The following is the latest COVID-19 information from the federal government as of 2:45 p.m. on Tuesday, November 3.

Provider Relief Fund

Question:

“At the bottom of page 1 of the reporting requirements announcement in PDF, Step 2 states “PRF payment amounts not fully expended on healthcare related expenses attributable to coronavirus are then applied to patient care lost revenues, net of the healthcare related expenses attributable to coronavirus calculated under step 1.” Is the underlined language still applicable under the reporting requirements notice that HHS posted on October 22, 2020?”  (Added 11/2/2020)

Answer:

“No, healthcare related expenses are no longer netted against the patient care lost revenue amount in Step 2. A revised notice will be posted to remove this language.”

Department of Health and Human Services

 

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

CMS has launched a new online platform, the Nursing Home Resource Center, to serve as a centralized hub bringing together the latest information, guidance, and data on nursing homes that is important to facilities, frontline providers, residents, and their families as the fight against COVID-19 continues.  Go here to see CMS’s announcement about the new resource and find the new Nursing Home Resource Center here.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

 

National Institutes of Health

The NIH has published a request for information inviting comments and suggestions on the NIH’s strategic plan for COVID-19 research.

Department of Labor

The Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has issued respiratory protection guidance focused on protecting workers in nursing homes, assisted living, and other long-term-care facilities from occupational exposure to COVID-19.  Go here to see the announcement and find the guidance itself here.

Federal Reserve

The Federal Reserve Board has changed the terms of its Main Street Lending Program by reducing the minimum loan for three Main Street facilities available to for-profit and non-profit borrowers from $250,000 to $100,000 and reducing fees to encourage the provision of these smaller loans.  It also issued a new FAQ clarifying that Paycheck Protection Program loans of up to $2 million may be excluded for purposes of determining the maximum loan size under the Main Street Lending Program if certain requirements are met.  See the Federal Reserve’s announcement of these changes and find links to resources involving the Main Street Lending Program here.