The following is the latest health policy news from the federal government as of 2:45 p.m. on Wednesday, May 5.  Some of the language used below is taken directly from government documents.

The White House

COVID-19

Department of Health and Human Services

COVID-19

  • HHS has created a web page for its new COVID-19 Coverage Assistance Fund through which providers can be reimbursed for the cost of administering COVID-19 vaccines to the uninsured and to those whose health insurance requires a co-pay for vaccinations.  This web page offers information about how the program works and how providers can submit claims for reimbursement.
  • To support the launch of this new COVID-19 Coverage Assistance Fund, HHS will hold a webinar on Thursday, May 6 at 2:00 p.m. (eastern) to introduce stakeholders to what the program will do and how it will work.  Go here for further information and to register to participate.
  • HHS has announced the availability of $250 million in American Rescue Plan funds to develop and support a community-based workforce that will share information about vaccines, increase COVID-19 vaccine confidence, and address barriers to vaccination for individuals living in vulnerable and medically underserved communities.  For the first funding opportunity, released today, approximately 10 award recipients will be funded to engage with multiple organizations regionally and locally, including with community-based organizations, health centers, minority-serving institutions, and other health and social service entities.  The second funding opportunity will be released in the near future and will focus on smaller community-based organizations.  To learn more about program eligibility and to apply for funding, visit Grants.gov.  Applications are due May 18, 2021.  See HHS’s announcement about the new program.
  • HHS and its Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) have announced the availability of $1 billion in American Rescue Plan funds to strengthen COVID-19 response efforts and increase vaccinations in rural communities.  HRSA’s Rural Health Clinic COVID-19 Testing and Mitigation Program will provide $460 million to more than 4,600 rural health clinics (RHCs) to maintain and increase COVID-19 testing, expand access to testing for rural residents, and broaden efforts to mitigate the spread of the virus in ways tailored to their local communities.  HRSA will provide up to $100,000 per RHC-certified clinic site.  In addition, HRSA will provide $398 million to existing grantees of the Small Rural Hospital Improvement Program to work with approximately 1,730 small rural hospitals and critical access hospitals on COVID-19 testing and mitigation, with funding to be used to support all eligible rural hospitals, up to $230,000 per hospital.  Finally, through its Rural Health Clinic Vaccine Confidence Program, HRSA will make nearly $100 million available in grants to eligible RHCs nation-wide to address health equity gaps by offering support and resources to medically underserved rural communities where COVID-19 vaccine uptake lags.  HRSA will fund all eligible RHCs that apply.  Learn more from this announcement about the new funding.
  • HHS’s Office of the Inspector General has updated its FAQ outlining situations in which it is willing to exercise its discretion in the enforcement of existing guidelines in support of the flexibility needed to respond effectively to the COVID-19 emergency.  See the updated FAQs here.

Health Policy News

  • The administration announced that HHS and its Administration for Community Living will spend $1.4 billion in American Rescue Plan money to address a variety of needs of older Americans.  Among its uses will be $460 million for home and community-based services; $44 million for evidence-based health promotion and disease prevention; $145 million to help family caregivers support their loved ones; and $10 million to safeguard the health and welfare of residents of long-term-care facilities.  Learn more from this fact sheet.
  • HHS has issued a request for nominations to the Advisory Council on Alzheimer’s Research, Care, and Services.  Nominations are due May 31.  See the Federal Register announcement for additional information.

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

COVID-19

  • CMS has issued a new waiver for treatment in place for ground ambulance services during the COVID-19 public health emergency and has posted a fact sheet on this waiver.
  • In support of this new waiver CMS has updated its document “COVID-19 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on Medicare Fee-for-Service (FFS) Billing” with revised questions on pages 50 and 51 and new questions on pages 55-60 for ground ambulance providers.  All result from a provision in the American Rescue Plan that established circumstances under which Medicare may reimburse providers for a service that did not arise during a community-wide emergency medical service but that instead is a result of the COVID-19 emergency.  Go here to see the new and revised questions.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

COVID-19

Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission

  • MACPAC has published a new report titled Examining the Potential for Additional Re-balancing of Long-Term Services and Supports.  Find it here.

American Medical Association

  • The AMA has updated its Current Procedural Code (CPT) code sets to include new vaccine and administration codes for the COVID-19 vaccine currently being developed by the company Novavax.  This vaccine has not yet been approved for use.  Learn more from an AMA news release.

Stakeholder Events

Friday, May 7
FDA – Common Labeling Deficiencies and Tips for Generic Drug Applications
Friday, May 7 at 1:00pm – 2:00pm ET.  Click here for connection information.
The FDA will discuss the most common labeling mistakes found in abbreviated new drug applications (ANDAs) and how to avoid them and offer other labeling tips.  The FDA also will provide answers to common labeling questions asked by generic drug applicants.

Wednesday, May 12
Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA)
CISA 2021 Hurricane Webinar
Wednesday, May 12 at 10:30 am – 12:00pm ET.  Click here for registration.

This webinar will focus on providing awareness of CISA’s role and resources in hurricane preparedness and response activities associated with systems that make landfall on the continental U.S. or U.S. territories while in a COVID-19 environment.  It will also feature presentations from the NOAA Liaison to the National Operations Center and FEMA’s National Business Emergency Operations Center.

Wednesday, May 12

HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response – Vaccine Promotion

Wednesday, May 12 at 1:30 pm ET.  Click here for further information and registration.

Speakers will discuss a New York City initiative dedicated to building confidence in COVID-19 vaccines; provide information about the current FDA-authorized COVID-19 vaccines and their safety and effectiveness; and share effective communication strategies to encourage friends, family, colleagues, and the community to get vaccinated.  The webinar will share additional educational resources and tools developed by local health care partners and there will be time for participant Q&A.