The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government as of 2:45 p.m. on Friday, July 2.  Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents.

Supreme Court

  • The Supreme Court has announced that it will hear a case in its next term challenging cuts in 340B payments and another involving Medicare disproportionate share.

White House

Provider Relief Fund

  • HHS has published new information about use of Provider Relief Fund grants, accounting for the use of those grants, expense and lost revenue calculations, changes in ownership, reporting on the use of Provider Relief Fund resources, and more.  The changes, including links to new documents, worksheets, instructions, an FAQ, a link to a webinar to learn about these changes, and more can be found on the Provider Relief Fund’s “reporting requirements and auditing” web page.  Recipients of Provider Relief Fund grants should review this new information carefully.
  • HHS also has updated its Provider Relief Fund FAQ site to reflect the changes introduced on the primary Provider Relief Fund web site (described above).  The update includes 24 new or updated items addressing the expenditure of Provider Relief Fund grants, accounting for and reporting on the use of those grants, recoupments, FEMA funds, and more.  The changes, marked “7/1/2021,” can be found on pages 8, 9, 11, 12, 16, and 22-27.

Department of Health and Human Services

COVID-19

  • HHS’s Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response has introduced a COVID-19 monoclonal antibody therapeutics calculator for infusion sites (mAbs Calculator) to inform staffing decisions and resource investments needed for COVID-19 monoclonal antibody therapeutic infusion sites.  Go here to learn more about the calculator and to find a link to it.
  • HHS’s COVID-19 health equity task force met this week to consider interim recommendations addressing the inequities and the impact of long-COVID or Post-Acute Sequelae COVID-19 infection and access to personal protective equipment, testing, and therapeutics.  Go here for a summary of the meeting and links to a recording of the event.

Health Policy News

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

Health Policy News

  • CMS has released the final notice for the Basic Health Program federal funding methodology for program year 2022.  This document provides the methodology and data sources necessary to determine federal payment amounts for program year 2022 to states that elect to establish a Basic Health Program to offer health benefits coverage to low-income individuals otherwise eligible to purchase coverage through qualified health plans in the exchange.  Learn more in the proposed rule.
  • CMS has proposed updating its End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) prospective payment system rates, changing the ESRD Quality Incentive Program, and modifying the ESRD Treatment Choices (ETC) Model.  The proposed changes to the ETC Model policies seek to encourage dialysis providers to decrease disparities in rates of home dialysis and kidney transplants among ESRD patients with lower socioeconomic status.  Other changes in the proposed ESRD regulation address rates, wage index, an update of the outlier policy, a transitional add-on payment adjustment for new and innovative equipment and supplies applications, and more.  Learn more from the following resources:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

COVID-19

  • The CDC has published a report in which it evaluates the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines among health care workers during the early phase of vaccinations.  Find the report here.
  • The CDC has updated its guidance for laboratories on the use of pooling for COVID-19 testing.  The new guidance notes that while pooling specimens for public health surveillance purposes is still acceptable, the focus now is on its use for diagnostic and screening testing.
  • The CDC has issued a guide for jurisdictions on expanding COVID-19 vaccine distribution to primary care providers to address disparities in immunizations.  Find it here.
  • The CDC has published research on the efficacy of portable air cleaners and masking for reducing indoor exposure to simulated exhaled COVID-19 aerosols.  Read the report here.

Health Policy News

  • The CDC reports that the number of cancer screenings received by women through the CDC’s National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program declined 87 percent for breast cancer and 84 percent for cervical cancer during April 2020 compared numbers for that month over the past five years.  The CDC attributes this to delayed in seeking care because of COVID-19.  Learn more here.

Food and Drug Administration

COVID-19

  • With improved access nation-wide to N95 masks, the FDA has revoked emergency use authorizations for certain respirators and decontamination systems.  See the FDA announcement.  The FDA also will hold a webinar to share information and answer questions about its revocation of EUAs for non-NIOSH-approved respirators and decontamination systems.  Go here to learn more about the webinar.

Health Policy News

  • The FDA has alerted users of Philips Respironics ventilators, BiPAP, and CPAP machines and their health care providers that Philips Respironics has recalled certain devices due to potential health risks.  Go here to see the FDA announcement.
  • The FDA has approved Rylaze (asparaginase erwinia chrysanthemi (recombinant)-rywn) as a component of a chemotherapy regimen to treat acute lymphoblastic leukemia and lymphoblastic lymphoma in adult and pediatric patients who are allergic to the E. coli-derived asparaginase products used most commonly for treatment.  Learn more here.
  • The FDA has released a Cyclospora prevention, response, and research action plan.  The plan focuses on improving prevention, enhancing response activities, and filling knowledge gaps to help prevent Cyclospora contamination of foods and to help prepare for responding to future outbreaks.  See the FDA announcement for more.

National Institutes of Health

  • The NIH announced that it is funding five additional projects to identify ways of safely returning students and staff to in-person school in areas with vulnerable and underserved populations. Learn more about the new projects and other NIH-funded projects with similar objectives in this NIH announcement.

FEMA

  • FEMA has revised its COVID-19 funeral assistance policy to assist with COVID-19-related fatalities that occurred in the early months of the pandemic.  The change is intended to help families paying for funeral costs for people who died of COVID-19 but for which that cause of death was not noted on their death certificate.  Learn more from FEMA’s announcement of the change, which also has links to additional resources.

Stakeholder Events

Thursday, July 8 – HHS

HHS’s “We Can Do This” campaign is a national initiative to build confidence in COVID-19 vaccines and get more people vaccinated.  This campaign offers tailored resources and toolkits for stakeholders to use to provide COVID-19 vaccine information to at-risk populations.  CMS is partnering with the campaign to offer several webinars to walk through each toolkit and its resources and train community organizations, local voices, and trusted leaders to use the campaign tools for vaccine outreach efforts to diverse communities.  A webinar will be held on Thursday, July 8 at 1:00 p.m. (eastern)  Register here.

Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, July 7, July 8, and July 9 – CMS

CMS – Revisions to the Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) Code Set.

CMS will hold virtual meetings on July 7, 8, and 9, to discuss its preliminary coding recommendations for revisions of the HCPCS Level II code set.  For information about times, registration, submission of materials, signing up to speak, and submitting comments, click here.

Wednesday, July 8 – HHS – Provider Relief Fund

HHS will host a webcast on Wednesday, July 8 at 3:00 p.m. (eastern) to present updated information on the use of Provider Relief Fund grants and reporting and auditing requirements associated with the receipt and use of those grants.  Go here to register.

Tuesday, July 13 – Food and Drug Administration

The FDA will host a webinar to share information and answer questions about its revocation of EUAs for non-NIOSH-approved respirators and decontamination systems.  It will present information about its June 30, 2021 “Update:  FDA No Longer Authorizes Use of Non-NIOSH-Approved or Decontaminated Disposable Respirators – Letter to Health Care Personnel and Facilities.”  To join the webinar:

Zoom Webinar Link: https://fda.zoomgov.com/j/1600971341?pwd=UTJMTlZmYzVScmNZamd2d2J4SU92Zz09External Link Disclaimer

Webinar Passcode: $vrC6z

Dial: 833-568-8864
Webinar ID: 160 097 1341
Passcode: 292602

Tuesday, July 13 – Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC)
ONC Workshop: Advancing SDOH Data Use and Interoperability for Achieving Health Equity
Tuesday, July 13 at 10:00 am – 4:00 pm ET  Click here for connection information
This workshop will explore existing and emerging data standards, tools, approaches, policies, models, and interventions for advancing the use and interoperability of non-clinical health data for individual and community health improvement.  It will share varying perspectives of health policy-makers and health improvement implementers to highlight inventive solutions, share challenges, and offer ideas on data modernization to advance health equity.  The workshop offers introductory content as well as deep exploration of key topics as part of social determinants of health IT data use and interoperability including facilitated, expert stakeholder engagement.