The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government as of 2:45 p.m. on Wednesday, May 12. Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents.
The White House
COVID-19
- The White House has announced additional efforts to encourage people to get vaccinated against COVID-19, including free rides to vaccination sites from Lyft and Uber, vaccination clinics at community colleges, and additional resources for states’ community outreach efforts. This will include funding for FEMA for phone banks, door-to-door canvassing, and pop-up vaccination clinics in workplaces and churches. See the White House fact sheet for additional information.
Department of Health and Human Services
COVID-19
- HHS has awarded $40 million in American Rescue Plan funds to support emergency home visiting assistance for families affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. These funds will be used to provide services and emergency supplies, such as diapers, food, water, and hand sanitizer. Families that cannot gain access to home visiting services due to the pandemic will be provided technology to participate in virtual home visits. Funds, which will be administered through HHS’s Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program, also will be used to train home visitors on emergency preparedness and response planning for families and on how to safely conduct virtual intimate partner violence screenings. Learn more about the new funding and how it will be used in this HHS announcement.
Health Policy News
- The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Andrea Palm to serve as Deputy Secretary of HHS by a vote of 61 to 37 and she has already been sworn into office. It is the number two position in the department. Most recently, Palm led Wisconsin’s Department of Health Services. Previously, she served in the Obama administration as HHS’s chief of staff and as a policy advisor to the White House Domestic Policy Council.
- The Senate held a procedural vote on Wednesday that advanced the nomination of Chiquita Brooks-LaSure to become CMS administrator. Another procedural vote will be needed before a final confirmation vote, but confirmation is expected this month.
- HHS’s Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) has issued a request for nominees to serve on its Initial Review Group, which is responsible for the scientific peer review of AHRQ grant applications. The group conducts scientific and technical review for health services research grant applications. Nominations are due by June 1. Learn more from the Federal Register notice.
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
COVID-19
- CMS has published an interim final rule with comment period establishing long-term-care facility vaccine immunization requirements for residents and staff. This includes new requirements for educating residents or resident representatives and staff about the benefits and potential side effects of COVID-19 and offering the vaccine. It also requires long-term-care facilities to report COVID-19 vaccine and treatment data to the CDC’s National Health Safety Network. Learn more from the following resources:
- CMS’s news release announcing this initiative.
- CMS’s letter to state governments.
- an unpublished version of the interim final rule (official publication will be on Thursday, May 13). Comments will be due 60 days after the rule’s official publication.
Health Policy News
CMS has posted the latest edition of its online publication MLN Connects. Among items of interest in this edition are:
- Medicare Shared Savings Program Application: NOIA Opens June 1
- IRF Quality Reporting Program: Achieving a Full AIF Webinar — May 19
- Medicare Shared Savings Program: Establishing a Repayment Mechanism Webcast — May 27
- The Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) PC Pricer is now available.
Go here for links to these and other items.
Food and Drug Administration
COVID-19
- The FDA has authorized the use of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use in adolescents between the ages of 12 and 15; it was already authorized for use among older teenagers. See the FDA’s announcement of this authorization and its letter of authorization here.
- In light of this new authorization, the FDA has updated its fact sheet for health care providers for administering the COVID-19 vaccine; its fact sheet for recipients and caregivers; and its FAQ on the Pfizer vaccine.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
COVID-19
- The CDC has updated its information about COVID-19 variant classifications and definitions.
- The CDC has updated its information about the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
- The CDC has updated its information about its system for monitoring COVID-19 vaccine safety during pregnancy.
- The CDC has updated its reported adverse events following the administration of COVID-19 vaccines.
- The CDC has updated its data on reported hospitalizations because of COVID-19 with data showing admissions over time by age group and state.
Stakeholder Events
Thursday, May 13
CMS and the CDC – Nursing Homes
Thursday, May 13 at 4:00 p.m. (eastern)
CMS and the CDC will host a national nursing home stakeholder call. Register here.