Coronavirus update for Wednesday, May 13 as of 2:30 p.m.

NASH Advocacy

Following the introduction yesterday of H.B. 6800, the Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions Act (“HEROES Act”), NASH wrote to congressional leaders asking them to address five issues in the next COVID-19 legislation:

• direct an additional $100 billion to hospitals;
• prevent finalization of the Medicaid fiscal account accountability regulation (MFAR);
• increase the federal medical assistance percentage (FMAP);
• increase states’ Medicaid DSH allotments 2.5 percent (while also delaying Affordable Care Act-mandated cuts in state Medicaid DSH allotments scheduled to take effect on December 1); and
• reduce interest rates and lengthen the payback period for money provided to hospitals by the states through the CARES Act’s Accelerated and Advance Payment Program.

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

• CMS has posted an FAQ on price transparency and requirements for providers to make public their cash prices for COVID-19 diagnostic testing.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

• The CDC has updated its FAQs for health care personnel working among and around patients who have or are suspected of having COVID-19.
• The CDC has updated its resources for hospitals and health care professionals preparing for patients with suspected or confirmed COVID-19.
• The CDC has published information providing a framework for health systems providing non-COVID-19-related services during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• The CDC has updated its FAQ for laboratories that perform or wish to perform COVID-19 tests.
• The CDC has updated its information for pediatric providers.
• The CDC has posted information about COVID-19 and patients on home dialysis.
• The CDC has published guidance on serving patients in memory care units of long-term-care facilities and dealing with COVID-19 in this context.

Food and Drug Administration

• The FDA has updated its information for blood establishments regarding the COVID-19 emergency.

• The FDA has issued emergency use authorization (EUA) for a commercial nurse call system for use by providers for remotely monitoring and communicating with patients on ventilators.

• The FDA has issued an EUA for a commercial cardiogram system to be used as a diagnostic aid for identifying potential cardiac complications associated with COVID-19 or underlying conditions that may affect the clinical management of patients who have or are suspected of having COVID-19.

• The FDA has issued an EUA for a specific commercial diagnostic test for COVID-19.

Government Accountability Office

• The GAO has published a brief review of the science underlying social distancing.

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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