Lance's Corner

NYSDOH Highlights National Minority Health Awareness Month

Apr 9, 2025

Per the notice below, the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) is highlighting National Minority Health Awareness Month.

New York State Department of Health Recognizes National Minority Health Awareness Month

Advancing Commitments to Eliminate Health Disparities Marks This Year's Theme

The New York State Department of Health recognizes National Minority Health Month with a commitment to advancing health equity and eliminating health disparities among communities of color.  This year's theme, "Advancing Commitments to Eliminate Health Disparities," emphasizes the importance of proactively addressing inequities to eliminate health disparities and ensure those who have been historically prevented from achieving optimal health have a fair and just opportunity to do so.

"Health disparities are when different groups of people have different outcomes for the same problem.  National Minority Health Month reminds all of us, communities of color continue to face inequities and disparities due to systemic racism and historical structural policies," State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald said.  "This year's theme reflects our mission of eliminating health disparities and advancing health equity among all communities in this state."

The New York State Department of Health knows health equity is foundational to everything it does to help all people achieve optimal physical, mental, and social well-being.  Everyone at the New York State Department of Health shares responsibility for achieving health equity and eliminating health disparities.  The Department is hosting virtual panel presentations for National Minority Health Month, open to the public, intended to inform in the areas of racial and health equity, and historical and current challenges creating health inequities in accessing quality health care an effort utilized to dismantle health disparities.

The Department has several programs and initiatives—including the following—to enhance the health of all New Yorkers, especially communities of color plagued by health inequities.

  • The New York State Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) provides breastfeeding support, nutrition education, referrals to other services, and nutritious foods to over 450,000 women, infants, and children each month.  Participation in WIC is associated with healthier births, improved birth weights, reduced risk of infant mortality, and better access to primary and preventive health care, among other positive health outcomes.  WIC welcomes parents and other caregivers, including grandparents and foster parents.  Appointments are available in person or by phone.  "Wanda," WIC's virtual assistant, is available in English and Spanish to help people learn about the WIC program and connect with a local office.
  • The New York State Healthy Neighborhoods Program (HNP) seeks to reduce the burden of housing-related illness and injury through a holistic, healthy homes approach.  The program provides in-home assessments and interventions for asthma, tobacco cessation, indoor air quality, lead, fire safety, and other environmental health hazards in selected communities throughout New York.  These communities identify as high-risk using housing, health, and socio-economic indicators from census and surveillance data.
  • The Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) is an evidence-based, educational, and support program for individuals with prediabetes at risk for type 2 diabetes.  The goal is to prevent or delay the development of type 2 diabetes.  The Department also focuses on improving chronic disease health outcomes by using health information technology with quality improvement initiatives for individuals with high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, and other common conditions.
  • The Community Cancer Prevention in Action (CPiA) is a Department program supporting local cancer prevention and risk reduction interventions using a policy, systems, and environmental (PSE) change approach.  Free breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer screening is available for eligible, uninsured, and underinsured men and women through Cancer Services Program partnerships in every county and borough in New York State.
  • The New York State Family Planning Program supports more than 150 clinic sites across the state to provide accessible, confidential family planning services to all, including low-income and uninsured individuals.  Family Planning Programs provide low-cost, high-quality services such as pregnancy testing and options counseling, contraceptive methods (birth control), reproductive life planning and counseling, preconception health services, testing for HIV and other sexually transmitted infections, routine screening for breast and cervical cancer, health education, and referrals.  Family planning clinics provide services in a way that does not discriminate against any client based on religion, race, color, national origin, disability, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, sex characteristics, number of pregnancies, or marital status.

Recognizing that racism is a public health crisis, the Department is committed to making the State healthier for all New Yorkers, regardless of their race, ethnicity, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, language access, immigration, or socio-economic status.  In recent years, the Department has implemented many programs around maternal health to improve maternal health outcomes and to address the critical issue of pregnancy-related deaths among Black pregnant people.  In addition, Governor Kathy Hochul signed a law creating a state doula directory, and since 2022 has allocated $4.5 million annually to support Regional Perinatal Centers to provide high- quality perinatal and infant care where needed and support other birthing facilities through clinical consultation, newborn transfers, provider education, and data and quality improvement, to improve maternal and infant health outcomes.  The Department remains committed to advancing health equity for optimal health and well-being of all New Yorkers.

USDOL Issues Comprehensive Employer Guidance on Long COVID

The United States Department of Labor (USDOL) has issued a comprehensive set of resources that can be accessed below for employers on dealing with Long COVID.

Supporting Employees with Long COVID: A Guide for Employers

The “Supporting Employees with Long COVID” guide from the USDOL-funded Employer Assistance and Resource Network on Disability Inclusion (EARN) and Job Accommodation Network (JAN) addresses the basics of Long COVID, including its intersection with mental health, and common workplace supports for different symptoms.  It also explores employers’ responsibilities to provide reasonable accommodations and answers frequently asked questions about Long COVID and employment, including inquiries related to telework and leave.

Download the guide

Accommodation and Compliance: Long COVID

The Long COVID Accommodation and Compliance webpage from the USDOL-funded Job Accommodation Network (JAN) helps employers and employees understand strategies for supporting workers with Long COVID.  Topics include Long COVID in the context of disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), specific accommodation ideas based on limitations or work-related functions, common situations and solutions, and questions to consider when identifying effective accommodations for employees with Long COVID.  Find this and other Long COVID resources from JAN, below:

Long COVID, Disability and Underserved Communities: Recommendations for Employers

The research-to-practice brief “Long COVID, Disability and Underserved Communities” synthesizes an extensive review of documents, literature and data sources, conducted by the USDOL-funded Employer Assistance and Resource Network on Disability Inclusion (EARN) on the impact of Long COVID on employment, with a focus on demographic differences.  It also outlines recommended actions organizations can take to create a supportive and inclusive workplace culture for people with Long COVID, especially those with disabilities who belong to other historically underserved groups.

Read the brief

Long COVID and Disability Accommodations in the Workplace

The policy brief “Long COVID and Disability Accommodations in the Workplace” explores Long COVID’s impact on the workforce and provides examples of policy actions different states are taking to help affected people remain at work or return when ready.  It was developed by the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) as part of its involvement in USDOL’s State Exchange on Employment and Disability (SEED) initiative.

Download the policy brief

Understanding and Addressing the Workplace Challenges Related to Long COVID

The report “Understanding and Addressing the Workplace Challenges Related to Long COVID” summarizes key themes and takeaways from an ePolicyWorks national online dialogue through which members of the public were invited to share their experiences and insights regarding workplace challenges posed by Long COVID.  The dialogue took place during summer 2022 and was hosted by USDOL and its agencies in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Surgeon General.

Download the report

Working with Long COVID

The USDOL-published “Working with Long COVID” fact sheet shares strategies for supporting workers with Long COVID, including accommodations for common symptoms and resources for further guidance and assistance with specific situations.

Download the fact sheet

COVID-19: Long-Term Symptoms

This USDOL motion graphic informs workers with Long COVID that they may be entitled to temporary or long-term supports to help them stay on the job or return to work when ready, and shares where they can find related assistance.

Watch the motion graphic

A Personal Story of Long COVID and Disability Disclosure

In the podcast “A Personal Story of Long COVID and Disability Disclosure,” Pam Bingham, senior program manager for Intuit’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in Tech team, shares her personal experience of navigating Long COVID symptoms at work.  The segment was produced by the USDOL-funded Partnership on Employment and Accessible Technology (PEAT) as part of its ongoing “Future of Work” podcast series.

Listen to the podcast

HHS OIG Issues Annual Report on State MFCUs

Per the notice below, the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) of the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has issued its annual report on the performance of state Medicaid Fraud Control Units (MFCUs).

Medicaid Fraud Control Units Fiscal Year 2023 Annual Report (OEI-09-24-00200) 

Medicaid Fraud Control Units (MFCUs) investigate and prosecute Medicaid provider fraud and patient abuse or neglect. OIG is the Federal agency that oversees and annually approves federal funding for MFCUs through a recertification process. This new report analyzed the statistical data on annual case outcomes—such as convictions, civil settlements and judgments, and recoveries—that the 53 MFCUs submitted for Fiscal Year 2023.  New York data is as follows:

Outcomes

  • Investigations1 - 556
  • Indicted/Charged - 9
  • Convictions - 8
  • Civil Settlements/Judgments - 28
  • Recoveries2 - $73,204,518

Resources

  • MFCU Expenditures3 - $55,964,293
  • Staff on Board4 - 257

1Investigations are defined as the total number of open investigations at the end of the fiscal year.

2Recoveries are defined as the amount of money that defendants are required to pay as a result of a settlement, judgment, or prefiling settlement in criminal and civil cases and may not reflect actual collections.  Recoveries may involve cases that include participation by other Federal and State agencies.

3MFCU and Medicaid Expenditures include both State and Federal expenditures.

4Staff on Board is defined as the total number of staff employed by the Unit at the end of the fiscal year.

Read the Full Report

View the Statistical Chart

Engage with the Interactive Map

GAO Issues Report on Medicaid Managed Care Service Denials and Appeal Outcomes

The United States Government Accountability Office (GAO) has issued a report on federal use of state data on Medicaid managed care service denials and appeal outcomes.  GAO found that federal oversight is limited because it doesn't require states to report on Medicaid managed care service denials or appeal outcomes and there has not been much progress on plans to analyze and make the data publicly available.  To read the GAO report on federal use of state data on Medicaid managed care service denials and appeal outcomes, use the first link below.  To read GAO highlights of the report on federal use of state data on Medicaid managed care service denials and appeal outcomes, use the second link below.
https://www.gao.gov/assets/d24106627.pdf  (GAO report on federal use of state data on Medicaid managed care service denials and appeal outcomes)
https://www.gao.gov/assets/d24106627_high.pdf  (GAO highlights on federal use of state data on Medicaid managed care service denials and appeal outcomes)

CMS Issues Latest Medicare Regulatory Activities Update

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has issued its latest update on its regulatory activities in the Medicare program.  While dentistry is only minimally connected to the Medicare program, Medicare drives the majority of health care policies and insurance reimbursement policies throughout the country.  Therefore, it always pays to keep a close eye on what CMS is doing in Medicare.  To read the latest CMS update on its regulatory activities in Medicare, use the link below.
https://www.cms.gov/training-education/medicare-learning-network/newsletter/2024-03-14-mlnc