Articles and Blogs

On Wednesday, March 18, 2020, President Trump signed the Emergency Families First Coronavirus Response Act (H.R. 6201) into law. Among other things, the new law creates the Emergency Family and Medical Leave Expansion Act and the Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act, each of which creates excused time off and paid leave for certain employees dealing with…Read More

Click here for information on the filing deadline extension. Separately from the enactment of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act by Congress on Wednesday, March 18, 2020, the Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) issued Notice 2020-17 to provide special payment relief to individuals and businesses in response to COVID-19. Under the relief,…Read More

Citing special circumstances in the national interest, the Office for Federal Contract Compliance Programs (“OFCCP”) has granted a temporary exemption and waiver of federal affirmative action obligations under certain federal contracts. The exemption and waiver applies only to federal contracts entered into between March 17, 2020 and June 17, 2020 for the specific purpose of…Read More

As the COVID-19 outbreak threatens to rapidly overload the health care system and global economy, threat actors seeking to profit during the chaos are increasing their activity. As such, disruptive and destructive cyberattacks could potentially delay or terminate critical services as the demand for COVID-19 testing and treatment continues to increase. This includes not only…Read More

Mergers and acquisitions in the health care industry present unique challenges that are not often present when undertaking similar transactions in other industries. Because of health care’s highly regulated nature, parties may falter if a health care transaction is not reviewed and negotiated carefully with respect to the distinct concerns that health care presents. This…Read More

Wednesday, March 18 Update Note – ​We believe this is the most up-to-date information available at this time, but it is subject to change ​as circumstances warrant. Also, all finalized resources can be found ​on the COVID-19 ​Resource ​Center page ​of Hall Render’s website. Congressional Outlook Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) reversed course and the Senate passed the…Read More

On March 10, 2020, the Quality, Safety & Oversight Group at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (“CMS”) issued a memorandum entitled “Guidance for Infection Control and Prevention Concerning Coronavirus Disease 2019 (“COVID-19”) in Home Health Agencies (“HHAs”)” (“QSO Memo”) that announced recommendations for HHAs regarding taking appropriate action to address potential and confirmed COVID-19 cases…Read More

On March 17, 2020, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (“CMS”) issued a memorandum titled “Information for PACE Organizations Regarding Infection Control and Prevention of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)” (“CMS Memo”) that announced COVID‑19 guidance for Programs of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (“PACE”) program organizations (“PACE Organization”). The PACE program is a unique…Read More

Last Updated: April 13, 2020 Table of Contents Enforcement Discretion for COVID-19 Testing Sites Enforcement Discretion for Business Associate Public Health Disclosures Disclosures to Law Enforcement, Paramedics, First Responders and Public Health Authorities Privacy and Security Requirements for Telehealth Waived Section 1135 HIPAA Waiver OCR Bulletin: HIPAA and COVID-19 Hall Render privacy attorneys are monitoring…Read More

In light of President Trump’s declaration of a national emergency with respect to the COVID-19 pandemic and so as not to distract vital health care providers from preparing for and caring for patients, three accreditation organizations with deeming authority from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (“CMS”) have decided to postpone surveys or modify…Read More