HHS urged to increase staffing flexibilities for providers’ COVID-19 response

The Department of Health and Human Services should provide greater flexibility around health care staffing, provider resource allocation and accessibility to care, the AHA said today in a letter to the agency.

The letter outlines actions the Centers for Medicare & Services should take, including suspending several requirements; expanding the physician supervision requirement waiver; finalizing certain proposals from the Medicare physician fee schedule rule; delaying implementation of some price transparency rule provisions; and removing administrative and financial barriers to coverage for COVID-19.

Additionally, the letter urges HHS to coordinate with relevant agencies to provide necessary staffing relief for hard-hit hospitals; end drug manufacturer actions that pull critical resources from 340B hospitals; direct the Health Resources and Services Administration and other relevant agencies to encourage and use cross-training opportunities for health care workers; and coordinate an approach to support child care and other expenses to assist front-line health care workers.