WHG Catalogue last updated: April 17, 2020 (see here).
Please also stay up to date on all COVID-19 developments by regularly checking the official CDC website on the outbreak here.
As the novel coronavirus outbreak (COVID-19) has taken hold, U.S. government agencies have ramped up the rapid release of fact sheets and guidance documents on a near hourly basis. To help navigate the outpouring of information, WHG is releasing a catalogue of these materials, intended to encapsulate and organize the relevant guidance for health care providers, insurers, state governments, public health agencies, and other stakeholders, as well as capture the status of major actions by the White House and Congress.
Among all federal entities, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has released a large share of the total guidance seen to-date, offering clarifying answers, explanations of new flexibilities, and infection prevention best practices to hospitals, nursing homes, home health agencies, insurers, and more. The newly implemented telehealth flexibilities – pursuant to changes included in the first Coronavirus legislative package passed in early March – have created a great deal of buzz throughout the industry, and show promise to help contain the spread of the disease by allowing all Medicare beneficiaries to receive approved telehealth services from their homes. As another example, CMS has also developed frameworks and guidelines for hospitals to limit elective surgeries among adult patients, intended to limit exposure of the virus and preserve the already scarcely available personal protective equipment (e.g., N95 respirators).
Additionally on the administrative front, we document several of the scientific advancements towards improving diagnostic testing in the U.S. and the search for potential treatments. For example, we capture National Institutes of Health (NIH)’s early phase trials of a COVID-19 vaccine, as well as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)’s announcement allowing States to authorize diagnostic tests developed in their own State labs. We also include the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPE)’s offering of advanced support to rapidly develop two diagnostic tests for COVID-19.
The catalogue also documents the major legislative activity that continues to occur on this front, including activities around the passage of the the Families First Coronavirus Response Act and the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, as well as various congressional oversight initiatives.
Again, the complete catalogue of federal activities is available here. Please reach out with any questions you may have as you review these resources and continue to track all federal updates. We are all in this together.
Taylor Cowey is a Vice President at Wynne Health Group, and focuses her work primarily on provider and health non-profit policy issues. At her core, she is a women’s health advocate and also specializes as a nutrition policy expert. You can reach Taylor via email at taylor@wynnehealth.com, and can follow her on LinkedIn and Twitter
Josh LaRosa is a Policy Director at Wynne Health Group, focusing primarily on regulatory affairs with an emphasis on the FDA and CMS. His interests lie in delivery reform and innovations in payment and care delivery models. You can reach Josh via email at josh@wynnehealth.com, and can find him on LinkedIn and Twitter as well.
