This article has been revised to include additional and updated guidance from the U.S. Department of Education. Please click here to view the most recent version.
This updated article provides links to, and briefly summarizes, legislation and federal agency guidance designed to ease the burden on higher education institutions.
Powers Principal Barbara Straub Williams was quoted in the April 7th 340B Report, a subscription-based news service that provides breaking news and analysis about the 340B program. Read More
As of early April 2020, the United States Congress has passed three major pieces of legislation to respond to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and bolster the American economy. Together, these bills inject more than $2 trillion into the economy; provide greatly expanded supplemental funding for federal, state, and local governments to combat the crisis; expand authorities for health care providers to treat patients; and much more. In the coming months, Congress is expected to consider a fourth and potentially fifth major package on COVID-19, bills that may include additional economic stimulus, infrastructure spending, and wider health care provisions.
Click here to visit our COVID-19 resource center.
WHITE HOUSE UPDATE
Monday, March 23
Coronavirus: President Trump Signs $2.2 Trillion Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act
Medical Supplies: President Issues Executive Order to Prevent Hoarding of Health and Medical Resources during COVID-19 Crisis
Powers attorneys Bill von Oehsen, Barbara Straub Williams, Peggy Tighe and Rebecca Burke hosted a webinar on telehealth issues, with a focus on recent changes as the result of the COVID-19 pandemic, including the addition of several new CPT codes for billing and payment of telehealth services and, in some circumstances, phone calls.
The full PowerPoint presentation can be seen here.*
*Current as of 4/3/2020
As of Friday, April 3, 2020, the Small Business Administration (SBA) is accepting loan applications from lenders under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), enacted March 27th. APPLY TODAY (or as soon as possible) if you are eligible and wish to participate in this first-come, first-served $349 billion program. Once these dollars are exhausted, the program will not accept additional applications. PPP loans do not have to be paid back if borrowers use at least 75% of the loan to retain employees and cover other specified expenses over an eight-week period. For more information on the PPP, please consult our detailed memo here, visit the SBA’s dedicated website here, and review the Interim Final Regulations, the most recent and detailed guidance published April 2, 2020, here.Read More
To support providers and suppliers during the COVID-19 public health emergency, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has announced a nationwide expansion of the Medicare Accelerated and Advance Payment Program (AAPP). Providers and suppliers will be able to access expedited and advanced payments in order to fund their operations and increase cash flow during the crisis and accompanying disruptions in claims submissions and processing. CMS’ fact sheet detailing eligibility and the application process can be found here.Read More
On Monday March 30, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) published blanket waivers to some of the Stark law requirements. The waivers are detailed and provide many examples of how they will apply. You can view the waivers here, but we think the important takeaways are as follows:
Powers attorneys Rebecca Burke and Megan La Suer hosted a webinar last week that discussed the impact of COVID-19 on Medicare and Medicaid telehealth waivers.
The full PowerPoint presentation can be seen here.*
*Slides are current as of March 31, 2020.
Congress and the Trump Administration have taken several key steps to address the expanding public health crisis caused by the coronavirus, officially known as COVID-19, while at the same time trying to staunch the negative repercussions currently affecting the nation’s employment and financial markets. To stay up to date on the latest news and insights from the Powers Law Firm, please visit our COVID-19 resource page: https://www.powerslaw.com/covid-19/.
Congress and the Trump Administration have taken several key steps to address the expanding public health crisis caused by the coronavirus, officially known as COVID-19, while at the same time trying to staunch the negative repercussions currently affecting the nation’s employment and financial markets. To stay up to date on the latest news and insights from the Powers Law Firm, please visit our COVID-19 resource page: https://www.powerslaw.com/covid-19/.
To alleviate cash flow problems, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is allowing Part A providers and Part B suppliers to request accelerated/advance Medicare payments. Read More
The Powers education group released a memorandum today summarizing the higher education provisions in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, passed on Friday, March 27. The memorandum provides an executive summary and a section-by-section overview of the higher education provisions of the CARES Act.
WHITE HOUSE UPDATE
Wednesday, March 18
Coronavirus: President Signs Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) to Support Americans’ Safety and Financial Security amid Coronavirus Crisis
This article has been revised to include additional and updated guidance from the U.S. Department of Education. Please click here to view the most recent version.
The spread of the 2019 novel coronavirus (“COVID-19”) has had an unprecedented impact on higher education institutions across the country. Schools are closing campuses, sending students home, and transitioning their academic programs from brick-and-mortar sites to distance education delivery methods. This article provides links to, and briefly summarizes, recent guidance issued by federal agencies and potential legislation designed to ease the burden on higher education institutions. All affected schools should remember to document any changes to their programs and to communicate the changes to their accreditors. Institutions should also promptly alert students to any changes in programs, the academic calendar, or method of instruction.
The Powers legislative practice released a memorandum today summarizing the second emergency bill pass to combat the coronavirus (COVID-19), known as the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA). Click here to read the full memo.
As the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) continues, nonprofit organizations are facing a number of difficult decisions regarding their upcoming conferences and events and their workplace policies. In most cases, organizations are choosing to cancel or postpone their events, and many are developing unprecedented workplace policies to protect the health of their employees, attendees, and members.
Powers Senior Director of Government Affairs Jeremy Scott presented last week at the Hematology/Oncology Pharmacists Association’s (HOPA) 16th Annual conference—HOPA AHEAD 2020.
