Friday, April 17 Recap
Note – We believe this is the most up-to-date information available at this time, but it is subject to change as circumstances warrant. Also, all finalized resources can be found on the COVID-19 Resource Center page of Hall Render’s website.
Second Tranche of CARES Funds Delayed
- Reports out of HHS today indicate that a second tranche of CARES Act funds for hospitals will not be released this week. CMS Administrator Seema Verma had indicated on Wednesday evening that CARES Act funds for Covid-19 hot spots could arrive by the end of the week. HHS has told lawmakers on Capitol Hill that it is unlikely there will be another large distribution of funds in the same manner as the $30 billion that was released last week. Instead, providers can expect smaller amounts to go out over a longer period of time with a focus on hot spots and high Medicaid providers.
Congressional Outlook
- Progress on an interim funding bill was made today when House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy said that House Republicans could go along with adding more funds for hospitals to the $250 billion the White House is requesting for the Paycheck Protection Program. While House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer are still demanding more money for state and local governments, McCarthy’s move signals that a deal could be reached next week.
CMS Issues Medicare Telehealth Payment Rate for Rural Health Centers
- CMS issued guidance on new and expanded flexibilities for Rural Health Clinics (“RHCs”) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (“FQHCs”) for the COVID-19 public health crisis. CMS will pay a $92 rate for distant site telehealth services provided to Medicare beneficiaries during the COVID-19 emergency.
FEMA Releases COVID-19 Hospital Resource Package
- FEMA released a COVID-19 Hospital Resource Package, providing tools to help hospitals prepare for and respond to the pandemic.
- The document lists guidance and resources for hospital surge, crisis standards of care, staffing surge and resilience, workforce protection, regulatory relief, equipment supply surge and telemedicine.
Health Agencies Launch Public-Private Partnership to Speed COVID-19 Vaccine and Treatment Options
- HHS announced a partnership with over a dozen biopharmaceutical companies and the European Medicines Agency to prioritize vaccine and drug candidates, streamline clinical trials and coordinate regulatory processes to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.
CMS Posts Medicare Accelerated and Advance Payments State-by-State
- CMS published a table that shows a state-by-state breakdown of Medicare Accelerated and Advance payments as of Friday, April 4, 2020. CMS plans to update this information once a week.
CDC Creates “Training for Healthcare Professionals” Page
- The CDC created a webpage to provide training materials for health care professionals during the COVID-19 emergency, including webinars, videos and online courses.
CMS Updates FAQs for Medicare FFS Billing
- CMS updated the COVID-19 Frequently Asked Questions on Medicare Fee-for-Service billing.
Provider Groups Issue Road Map for Resuming Elective Surgeries
- The American Hospital Association, American College of Surgeons, American Society of Anesthesiologists and Association of periOperative Registered Nurses released a roadmap for safely resuming elective surgery.
For more information, please contact:
- John Williams III at (202) 370-9585 or jwilliams@wp.hallrender.com;
- Andrew Coats at (202) 370-9587 or acoats@wp.hallrender.com;
- Abby Kaericher at (202) 780-2989 or akaericher@wp.hallrender.com; or
- Your regular Hall Render attorney.
Hall Render’s attorneys and professionals continue to maintain the most up-to-date information and resources at our COVID-19 Resource page, through our 24/7 COVID‑19 Hotline at (317) 429-3900 or by contacting your regular Hall Render attorney.
Hall Render blog posts and articles are intended for informational purposes only. For ethical reasons, Hall Render attorneys cannot—outside of an attorney-client relationship—answer specific questions that would be legal advice.
