COVID-19 Federal Response Update – Monday, June 1, 2020

By Capitol Associates, Inc.

Congress

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) said the Senate will vote on the House-passed version of legislation to ease some of the Paycheck Protection Program’s requirements. It was not clear if the Senate would vote on the House bill or its own version of the bill. The two Chambers disagree on some of the finer details but agree on the broad framework of the bill.
Rep. Phil Roe (R-TN) and Rep. Lou Correa (D-CA) introduced legislation that offers liability protections to health care providers who act in good faith and abide by government guidelines while caring for patients during the COVID-19 pandemic.
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) released an updated 2020 House legislative calendar. The new calendar includes more specific information on what days votes are expected so that Members can minimize their travel to and from Washington.

White House and Federal Agencies

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is reminding providers of the June 3^rd deadline to submit their cost report data for the second distribution from the Provider Relief Fund’s General Allocation. HHS is distributing $20 billion under this second distribution.
- The funding will be allocated in a way that makes the total General Allocation distribution proportional to the provider’s 2018 net patient revenue. HHS is requiring providers to submit cost report data to calculate the distribution.
- Recipients will have an additional 90 days to attest to agreeing to the Terms and Conditions.
- Providers must also attest that they agree to the Terms and Conditions from the first, $30 billion distribution which was allocated based on the provider’s 2019 Medicare payments.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) published its schedule of stakeholder engagement calls for this week.
CMS issued clarifications for how providers should use the CR and DR modifiers on claims.

Reopening, Testing and Treatment

New trials of Gilead Sciences’ Remdesivir treatment for COVID-19 continue to confirm it has a positive effect treating the virus, however that effect could be more limited than initially thought.
Eli Lilly began clinical trials of a new antibody treatment for COVID-19.

Congressional Hearings

On Tuesday, the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee will hold a hearing on how governors are addressing the pandemic.
- The hearing will feature Governors Jared Polis (D-CO), Gretchen Whitmer (D-MI) and Asa Hutchinson (R-AR).
On Tuesday, the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Development Committee will hold a hearing on implementing the CARES Act’s provisions that provide assistance to businesses and state and local governments.
On Wednesday, the House Veteran’s Affairs Committee Health Subcommittee will hold a hearing on the VA’s disaster preparedness for COVID-19.
On Wednesday, the House Budget Committee will hold a hearing on the economic effects of COVID-19.
On Wednesday, the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee will hold a hearing on COVID-19’s effect on small businesses.
On Wednesday, the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee will hold a hearing on COVID-19’s impact on critical infrastructure.
On Thursday, the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee will hold a hearing on safely reopening college campuses.
On Thursday, the House Appropriations Committee’s Labor-HHS-Education Subcommittee will hold a hearing on the CDC’s response to COVID-19 featuring CDC Director Robert Redfield as the witness.