FDA no longer requires a positive COVID-19 test to receive a Paxlovid or Lagevrio prescription; CDC reports that bivalent boosters protect against XBB and XBB.1.5 SARS-Co-V-2 subvariants.
view more »CMS Update on COVID-19 Blanket Waivers and Flexibility
Feb. 7, 2023 ||The updated fact sheets share when specific waivers will end and whether they will continue after the public health emergency's end on May 11.
view more »CMS Guidance for States to Maintain Increased FMAP
Feb. 6, 2023 ||The guidance informs states how to maintain the temporary increased federal medical assistance percentage while returning to normal Medicaid operations.
view more »Qualified individuals and their families who lose Medicaid or CHIP eligibility once the continuous enrollment requirement ends can apply for marketplace coverage between March 31, 2023, and July 31, 2024.
view more »Administration Announces End of COVID-19 PHE
Jan. 31, 2023 ||The Biden administration announced that the COVID-19 public health emergency, initially declared Jan. 27, 2020, will end May 11.
view more »FDA's Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee votes to replace the original monovalent COVID-19 vaccine, Evusheld no longer is authorized under emergency use, and the CDC launches a COVID-19 testing locator.
view more »DEA Eliminates X-Waiver for Buprenorphine Treatment
Jan. 30, 2023 ||The Drug Enforcement Administration no longer will require additional registration for prescribers to prescribe buprenorphine.
view more »CMS Releases Final Open Enrollment National Snapshot
Jan. 30, 2023 ||CMS reports that open enrollment through the health insurance marketplaces for 2023 totals 16.3 million people, a 13 percent increase from 2022.
view more »COVID-19: FDA Committee to Vote on Vaccine Future, CDC Unveils Interactive Trackers
Jan. 24, 2023 ||An FDA committee will vote on the future of the COVID-19 vaccine, while CDC unveils two trackers for COVID-19, flu, and RSV–related hospital and emergency department visits.
view more »Association Comments on Proposed Part 2 Regulations
Jan. 24, 2023 ||The association supports HHS' work to align the rule more closely with HIPAA regulations, which will improve care coordination and mitigate discrimination.
view more »In a new podcast series by a physician at association member NYC Health + Hospitals, Beth Feldpush, DrPH, the association's senior vice president of policy and advocacy, unpacks the complex patchwork of payments that keep essential hospitals afloat.
view more »PCORI Issues Workforce Development RFI, Offers Grant with AHRQ
Jan. 20, 2023 ||The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) seeks community input on opportunities to develop and support the PCOR workforce and offers a grant alongside AHRQ to support Learning Health System Embedded Scientist Training and Research Centers.
view more »Mental Health First Aid Certificate for Health Care Workers
Jan. 20, 2023 ||Working with Essential Hospitals Institute and the National Council for Mental Wellbeing, George Mason University will offer virtual Mental Health First Aid trainings for health care workers.
view more »COVID-19: Home Test to Treat Program, Vaccine Safety Concern
Jan. 17, 2023 ||The National Institutes of Health launches the Home Test to Treat program; FDA and CDC report a COVID-19 vaccine safety concern for those ages 65 and older.
view more »America's Essential Hospitals and other plaintiffs had asked the judge to order an immediate repayment in full for five years of underpayments to 340B hospitals.
view more »New Requirements for Managed Care Coverage of In Lieu of Services
Jan. 13, 2023 ||A CMS letter to state Medicaid directors clarifies how in lieu of services (ILOS) can be used to mitigate health disparities, limits ILOS expenditures, and adopts documentation and review requirements.
view more »The association supports CMS' work to simplify enrollment and asks the agency to ensure equitable access to beneficiaries’ preferred health care providers.
view more »CMS Awards 200 New Residency Slots to Strengthen Workforce
Jan. 12, 2023 ||Prioritizing hospitals in health professional shortage areas, CMS awarded residency slots to 100 hospitals, including 27 essential hospitals.
view more »HHS Renews COVID-19 Public Health Emergency
Jan. 12, 2023 ||Effective Jan. 11, Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra renewed the COVID-19 public health emergency determination.
view more »COVID-19: XBB.1.5 Cases Evade Therapeutics; Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Pediatric Vaccination Status
Jan. 10, 2023 ||FDA and CDC say Evusheld is unlikely to neutralize the XBB.1.5 subvariant, and a CDC report indicates COVID-19 vaccination in children and adolescents is highest among Asian and Hispanic youth.
view more »CMS Updates Key Dates for Medicaid Redeterminations
Jan. 10, 2023 ||After the omnibus bill decoupled Medicaid redeterminations from the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency, CMS updates key redetermination dates.
view more »Medicaid and CHIP coverage of interprofessional consultation is permissible as long as the consultation is for the beneficiary's direct benefit.
view more »Million Hearts Initiative to Host Webinars on Climate Change and Cardiovascular Health
Jan. 4, 2023 ||Registration is open now for the two Climate Change and Cardiovascular Disease Collaborative webinars on Jan. 12, at noon ET, and Feb. 9, at noon ET.
view more »FDA approves the use of Actemra, a monoclonal antibody treatment, as COVID-19 cases caused by the XBB.1.5 subvariant of SARS-CoV-2 spike.
view more »CMS Report on Access to Coverage and Care in Medicaid and CHIP
Jan. 3, 2023 ||The report summarizes responses to a 2022 request for information, which focus on eligibility and enrollment, access to hospital services, and payment.
view more »CMS Proposes 2024 Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters
Dec. 21, 2022 ||The proposed rule updates essential community provider requirements for qualified health plans and adds a special enrollment period for those disenrolled from Medicaid or CHIP.
view more »The bill includes funding to bolster the health care workforce and extends flexible telehealth policies, including the hospital at home waiver.
view more »Americans again can request four no-cost, at-home COVID-19 tests per address; FDA's vaccine committee will meet in January to develop a long-term strategy.
view more »Oregon, Colorado Respond to Rise in Respiratory Illness
Dec. 15, 2022 ||Flexible policies in Oregon and Colorado support health care providers amid a steady increase in respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), influenza, and COVID-19.
view more »White House Introduces National Opioid Overdose Tracker
Dec. 13, 2022 ||The dashboard tracks nonfatal opioid overdoses by state and county and will help service providers target substance use disorder interventions and treatment.
view more »COVID-19: CDC Expands Bivalent Vaccine Recommendation for Children
Dec. 13, 2022 ||CDC expands its recommendation for bivalent COVID-19 vaccines for children ages 6 months to 5 years old as health agencies confront low vaccination rates among children.
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