Rural Spotlight

October 17, 2024

OSHA Request for Information: Extending COVID-19 Recordkeeping and Reporting for Employees in Healthcare Settings – respond by December 9

The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) seeks comments on their request to extend requirements for collecting information specified in OSHA’s COVID-19 Recordkeeping and Reporting in Healthcare Standard, which applies to settings where any employee provides healthcare services.

The requirements include:

• Establishing and maintaining a log of each instance identified by the employer that an employee is COVID-19 positive;
• Make the individual log entry available upon request for examination and copying, and
• Reporting to OSHA each work-related COVID-19 fatality and each work-related COVID-19 in-patient hospitalization within specific timeframes of the employer learning of them.

OSHA would like to hear from the public:

• Whether the information collection requirements are necessary for the proper performance of the agency’s function to protect workers;
• If OSHA’s estimate of the burden (time and costs) of collecting the information is accurate; and
• What are some ways to minimize the burden on employers who much comply.

OSHA will summarize responses when they submit their request to the Office of Management and Budget to extend the requirements.

Click Here to Comment

October 17, 2024

Request for Information: Medicare $2 Drug List Model – Respond by December 9

In response to an Executive Order to lower prescription drug costs, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) developed a model to test whether a simpler approach to offering low-cost, clinically important generic drugs can improve medication adherence, lead to better health outcomes, and improve satisfaction with the Part D prescription drug benefit for people with Medicare and for prescribers.

This RFI aims to obtain input from a broad range of interested parties to support continued development of the model. CMS’ primary areas of interest include:

• Drug List Development Process;
• Maximizing Plan Participation;
• CMS Outreach Efforts;
• Part D Sponsor Outreach and Education Efforts for Beneficiaries;
• Assessment of Model Impact;
• Drug List Modifications.

CMS is interested in hearing from all stakeholders, including, but not limited to:

• Medicare beneficiaries
• Advocates
• Medicare Part D plan sponsors
• Pharmacy benefit managers
• Prescribers
• Pharmacists
• Pharmacies
• Policy experts
• Researchers
• Drug manufacturers
• Wholesalers
• Distributors
• All other interested parties

Click Here to Read More

Click Here to Read Executive Order

Process for Submitting Response:

• Deadline to respond: December 9, 2024, 11:59 p.m. PST
• Comments can be submitted here

October 17, 2024

Policy Update: Final Rule on Medicare Beneficiaries’ Appeal Rights for Certain Changes in Patient Status

In response to a court order, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has finalized appeals processes for certain Medicare beneficiaries who are initially admitted as hospital inpatients but are subsequently reclassified as outpatients receiving observation services during their hospital stay, along with other eligibility criteria.

This final rule establishes processes for

• Standardized appeals,
• Expedited appeals,
• and retrospective appeals for beneficiaries.

It also extends the timeframe for providers to submit a claim following a favorable decision and to submit records as requested by a contractor.

While CMS estimates a relatively low number of appeals that meet these criteria, they acknowledge that there will be administrative costs for hospitals to accommodate the new appeals process.

This final rule is effective October 11, 2024.

Click Here to Read Full Details