The U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday passed H.R. 8406, a revised version of the HEROES Act, on a 214-207 vote. The sweeping $2.2 trillion measure, narrowed from its original $3 trillion price tag, would provide $436 billion in assistance for state, local, territorial, and tribal governments. The measure would also extend the deadline to…
Read More »Today, U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar announced that he renewed the COVID-19 national public health emergency for an additional 90 days, effective October 23. Recall, HHS Secretary Azar initially declared COVID-19 a national public health emergency on January 31, 2020. According to Secretary Azar, the renewal of the national emergency will allow…
Read More »This week, President Donald Trump signed an executive order declaring it a policy of the federal government to ensure that Americans with pre-existing conditions can obtain health insurance of their choice at affordable rates. The order directs specified federal agencies to “build upon existing actions to expand access to and options for affordable healthcare” and…
Read More »This week, the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) formally withdrew its proposed federal regulation, “Medicaid Fiscal Accountability Rule” (MFAR). Recall, CMS proposed the rule last fall which would have broadly expanded federal oversight of Medicaid supplemental payments. MFAR would have additionally recast current rules and regulations governing how supplement payments are structured,…
Read More »The Trust for America’s Health (TFAH) this week released its 17th annual State of Obesity: Better Policies for a Healthier America which reports on obesity rates for every state and by racial and ethnic groups, age, and gender. TFAH’s latest report utilizes data from the most recent U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)…
Read More »The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) this week issued an emergency order temporarily halting specified residential evictions nationwide due to increased COVID-19 transmission risks associated with evictions. The CDC order prohibits through December 31, 2020, owners or landlords from pursuing evictions of individuals who declare under penalty of perjury that they have…
Read More »U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York Judge George Daniels on Thursday issued a nationwide injunction against the Trump Administration’s public charge rule, citing ongoing and urgent concerns associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. Recall, the Trump Administration’s public charge rule, finalized last year, enables federal immigration officials to deny entry or legal…
Read More »Late this week, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued guidance for K-12 school administrators who are preparing for students, teachers, and staff to return to school for in-person instruction this fall. The guidance, which includes various tools and resources, details mitigation strategies (e.g., social distancing, face coverings, cohorting), communication and messaging…
Read More »The U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) this week announced a series of initiatives intended to protect nursing home residents throughout the country from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. These actions include: $5 Billion in Additional Funding – The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will dedicate $5 billion of the Provider…
Read More »The Center for Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) this week released a report detailing hardship facing millions of Americans amid the COVID-19 pandemic and the need for key additional relief measures in forthcoming Congressional legislation. The report highlights emerging data showing a large and growing number of households are struggling to afford food and are…
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