ALEXANDRIA, Va. (January 20, 2022)—In a statement, the National Home Infusion Association (NHIA) and several allied organizations called on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and state regulatory agencies to investigate unregulated direct access infusion businesses, which provide individuals with intravenous solutions absent the recommendation of a licensed prescriber.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (January 18, 2022)—The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) recently opened the Provider Relief Fund (PRF) reporting portal for providers to begin entering data to submit their second period PRF reports. Providers who received one or more General and/or Targeted PRF payments exceeding $10,000, in the aggregate, from July 1, 2020 to Dec. 31, 2020 must report on their use of funds in Reporting Period 2.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (January 18, 2022)—The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) met Thursday, January 13, to vote on their annual recommendations to Congress regarding payment policy and reporting requirements. This session served as a formality following presentation and discussion of the same recommendations that were put forward at the commission’s December 2021 meeting.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (January 13, 2022)—A subgroup of the Breast Pump Policy Coalition has engaged lobbyists in Illinois to assist with repealing the sales tax for breast pumps. State Sen. Barbara Hernandez introduced H.B. 4234 which would allow breast pumps, breast pump collection and storage supplies, and breast pump kits to be exempt from the taxes imposed beginning on July 1, 2022.

CLEARWATER, Fla. (January 12, 2022)—Empath Health announced that its affiliate organization Empath Hospice has been granted initial approval by the Agency for Health Care Administration to deliver hospice care services in Hardee, Highlands and Polk counties.
 
Empath Hospice is built on the foundation of Suncoast Hospice and Tidewell Hospice, which have been providing pioneering care in the Tampa Bay and Southwest Florida regions for a combined 85 years.