This week, the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), along with the Departments of Labor and Treasury, issued an interim final rule with comment period (IFC) to remove administrative barriers to eliminate potential delays to patient access to a COVID-19 vaccine once available among Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries, as well as those with…
Read More »This week, the California Department of Finance (DOF) notified the Joint Legislative Budget Committee (JLBC) of a 120-day extension on the use of funds from the state’s Disaster Response-Emergency Operations Account (DREOA) to support response activities to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. In its letter, DOF indicated that, despite progress made under the state’s Blueprint for…
Read More »This week, the California State Senate and Assembly convened separate oversight hearings to explore the COVID-19-related impacts on education and distance learning, as well as skilled nursing facilities (SNFs). Below, brief summaries of the hearings are provided. Senate Joint Oversight Hearing on Distance Learning On Monday, the Senate Education Committee and Senate Special Committee on…
Read More »Governor Gavin Newsom on Wednesday issued Executive Order N-83-20 addressing a series of issues in response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The order directs the Department of Transportation to develop and implement a process to issue and administer temporary encroachment permits allowing businesses located on state highways to expand their outdoor dining options onto sidewalks…
Read More »On Monday, Governor Gavin Newsom announced the formation of the COVID-19 Scientific Safety Review Workgroup, comprised of nationally acclaimed California physician scientists with expertise in immunization and public health. The workgroup will be tasked with independently reviewing the safety and efficacy of any COVID-19 vaccine that receives approval for distribution from the U.S. Food and…
Read More »This week, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a report indicating that from late January to early October 2020, the United States experienced nearly 300,000 more deaths than the typical number during the same period in previous years. Notably, at least two-thirds of the 300,000 excess deaths were related to COVID-19….
Read More »On Thursday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the antiviral drug Remdesivir for use in adult and pediatric patients 12 years of age and older for the treatment of COVID-19 requiring hospitalization. The drug becomes the first FDA-approved treatment for COVID-19 and should only be administered in a hospital or healthcare setting. A…
Read More »Today, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) posted employer guidance and frequently asked employer questions about AB 685 by Assembly Member Eloise Gómez Reyes that was signed into law last month. The measure requires employers to notify employees who may have been exposed to COVID-19 and to report workplace outbreaks to local health departments….
Read More »This week, an article was posted in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) on the cost of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The article explores the various expenses incurred from the pandemic, including unemployment insurance claims, lost gross domestic product (GDP), premature death, long-term health impairment, and mental health impairment. In total, the article…
Read More »On Wednesday, the Senate Special Committee on Pandemic Emergency Response convened an oversight hearing on workplace health and safety issues during the COVID-19 pandemic. The hearing featured two panels with the first focused on state activities related to prevention, outbreaks, and enforcement activities from representatives of the California Department of Industrial Relations (DIR), California Division…
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