CMS develops additional code for coronavirus lab tests
CMS took additional actions to prepare to respond to COVID-19, developing a second Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) code that can be used by laboratories to bill for certain COVID-19 diagnostic tests to help increase testing and track new cases. CMS has released new fact sheets that explain Medicare, Medicaid, Children’s Health Insurance Program, and Individual and Small Group Market Private Insurance coverage for services to help patients prepare as well. HCPCS is a standardized coding system that Medicare and other health insurers use to submit claims for services provided to patients. CMS developed the first HCPCS code last month to bill for tests and track new cases of the virus. More here.
Preventing Drug Shortages Act introduced to mitigate drug shortages stemming from COVID-19
U.S. Rep. Eliot Engel has introduced a bi-partisan bill called the Preventing Drug Shortages Act that would help mitigate shortages of medicines essential to high-quality patient care, including potential drug shortages stemming from COVID-19 or coronavirus. “Many of our critical medications are sourced from China and India,” said Rep. Engel. “The growing outbreaks in these countries and the first reported coronavirus-related drug shortage underscore the need to protect and secure our drug supply chain needs.” The FDA announced the first coronavirus-related drug shortage on Feb. 27. The introduced bill would:
- Enhance transparency throughout the drug supply chain, enhancing federal oversight of potential vulnerabilities and weaknesses.
- Assess and strengthen the FDA’s interagency efforts to prevent drug shortages.
- Empower the FDA to compel pharmaceutical companies to take action on securing vulnerabilities.
U.S. Reps. Scott Peters, Brett Guthrie, Anna Eshoo, Richard Hudson, Michael McCaul, Kurt Schrader and Gus Bilirakis. Read more here.
WHO warns governments worldwide ‘this is not a drill’ -CNN
Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the director-general of the World Health Organization (WHO), has warned governments that the continued international spread of the novel coronavirus is “not a drill” and will require significant action. The global number of people infected by the virus nears 100,000. “This is not a drill. This not the time to give up. This not a time for excuses. This is a time for pulling out all the stops. Countries have been planning for scenarios like this for decades. Now is the time to act on those plans,” he said. “This epidemic can be pushed back, but only with a collective, coordinated and comprehensive approach that engages the entire machinery of government.” Read more from CNN here.
Italy adopts most drastic measures in response to coronavirus in Europe -CNBC
Italy’s Civil Protection Agency reported an additional 41 deaths from coronavirus on Thursday, taking the country’s total to 148 deaths. More than 3,800 people have been infected in Italy. The country announced 7.5 billion euros ($8.4 billion) in aid Thursday, twice as much as originally planned. Schools and universities are closed until at least March 15. Soccer fans are not allowed in stadiums to watch matches and people are being encouraged to work from home. “These measures of the government, which are quite extreme and evasive, are in fact necessary because the name of the game is to slow down the contagion,” Antonio Ambrosetti, CEO of Ruling Cos., told CNBC. “There is an explosion of working from home. Even companies who have never done smart working are doing it.” Read more from CNBC here.
WHO still learning a lot about coronavirus -STAT
It has been two months since China announced a previously unknown virus had been identified as the cause of an outbreak in the Chinese city of Wuhan. There are still many questions. “Eight weeks into COVID-19, there’s quite a lot that we are learning,” said Maria Van Kerkhove, head of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) emerging diseases and zoonoses unit. Early studies on COVID-19 suggest people who have contracted the coronavirus are emitting infectious viruses very early on, in fact sometimes even before they develop symptoms. “We do know from shedding studies that people can shed in the pre-symptomatic phase,” said Van Kerkhove. This makes it much more difficult to break the chains of transmission. Read more from STAT here.
Public health officials say coronavirus spreads through time indoors with those infected -NPR
Public health officials say the spread of coronavirus has been mainly driven through people spending time indoors with others who have the disease. Data from China’s cases show that most of the spread is happening among family members who live together. The primary mode of transmission is respiratory droplets that can spread when talking or coughing. However, sneezing, which is another way droplets are spread, is not a common symptom of COVID-19. Spread isn’t exclusively a family matter as it can also spread through hand shaking, kissing someone who’s sick, or indirect contact like touching a contaminated surface like a doorknob or handrail. Read more from NPR here.
Medical experts say travel restrictions only delay the inevitable -USAT
Travel restrictions can slow the spread of coronavirus, but they can’t stop it. A World Health Organization (WHO) 2014 study found domestic travel restrictions in the U.S. would delay the spread of a severe influenza outbreak by two to three weeks. The CDC notes that with 1.1 million people crossing into the U.S. on an average day border measures could delay the spread of a pandemic to the U.S., but are unlikely to prevent it. “I think it’s out of the bag,” said Stephen Gluckman, director of global medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, in a quote to USA Today. “What’s going to stop it is a vaccine.” Read more from USA Today here.
More coronavirus resources from The Journal of Healthcare Contracting:
- FAQ/Insights – Helpful and relevant links to help you keep track of the ongoing epidemic