WASHINGTON, D.C. (January 22, 2021)—Earlier this month, outgoing HHS Secretary Alex Azar announced that the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE) declaration would be renewed for an additional 90-day term, effective January 21. The extension keeps significant measures of COVID-19 relief for our industry in effect until at least April 21, 2021, including:
COVID-19 (Coronavirus) and Homecare
HomeCare magazine knows that the coronavirus outbreak will impact almost every aspect of how homecare businesses operate. This page is a way to stay abreast of the latest developments surrounding the virus as it affects home health agencies, home medical equipment providers and the aging in place community. We’ll post news updates, industry developments, evolving risks and online resources as we become aware of them, so check in regularly for up-to-date information.
NAPERVILLE, Ill. (January 14, 2021)—Distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine is underway across the country, starting with frontline health care workers and those over the age of 65 (or 75 in some areas) or with underlying conditions. Although the rollout in some areas has been slow, hampered by storage issues and political obstacles, community pharmacies are gearing up to help vaccinate the masses.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (January 15, 2021)—The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), is announcing today that it will be amending the reporting timeline for the Provider Relief Fund Program (PRF) due to the recent passage of the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act. HHS has been working to provide updated reporting requirements that comply with this recently passed legislation.
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WASHINGTON, D.C. (January 4, 2021)—President Donald J. Trump signed legislation in late December to fund U.S. federal government operations through the 2021 Fiscal Year and provide $900 billion of stimulus supports to address the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. NAHC has provided the following summary of the over 5600-page legislation.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (December 21, 2020)—A broad COVID-19 relief legislative package finalized by House and Senate leaders includes provisions to address a Medicare payment disparity for oxygen products in rural areas stemming from the application of outdated budget neutrality provisions in the 1997 Balanced Budget Act.
Washington, D.C. (December 18, 2020)—The American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL), representing more than 14,000 nursing homes and long-term care facilities across the country that provide care to approximately five million people each year, launched a campaign to encourage long-term care residents and staff to get vaccinated against COVID-19.
PHOENIX, Ariz. (December 18, 2020)—Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and associated government restrictions and limitations on large gatherings and travel restrictions, both domestically and internationally, the Medtrade West team has made the decision to postpone its annual live, face-to-face event to July 2021. Originally slated to take place April 12-14, 2021, the new event dates are Monday, July 12 to Wednesday, July 14, 2021, at the Phoenix Convention Center in Phoenix, Arizona.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (December 15, 2020)—The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released a COVID-19 Vaccination Toolkit for medical centers, clinics and clinicians.
Materials include:
WASHINGTON, D.C. (December 8, 2020)—The National Association for Home Care & Hospice (NAHC) has joined with other likeminded organizations to urgently ask Congress to consider the overlooked needs of the disabled and elderly when considering any upcoming COVID relief.
WINTER HAVEN, Fla. (December 7, 2020)—3B Medical announced today receiving Emergency Use Authorization from the FDA to permit use of Lumin, a UVC system, on N95 respirators during the COVID-19 pandemic. Lumin was designed to clean CPAP accessories but is also used as a multi-purpose sanitizer.
NEW YORK, (December 3, 2020)—With the onset of COVID-19, New York-based St. Mary’s Home Care moved quickly to identify new approaches for conducting virtual home visits. The widely respected agency is part of St. Mary’s Healthcare System for Children, New York’s primary provider of long-term and rehabilitative care for critically ill and injured children.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (December 3, 2020)—Vaccine advisers to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) voted 13-1 on Tuesday, Dec. 1, to recommend health care workers and residents of long-term care facilities receive prioritization for coronavirus vaccines that receive emergency authorization from the Food and Drug Administration.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (December 1, 2020)—The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has outlined unprecedented comprehensive steps to increase the capacity of the American health care system to provide care to patients outside a traditional hospital setting amid a rising number of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) hospitalizations across the country.
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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (November 24, 2020)—The percentage of patients discharged from short-term acute care hospitals (STACH) to home health has risen from 11% in May 2019 to 19% one calendar year later, according to a new report from ATI Advisory.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (November 18, 2020)—The American Association for Homecare (AAHomecare) urged government officials to include DMEPOS suppliers in the Phase 1 Distribution of COVID-19 vaccine for front-line health care personnel.
SAN DIEGO, Calif. (November 17, 2020)—Independa, innovators of the award winning TV-based social engagement, education and care platform, today announced the results of a commissioned U.S. consumer survey, finding COVID-19 has had a critical impact on older adults' mental health and physical health.
AMSTERDAM (November 17, 2020)—Royal Philips, a global provider of health technology, today announced findings from its first ever World COPD Day survey ahead of the awareness day on November 18. Philips surveyed more than 4,000 adults in China, India, Russia and the U.S. to gather insights on global awareness of respiratory conditions, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and how the COVID-19 pandemic has influenced overall perceptions of respiratory health.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (November 13, 2020)—The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that Medicare beneficiaries can receive coverage of monoclonal antibodies to treat coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) with no cost-sharing during the public health emergency (PHE). CMS’s coverage of monoclonal antibody infusions applies to bamlanivimab, which received an emergency use authorization (EUA) from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Nov. 9.