FEDERAL NEWS
HHS Renews Public Health Emergency
On the afternoon of July 15th, HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra once again renewed the Public Health Emergency (PHE). Renewing the public health emergency declaration ensures health care providers and state and territorial health departments have continued flexibility to respond to the pandemic, helping save lives. These flexibilities support efforts such as rapid patient care during emergencies, including waivers from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services for certain requirements under section 1135 of the Social Security Act. Examples of such requirements include preapproval requirements and temporary reassignment of state, territorial, tribal or local staff who typically are funded by federal grants in order to respond to the emergency. One of the first statements from the Biden Administration was that HHS would give at least 60 days’ notice prior to terminating the PHE.
FDA Authorizes Pharmacists to Prescribe PAXLOVID with Certain Limits
The FDA issued an emergency use authorization (EUA) for PAXLOVID (nirmatrelvir co-packaged with ritonavir) for the treatment of mild-to-moderate COVID-19 in certain adults and pediatric patients at high risk for progression to severe COVID-19, including hospitalization or death. On July 6th, the FDA revised the EUA to let pharmacists prescribe and dispense PAXLOVID to eligible patients without seeing a doctor or other clinician.
STATE NEWS
KFMC Rolls Out COVID-19 Rapid Response Staffing Support Center
KDHE has partnered with KFMC Health Improvement Partners to assist long-term care facilities and state licensed homes, impacted by COVID-19, with emergency temporary staffing services. KFMC has developed a Rapid Response Staffing Support Center (RRSSC) to manage the intake and fulfillment of the staffing support requests.
The RRSSC is only for staffing requests directly related to COVID-19 in which staff shortages are impacting resident care. Requests are submitted via a designated intake form, is limited to short term assistance, and is not intended to be a long-term staffing solution.
Read more about it or contact Brenda Groves directly at bgroves@kfmc.org.
LEADINGAGE KANSAS NEWS
Join Us This Friday for our Weekly Webinar
On July 29th, we will host Chuck Clanahan, U.S. Department of Homeland Security who will present on the Active Shooter Policy. This session will NOT be recorded due to a request from him. Make sure to attend the webinar live that day so you don’t miss his session. The entire webinar will not be recorded as we cannot start recording in the middle. We can’t wait to have you join us!
Get the latest on COVID-19, CMS, the Legislature and more each Friday at 10 AM. If you haven’t registered for future calls, you can do so here. If you would like to listen to updates you have missed, visit this page.
LEADINGAGE NATIONAL NEWS
This Week’s Online Coronavirus Policy Updates
Join us today and Wednesday at 2:30 PM CT for our online coronavirus policy updates. Today, Dr. Richard Pitts, Chief Medical Officer at CalOptima, will talk about how home and community-based services providers are working to ensure consumer and staff access to vaccinations, treatments, and other essential services. On Wednesday, Dr. Michael Wasserman will discuss his latest article on the importance of developing leadership skills in aging services and how we can integrate long term care in local planning. Register today.
RESOURCES
Global COVID-19 Tracker updated as of July 14th
This tracker provides the cumulative number of confirmed COVID-19 cases and deaths, as well as the rate of daily COVID-19 cases and deaths by country, income, region, and globally.
Fact Sheet: Biden Administration Outlines Strategy to Manage BA.5
On July 12th, the White House COVID-19 Team announced its strategy to manage BA.5, a subvariant of the Omicron variant. The strategy relies on ensuring that Americans continue to have easy and convenient access to the vaccines, treatments, tests, and other tools that protect against and treat COVID-19.
White House Summit on the American Rescue Plan: More than $40 Billion Committed to Strengthening Our Workforce
On Wednesday, July 13, 2022, LeadingAge participated virtually in the “White House Summit on the American Rescue Plan and the Workforce” hosted by Vice President Kamala Harris. The event, co-hosted by the White House American Rescue Plan Implementation Team and the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs, featured state and local leaders from across the country and announced how over $40 Billion in American Rescue Plan (ARP) fund investments have been committed to strengthening our workforce. The Summit highlighted ARP investments across the areas of “care and public health, expanding access to the workforce for underserved populations and expanding the workforce.” A White House Fact Sheet provides the official Summit highlights and an overview of the initiatives that panelist highlighted during their remarks. And here is an article on the White House Summit.
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