The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government as of 2:45 p.m. on Tuesday, September 21.  Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents.

Provider Relief Fund

  • HHS has updated its Provider Relief Fund reporting portal’s frequently asked questions.  Find the updated FAQ here.
  • HHS has published a Provider Relief Fund reporting portal user guide.  Find the guide here.

The White House

Department of Health and Human Services

COVID-19

  • The federal government has responded to recent increases in COVID-19 cases by assuming control of the distribution of monoclonal antibodies used to treat the virus.  Learn more from the announcement of this new approach.  Federal officials also explain the new policy, why they are pursuing it, and how it will work in this video of a web event.

Health Policy News

  • HHS has extended the open enrollment period for people seeking health insurance on the federally facilitated marketplace and has extended the scope of services provided by navigators for that marketplace.  The department also has authorized state marketplaces to set their own open enrollment dates.  Learn more from this HHS news release.
  • HHS and its Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) have awarded $48 million to 271 HRSA-supported health centers in 26 states, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia to expand HIV prevention and treatment, outreach, and care coordination services.  To learn more about the awards, how the money will be used, and the award recipients, see this HHS announcement.
  • HHS and HRSA have awarded $350 million in grants to every state to support safe pregnancies and healthy babies.  Funding will be used expand home visiting services to families most in need, increase access to doulas, address health disparities in infant deaths, and improve data reporting on maternal mortality.  The money is being awarded through the Maternal, Infant, Early Childhood Home Visiting Program, the Healthy Start Initiative, and the State Systems Developmental Initiative.  To learn more about how HHS intends for the money to be spent, how much money is being allocated through these programs, and how much money individual recipients will receive, see this HHS announcement.
  • HRSA has announced the availability of funding to support continued access to comprehensive, culturally competent, high-quality primary health care services for communities and populations currently served by its Health Center Program.  Eligible organizations include domestic public or non-profit private entities that propose to serve an announced service area and its associated population(s) to ensure continued access to affordable, quality primary health care services.  Learn more from this HRSA announcement.

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

COVID-19

Health Policy News

  • The latest edition of the CMS online publication MLN Connects includes Medicare’s quarterly provider quality compliance newsletter and information about annual HPSA updates, flu vaccine payment allowances, updated clinical lab fees, and more.  Find the September 16 edition of MLN Connects here.
  • CMS has posted a pre-publication version of a final rule that sets forth revised 2022 user fee rates for issuers offering qualified health plans (QHPs) through Federally-facilitated Exchanges and State-based Exchanges on the federal platform; repeals separate billing requirements related to the collection of separate payments for the portion of QHP premiums attributable to coverage for certain abortion services; expands the annual open enrollment period and Navigator duties; implements a new monthly special enrollment period for qualified individuals or enrollees, or the dependents of a qualified individual or enrollee, who are eligible for advance payments of the premium tax credit (APTC) and whose household income does not exceed 150 percent of the federal poverty level, available during periods of time during which APTC benefits are available such that certain applicable taxpayers’ applicable percentage is set at zero, such as during tax years 2021 and 2022 under the section 9661 of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021; repeals the recent establishment of a Direct Enrollment option for Exchanges; and modifies regulations and policies related to section 1332 waivers.  Find the document here.
  • CMS has published three FAQs that explain that the agency will not take enforcement action against certain payers for the payer-to-payer data exchange provision of the May 2020 Interoperability and Patient Access final rule until future rulemaking is finalized.  CMS’s decision to exercise enforcement discretion for the payer-to-payer policy until future rulemaking occurs does not affect any other existing regulatory requirements and implementation timelines outlined in the final rule.  Go here to see the announcement and find links to the FAQs.
  • CMS has proposed repealing the Medicare Coverage of Innovative Technology and Definition of ‘”Reasonable and Necessary” final rule, which was published on January 14, 2021 and is scheduled to take effect on December 15.  The repealed rule was a response to concerns that breakthrough technologies were not being made available to the Medicare population in a timely manner but CMS now believes more care must be taken before authorizing the use of such technologies for Medicare patients.  Find the proposed rule here.
  • CMS has published its Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility Patient Assessment Instrument (IRF-PAI) Quarterly Q&As December 2020 document so inpatient rehabilitation facility (IRF) providers have the benefit of clarifications to existing guidance.
  • CMS has published the Long-Term-Care Hospital (LTCH) CARE Data Set Quarterly Q&As, September 2021, Consolidated September 2020 to September 2021 document so LTCH providers have the benefit of the clarifications to existing guidance.
  • CMS has awarded $15 million in planning grants to 20 states to support expanding community-based mobile crisis intervention services for Medicaid beneficiaries.  Learn more about the services the grants will underwrite and find a list of grant recipients in this CMS announcement.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Food and Drug Administration

  • The FDA has revised its emergency use authorization (EUA) for the monoclonal antibodies bamlanivimab and etesevimab, administered together, to include emergency use as post-exposure prophylaxis (prevention) for COVID-19 in adults and pediatric patients (12 years of age and older weighing at least 40 kg) who are at high risk for progression to severe COVID-19, including hospitalization or death.  In this revision of the EUA, bamlanivimab and etesevimab, administered together, are authorized for use after exposure to the virus and are not authorized for pre-exposure prophylaxis to prevent COVID-19 before being exposed to the COVID-10 virus.  Learn more from the FDA announcement, the revised EUA, and this fact sheet for providers.
  • The FDA has updated its enforcement policy for masks, barrier face coverings, face shields, surgical masks, and respirators during the COVID-19 public health emergency.  Find the updated policy here.

National Institutes of Health

  • The NIH has awarded $470 million to build a national study population of diverse research volunteers and support large-scale studies on the long-term effects of COVID-19.  Learn more from this NIH news release.

Stakeholder Events

MACPAC – September meetings – September 23 and 24

The Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC) will hold its scheduled September meeting of commissioners on Thursday, September 23 and Friday, 24 to discuss federal Medicaid and CHIP policies.  The meetings will be held virtually.  Find the meeting agenda here and go here to register to view the sessions.

CDC – Evaluating and Supporting Patients Presenting With Fatigue Following COVID-19 – September 30

The CDC will hold a webinar on evaluating and supporting patients who present with fatigue following treatment for COVID-19.  The webinar will be held on Thursday, September 30 at 2:00 p.m. (eastern).  For further information on the subjects the webinar will cover, those who will be participating in the event, and how to join the webinar, go here.

FDA – Workshop Addressing Response to the Opioid Crisis – October 13

The FDA will hold a workshop titled “Reconsidering Mandatory Opioid Prescriber Education Through a Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS)” to give stakeholders an opportunity to provide input on aspects of the current opioid crisis that could be mitigated in a measurable way by requiring mandatory prescriber education as part of a REMS effort.  The public workshop will be held on October 13 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. (eastern) and October 14 from 1 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.  For information about participating in the workshop or submitting comments or materials, see this Federal Register notice.