Congress
- Congress approved a $2 trillion emergency package to help millions of American workers and businesses survive the effects of the novel coronavirus pandemic gripping the country.
- Here is a summary of H.R. 748, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, and here is NAHU’s official statement on the CARES Act.
- Could there be a “Phase 4” coronavirus response?
Administration
- CMS has taken several recent actions in response to COVID-19 as part of the ongoing White House Task Force efforts. To keep up with the work the Task Force is doing in response to COVID-19, click here. For information specific to CMS, please visit the CMS News Room and Current Emergencies Website.
- CMS provided guidance on Payment and Grace Period Flexibilities for Issuers Offering Coverage on the Federally facilitated Exchanges and State-based Exchanges on the Federal Platform.
- CMS released an updated comprehensive list of FAQs about the Open Payments Program.
- CMS also released FAQs on Medicare Provider Enrollment Relief related to COVID-19 including the toll-free hotlines available to Medicare Administrative Contractors.
- The Department of Labor provided an FAQ on the Families First Coronavirus Response Act.
- The Small Business Administration released a guide on the CARES Act that provides information about the major programs intended to assist business owners with whatever needs they have right now, as well as some additional tax provisions that are outside the scope of SBA. Click here for the CARES Act Small Business Administration Flow Chart.
- The Social Security Administration published a website providing Americans with information related to their services during the coronavirus pandemic.
- The Internal Revenue Service released FAQs regarding this year’s tax filing deadline extension.
- The Health & Humans Services Office of Civil Rights released guidance to help ensure first responders and public health authorities receive protected health information about individuals exposed to COVID-19 so they can take extra precautions or use personal protective equipment.
- The Food & Drug Administration issued guidance for the temporary manufacturing of alcohol for incorporation into alcohol-based hand sanitizer products during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- President Trump announced an extension of federal guidance on social distancing through April, in a continued effort to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus.
States
- In a letter to governors, President Trump indicated he wants the government to rank U.S. counties according to their risk of a COVID-19 outbreak.
- The Department of Labor issued guidance on the $1 billion allocated by the Families First Coronavirus Response Act to help state unemployment offices handle the new influx of claims and expand their unemployment insurance coverage to as many people as possible who could be eligible under state law. Click here to see state-by-state shares of these grants.
- The National Conference of State Legislators (NCSL) has released a list of state legislation introduced in response to COVID-19.
- NCSL also weighed in on what the recently passed $2 trillion dollar stimulus package means for states around the nation.
