Tuesday, June 2 Update
Our Federal Advocacy Team is dedicated to providing frequent COVID-19 updates as they develop. Going forward, these updates will be distributed as developments warrant instead of nightly. These updates along with other resources can be found on the COVID-19 Resource Center page of Hall Render’s website.
Note – we believe this is the most up-to-date information available at this time.
HHS Gives Additional $250 Million to Health Systems
- The HHS Office of Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (“ASPR”) announced an additional $250 million for health systems’ COVID-19 response. More information on this funding can be found here.
Congressional Outlook
- The Senate is poised to pass legislation this week to provide more flexibility in the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”). Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Sen. Marco Rubio, an original co-author of the first PPP bill, have now both endorsed the Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act, which overwhelmingly passed the House last week by a 417-1 vote.
- Meanwhile, the House is holding several coronavirus-related hearings this week but does not have any votes scheduled on coronavirus legislation.
CMS Issues Enhanced Enforcement for Nursing Home Infections
- CMS issued a memorandum to state survey agency directors outlining COVID-19 Survey Activities, CARES Act Funding, Enhanced Enforcement for Infection Control deficiencies and Quality Improvement Activities in Nursing Homes.
CMS Updates Medicare Fee-for-Service Billing Information
- CMS updated guidance on using COVID-19 Medicare condition codes.
- CMS updated the Frequently Asked Questions for Medicare Fee-for-Service billing.
From the FDA
- The FDA updated guidance to spur wider availability of alcohol-based hand sanitizers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- The FDA will host a virtual town hall on “Immediately in Effect Guidance on COVID-19 Diagnostic Tests” for clinical laboratories and commercial manufacturers that are developing COVID-19 diagnostic tests. It will occur tomorrow, June 3, at 12:15 EDT.
- The FDA issued a Consumer Update: Understanding the Regulatory Terminology of Potential Preventions and Treatments for COVID-19.
AHA Issues Letter to HHS Urging More Provider Relief Funds
- The American Hospital Association wrote a letter to HHS Secretary Alex Azar asking for substantial additional emergency funds to hospitals and health systems in an expedited manner and using a phased approach.
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.
