Ambulatory Surgical Centers (ASC)

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On November 4, 2021, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued heavily anticipated emergency regulations requiring COVID-19 vaccination of eligible staff at health care facilities that participate in the Medicare and Medicaid programs. CMS issued an Interim Final Rule (IFR) in response to the COVID-19 “Path out of the Pandemic” Action Plan announced by President Biden on September 9, 2021, that per CMS is intended to protect the health and safety of residents, patients and staff at health care facilities. See our previous analysis of the Plan here.

Below please find key takeaways regarding the new COVID-19 vaccination requirements for health care facilities and staff:
Continue Reading CMS Issues Emergency Regulation Requiring COVID-19 Vaccination for Health Care Facility Workers

On November 30 and December 2, 2020, the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (OIG) published two final rules (available here: November 30 Final Rule and December 2 Final Rule) which modify the safe harbor regulations to the federal Anti-Kickback Statute (AKS) and codify a new exception to the Civil…

On July 14, 2020 Connecticut Governor Lamont issued Executive Order No. 7HHH, in which the Governor modified state law to enable the Commissioner of the Department of Public Health (DPH) to temporarily suspend licensure, registration and certification requirements for certain DPH-regulated practitioners for the duration of the state public health and civil preparedness emergency.  Notably, in that Executive Order, the Governor stated that “healthcare providers from outside Connecticut have greatly enhanced the provision of healthcare services in Connecticut during the COVID-19 pandemic and thereby fundamentally improved the state’s ability to protect public health at critical time.”
Continue Reading Connecticut Authorizes Out-of-State Health Care Practitioners to Render Assistance for Remainder of COVID-19 Pandemic

On May 22, 2020 the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued a 45-day extension of the deadline for providers who receive payments from the CARES Act Provider Relief Fund to accept the Terms and Conditions attached to such payments. Providers now have up to 90 days from the date a payment is received to accept the Terms and Conditions or return the funds to HHS.  In its announcement, HHS reiterated its prior position that “Providers that do not accept the Terms and Conditions after 90 days of receipt will be deemed to have accepted the Terms and Conditions.”
Continue Reading HHS Extends Compliance Deadline for Providers Receiving CARES Act Provider Relief Funds and Reminds Providers of June 3 Deadline Related to Additional Relief Fund Payments

Massachusetts continues to issue directives and guidance for health care providers in response to COVID-19. In this post we highlight Orders and Guidance issued by Massachusetts Governor Baker and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH). The guidance addresses topics including collection of COVID-19 demographic information, use of alternative space for provision of health care treatment, health professional licensing, EMS transport of patients, hospital policies for returning exposed health care personnel to work, use of PPE and equipment, and updates for pharmacies.
Continue Reading Massachusetts Issues COVID-19 Orders and Guidance for Providers

On April 9, 2020 the Department of Health & Human Services Office for Civil Rights (OCR) issued another Notification that it will exercise its enforcement discretion and not impose penalties for HIPAA violations in connection with good faith participation in the operation of COVID-19 testing sites during the COVID-19 emergency.
Continue Reading HHS Waives HIPAA Penalties for Operation of a Community-Based COVID-19 Testing Site

The Connecticut Office of Health Strategy (OHS) issued its third guidance document related to CON requirements related to the COVID-19 pandemic on March 25, in which OHS waives CON approval requirements for hospitals seeking to temporarily increase bed capacity or temporarily suspend (as opposed to terminate) inpatient or outpatient services in order to diagnose and treat COVID-19 patients. On March 31, OHS updated that guidance to expand its applicability to outpatient surgical facilities (OSFs) in Connecticut.
Continue Reading Connecticut Waives CON Approval Requirements Entirely for Temporary Bed Expansions and Temporary Service Suspensions by Hospitals and Outpatient Surgical Facilities Related to COVID-19 Response Efforts

Massachusetts continues to issue additional directives and guidance for the health care provider community in response to COVID-19. In this post we highlight new orders by Massachusetts Governor Baker, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH), and MassHealth. Updates include expanded license reciprocity for non-physicians, independent practice of certain Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs), waiver of certain MassHealth requirements in the discharge and transfer of long-term care patients, and authorization for EOHHS to establish temporary rates, supplemental payments, or alternative rates and payment methodologies for certain providers. MassHealth has also issued FAQs for behavioral health providers utilizing telehealth to provide services.
Continue Reading Massachusetts Issues Further COVID-19 Updates for Providers

On March 27, Congress enacted the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act, or the Act), Public Law 116-136, a trillion-dollar stimulus bill intended to provide financial assistance to individuals and business affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.  The Act contains a broad range of measures intended to bolster the economy in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.  Unsurprisingly, a central focus of the Act is the provision of relief and support for hospitals and health care providers on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic.  This article provides a brief overview of some of the major pieces of the CARES Act, and the firm will provide additional updates on key aspects of the Act.
Continue Reading CARES Act Provides Vital Financial Support for Health Care Providers on COVID-19 Front Lines

In this article, we highlight additional updates issued by state and federal government authorities for the health care community in Massachusetts related to COVID-19. This post addresses the Section 1135 waivers granted by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) related to MassHealth and CHIP, Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) orders and guidance regarding Determination of Need and nurse staffing ratios, and MassHealth guidance for providers and pharmacies.
Continue Reading CMS grants Massachusetts Section 1135 Waiver, DPH issues Guidance regarding Determination of Need and Nurse Staffing Requirements, and MassHealth Issues Provider and Pharmacy Guidance