Articles and Blogs

On October 22, 2020, the Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”) published revised Provider Relief Fund Reporting Guidelines (“Revised Reporting Guidelines”) for providers (“Recipients”) who received more than $10,000 in relief fund payments from the Provider Relief Fund created by the CARES Act (“Relief Fund”) (the press release announcing the Revised Reporting Guidelines is... READ MORE

CMS issued a press release on October 15, 2020, announcing a reduction in payment for COVID-19 high throughput lab testing that is not completed within two calendar days of specimen collection. In an effort to encourage timely test results, CMS announced that starting January 1, 2021, Medicare will pay $100 only to laboratories that... READ MORE

On October 6, 2020, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (“CMS”) released a memorandum updating the COVID-19 reporting requirements for hospitals and critical access hospitals (together “Hospitals”) and setting forth the enforcement process CMS will follow to address Hospitals’ non-compliance with the reporting requirements (“Memorandum”). The Memorandum can be found here. Details on... READ MORE

With children across the country returning to school amid the COVID-19 pandemic and the upcoming flu season approaching, families can now look to licensed pharmacists to administer childhood vaccines. The United States has experienced a drastic decrease in vaccination rates among children as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic. In an attempt to address... READ MORE

On Saturday, September 19, the Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”) published its highly anticipated Final Provider Relief Fund Reporting Guidelines (“Reporting Guidelines”) for providers (“Recipients”) who received more than $10,000 in relief fund payments from the Provider Relief Fund created by the CARES Act (“Relief Fund”). The Reporting Guidelines (available here) include detailed... READ MORE

On Friday, September 11, 2020, the U.S. Department of Labor (“DOL”) announced revisions to its initial Rule implementing the Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act (“EPSLA”) and the Emergency Family and Medical Leave Expansion Act (“EFMLEA”) under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (“FFCRA”). The “Revised Rule” goes into effect on Wednesday, September 16, 2020.... READ MORE

With the school year beginning and many schools opting to reopen with an alternative format due to COVID-19, the Wage and Hour Division of the Department of Labor (“DOL”) released new frequently asked questions (“FAQs”) aimed at clarifying paid leave under the Emergency Paid Sick Leave and Expanded Family and Medical leave portions of... READ MORE

On September 3, 2020, the Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”) announced the details of its $2 billion Provider Relief Fund (“PRF”) performance-based incentive payment distribution to nursing homes. “Nursing homes” refers to skilled nursing facilities (often known as SNFs) for Medicare and nursing facilities (often known as NFs) for Medicaid. This $2... READ MORE

On September 2, 2020, CMS published the delayed Final Rule for the FFY 2021 Inpatient Prospective Payment System (“PPS”). This Final Rule will appear in the Federal Register on September 18, 2020 and will still become effective on October 1, 2020, despite its delays. Payments for inpatient hospital services for hospitals that are EHR... READ MORE

On September 1, 2020, the Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”) announced that assisted living facilities (“ALFs”) may now apply for funds from the Public Health and Social Services Emergency Provider Relief Fund (the “CARES Act Provider Relief Fund”) under the Phase 2 General Distribution. HHS estimates that nearly one million older adults live in... READ MORE