The following is the latest COVID-19 information from the federal government as of 3:15 p.m. on Thursday, February 11.

The White House

• The White House has announced the membership of its COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force.  See this White House fact sheet to learn more about the task force, its objectives, and its members.
• The White House has announced the introduction of a community health center vaccination program next week, with doses of vaccines to be sent directly to such facilities, and an increase in the supply of vaccines to be shared with states, tribes, and territories.  Learn more from a White House fact sheet.

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

• The Families First Coronavirus Response Act requires Medicare Part B to cover beneficiary cost-sharing for provider visits when a COVID-19 diagnostic test is administered or ordered.  CMS has updated the list of codes (note:  this link leads to a zip file that can be downloaded) that physicians and non-physician practitioners can use with the Cost-Sharing (CS) modifier.  Go here to learn more.
• CMS has revised the MLN Matters article “Medicare Fee-For-Service (FFS) Response to the Public Health Emergency on the Coronavirus (COVID-19)” to clarify billing instructions in the skilled nursing facility benefit period waiver – provider information section.
• CMS has modified the previously extended deadline for third quarter 2020 submission of Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) data and extended the submission deadline for electronic clinical quality measures for acute-care hospitals and prospective payment system-exempt cancer hospitals.  Learn more about how this affects specific reporting requirements and their changing deadlines.

HHS and CMS COVID-19 Stakeholder Calls

HHS Clinical Rounds Peer-to-Peer Virtual Communities of Practice

HHS’s Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response sponsors COVID-19 Clinical Rounds Peer-to-Peer Virtual Communities of Practice that are interactive virtual learning sessions that seek to create a peer-to-peer learning network in which clinicians from the U.S. and abroad who have experience treating patients with COVID-19 share their challenges and successes.  These webinar topics are covered every week:

• EMS:  Patient Care and Operations (Mondays, 12:00-1:00 PM eastern)
• Critical Care:  Lifesaving Treatment and Clinical Operations (Tuesdays, 12:00-1:00 PM eastern)
• Emergency Department:  Patient Care and Clinical Operations (Thursdays, 12:00-1:00 PM eastern)

Go here for information about signing up to participate in the sessions and go here for access to materials and video recordings of past sessions.

CMS Stakeholder Calls

CMS hosts recurring stakeholder engagement sessions to share information about the agency’s response to COVID-19.  These sessions are open to members of the health care community and are intended to provide updates, share best practices among peers, and offer participants an opportunity to ask questions of CMS and other subject matter experts.

CMS COVID-19 Office Hours Calls

Tuesday, February 23 at 5:00 – 6:00 PM (eastern)

Toll Free Attendee Dial In:  833-614-0820; Access Passcode:  2528725

Audio Webcast link:  go here

Tuesday, March 16 at 5:00 – 6:00 PM (eastern)

Toll Free Attendee Dial In:  833-614-0820; Access Passcode:  4177586

Audio Webcast link:  go here

Tuesday, April 6 at 5:00 – 6:00 PM (eastern)

Toll Free Attendee Dial In:  833-614-0820; Access Passcode:  2769397

Audio Webcast link:  go here

Food and Drug Administration

• The FDA has issued an emergency use authorization (EUA) for bamlanivimab and etesevimab administered together for the treatment of mild to moderate COVID-19 in adults and pediatric patients (12 years of age or older weighing at least 40 kilograms [about 88 pounds]) who test positive for COVID-19 and who are at high risk for progressing to severe COVID-19.  The authorized use includes treatment for those who are 65 years of age or older or who have certain chronic medical conditions.  Learn more from:
• the emergency use authorization letter issued by the FDA to the manufacturer of the two monoclonal antibodies
• an FDA fact sheet for providers
• an FDA FAQ on use of the two drugs in combination
• an FDA fact sheet for patients, providers, and caregivers

• The FDA has issued a final guidance document presenting its policy for temporary compounding of certain alcohol-based hand sanitizer products during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

• The CDC has published a checklist with steps health care workers should take in preparation for the transport and arrival of patients with confirmed or possible COVID-19.
• The CDC has updated its interim infection prevention and control guidance for health care workers during the COVID-19 emergency.
• The CDC has again updated its recommended strategies for optimizing supplies of N95 respirators.
• The CDC has introduced several documents that seek to encourage the use of masks to protect against COVID-19 and to use masks more effectively.  Those documents are:
• an updated summary of why and how to wear masks
• information about the results of new research on how to improve the fit of cloth and medical procedures masks to improve their ability to reduce exposure to COVID-19
• a consumer-oriented document that offers updated information about using masks more effectively.  This is the document that suggests wearing two masks as an option for greater protection.
• Another consumer-oriented, updated guidance document on wearing masks.