Coronavirus COVID-19: Latest CDC, FDA, CMS Guidance
See below for the latest Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance and recommendations for hospital and health system leaders during the COVID-19 pandemic.
April 2, 2020
To provide critical, needed leadership for the Nation’s long-term care facilities to prevent further spread of COVID-19, CMS and CDC are now recommending the following immediate actions to keep patients and residents safe.
April 13, 2020
An updated summary of changes to the guidance
April 11, 2020
Set out below are frequently asked questions (FAQs) regarding implementation of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (the FFCRA), the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (the CARES Act), and other health coverage issues related to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). These FAQs have been prepared jointly by the Departments of Labor (DOL), Health and Human Services (HHS), and the Treasury (collectively, the Departments). Similar to previously issued FAQs (available at and ), these FAQs answer questions from stakeholders to help individuals understand the law and benefit from it, as intended.
April 11 AHA Advisory
In this AHA Advisory, States May Report to Federal Government on Hospitals’ Behalf.
April 3
This page highlights resources identified or developed to address current response and recovery operations to novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19).
April 1
CDC checklist highlights important areas for hospitals to ensure staff are trained, equipped and capable of identifying and caring for COVID-19 patients and preventing the spread of COVID-19 within the facility
April 1
Get tips, links and essential information to improve safety during the COVID-19 outbreak.
April 1
FAQs and considerations for patient triage, placement and hospital discharge.
CDC Updates Guidance on Discharging Patients with COVID-19
March 24 AHA Advisory
In this AHA Advisory, the CDC clarified that patients with COVID-19 can be discharged from a health care facility when clinically indicated.
CMS Will Only Conduct Certain Surveys During COVID-19 Enforcement Discretion Period
March 23 AHA Advisory
CMS Will Only Conduct Certain Surveys During COVID-19 Enforcement Discretion Period. In this AHA Advisory, CMS will during the COVID-19 national emergency’s three-week enforcement discretion period, the agency has announced.
FDA Releases Guidance to Mitigate Ventilator Supply Disruptions
March 23 AHA Advisory
In this AHA Advisory, we share the latest information from FDA focused on mitigating disruptions to or shortages in the ventilator supply chain. The agency released to provide flexibility around and expand the availability of ventilators and other respiratory devices to treat patients during the public health emergency.
CMS Grants Blanket Exceptions and Extensions Across Its Quality Measurement Programs
March 22 AHA Advisory
In this AHA Advisory, we share the latest CMS information regarding a range of data reporting exceptions it recently announced and extensions across its quality reporting and value-based payment programs for hospitals, post-acute care facilities and clinicians. March 22, 2020. (CMS) announced today it is granting a range of data reporting exceptions and extensions across its quality reporting and value-based payment programs for hospitals, post-acute care facilities and clinicians.
CDC Guidance for Retirement Communities and Independent Living Facilities
The CDC released new guidance for retirement communities and independent living facilities to better aid in the planning, preparation for, and response to coronavirus disease 2019. The guidance is based on what is currently known about the transmission and severity of coronavirus disease. Residents in retirement communities and independent living facilities are considered to be at higher risk of severe COVID-19 outcomes because of older age and because they may have underlying health conditions. These resources can be accessed using the links below.
Coronavirus Update: CMS and IRS Release New Information on COVID-19
March 11 AHA Advisory
CMS and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) have released a number of new documents related to COVID-19. This includes: Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA) requirements; Medicare Advantage (MA) and Part D requirements and flexibilities; cost-sharing for high-deductible health plans; respirator and facemask use for health care workers; and health and safety for home health agency (HHA) and dialysis providers.
CDC head says COVID-19 public test-tracking system imminent
March 10 Headline Item
CDC updates guidance for COVID-19 testing, health care personnel
March 9 Headline Item
Updated guidance for evaluating and testing patients for novel coronavirus (COVID-19), and for assessing and managing health care personnel with potential exposure to patients with the virus
March 7 CDC Guidance
March 7 CDC Guidance
Updated recommendations for health care personnel.
March 5 Advisory
The Senate March 5 passed an $8.3 billion spending package to combat the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). The House overwhelmingly passed the package March 4. Among other items the package includes $300 million for hospital and health systems’ efforts to prepare for and respond to COVID-19.
Coronavirus latest: Updates from Congress, CDC and CMS
March 5 Headline Item
March 3 Advisory
Brief description and links to the CDC documents, including tips for consumers, and other COVID-19 updates
Six coronavirus-related deaths reported in U.S.; CDC plans for mitigation
March 2 Headline Item
Early news from Washington state and CDC’s response.
Feb. 29 FDA guidance
This Food and Drug Administration guidance provides a policy for novel coronavirus (COVID-19) molecular diagnostics tests developed and used in laboratories certified to perform high-complexity testing under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) prior to issuance of emergency use authorizations (EUA) for such tests.
This interim guidance outlines goals and strategies for all U.S. health care facilities to prepare for and respond to community spread of COVID-19.
CDC: Coronavirus Health Care Leadership Listening Session Presentation
Feb 20 Listening Session
More CDC Resources
The Community Healthcare Decision Pathway provides an algorithm for community and health care leaders and other decision makers to assess resource availability and medical surge at the health care and community levels.
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