Keystone State News Connection

March 25, 2021

Andrea Sears

HARRISBURG, Pa. — Child and maternal health advocates urged Pennsylvania to take advantage of an opportunity to extend coverage for new mothers on Medicaid.

The United States has one of the highest maternal mortality rates of any industrialized country.

But Medicaid usually only provides postpartum coverage for 60 days after the birth of a child.

That has been extended to a full year during the COVID-19 pandemic, and now a provision in the recently passed American Rescue Plan allows states to continue that extension when the Public Health Emergency lapses at the end of this year.

Kari King, president and CEO of Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children, said the extension covers a critical period when most maternal deaths occur.

“Between 2013 and 2018, 58% of maternal deaths in Pennsylvania occurred between six weeks to one year after babies were born,” King reported.

She explained the state Department of Human Services needs to file a plan with the federal government which, once approved, would allow the extended coverage to continue.

Factors contributing to maternal deaths include postpartum depression, pulmonary embolisms and blood clots, but with regular care they can be treated.

King stressed without the extension, Medicaid postpartum coverage will revert to only 60 days.

“I really am concerned that you’ll see those maternal deaths spiking because you’re not getting as many women in to those postpartum visits, because you’re not seeing that extension of coverage happen,” King remarked.

She added Black women in Pennsylvania are three times more at risk of pregnancy-related death than are white women.

Ensuring access to postpartum health care for new mothers also benefits the rest of the family.

King noted research shows for kids to be healthy, moms need to be healthy.

“It’s really critical that we get this message out and that the state takes action in the next few months,” King emphasized. “It really does mean that kids are going to be healthier because moms are going to be healthier.”

She added extending postpartum maternal Medicaid will benefit about 10,000 women a year in Pennsylvania.

(Matt Drzik/Beaver County Radio)

Spring has arrived to Beaver County, bringing with it the sunshine…and a small dilemma for the county to confront.

The beach at Brady’s Run Park is a possible destination for outdoor activity, and County Commissioner Dan Camp asked Public Works director Dan Colville what requirements need to be done in order to open up the area to the public (with proper CDC guidelines).

“All we need to do is get your blessing,” Colville said, adding that “we need to buy a new buoy rope since the old one we had has dry rotted, and we just start getting the water tested.”

Camp, as well as Commissioners Amadio and Manning, agreed to the push to open the beach, acknowledging that the water testing is essential–although they also recognized that such water tests seemed to be disregarded during the 2020 pandemic.

“At the end of the day, it was probably an issue last year and people were STILL using it,” Camp said. “At least we know that if we test it, and it comes back bad, then we can get signs that say ‘Beach Closed Due To Water’…even though last year, the sign said ‘Closed’.”

“They were walking past the big ‘Beach Closed’ sign to get to the beach,” added Solicitor Garen Fedeles.

The Commissioners will have their bi-weekly public meeting on March 25 at 10 AM.

Feds: Former Pitt official stole over 13K masks, sold online
By MICHAEL RUBINKAM Associated Press
A federal indictment says the University of Pittsburgh’s former emergency management director stole more than 13,600 face masks meant for school employees and students and sold them online in the early days of the coronavirus pandemic. The indictment announced Wednesday says Christopher Casamento stole N95 respirators, surgical masks and particulate respirator masks and sold them on his eBay vendor page at “significant price mark ups,” making nearly $19,000 from the sales. Pitt says Casamento admitted misappropriating the masks and was fired last July. A message was left at his number seeking comment.

(Perry Twp. , Lawrence County , Pa.) Pennsylvania State Police in New Castle are reporting that someone broke into a garage at a residence on Van Gorder Mill Road in Perry Twp., Lawrence County sometime 9:00 pm on March 13, 2021 and 10:00 am on March 14, 2021 and stole a Husqvarna 455 chainsaw, several chains, Rigid power tools, excaliber crossbow, quad winch, and misc. hand tools. State Police in New Castle are asking anyone with information about he burglary to contact them at 724-598-2211

Story by Beaver County Radio News Correspondent Sandy Giordano 

(Beaver, Pa.) Jeffrey Ash, a local constable who is vying for a district justice seat   filed objections to five nominating petitions   for the 36-3-04  district justice  position vacated  due to Janet Swihart’s retirement.  Beaver County Common Pleas Court Judge James Ross  ruled  the petitions by Ash are denied after hearing testimony and arguments of counsel and evidence received  Monday  Judge Ross’ motion stated  in the order  the objections are denied  due to untimely filing/presentation and failing  to meet the requirements  and statutory mandates of 25P.S. 2937