Coronavirus Update: Hospital Leaders at White House and CMS Guidance
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White House Meeting. AHA President and CEO Rick Pollack and hospital and health system leaders today met with top Administration officials at the White House to discuss the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. The AHA today urged the Trump administration to declare a national emergency or disaster under the Stafford Act or the National Emergencies Act.
AHA said this is necessary to allow the Department of Health and Human Services Secretary “the authority to take critical actions, such as providing 1135 waivers, to ensure that health care services and sufficient health care items are available to respond to the COVID-19 outbreak.”
At the White House meeting, AHA and hospital leaders discussed issues including testing, workforce and supply chain.
New Guidance on EMTALA, Medicare Advantage and More. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and the Internal Revenue Service have released a number of new information resources related to COVID-19. This includes:
- Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act requirements;
- MA and Part D requirements and flexibilities;
- Cost-sharing for high-deductible health plans;
- Respirator and facemask use for health care workers; and
- Health and safety for home health agency (HHA) and dialysis providers.
World Health Organization Declares Pandemic. The World Health Organization today officially declared COVID-19 a pandemic event.
CDC to Award $560 Million to States and Local Jurisdictions. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is contacting state health officers to award more than $560 million to states, localities, territories and tribes to combat COVID-19. See the list of funding amounts.
Checklist for Telework Surge. The Healthcare and Public Health Sector Coordinating Council’s Cybersecurity Working Group released a management checklist for teleworking surge during the COVID-19 response.
For the latest information and resources, visit aha.org/COVID19.