Supply Shortages 

  • Provides for the National Academies to examine and report on the security of the U.S. medical product supply chain in order to assess U.S. dependence on critical drugs and devices sourced outside of the U.S., and to develop recommendations to improve resiliency of the U.S. supply chain for critical drug and devices.
  • Requires the Strategic National Stockpile to include certain types of medical supplies, including personal protective equipment (PPEs), and identifies respiratory protective devices as covered countermeasures for use during a public health emergency.
  • Prioritizes the review of drug applications to mitigate emergency drug shortages.
  • Creates additional reporting requirements for drug manufacturers to report a discontinuation and disruption of the sourcing of active pharmaceutical ingredients.
  • Requires manufacturers of certain drugs and medical devices critical to public health during a public emergency to develop, maintain, and implement risk management plans related to shortages, creating an annual notification requirement of the same. Such manufacturers are also subject to shortage-related inspections by the Secretary of Health and Human Services (“HHS”).

Access to Healthcare

  • Permits group health plans and insurers to cover and reimburse providers of diagnostic testing relating to COVID-19 at pre-emergency-period negotiated rates, and sets reimbursement rates in instances without previously negotiated rates equal to the cash price for services listed on a publicly-available website, or the plan or insurer can negotiate with a provider for a rate lower than such cash price. All providers of a diagnostic test for COVID-19 are required to publicize cash price for such tests. Failure to comply with these requirements could result in HHS assessing a civil monetary penalty of up to $300 per day.
  • Requires health plans and issuers to provide for rapid coverage of “qualifying coronavirus preventative services” – an item, service, or immunization intended to prevent or mitigate coronavirus—and vaccines for coronavirus.
  • Appropriates $1.3 billion for FY 2020 for supplemental awards to health care centers for the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of COVID-19.
  • Amends Section 330I of the Public Health Service Act, relating to Telehealth Network and Telehealth Resource Centers Grant Programs, and Section 330A of the Public Health Service Act, relating to the Rural Health Care Services Outreach, Rural Health Network Development, and Small Healthcare Provider Quality Improvement Grant Programs—an individual or entity affected by these grant programs should seek out an attorney to examine the effect of such amendments.
  • Limits potential state and federal liability for volunteer health care professionals—who provide services without compensation or other thing of value—for harm caused to patients relating to the diagnosis, prevention, or treatment of COVID-19. This provision expressly preempts more restrictive state or local law.
  • Amends certain federal regulations governing the confidentiality and disclosure of substance use disorder patient records (Part 2), including allowing certain re-disclosures to covered entities, business associates, or other programs subject to HIPAA after obtaining the patient’s prior written consent.
  • Permits a state agency or area agency on aging to transfer, without prior approval, not more than 100% of the funds received by the agency to meet the needs of the state or area served, and provides that the same meaning shall be given to an individual unable to obtain nutrition due to social distancing as one who is homebound due to illness.
  • Provides that within 180 days of the passage of the Act, the Secretary of HHS shall issue guidance on the sharing of patients’ protected health information (PHI) related to COVID-19, including guidance on compliance with HIPAA regulations and applicable policies.
  • Provides that the Secretary of HHS shall carry out a national awareness campaign relating to the importance and safety of blood donation, and the need of for donations for the blood supply during a public health emergency.
  • Reauthorizes grant programs that promote the use of telehealth technologies, including the expansion of telehealth access, insurance coverage, rural telehealth access, Medicare reimbursement for services, and others.

Medicare and Medicaid Provisions

  • Allows for accelerated Medicare payments.
  • Creates a 20 percent add-on payment for inpatient treatment.
  • Increases payments for the work component of physician fees in areas where labor cost is determined to be lower than the national average through December 1, 2020.
  • Extends funding for quality measure endorsement input, and selection increased to $20 million for each of the years 2020 and 2021.
  • Extends funding for beneficiary outreach and counseling related to low-income programs through November 30, 2020.
  • Increases Medicare Access to Post-Acute Care.
  • Delays scheduled reductions in Medicaid disproportionate share hospital payments through November 30, 2020.
  • Extends the Medicaid Community Mental Health Services demonstration that provides coordinated care to patients with mental health and substance use disorders, through November 30, 2020.

April 6, 2020