The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government as of 2:45 p.m. on Thursday, May 27.  Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents.

The White House

COVID-19

• The White House has posted a transcript of the May 25 press briefing by its COVID-19 response team and public health officials.

Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission

• In a new issue brief, MACPAC describes the current use of health care provider taxes in Medicaid, the history and current state of the rules governing their use, and the potential effects of changes to these policies.

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

Health Policy News

CMS has posted the latest edition of its online publication MLN Connects.  Among items of interest in this edition are:

• Critical Care Evaluation & Management Services:  Comparative Billing Report in May
• Medicare Shared Savings Program:  Submit Notice of Intent to Apply Beginning June 1
• Submit Medicare GME Affiliation Agreements during COVID-19 PHE by January 1
• Addition of the Shared System CWF to the Business Requirements for the Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) codes U0002QW and 87635QW Mentioned in Change Request 11765
• International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision (ICD-10) and Other Coding Revisions to National Coverage Determination (NCDs) – July 2021
• Quarterly Update to the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Database (MPFSDB) – July 2021 Update
• Complying with Medicare Signature Requirements – Revised
• Medicare Diabetes Prevention & Diabetes Self-Management Training – Revised
• Medicare Mental Health– Revised

Go here for links to these and other items.

Department of Health and Human Services

COVID-19

• HHS has updated its COVID-19 guidance for hospital reporting and FAQs for hospitals, hospital laboratories, and acute-care facilities data reporting.  Implementation of the update takes effect June 10.

Health Policy News

• HHS and the Biden administration have announced a number of new appointments to positions in the department.  They are:

Office of the Secretary
Dr. Stephen “Steve” Cha (he/him), Counselor to the Secretary, AHRQ/FDA/NIH
Melanie Fontes Rainer (she/her), Counselor to the Secretary, ACA/Marketplaces/OCR/CMMI
Steven Lopez (he/him), Counselor to the Secretary, Equity/OASH/HRSA/IHS
Ben Scott (he/him), Advance Representative
Josie Villanueva Prescott (she/her), Counselor to the Secretary, ACF/ACL
Dr. Mary Wakefield (she/her), Counselor to the Secretary
Laurence Wilson (he/him), Advance Representative

Office of the Deputy Secretary
Angela Botticella (she/her), Chief of Staff

Office of Intergovernmental and External Affairs
Molly Doris-Pierce (she/her), Special Assistant

Office of the Assistant Secretary for Legislation
Leslie Zelenko (she/her), Senior Advisor and Congressional Liaison

Office of the Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs
Kamara Jones (she/her), Deputy Assistant Secretary for Strategic Planning

Administration for Community Living
Dr. Anjali Forber-Pratt (she/her), Director, National Institute on Disability, Independent Living and Rehabilitation Research

Health Resources and Services Administration
Elaina Boutte (she/her), Special Assistant

Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health
Jessica “Jess” Swafford Marcella (she/her), Deputy Assistant Secretary for Population Affairs

Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
Dr. Tisamarie “Tisa” Sherry (she/her), Deputy Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (Office of Behavioral Health, Disability, and Aging Policy)

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

COVID-19

• The CDC has updated its information about COVID-19 vaccines for children and teenagers.
• The CDC has published information about reports of patients suffering episodes of myocarditis and pericarditis after receiving COVID-19 vaccines.
• The CDC has posted background information and the rationale for recent public health recommendations for people who are fully vaccinated.
• The CDC has updated its collection of resources for training programs and information for health care providers on COVID-19 related care delivery.

Food and Drug Administration

COVID-19

• The FDA has issued emergency use authorization for the investigational monoclonal antibody therapy sotrovimab for the treatment of mild-to-moderate COVID-19 in adults and pediatric patients who are at high risk for progression to severe COVID-19.   Learn more from the following resources:
  • The FDA announcement
  • The FDA’s letter awarding emergency use authorization
  • A fact sheet for providers
  • A fact sheet for patients, parents, and caregivers
• The FDA updated its guidance “Emergency Use Authorization for Vaccines to Prevent COVID-19” to include a new section that clarifies how the agency intends to prioritize review of EUA vaccine requests for the remainder of the COVID-19 public health emergency.

Stakeholder Events

FEMA

Friday, May 28

Monday, June 7

FEMA’s National Exercise Division has developed exercise starter kits with sample documents to assist organizations with planning and conducting tabletop exercises aligning with the updated National Exercise Program 2021-2022 Principal’s Strategic Priorities.  FEMA will host webinars for whole community exercise practitioners.  The webinars will introduce the new exercise starter kits, providing stakeholders with an overview of the kits along with how to use them.  Visit the Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program Webinar webpage to register.

CDC

Wednesday, June 2
Zoonoses and One Health Update (ZOHU) Call
Wednesday, June 2 at 2:00 – 3:00 pm ET   Click here to learn more
ZOHU Calls are one-hour monthly webinars that provide education on zoonotic and infectious diseases, One Health, antimicrobial resistance, food safety, vector-borne diseases, recent outbreaks, and related health threats at the animal-human-environment interface.

CDC

Thursday, June 3

CDC/Clinical Outreach and Communication Activity – “Long COVID”

The CDC will hold a one-hour call about its new interim guidance that provides a framework for health care providers in their initial assessment, evaluation, management, and follow-up of persons suspected of long COVID.  Go here for further information on the subject of the call and how to join it.

FDA

Friday, June 11
Identification of Medicinal Products:  Path to Global Implementation
Monday, June 11 at 1:00 – 2:30 pm ET  Click here to learn more
The FDA will present updates on the identification of medicinal products standards development and implementation with an emphasis on international collaboration, pilot projects on substance, dosage form, and pharmaceutical identification.

Internal Revenue Service

• The IRS has issued guidance on expanded COBRA subsidies made available through the American Rescue Plan.