The HHS Coronavirus Data Hub goes live; CDC guidance recommends a symptom-based strategy for COVID-19 patients. CMS data show an increase in telehealth use among Medicare beneficiaries. The IRS extends the deadline for tax-exempt hospitals to conduct a community health needs assessment.

Facilities located in areas designated as emergency or major disaster areas will be exempt from provisions of Medicare quality reporting programs.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is waiving program requirements and suspending enforcement activities in Florida and Georgia.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services waived program requirements in Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina; the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention issued guidance for treating carbon monoxide poisoning in hurricane victims.

In a blog post, a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention official notes that providers should consider health equity during emergency preparedness, response, and recovery to ensure disparities are not inadvertently created or exacerbated.

The toolkit includes strategies and examples to help Medicaid agencies prepare for and respond to natural and man-made disasters.

Affected providers will be exempt from reporting provisions of the Medicare Hospital Outpatient Quality Reporting Program, Hospital Inpatient Quality Reporting Program, and Ambulatory Surgical Center Quality Reporting Program.

The webinar will focus on managing resources, setting priorities, engaging stakeholders, and anticipating needs during crises, such as disease outbreaks.

Change follows Nov. 7 declaration by World Health Organization that Sierra Leone is free of Ebola. Some checks remain, including for temperature and possible exposure.