PUBLISHER EDITORIAL: When the Wuhan virus epidemic runs its course, as it ultimately will, I suggest that it is then time to re-evaluate our response to the epidemic and give some hard thought to other public health crises and the scale of response that is appropriate to current and future epidemics. As of the creation … Read more
I will update with new resources daily as identified. Links are provided for regularly updated resources whenever possible. SITREP: Real-time world data: https://www.worldometers.info/ US Deaths: https://www.worldlifeexpectancy.com/usa-cause-of-death-by-age-and-gender Article: Hot spots by county: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/map-reveals-hidden-u-s-hotspots-of-coronavirus-infection/ National: CMS has issued a number of waivers to various states. A blanket waiver has been issued for a number … Read more
Waiver or Modification of Requirements Under Section 1135 of the Social Security Act March 13, 2020 Pursuant to Section 1135(b) of the Social Security Act (the Act) (42 U.S.C. § 1320b-5), I, Alex M. Azar II, Secretary of Health and Human Services, hereby waive or modify the following requirements of titles XVIII, XIX, and XXI … Read more
March 4, 2019 — In an unprecedented move, CMS has issued state advisories on three topics, including limiting facilities surveys to priority issues: https://www.cms.gov/files/document/qso-20-12-allpdf.pdf-1 A second QSO Memo, Guidance for Infection Control and Prevention Concerning Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19): FAQs and Considerations for Patient Triage, Placement and Hospital Discharge is not currently responding to the CMS … Read more
[Publisher’s Note: The following memoranda apply specifically to the 2014 outbreak of Ebola and 2009 FAQ concerns for a pandemic, but it is equally applicable to the current potential pandemic for COVID-19 when assessing EMTALA compliance.] DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services7500 Security Boulevard, Mail Stop C2-21-16Baltimore, Maryland 21244-1850Center … Read more
CMS has issued a reminder on EMTALA obligations in the event of a pandemic by re-issuing the previous advisory regarding Ebola from 2015. The document can be found under the Ebola category on this website or at the following link: https://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Provider-Enrollment-and-Certification/SurveyCertEmergPrep/Downloads/Survey-Cert-Letter-15-24-EMTALA-Ebola.pdf
Latest Covid-19 Data From CDC https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/hcp/index.html
I just learned about this new drug yesterday — in the tox screen in the coroner’s report for a relative who OD’d in February. This drug — Kratom — is billed as a herbal but was found in lethal levels along with other substances on autopsy. Then later in the day, it turned up again … Read more
Health Care Provider Pays $100,000 Settlement to OCR for Failing to Implement HIPAA Security Rule Requirements The practice of Steven A. Porter, M.D., has agreed to pay $100,000 to the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and to adopt a corrective action plan to settle a … Read more
In light of the Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) outbreak, the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is providing this bulletin to ensure that HIPAA covered entities and their business associates are aware of the ways that patient information may be shared under the HIPAA Privacy Rule in … Read more