On November 2, 2021, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (“CMS”)released its Calendar Year (“CY”) 2022 Medicare Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (“OPPS”) and Ambulatory Surgical Center (“ASC”) Payment System final rule. This final rule is scheduled to
Regulatory
CMS issues proposed rule repealing Medicare pending new “reasonable and necessary” definition and HHS issues proposed rule implementing provisions of the No Surprises Act
On Wednesday, September 15, 2021, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (“CMS”) issued a proposed rule that would, among other things, repeal the pending new definition for items and services that are considered “reasonable and necessary” under Medicare Parts…
COVID-19 Update: Biden Administration requires COVID-19 vaccine or proof of negative COVID-19 test for employees at large companies
On September 9, 2021, President Biden announced a new, upcoming mandate that requires all employers with 100 or more employees “to ensure their workforce is fully vaccinated or require any workers who remain unvaccinated to produce a negative test result…
COVID-19 update: United States military requires COVID-19 vaccine
Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III issued a memorandum on August 25, 2021, mandating immediate and full COVID-19 vaccines for all members of the United States Armed Forces, including the Ready Reserve and National Guard. The memorandum began, “To…
World Health Organization urges moratorium for COVID-19 booster shots
On August 4, 2021, Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus of the World Health Organization (“WHO”) emphasized the import of delaying the administration of booster shots for the COVID-19 vaccine until at least September 2021. He believes this delay will allow at…
Biden administration requires federal employees to receive COVID-19 vaccination with Delta variant on the rise
On Thursday, July 29, 2021, the White House confirmed that the Biden Administration would articulate new goals related to COVID-19 and the Delta variant:
- Strengthening safety protocols for federal employees and federal contractors.
- Protecting those who serve our country.
- Expanding
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COVID-19 update: CDC releases updated masking recommendations
On July 27, 2021, Dr. Rochelle Walenksy updated the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (“CDC”) recommendation regarding mask use for vaccinated individuals in a Media Telebriefing concerning COVID-19. At the time of this writing, the transcript is…
CMS issues 2022 OPPS proposed rule
On Monday, July 19, 2021, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (“CMS”) released its Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (“OPPS”) and Ambulatory Surgery Center (“ASC”) proposed rule for Calendar Year (“CY”) 2022. In the proposed rule, CMS proposes a…
The Joint Commission seeks to address disparities in the health care system
The Joint Commission issued a new advisory to encourage health care providers to take tangible steps to better understand and meet the needs of the diverse populations of which they serve. The Joint Commission recognized that COVID-19 has “shed a…
COVID-19 update: CDC student guidelines and Delta variant
On Friday, July 9, 2021, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (“CDC”) released new guidelines for students in kindergarten through twelfth grade. The CDC updated its guidelines to “provide safe and supportive learning environments for students.” It recognized that…