- Eight Hospitals Selected for First Cohort of Rural Hospital Stabilization Program
- Announcing the 2030 Census Disclosure Avoidance Research Program
- CMS: Medicare Program; Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems for Acute Care Hospitals and the Long-Term Care Hospital Prospective Payment System and Policy Changes and Fiscal Year 2026 Rates; Requirements for Quality Programs; and Other Policy Changes; Correction
- CMS: Medicare Program; Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems for Acute Care Hospitals and the Long-Term Care Hospital Prospective Payment System and Policy Changes and Fiscal Year 2026 Rates; Requirements for Quality Programs; and Other Policy Changes; Correction
- CMS: Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Contract Year 2026 Policy and Technical Changes to the Medicare Advantage Program, Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit Program, Medicare Cost Plan Program, and Programs of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly; Correction
- CMS: Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Contract Year 2026 Policy and Technical Changes to the Medicare Advantage Program, Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit Program, Medicare Cost Plan Program, and Programs of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly; Correction
- CMS: Medicare Program; Prospective Payment System and Consolidated Billing for Skilled Nursing Facilities; Updates to the Quality Reporting Program for Federal Fiscal Year 2026
- CMS: Medicare Program; FY 2026 Hospice Wage Index and Payment Rate Update and Hospice Quality Reporting Program Requirements
- Public Inspection: CMS: Medicare Program: Prospective Payment System and Consolidated Billing for Skilled Nursing Facilities; Updates to the Quality Reporting Program for Federal Fiscal Year 2026
- Public Inspection: CMS: Medicare Program: Fiscal Year 2026 Hospice Wage Index and Payment Rate Update and Hospice Quality Reporting Program Requirements
- CMS: Request for Information; Health Technology Ecosystem
- CMS: Medicare and Medicaid Programs; CY 2025 Payment Policies Under the Physician Fee Schedule and Other Changes to Part B Payment and Coverage Policies; Medicare Shared Savings Program Requirements; Medicare Prescription Drug Inflation Rebate Program; and Medicare Overpayments; and Appeal Rights for Certain Changes in Patient Status; Corrections and Correcting Amendment
- CMS: Medicare and Medicaid Programs; CY 2025 Payment Policies Under the Physician Fee Schedule and Other Changes to Part B Payment and Coverage Policies; Medicare Shared Savings Program Requirements; Medicare Prescription Drug Inflation Rebate Program; and Medicare Overpayments; and Appeal Rights for Certain Changes in Patient Status; Corrections and Correcting Amendment
- VA: Staff Sergeant Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program Funding Opportunity
- State: 60-Day Notice of Proposed Information Collection: J-1 Visa Waiver Recommendation Application
Covid-19 Crisis Puts Pressure on Farmers’ Mental Health
By Natalie Krebs
Studies have found the rates of mental illness and suicide are higher for farmers. They work long hours, have limited social contact and are at the mercy of factors such as weather. Now the COVID-19 pandemic is creating even greater challenges to their livelihood—and mental health.
Coronavirus Is Coming for Wildland Firefighters. They’re Not Ready.
By Zoya Teirstein
Keeping wildland firefighting crews safe this year will require a significant shift in the way the country fights wildfires. So far, the changes haven’t materialized.
Rural Counties with Covid-19 Cases from Meatpacking Have Infection Rates 5 Times Higher
By Leah Douglas and Tim Marema
A one-of-a-kind data set shows the statistical relationship between meatpacking and the spread of Covid-19 in rural America. Information compiled by the Food & Environment Reporting Network shows how meatpacking counties have some of the highest infection rates in the United States.
CMS Update: COVID-19 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on Medicare Fee-for-Service (FFS) Billing
On May 27, 2020, CMS issued updated FAQs. Among other topics, CMS noted that the RHC productivity limits may be waived during the COVID period at the discretion of the MACs (page 31). Based on this FAQ, if an RHC expects to have difficulty meeting the productivity guideline because of COVID, they should proactively consult with their MAC.
Another FAQ notes the treatment of telehealth costs on the cost reports (page 32). This FAQ response is consistent with current cost reporting instructions – as non-reimbursable costs excluded from the all-inclusive rate calculation. Other RHC FAQs are on pages 31-33.
The FAQs are attached and available at the following link.
The FAQs in this document supplement the previously released FAQs: 1135 Waiver FAQs, available at https://www.cms.gov/About-CMS/Agency-Information/Emergency/Downloads/MedicareFFS-EmergencyQsAs1135Waiver.pdf.
ARC EDA Program for Community COVID-19 Recovery Now Available
Acting Assistant Secretary Dana Gartzke and External Affairs Director Joel Frushone, of the Economic Development Agency (EDA) briefed ARC, the Delta Regional Authority and the Northern Border Regional Commission on the EDA CARES Act Recovery Assistance program, a new grant program developed via the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act and is being administered under the authority of the bureau’s Economic Adjustment Assistance (EAA) program. This $1.5 billion initiative provides a wide-range of financial assistance to communities and regions as they respond to and recover from the impacts of COVID-19. While mostly available via a competitive process, support may also be available to LDDs, universities, revolving loan funds and other entities on a non-competitive basis.
“COVID-19 has accelerated economic changes. Just as you see it in the aftermath of natural disasters, rural, urban, small and large business, local government, all of us have been impacted by this virus and are still being impacted,” said Phil Paradice, Regional Director, EDA Atlanta Regional Office.
In order to be more responsive to businesses that are impacted by COVID-19, EDA leadership added staff in order to ensure applicants receive an initial response within 30 days after submitting a full application. The EDA has also taken steps to waive certain restrictions such as no interest loans, or waiving various leverage requirements, so revolving loan funding can drive needed and necessary capital into small businesses to help them survive.
For more information and resources please visit, www.EDA.gov/coronavirus.
NIOSH Weekly News
As part of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health’s (NIOSH) efforts to keep stakeholders up to date on the CDC and NIOSH COVID-19 response, below is a summary of new information posted this week.
General Resources
Resuming Business Toolkit
CDC has developed a toolkit to guide employers as they seek to resume normal or phased business operations. The toolkit is based on CDC’s Interim Guidance for Businesses and Employers Responding to COVID-19 and is designed to assist employers as they implement that guidance in their workplaces. These tools will help employers in planning, preparing, and responding to COVID-19.
Industry Specific Resources
Fact Sheet for Working in Office Buildings
CDC published a new fact sheet for office building employers, building owners and managers, and building operations specialists. The fact sheet provides detailed steps to create a safe and healthy workplace and protect workers and clients from COVID-19 exposure.
For More Information
For more information, please visit the COVID-19 webpage. To stay up to date on new developments, sign up for the COVID-19 newsletter.
CMS: New From Coverage to Care Resources on COVID-19
From Coverage to Care (C2C) has released two new resources focused on coronavirus and health coverage.
Click here to see the new resources: go.cms.gov/c2ccovid19.
C2C’s Coronavirus and Your Health Coverage: Get the Basics talks about how to protect yourself and your family along with an overview on updates from Medicare, the Marketplace, and other information for consumers looking for information on health coverage and staying healthy during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Next, C2C has Stay Safe: Getting the Care You Need, at Home which focuses on how people can stay healthy within their home. This resource gives an overview of telehealth, managing ongoing health conditions, prescriptions, and other tips.
Want to receive updates on From Coverage to Care? Subscribe to the C2C listserv. To learn more or download C2C resources, please visit go.cms.gov/c2c or email CoverageToCare@cms.hhs.gov.
Penn State Center for Agricultural and Shale Law Offers Webinar
The Penn State Center for Agricultural and Shale Law is presenting a 60-minute webinar on Wednesday, June 3, 2020, from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm, which will synthesize some of the most important agricultural legal developments related to the COVID-19 pandemic in order to assist producers and agricultural employers understand what they need to know. This is anticipated to be the first in a continuing series of webinars as conditions evolve.
The focus of the initial webinar will be on regulatory actions and the legal issues that may ultimately have to play out in courts across the country.
Highlights will include an overview of:
- State-level actions by the Office of the Governor, PDA, DEP, PMMB, L&I, the Pennsylvania General Assembly and others that impact Pennsylvania agricultural operations in this crisis.
- Federal actions by the Executive Branch (the White House, USDA, DOT and others) and the U.S. Congress.
- The potential for invocation of the Defense Production Act re: food production and potential conflicts with state and local government authority.
- Risks and protections surrounding claims of legal liability for COVID-19 transmission; what is the meaning of the various lawsuits covered by the media so far and what are the legal issues to be aware of going forward?
For more information on this webinar, please contact Brook Duer at DHD5103@psu.edu or Jackie Schweichler at JKS251@psu.edu.
Pennsylvania Governor Issues Guidance on Dining
As more counties move to yellow and green, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf issued an order to elaborate on the reopening process for green phase counties and guidance on outdoor dining in yellow counties, dining in green counties, and professional sports in yellow counties.
Yellow Phase Outdoor Dining
Beginning June 5, restaurants and retail food service businesses located in counties designated as being in the yellow phase are permitted add dine-in service in outdoor seating areas so long as they strictly adhere to the requirements of the guidance, including maximum occupancy limits:
- Indoor areas, including bar areas, of restaurants and retail food service businesses must be closed to customers except for through-traffic. Non-bar seating in outdoor areas (i.e., tables or counter seats that do not line up to a bar or food service area) may be used for customer seating.
- Customers being served must be seated at a table.
Prohibitions are also included. The following are not permitted:
- Self-service food or drink options, such as buffets, salad bars, condiments, and drink stations.
- Condiments on tables; these must be dispensed by employees upon the request of a customer.
- Reusable menus.
- Refilling food and beverage containers or allowing implements brought in by customers.
Green Phase Dining
Retail food service businesses, including restaurants, and bars located in counties designated as being in the green phase are permitted to provide take-out and delivery sales, as well as dine-in service in both indoor and outdoor seating areas, so long as they strictly adhere to the requirements of the guidance, including maximum occupancy limits:
- Bar seating may be utilized if customers are seated and comply with physical distancing guideline of at least 6 feet or physical barriers between customers. Standing in a bar area will not be permitted.
- A maximum of four customers that have a common relationship may sit together at the bar, while adhering to the physical distancing guidelines or barriers between other customers.
No business is required to conduct in-person operations and should not do so if unable to follow applicable guidance.
Dining guidance provides businesses and employees in the restaurant and retail food service industry with specific details on operations, including following the Guidance for Businesses Permitted to Operate During the COVID-19 Disaster Emergency to Ensure the Safety and Health of Employees and the Public, available here, and provisions specific to mask-wearing, table-spacing, occupancy limits, sanitization, and implementation of a COVID-19 prevention plan, among other provisions to ensure worker and customer safety.
The dining guidance also notes that restaurants and retail food service businesses located in counties designated as being in the red phase are permitted to provide take-out and delivery sales only and may not allow the service or consumption of food or beverages on the premises.
Now Available: Fact Sheet for State and Local Governments – CMS Programs & Payment for Care in Hospital Alternate Care Sites
In response to the COVID-19 public health emergency, state and local governments, hospitals, and others are developing alternate care sites to expand capacity and provide needed care to patients. This newly published fact sheet provides state and local governments developing alternate care sites with information on how to seek payments through CMS programs – Medicare, Medicaid, and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) – for acute inpatient and outpatient care furnished at the site.