Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has further expanded the list of telehealth services that Medicare Fee-For-Service will pay for during the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) as of October 14, 2020. CMS is adding 11 new services to the Medicare telehealth services list and will begin paying eligible practitioners who furnish these services immediately and through the end of the PHE. The new telehealth services include neurostimulator analysis and programming services, and cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation services.

The Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”) continues to modify guidance related to reporting requirements of the provider relief funds (“Relief Funds”) that were part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (“CARES Act”). The initial Post-Payment Notice of Reporting Requirements were released on July 20, 2020 and then later modified on September 19, 2020. We analyzed those changes in a previous article. In its latest guidance from October 22, 2020, HHS modified the Post-Payment Notice of Reporting Requirements for Relief Funds which should benefit providers.

On October 1, 2020, Husch Blackwell conducted the first of an eight-part Health Law & Innovation Series. The first session, focused on vaccines, and was very well received. The discussion was moderated by Thomas N. Shorter, JD, FACHE, partner with Husch Blackwell and accompanied by panelists:

  • Dr. Edward Belongia, Director of the Center of Epidemiology and Population Health, Marshfield Institute of Health,
  • Seth Mailhot, JD, partner with Husch Blackwell; and
  • Julianne Story, JD, partner with Husch Blackwell.

Please join Husch Blackwell as we go virtual with our Health Law Conference. The series will include a range of important topics relevant to the healthcare industry and will be moderated by Curt Chase, leader of the firm’s Healthcare, Life Sciences and Education team; Hal Katz, American Bar Association, Health Law Section, Chair; and Tom Shorter, American Health Law Association, President-Elect Designate. The webinar programs will be offered every Thursday through November 19.

Deal activity among hospitals, physicians and health plans will continue at a swift pace into 2021. In our fifth session, hear from industry thought leaders on how the pandemic is impacting private equity and strategic investments in the healthcare space.

Thursday, October 22, 2020
Live Webinar | Noon – 1:00 p.m. CDT 

Please join Husch Blackwell as we go virtual with our Health Law Conference. The series will include a range of important topics relevant to the healthcare industry and will be moderated by Curt Chase, leader of the firm’s Healthcare, Life Sciences and Education team; Hal Katz, American Bar Association, Health Law Section, Chair; and Tom Shorter, American Health Law Association, President-Elect Designate. The webinar programs will be offered every Thursday through November 19.

Healthcare providers of all sizes have received portions of the recently available federal funds. Healthcare organizations that receive these funds will need to provide accountability for their use to ensure compliance. In our fourth session, a panel will discuss various avenues to manage enforcement risk.

Thursday, October 15, 2020 – Live Webinar | Noon – 1:00 p.m. CDT

Please join Husch Blackwell as we go virtual with our Health Law Conference. The series will include a range of important topics relevant to the healthcare industry, and will be moderated by Curt Chase, leader of the firm’s Healthcare, Life Sciences and Education team; Hal Katz, American Bar Association, Health Law Section, Chair; and Tom Shorter, American Health Law Association, President-Elect Designate. The webinar programs will be offered every Thursday through November 19.

Thursday, October 8, 2020 – Live Webinar | Noon – 1:00 p.m. CDT 

Please join Husch Blackwell as we go virtual with our Health Law Conference. The series will include a range of important topics relevant to the healthcare industry, and are set to be moderated by Curt Chase, leader of the firm’s Healthcare, Life Sciences and Education team; Hal Katz, American Bar Association, Health Law Section, Chair; and Tom Shorter, American Health Law Association, President-Elect Designate. The webinar programs will be offered every Thursday through November 19.

Our second session on October 8 will include a discussion on various aspects of how and why physician-hospital alignment models may change post-COVID-19. REGISTER NOW

In the wake of a record number of Covid-19 cases and with flu season around the corner, Governor Tony Evers and Wisconsin Department of Health Secretary Designee Andrea Palm issued a new emergency order on October 1, 2020. Emergency Order #2 is designed to help address an anticipated surge in healthcare staffing needs.

On October 1, 2020 the Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”) announced that it will distribute a total of $20 billion as part of Phase 3 of the Provider Relief Funds. The application for Phase 3 funding is now open and will be available from October 5 – November 6, 2020. However, HHS has urged providers to apply early, which may be an indication that the funds will be available on a first-come first-serve basis.

Below are some key details regarding Phase 3: