On May 1, 2023, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (“CMS”) announced two investigations of hospitals that failed to offer necessary stabilizing care to a pregnant individual experiencing an emergency medical...more
On September 27, 2022 and October 3, 2022, CMS announced additional resources and flexibilities available for Florida and South Carolina in response to the aftermath of Hurricane Ian. Following the President’s...more
Out-of-network providers appear to be inflating the price of COVID-19 diagnostic and antibody tests, according to a recent America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) survey. The October 2020 survey reports that out-of-network...more
Medical rationing is not something Americans are accustomed to, but COVID-19 may soon change that. As local hospitals become overwhelmed with COVID-19 patients, they may reach the point where they have to make grim decisions...more
On Wednesday, September 2, 2020, Governor Janet Mills issued a proclamation extending Maine’s state of civil emergency through October 1, 2020. This is the sixth proclamation renewing the state of civil emergency, and keeps...more
On Monday, June 30, 2020, HHS spokesman Michael Caputo tweeted that HHS intends to extend the COVID-19 public health emergency before it expires on July 25, 2020. Once extended, the public health emergency will be effective...more
As described in our recent article setting forth the Basics of FEMA Public Assistance Program Funding for the COVID-19 Pandemic, national emergency and disaster declarations have made federal Disaster Relief Funds available...more
Tensions between safety, public health, and economic considerations broke into open view again yesterday, as the Wisconsin Supreme Court struck down an Emergency Order issued by the Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of...more
Recognizing the challenges facing employee benefit plan sponsors, administrators, and participants, on April 28, 2020, the Departments of Treasury (“DOT”), Labor (“DOL”) and Health and Human Services (“HHS”) extended certain...more
White House Unveils Testing Blueprint, Senate Slated to Return Monday, House Return Uncertain - President Trump unveiled the Administration’s blueprint for state testing plans and rapid response programs on Monday,...more
As previously reported, Texas Governor Greg Abbott issued Executive Order GA-15 extending the ban on surgeries and procedures with modifications regarding diagnostic procedures, timely (rather than immediate) need for...more
In response to President Trump's declaration of a national emergency concerning COVID-19, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has issued a limited waiver of sanctions and penalties against covered hospitals...more
On April 17, 2020, Texas Governor, Gregg Abbot signed Executive Order GA-15 which extended, with some modifications, Executive Order GA-09 which prohibits certain non-emergency surgeries and procedures and is set to expire on...more
As industry continues to adapt to the evolving realities of shelter-in-place orders, companies face challenges in supporting an unprecedented remote workforce while balancing compliance with a variety of regulatory agencies....more
In times of emergency, the Secretary of Health and Human Services (the "Secretary") has authority to issue temporary waivers or modifications of certain Medicare, Medicaid, CHIP, and HIPAA requirements. The Centers for...more
On March 30, 2020, the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services ("Secretary") announced a blanket waiver ("Waiver") of sanctions for violations of Section 1877 of the Social Security Act, also known as the...more
On March 23, 2020, the New York State (NYS) Department of Health issued updated guidance regarding use of telehealth by Medicaid providers, Comprehensive Guidance Regarding Use of Telehealth including Telephonic Services...more
On March 27, 2020, President Trump signed into law the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), the purpose of which is to provide emergency assistance and health care responses for individuals,...more
The unprecedented global pandemic posed by the new coronavirus (“COVID-19”) has left US lawmakers scrambling to provide emergency relief for individuals and businesses throughout the country while also seeking to slow the...more
Federal and state government agencies have taken a series of unprecedented steps in recent days to fast-track the availability of coronavirus (COVID-19) diagnostic testing and spur innovation in the design and development of...more
Responding to the Coronavirus public health emergency, the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) has waived certain requirements of the Medicare, Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), including...more
On March 13, 2020, the President declared the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak in the U.S. a national emergency. The President’s declaration, coupled with Section 1135 (of the Social Security Act) waivers issued by the...more
On March 19, 2020, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) issued a Fact Sheet providing additional guidance on emergency protective measures that may be eligible for funding under the Stafford Act when incurred by a...more
President Donald Trump declared the coronavirus pandemic a National Emergency on March 13, 2020. This declaration granted the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar authority to relax certain...more
On March 17, 2020, the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG) issued a Policy Statement addressing the ability of physicians and other practitioners to reduce or waive patient...more