News

The Department of Labor March 28 released a set of frequently asked questions, which included information on how it defines “health care provider” and “emergency responder” under policies established by the Families First Coronavirus Response Act.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health issued guidance on decontaminating disposable filtering facepiece respirators (FFRs) for reuse during times of contingency and crisis capacity.

The AHA, Association of American Medical Colleges and Catholic Health Association of the United States requested that the Internal Revenue Service provide a six-month automatic extension for filing Forms 990, 990-T, and 4720 to any Section 501(c)(3) organization that is required to file Form 990, Schedule H.

The AHA, American Medical Association, American Society of Anesthesiologists, American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, and Association for Clinical Oncology are urging the Drug Enforcement Agency to allow drug manufacturers and 503B outsourcing facilities to receive increased annual production quota controlled-substance allocations during the COVID-19 crisis.

Given the scarcity of the ventilators in the Strategic National Stockpile and the current capacity of the private sector to meet the demand, the Federal Emergency Management Agency has adopted a new process to manage federal ventilator resources to ensure the ventilators are shipped to the states in the amount needed to manage the immediate crisis.

The Food and Drug Administration announced it is requesting manufacturers immediately withdraw all prescription and over-the-counter ranitidine drugs (commonly known by the brand name Zantac) from the market.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency and Department of Health and Human Services have created a Supply Chain Stabilization Task Force to address the need for personal protective equipment, ventilators and other life-saving equipment.

The AHA released a Special Bulletin with information and FAQs on the Federal Reserve emergency lending program included in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act.

Vice President Pence, on behalf of President Trump and the White House Coronavirus Task Force, sent a letter to the nation's hospitals requesting that all hospitals report certain data on COVID-19 testing results, bed and ventilator capacity.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services released a substantial number of new waivers related to COVID-19. The waivers apply nationwide and are retroactive to March 1, 2020.

AHA asked the Department of Health and Human Services and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to directly and expediently distribute to rural and urban hospitals and health systems funds from the Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund that were designated for providers in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act. 

The Joint Commission has issued a new standards FAQ on monitoring patients at high risk for suicide who have known or suspected COVID-19.

The Partnership to Amend 42 CFR Part 2, a coalition of nearly 50 health care organizations including the AHA, applauded Congress’ important step to modernize privacy regulations affecting the disclosure of patients’ substance use disorder treatment records.

The Food and Drug Administration expanded and updated guidance on the emergency use authorization for personal protective equipment.

Getting health care workers on the front line the personal protective equipment they need is the main focus right now for hospital and health system leaders, AHA President and CEO Rick Pollack said on CNN.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced additional details about its implementation of reporting exceptions and extensions across is quality reporting and value programs.

The Food and Drug Administration Friday authorized emergency use of the ID NOW Instrument in patient care settings to quickly test for COVID-19 through direct nasal or throat swab testing.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency coordinated flights from Asia with 80 tons of personal protective equipment for New York, New Jersey and Connected, with more flights going to Illinois today and Ohio Tuesday, FEMA said today in an update on the federal government’s response to COVID-19.

The Department of Health and Human Services said it will speed the development and manufacturing of vaccines to prevent COVID-19, starting a candidate from Johnson & Johnson subsidiary Janssen Research & Development.

President Trump March 27 issued an executive order “to expand domestic production of health and medical resources needed to respond to the spread of COVID-19, including personal protective equipment and ventilators,” as enabled by the Defense Production Act.