News

A new public-private effort was announced to aid in distributing ventilators to critical areas in the fight against COVID-19.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services April 10 issued a proposed rule to update hospice payment rates for fiscal year 2021. CMS proposes a 2.6% net increase to payments of $580 million, compared to FY 2020.

The AHA, joined by other organizations, urged the U.S. Supreme Court to review a 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals decision that gives private individuals “broad license” to bring meritless False Claims Act lawsuits against hospitals and other health care providers. 

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services April 10 issued a proposed rule for the inpatient psychiatric facility prospective payment system for fiscal year 2021. CMS proposes to increase IPF payments by a net 2.4%, equivalent to $100 million, in FY 2021.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services April 10 issued a proposed rule updating fiscal year 2021 payments for the skilled nursing facilities prospective payment system.

The National Institutes of Health launched a study to determine how many adults in the U.S. without a confirmed COVID-19 history have antibodies to the virus.

The American Medical Association released two Current Procedural Terminology codes (86328 and 86769) for reporting antibody testing for the novel coronavirus, and revised its CPT code for SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid tests (86318).

To facilitate continuous patient care during quickly changing scenarios during the pandemic, the Drug Enforcement Administration has issued three exceptions to regulations for DEA-registered hospitals and clinics effective from April 10 until the public health emergency ends.

The Department of Health and Human Services announced updates to the process it launched last month for obtaining data on hospital bed capacity and utilization and COVID-19 testing results from in-house laboratories.

The Food and Drug Administration has issued emergency use authorizations for two respirator decontamination products.

The AHA urged the Department of the Treasury and the Federal Reserve to provide prompt guidance to help hospitals access the Main Street New Loan Facility created by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act.

The AHA urged the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to use its authority to extend to home health agencies additional relief to enhance their role in supporting and optimizing the overall health care system response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

As our nation’s caregivers remain courageously entrenched in the battle against COVID-19, AHA is working to ensure that telehealth is realizing its potential as one of the most powerful health care tools in the arsenal.

President Trump this week directed the Secretary of Defense to authorize 100% federal cost-sharing for certain states.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services approved the first COVID-19-related Children’s Health Insurance Program disaster amendment.

AABB launched a new website to inform the public, blood collectors and clinicians about COVID-19 convalescent plasma.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has delivered more than $51 billion in Medicare accelerated and advance payments to Part A providers, including hospitals, and Part B suppliers to combat resource challenges related to COVID-19.

The Internal Revenue Service released FAQs related to the deferral of deposit and payment related to certain employment taxes as authorized by the Coronavirus, Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act.

The Food and Drug Administration issued temporary guidance for pharmacies’ preservation of limited supplies of personal protective equipment.

At 12 p.m. ET April 13, the Federal Communications Commission’s Wireline Competition Bureau will begin accepting applications for the COVID-19 Telehealth Program at www.fcc.gov/covid19telehealth.