Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) News

The Federal Emergency Management Agency said that the Defense Production Act is being used to access 60,000 test kits, each with the capacity to serve approximately 300-400 patients.

The AHA, American Medical Association and American Nurses Association urged the public to stay home as the nation continues efforts to combat COVID-19.

The Federal Communications Commission March 20 issued a ruling confirming that the COVID-19 pandemic qualifies as an “emergency” under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act.

A report by Premier, Inc., indicates dramatic spikes in demand for two antimalarial drugs that may influence positive COVID-19 outcomes.

The first Americans Sunday joined a nightly, worldwide movement that began in Europe to show support and gratitude to the nurses, physicians and other health care workers caring for patients during the COVID-19 pandemic.

As requested by AHA, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services issued a corrected announcement regarding the Medicare Severity-Diagnosis Related Group Grouper to recognize the new ICD-10-CM diagnosis code, U07.1, for COVID-19.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services released a series of COVID-19 checklists and tools for states to use for their Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Programs.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has released frequently asked questions regarding enrollment relief for Medicare providers in light of COVID-19.

The Food and Drug Administration issued the first emergency use authorization for a point-of-care COVID-19 diagnostic, which the maker plans to make available to qualified health care providers and CLIA-certified labs by March 30.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services granted a range of data reporting exceptions and extensions across its quality reporting and value-based payment programs for hospitals, post-acute care facilities and clinicians to relieve provider burden during the COVID-19 crisis.

The Department of Justice has established a website, hotline and email for reporting price gouging and fraud. The National Center for Disaster Fraud is coordinating the effort and will triage complaints to the appropriate federal and/or state authorities.

The AHA has asked the Department of Labor to accurately define “health care provider” as it promulgates regulations implementing key sections of the recently-enacted Families First Coronavirus Response Act and clarify how this policy will be operationalized, including how it interacts with state law.

Hospitals and health systems need additional federal funding to combat COVID-19, AHA President and CEO Rick Pollack said on CBS’ Face the Nation.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency released a COVID-19 pandemic advisory describing in general terms what actions it is taking, how community-based testing sites will be managed, and information about the Defense Production Act.

In response to the COVID-19 outbreak, the Food and Drug Administration released updated guidance to provide flexibility and expand the availability of ventilators and other respiratory devices to treat patients during the public health emergency.

Leaders from the Senate and administration continue to negotiate a third spending package related to COVID-19.

The Coalition to Protect America’s Health Care, of which the AHA is a founding member, launched a digital campaign urging 2.2 million members to encourage their lawmakers to include in the new emergency funding package funding for hospitals to protect the health care workforce and increase their capacity to treat patients.

The heroic, nonstop work of our nation’s hospitals and health systems, physicians, caregivers and staff continues across the country, as care teams race to treat patients affected by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) and make every effort to contain its spread.

At an AHA press briefing today, hospital and health system leaders from across the country described the urgent need for federal aid to ensure that frontline medical personnel have the tools and resources they need to effectively respond to the COVID-19 crisis.

Health care providers can now use FDA-cleared non-invasive remote devices to monitor a patient’s vital signs, the agency said.