coordination. The priority has been to enhance the integration of health-related services among the SHN member communities.

Quality Corner Call - Feb. 11

Quality Corner Calls are offered by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment and Healthworks and focus on quality improvement activities consistent with the Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility Grant Program.

KHA Workers' Comp Fund Board Meeting - Feb. 13

The primary objective of the KHA Workers' Compensation Fund is to provide moderately priced workers' compensation insurance to KHA members. The fund Administrator and Safety Program Manager enhance customer service. The individual pool members for each plan year are considered the owners of the KHA-WC pool for that year. They are eligible for premium refunds and are responsible for potential assessments.

Opioid Educational Webinar: Commonly Misused Over the Counter Medications – Feb. 14

Over-the-counter medications are generally safe when used as recommended. However, as with prescription and illicit drugs, OTCs can be misused, resulting in adverse events and even overdose. Ashley Haynes, MD, will provide an overview for providers and clinicians of the most commonly misused OTC medications, their risks, adverse effects and how to address OTC misuse.

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OMB Issues Memo on Federal Financial Assistance

Washington (Jan. 29, 2025) - On Monday, the Office of Management and Budget issued a memo instructing federal agencies to temporarily pause all activities related to the distribution of federal financial assistance, including grants and loans, associated with the new administration’s recent executive orders. This pause was scheduled to go into effect on Jan. 28 at 5:00 p.m., but yesterday a federal judge ordered a temporary halt on implementing the block on funding to existing programs until at least Feb. 3 when a hearing in federal court can take place.

Under U.S. District Judge Loren AliKhan’s ruling, the administration is ordered to not block “open awards,” or funds that were already slated to be disbursed, until at least Feb. 3. Currently, the order does not block the administration from freezing funding to new programs or require it to restart funding that has already ended.

Originally, the OMB memo gave agencies until Feb. 10 to submit detailed information on any programs, projects or activities related to this pause.

In response to many questions and uncertainties generated, the OMB subsequently shared a brief Q&A memo to clarify the intent of this funding review, including referring to the temporary pause as a “part of program implementation that have been ordered by past presidents to ensure that programs are being executed and funds spent in accordance with a new President’s policies.”

The OMB indicated that the funding review does not apply across the board, and would not affect Social Security, Medicare benefits or “assistance provided directly to individuals.” The OMB also clarified that mandatory programs like Medicaid and SNAP would continue without pause.

The Kansas Hospital Association has been in contact with our national partner organizations and the Kansas Congressional Delegation, and we will continue to work with their offices closely to track potential impacts on Kansas hospitals, particularly if or when the funding pause proceeds.

We will keep members apprised as more information becomes available. If any KHA members experience non-payment or other impacts because of the pause or related activities, please contact Jaron Caffrey (jcaffrey@kha-net.org)

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