Coronavirus update for Tuesday, June 16 as of 2:30 p.m.

Department of Health and Human Services

• HHS has updated its CARES Act Provider Relief Fund FAQ, adding new questions on pages 9 and 32 that are labeled “Added 6/13/2020” and new questions on pages 8, 14, and 31 that are labeled “Added 6/15/2020.” Hospitals should pay particular attention to the new question and answer at the top of page 9 (added 6/13/2020), which describes the reporting requirements of grant recipients to ensure their compliance with the program’s terms and conditions.

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

• CMS has updated its compendium of COVID-19 emergency declaration blanket waivers for health care providers. The only addition is on page 9, addressing graduate medical education.
• CMS has updated its compendium of information for hospitals about flexibilities to fight COVID-19. New information can be found on pages 3 (about hospitals), 15 (about CMS’s comprehensive care for joint replacement model), and 19 (graduate medical education).
• CMS has updated its collection of information for teaching hospitals, physicians, and medical residents about flexibilities to fight COVID-19. New information can be found on pages 2 (about graduate medical education) and 6 (hospitals).
• CMS has updated its collection of information for long-term-care facilities (skilled nursing facilities and/or nursing facilities) about flexibilities to fight COVID-19 with a new item on page 11 about paid feeding assistants.

CMS Stakeholder Calls

Lessons from the Front Lines: COVID-19

“Lessons from the Front Lines” calls are a joint effort between CMS Administrator Seema Verma, FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn, MD, and the White House Coronavirus Task Force.  Physicians and other clinicians are invited to share their experience, ideas, strategies, and insights with one another related to their COVID-19 response.  There is an opportunity to ask questions of presenters.

Call details are below. Conference lines are limited so CMS encourages interested parties to join via audio webcast.

Friday, June 19 at 12:30 – 2:00 PM (eastern)

Toll Free Attendee Dial-In:  833-614-0820; Access Code:  2258722

Web Link:  go here.

Food and Drug Administration

• The FDA has revoked its emergency use authorization (EUA) for the use of chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine to treat patients with COVID-19. See also the FDA’s news release on this subject and an FAQ.
• The FDA has issued a news release warning health care providers about a newly discovered potential drug interaction involving the antiviral drug remdesivir, which has received emergency use authorization for the treatment of hospitalized COVID-19 patients. The FDA also has updated its remdesivir fact sheet to include these new findings.
• The FDA approved an EUA it issued to the CDC for the CDC’s COVID-19 diagnostic test to permit state public health laboratories and others the flexibility to use alternatives. Go here to see the amendment to the EUA and here for instructions on how to use alternatives.
• The FDA has issued an EUA for a commercial negative pressure respiratory system with advanced ventilator return as an extra layer of barrier protection in addition to personal protective equipment to protect health care personnel from exposure to airborne particulates when near patients with confirmed or suspected COVID-19.
• The FDA has issued an EUA for a commercial product for use in decontaminating compatible N95 respirators.
• The FDA has issued EUAs for two new COVID-19 diagnostic tests. Find them here and here.

Centers for Disease Control & Prevention

• The CDC has released consolidated recommendations for COVID-19 testing, including interim testing guidelines for nursing home residents and health care personnel, as well as testing strategy options for high-density critical infrastructure workplaces after a COVID-19 case is identified. These recommendations compile and update previous testing guidance.
• The CDC has published instructions detailing how providers and laboratories can obtain its COVID-19 diagnostic test and providing additional information about the other materials laboratories will need to use these testing materials.
• The CDC has updated its FAQs for laboratories about COVID-19.
• The CDC has updated its interim COVID-19 testing guidelines for nursing home residents and health care personnel.

Federal Funding Opportunities for Hospitals

• NASH has prepared a document that collects and presents in one place the various new federal funding opportunities for hospitals resulting from legislation addressing the COVID-19 public health emergency.  Find that document here.

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