Updates

Final Version of the COVID-19 Treatment Guidelines 

The federal COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE) ended in May 2023, and several professional societies currently provide COVID-19 treatment guidelines for their medical specialties or subspecialties. Accordingly, this will be the final update of the COVID-19 Treatment Guidelines. 

The COVID-19 Treatment Guidelines website will remain available until August 16, 2024, and will provide a downloadable PDF of the final version of the Guidelines.

In preparation for this final version of the guidelines, all the sections that were not updated on December 20, 2023, have been reviewed. 

Some of the key changes include:

• The Viral Rebound and Symptom Recurrence subsections in Therapeutic Management of Nonhospitalized Adults With COVID-19 and Ritonavir-Boosted Nirmatrelvir (Paxlovid) have been updated with new references. 

• Updated discussion on the role of remdesivir in adults with COVID-19 who require mechanical ventilation or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in Therapeutic Management of Hospitalized Adults With COVID-19.

• Therapeutic Management of Nonhospitalized Children With COVID-19.

For a full list of updates, please see What's New in the Guidelines on the COVID-19 Treatment Guidelines website. 

Respiratory Virus Update Newsletter (CDC 3/5/2024)

CDC Updates and Simplifies Respiratory Virus Recommendations

The CDC released updated recommendations for how people can protect themselves and their communities from respiratory viruses, including COVID-19. The new guidance brings a unified approach to addressing risks from a range of common respiratory viral illnesses, such as COVID-19, flu, and RSV, which can cause significant health impacts and strain on hospitals and healthcare workers. CDC is making updates to the recommendations now because the United States is seeing far fewer hospitalizations and deaths associated with COVID-19 and because we have more tools than ever to combat flu, COVID-19, and RSV. As part of the guidance, CDC provides active recommendations on core prevention steps and strategies and additional considerations for people who are at higher risk of severe illness from respiratory viruses, including older adults, young children, people with compromised immune systems, people with disabilities, and pregnant people. 

3/11/2024: CMS Statement on Continued Action to Respond to the  Cyberattack on Change Healthcare and Fact Sheet 

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is continuing to monitor and assess the impact that the cyberattack on UnitedHealth Group’s subsidiary Change Healthcare has had on all provider and supplier types. CMS announced that, in addition to considering applications for accelerated payments for Medicare Part A providers, they will also be considering applications for advance payments for Part B suppliers.

CMS continues to meet with health plans, providers, and suppliers to hear their most pressing concerns. CMS has directed the Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs) to expedite actions needed for providers and suppliers to change the clearinghouse they use and to accept paper claims if providers need to use that method. CMS will continue to respond to provider and supplier inquiries regarding MAC processes.

CMS also recognizes that many Medicaid providers are deeply affected by the impact of the cyberattack. They are continuing to work closely with States and are urging Medicaid-managed care plans to make prospective payments to impacted providers, as well.

All MACs should have provided public information on how to submit a request for a Medicare accelerated or advance payment on their websites.

CMS will continue to support the provider community during this difficult situation. All affected providers should reach out to health plans and other payers for assistance with the disruption. CMS has encouraged Medicare Advantage (MA) organizations to offer advance funding to providers affected by this cyberattack. The rules governing CMS’s payments to MA organizations and Part D sponsors remain unchanged. Please note that nothing in this statement speaks to the arrangements between MA organizations or Part D sponsors and their contracted providers or facilities.