Policy Statements

Federal Court Overturns District Court Ruling on HHS Authority to Reduce Payments to Off-Campus Provider-Based Practices On July 17, 2020, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit overturned the district court’s decision and ruled that Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) had the authority to cut payments to off-campus provider-based departments for evaluation and management services to make them equivalent to the rate paid to physician offices in 2019. The American Hospital Associaiton, Association of American Medical Colleges, and the other plaintiffs have not yet said whether they will appeal. Separately, they are suing the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services for the 2020 site neutral pay cuts. To read the Federal Court ruling, click here: [https://www.cadc.uscourts.gov/internet/opinions.nsf/E27BC5B064ED8035852585A80052C843/%24file/19-5352-1852218.pdf]

HHS Offers Online Courses on Telemedicine Rules and Implementation for Providers Starting in July 2020, in an effort to increase utilization of telemedicine by Medicare providers, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will offer a 10-week series of courses on telemedicine implementation and integration. Although telemedicine use has grown exponentially during the COVID-19 pandemic, many ambulatory providers still lack the knowledge and skills needed to implement video-based telemedicine into their practices. To support wide adoption of telemedicine, the HHS assistant secretary for preparedness and response is partnering with the ECHO Institute at the University of New Mexico and the Public Health Foundation’s TRAIN Learning Network to deliver a 10-week, virtual, peer-to-peer learning community called Telemedicine Hack. The course […]

HHS Announces Extension of Public Health Emergency Declaration On Thursday, July 23, 2020, as anticipated, Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar extended for an additional 90 days the current COVID-19 public health emergency, which was set to expire on July 25. Many physicians had expressed concern about the impending deadline and the implication for various regulatory waivers implemented because of the pandemic, including those pertaining to telemedicine. Read the announcement here.

F-1 and M-1 Student and Exchange Visa Restriction Plan Rescinded by Trump Administration On July 6, 2020, the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) announced modifications to temporary exemptions for nonimmigrant students taking online classes due to the public health crisis for the Fall 2020 semester. Specifically, SEVP announced that nonimmigrant F-1 and M-1 students attending schools operating entirely online could not take a full online course load and enter or remain in the United States. Several medical organizations submitted letters urging the Trump Administration to withdraw its modifications so that medical students seeking to study in the United States on an F-1 visa could enter or remain in the country. On July 14, 2020, the Trump Administration rescinded the directive. Read […]