The speed of evolution of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) situation makes it challenging for health care providers to track the evolving information from trusted resources. This page is meant to serve as a curated collection of trusted resources and a platform to share actions and interventions health care providers are implementing to respond to this current challenge.
Spencer Fane Resources
- COVID-19 Chart
- Ayesha Mehdi Highlights COVID-19 Vaccination Mandates in Health Care Industry
- OSHA’s Healthcare ETS in Limbo: What are Employers to do?
- Quarantines and Isolations – What Employers Need to Know About the New CDC Guidance
- Supreme Court to Hear Challenges on Federal Vaccine Mandates from OSHA and CMS
- CMS Vaccine Mandate Rule Blocked in 10 States (including Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska)
- Paul Jacobson Explains OSHA’s COVID-19 ETS Issued for the Health Care Industry
- Ayesha Mehdi Outlines Compliance and Risk Management in the Medical Spa Industry
- OSHA Implements COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard for Healthcare and Updates COVID-19 Guidance for all Employers
- Bill Hopkins Provides Guidance on how COVID-19 Impacted SNF Population
- Dale Burrus and Lauren Nelson Examine COVID-19 Impact on Health Care Providers
- Ayesha Mehdi Provides Guidance on the Stark Law and Anti-Kickback Statute
- Dale Burrus and Lauren Nelson Provide Insight for American Health Law Association’s Magazine
- New California Medical Waste Law Impacts Out-of-State Manufacturers and Distributors with Costly Compliance Mandates
- OSHA Fines Healthcare Facilities for Improper Use of N95 Respirators
- Dale Burrus and Lauren Nelson Provide Strategies to Limit Health Care Litigation Risk
- Re-Opening Medical Practices Following COVID-19 Outbreak
- Retroactive Change in Distribution Methodology for Provider Relief Funds May Trigger Refunds
- Is Your Hospital Ready to Re-Open for Elective Medical Services?
- Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund Payments
- State Disaster Management Plans Impact Hospital Response to COVID-19 Outbreak
- The CARES Act and Substance Use Disorder Records: Confidentiality Updates
- Prohibition on Beneficiary Inducements Hinders Rural Hospital Efforts to Aid Communities During COVID-19 Outbreak
- It’s Time to Establish (or Re-Constitute) an Ethics Committee
- New Blanket Waivers of the Stark Law During COVID-19 Outbreak
News
- CMS expands current Accelerated and Advance Payment Program to a broader group of Medicare Part A providers and Part B suppliers
- CMS issues new rules and waivers of federal requirements to ensure that local hospitals and health systems have the capacity to absorb and effectively manage potential surges of COVID-19 patients
- The Kansas Board of Healing Arts and Board of Pharmacy issue guidance on prescribing of chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine in response to an increase in the issuance of prescriptions for prevention and treatment of COVID-19
- CDC – Criteria for Return to Work for Healthcare Personnel with Confirmed or Suspected COVID-19 (Interim Guidance)
- CMS Announces Relief for Clinicians, Providers, Hospitals and Facilities Participating in Quality Reporting Programs in Response to COVID-19
General
- CMS News Release (March 18) – CMS Releases Recommendations on Adult Elective Surgeries, Non-Essential Medical, Surgical, and Dental Procedures During COVID-19 Response
- Medicare FFS Response to COVID-19 (March 16) – The HHS Secretary declared a public health emergency, which allows for CMS programmatic waivers based on Section 1135 of the Social Security Act. An MLN Matters Special Edition Article SE20011 on Medicare Fee-for-Service (FFS) Response to the Public Health Emergency on the Coronavirus is available. Learn about blanket waivers issued by CMS. These waivers prevent gaps in access to care for beneficiaries impacted by the emergency.
- CMS COVID-19 Emergency Declaration Health Care Providers Fact Sheet
- CMS Memorandum QSO-20-12-ALL– Regarding Suspension of Survey Activities
- Guidance (QSO-20-13-Hospitals) for Infection Control and Prevention Concerning Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19): FAQs and Considerations for Patient Triage, Placement and Hospital Discharge
- AHA Advisory COVID-19
- Interim Infection Prevention and Control Recommendations for Patients with Suspected or Confirmed Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Healthcare Settings
- Evaluating and Testing Persons for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
- Managing the Threat of the New Coronavirus Strain
- Information for Healthcare Professionals
- Coverage and Payment Related to COVID-19 Medicare
ER/EMTALA
- EMTALA Guidance Related to Screening Coronavirus Patients
- Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA) and Ebola Virus Disease (EVD)—Questions and Answers (Q+A), Ref: S&C: 15-24-Hospitals
Privacy
- OCR Issues Guidance on Telehealth Remote Communications Following Its Notification of Enforcement Discretion (March 20, 2020)
- COVID-19 & HIPAA Bulletin: Limited Waiver of HIPAA Sanctions and Penalties During a Nationwide Public Health Emergency
Risk Management/Medical Staff
- COVID-19 Healthcare Planning Checklist
- Hospital Preparedness Checklist
- Kansas COVID-19 Update for Local Partners
- COVID-19 Toolkit
- Guidelines for Environmental Infection Control in Health-Care Facilities: Recommendations of CDC and the Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee (HICPAC)
Telemedicine
- CMS News Release (March 17) – President Trump Expands Telehealth Benefits for Medicare Beneficiaries During COVID-19 Outbreak
- Office of Civil Rights – Disclosures for Emergency Preparedness – Decision Flow Chart
Employer Resources
Websites
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – COVID-19
- The World Health Organization – COVID-19
- AHA COVID-19 Web page
- Kansas Department of Health and Environment – COVID-19
- ASPR TRACIE – Healthcare Emergency Preparedness Information Gateway