Saving Rural Hospitals from Closure Act

Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement and funding issues, health care reform, telehealth, surprise medical billing, and COVID-19 response; H.R.748, CARES Act (P.L.116-136); H.R.6800, The HEROES Act; H.R.2895, Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act; H.R.7759, Saving Rural Hospitals from Closure Act.

Client expense: Not reported · Firm income: $30,000

Government targets: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE

- Corresponded with members of the Missouri congressional delegation regarding letters to Secretary of Health and Human Services Azar on the topic of Provider Relief Fund repayment standards. - Convened a series of biweekly conference calls to discuss issues related to COVID-19 and Missouri. Health and district staff of the Missouri congressional delegation were invited to participate. - Provided members of the Missouri congressional delegation with a summary of advocacy issues that may be brought up by Missouri hospitals during the October district work period. - Briefed a staffer of a member of the Missouri congressional delegation regarding COVID-19 and Missouri hospitals. - Sent a letter to CMS Administrator Seema Verma regarding COVID-19 data reporting requirements for hospitals as established by a CMS interim final rule. - Corresponded with a member of the Missouri congressional delegation regarding co sponsorship of H.R. 7759. - Arranged for virtual meetings or conference calls between 8 of the 10 members of the Missouri congressional delegation and Missouri hospital executives to discuss advocacy issues, including: the 340B drug discount program, additional COVID-19 (CARES Act) federal financial assistance to health care providers, terms of repayment for Medicare Accelerated Payments provided under the Corona virus, Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act, delay of pending reductions of federal funding allotments for states to support Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospital payments, continuation of expanded telemedicine use in the Medicare program, and COVID-19 liability protection. - Corresponded with members of the Missouri congressional delegation regarding joint legislative letters to Secretary of Health and Human Services Azar regarding efforts by pharmaceutical manufacturers to unilaterally restrict the scope of the 340B drug discount program. - Forwarded to the Missouri congressional delegation a letter from the Missouri Hospital Association and the Missouri Primary Care Association to Secretary of Health and Human Services Azar regarding efforts by pharmaceutical manufacturers to unilaterally restrict the scope of the 340B drug discount program. - Forwarded to members of the Missouri congressional delegation links to a Missouri Hospital Association interactive data dashboard regarding COVID-19 in Missouri. - Participated in a conference call briefing by the Office of Intergovernmental and External Affairs of the Dept. of Health and Human Services regarding efforts to expand access to affordable health care for all Americans. - Corresponded with a member of the Missouri congressional delegation regarding compliance with COVID-19 data reporting requirements by hospitals in the legislators district. - Sent a letter to the members of the Missouri congressional delegation asking them to contact Secretary of Health and Human Services Azar to delay implementation of an interim final rule establishing and immediately implementing new requirements for reporting COVID-19 data to federal officials. - Corresponded with members of the Missouri congressional delegation regarding noncompliance with new COVID-19 data reporting requirements established by an interim final rule of HHS. - Distributed to the members of the Missouri congressional delegation information regarding a public relations campaign by MHA and education officials and organizations to promote the wearing of masks by school children to reduce the spread of COVID-19. - Responded to a query from the member of the Missouri congressional delegation regarding the number of hospitals that are not critical access hospitals and have more than 10 psychiatric hospital beds. - Responded to a request for information from a member of the Missouri congressional delegation regarding COVID-19 advocacy issues that may be raised in conversations with Missouri hospital executives. - Queried the members of the Missouri congressional delegation regarding their preferences as to technology to use in organizing virtual meetings between legislators/staff and Missouri hospital executives. - Responded to a member of the Missouri congressional delegation regarding legislative district-specific data on the distribution of federal CARES Act funding to Missouri hospitals. - Corresponded with selected members of the Missouri congressional delegation regarding CMS policies on adjusting Medicare cost reports to offset COVID-19 federal financial assistance payments. - Wrote a letter to Secretary of Health and Human Services Azar regarding recommendations for incorporating federal COVID-19 financial assistance in Medicare cost reports. - Invited several members of the Missouri congressional delegation to participate in separate or joint conference calls with Missouri hospital executives to discuss letters from Congress to the Dept. of Health and Human Services regarding the role of federal COVID-19 assistance payment in Medicare cost reports. - Provided a summary of COVID-19 data and activities to the members of the Missouri congressional delegation for use during the August district work period. - Forwarded to the members of the Missouri congressional delegation a letter from three U.S. Senators to CMS Administrator Seema Verma regarding CMS standards for accounting for Paycheck Protection Program funds in Medicare cost reports. - Corresponded with a member of the Missouri congressional delegation regarding H.R. 7759. - Arranged and implemented a conference call in response to a request from a member of the Missouri congressional delegation for a briefing on COVID-19 advocacy issues affecting Missouri hospitals. - Corresponded with the members of the Missouri congressional delegation regarding the Missouri Hospital Associations recommendations regarding COVID-19 funding needs. - Responded to a query by a member of the Missouri congressional delegation for contact information for executives at a Missouri childrens hospital. - Responded to correspondence from a member of the Missouri congressional delegation regarding pending action by the Senate Finance Committee regarding repayment standards for Medicare Accelerated Payments, authority to extend current regulatory waivers and additional COVID-19 federal financial assistance. - Corresponded with a member of the Missouri congressional delegation regarding a potential letter of support for H.R. 7759. - Responded to a query from a member of the Missouri congressional delegation regarding COVID-19 data reporting requirements. - Organized and implemented a conference call with selected members of the Missouri congressional delegation to discuss changes in COVID-19 data reporting requirements. - Provided follow-up written information regarding an abrupt change in COVID-19 data reporting requirements. - Provided information to the members of the Missouri congressional delegation regarding a promotional campaign by the Missouri Hospital Association and other Missouri provider associations to encourage the wearing of masks to curtail the spread of COVID-19. - Organized a virtual conference between representatives of Missouris childrens hospitals and selected members of the Missouri congressional delegation. - Distributed to the members of the Missouri congressional delegation the Missouri Hospital Associations comments regarding CMS proposed regulatory changes to the Medicare Inpatient Prospective Payment System for federal fiscal year 2021. - Responded to a query from a member of the Missouri congressional delegation regarding the status of rapid testing technology in Missouri. - Corresponded with a member of the Missouri congressional delegation regarding potential endorsement of a joint legislative letter to Secretary of Health and Human Services Azar regarding the distribution of COVID-19 federal financial relief to childrens hospitals.

Client expense: $30,000 · Firm income: Not reported

Government targets: Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS), SENATE