Key points in this update:
- HHS will hold two webinars on its recently announced $15 billion Provider Relief Fund distribution to Medicaid and CHIP providers. Pre-registration is required.
- Dr. Fauci warned that we are still in the first COVID-19 wave despite the fact that many states and localities have begun reopening.
- HHS released a fact sheet that provides more details for the White House Operation Warp Speed initiative to develop a COVID-19 vaccine.
Congress
Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pension (HELP) Committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-TN)endorsedmaking two temporary Medicare telehealth policies permanent. He supports:
- Medicare patients’ ability to receive telehealth services from any location; and
- an expanded list of Medicare telehealth services.
Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Senate Finance Chairman, asked Committee members forsuggestionson policy aimed at tackling racial and ethnic health disparities, especially during COVID-19.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, as well as other health officials, are scheduled to appear at the House Committee on Energy and Commercehearingon June 23.
White House and Federal Agencies
HHS will hold two webinars on its recently announced $15 billion Provider Relief Fund distribution to Medicaid and CHIP providers. Pre-registration is required.
The first COVID-19 vaccines approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)may onlyprevent severe symptoms instead of preventing the infection itself.
Dr. Fauciwarnedthat we are still in the first COVID-19 wave despite the fact that many states and localities have begun reopening. He isadvisingpeople “not to let their guard down” despite the recent re-openings.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)released a reportthat found that people with underlying conditions are 12 times more likely to die from COVID-19.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) moved thedeadlinefor health plans to submit 2019 Medical Loss Ratio (MLR) Annual Reporting Forms from July 31 to August 17.
The U.S.-Canada border willremain closedto non-essential travelers until July 21.
CMS Administrator Seema Verma published anOp Edabout how CMS will refocus its efforts on non-COVID-19 policies.
Economic Recovery
Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell isencouragingCongress to pass more COVID-19 economic relief funding.
The Federal Reserve announced it will take more unprecedented action to help strengthen the economy. The Federal Reserve willbegin purchasingindividual corporate bonds both directly from companies and on secondary markets.
Retail sales in Mayincreasedby 17.7 percent.
Vaccine, Testing and Treatment
Resultsfrom a University of Oxford study showed that dexamethasone, a commonly used steroid, reduces death in severe COVID-19 patients by up to one third. Scientists around the world arecautiously optimisticabout the study but are remaining skeptical until they can review the research data.
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)releaseda fact sheet that provides more details for the White House Operation Warp Speed initiative to develop a COVID-19 vaccine.
The National Institutes of Health (NIH)announcedit will leverage itsAll of Usresearch program to research COVID-19.All of Us是一个科尔aborative NIH health research program intended to enroll at least one million people. According to the announcement, it currently has 350,000 people enrolled.
The NIH iscontinuingits research and clinical trials of the malaria drug, hydroxychloroquine, even though the FDA revoked the drug’s Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) earlier this week. The drug is not recommended for treating COVID-19 except in clinical trials.
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