MHA Today | November 17, 2021

Staff Contact: Jane Drummond

A second lawsuit has been filed challenging the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ interim final rule implementing COVID-19 vaccine requirements for hospital staff, volunteers, contractors and vendors. The suit was filed in a Louisiana federal district court by 12 states, bringing the total number of states challenging the CMS rule to 22. Similar to the action pending in Missouri, the suit claims CMS lacks authority to impose the vaccine mandate and predicts severe consequences for the health care industry if the vaccination requirements go into effect.

Staff Contact: Jane Drummond

Numerous lawsuits across the country seeking to overturn the requirements of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s COVID-19 Vaccination and Testing Emergency Temporary Standard will be consolidated and heard by a panel of judges in the Court of Appeals for the Sixth Judicial Circuit in Ohio. The Fifth Circuit previously imposed a stay of the standard; however, federal law requires consolidation of all challenges to an ETS in one federal appellate court. The Sixth Circuit was chosen by lottery and has discretion to uphold, overturn or revise the decision entered by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals

Staff Contact: Jane Drummond or Jill Williams

Senators Mark Kelly (Ariz.) and Bill Cassidy (La.), along with Representatives Doris Matsui (Calif.) and David McKinley (W.Va) submitted a letter to the White House COVID-19 Response Team Coordinator requesting an investigation into excessive rates charged by staffing agencies during critical waves of the pandemic. The letter alleges the agencies have been converting the higher rates into profits and asks the Biden administration to task the appropriate enforcement agency to determine whether the charges constitute anticompetitive and unlawful behavior.

Staff Contact: Leslie Porth

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health released a report examining the impacts of COVID-19 on communities of color, tribal communities, rural and remote populations, and underserved communities through a health equity lens, offering proposed actions and outcomes to guide future federal health equity efforts. This report highlights community organizations and community-based programs, including rural examples.

Staff Contact: Stephen Njenga

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is offering funding to help communities develop or expand capacity for, deliver, and sustain evidence-based chronic disease self-management education and support programs for older adults and adults with disabilities, particularly those in underserved geographic areas and/or populations. Potential applicants are encouraged to email a letter of intent to Lesha Brown at Lesha.spencer-brown@acl.hhs.gov by Friday, Dec. 17. The application deadline is Jan. 25, 2022.

Staff Contact: Stephen Njenga or Dana Dahl

The Missouri Office of Rural Health and Primary Care published a report that provides an overview of rural health in Missouri. The report covers demographics and population characteristics; health status of rural Missourians; maternal, infant and child health; social determinants of health; and the health care delivery system and access to care. It also includes information on the leading causes of death in the state, as well as the impact of COVID-19 on health in rural Missouri.

Staff Contact: Shawn Billings

The Southwest Missouri Drug Poisoning Task Force is hosting its 2021 Summit on Friday, Dec. 3. The summit will focus on identifying current resources and gaps, and designing a Recovery Oriented System of Care to better address the drug poisoning crisis as a community. In-person and virtual attendance options are available, and registration is open through Friday, Nov. 26.

Staff Contact: Sherry Buschjost

The next webinar in The Joint Commission Pioneers in Quality expert to expert series is offered at 11 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 9. Registration is required for the webinar, “eCQM Annual Update Webinar: VTE eCQMs.”