The following is the latest COVID-19 information from the federal government as 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday, September 23.
Continuing Resolution to Fund the Federal Government
- The House has passed, and the Senate is expected to take up and pass as soon as this week, a continuing resolution to fund the federal government from the beginning of the new fiscal year, on October 1, through December 11; the president is expected to sign the measure. Key health care provisions in this continuing resolution include:
- Changes in the Medicare Accelerated and Advance Payment Program that extend the period before repayment begins and the period before the balance must be repaid in full; reduce the recoupment percentage; and lower the interest rates for this and comparable programs.
- A delay in the Affordable Care Act-mandated reduction of Medicaid disproportionate share (Medicaid DSH) allotments to the states through December 11.
- Extended funding for Community Health Centers, the National Health Services Corps, and the Teaching Health Centers Graduate Medical Education Program through December 11.
- Extended funding for the Special Diabetes Program through December 11.
- Extended authorization for the certified community behavioral health clinics demonstration program through December 11.
- Clarification that drugs and biologicals used for medication-assisted treatment, which must be covered by Medicaid beginning on October 1, will continue to be eligible for rebates under the Medicaid program.
Provider Relief Fund
- HHS’s Provider Relief Fund FAQ has been updated with four new questions that address nursing home quality payments. The new questions, all marked “Added 9/18/2020,” can be found on pages 46 through 48 of the FAQ.
Department of Health and Human Services
- HHS announced that the CDC will provide $200 million in CARES Act money for COVID-19 vaccine preparedness to existing grantees through CDC’s immunization cooperative agreement.
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
- On Thursday, September 24 at 4:00 (eastern), CMS and CDC will hold a “CMS-CDC Fundamentals of COVID-19 Prevention for Nursing Home Management Call.” Go here for information on how to register and submit questions.
Food and Drug Administration
The FDA has updated the question-and-answer appendix in its guidance “Conduct of Clinical Trials of Medical Products during COVID-19 Public Health Emergency.” The updated guidance includes a new question and answer about a clinical trial investigator’s responsibility to review all investigational new drug application safety reports, including reports that will not result in a change of the investigator brochure, informed consent, or protocol.
The FDA has updated the question-and-answer appendix in its guidance “Federal Reserve System
- The Federal Reserve System has updated its FAQs for the Main Street Lending Program, which supports lending to small and medium-sized for-profit businesses and non-profit organizations that were in sound financial condition before the COVID-19 pandemic but lack access to credit on reasonable terms. Go here for the announcement of the updated FAQs and for links to the FAQs themselves.
