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Policy Update 2/14/22

By Cassidy Heit posted 02-17-2022 10:24

  

CMS Vaccine Mandate - Phase Two Compliance Rules Start 2/14

Health centers in Oklahoma are expected to comply with “Phase Two” of the CMS vaccine mandate starting Monday, February 14. Under Phase Two (which runs through March 15 for these states), health centers will not be subject to enforcement action as long as:
  • Their policies and procedures have been developed and implemented.
  • At least 90% of staff/contractors/board members have received at least one dose of vaccine or have requested an exemption or delay.
  • A plan for 100% of staff/contractors/board members to have either completed their vaccine series or be approved for an exemption/delay within 30 days.
To date, we have not heard of any CHCs who have been evaluated by an external body for their compliance with the CMS vaccine mandate. For more information on the CMS vaccine mandate in general, see the 1/14/22 CMS guidance and the CMS vaccine mandate toolkit. The toolkit is up to date, and the first page links to the slides and recording from a recent webinar from Colleen Meiman, PCA policy advisor.
 

Congressional Appropriators Reach Omnibus Framework, House Passes CR to Fund Government 

On Wednesday, February 9, 2022, House and Senate Appropriators announced they had reached a deal on a budget framework that allows committees to begin drafting the FY22 omnibus appropriations bill. The details of the framework, including topline funding numbers, have not been released. To provide appropriators time to draft the legislation, the House passed another continuing resolution (CR) to fund the government through March 11, 2022. The Senate is expected to act on this legislation before it goes into recess on February 18, 2022.
 

Senators Thune and Casey Introduce Bill to Permanently Extend FTCA Health Center Volunteer Health Professionals Program

On Thursday, February 3, 2022, Sens. John Thune (R-SD) and Bob Casey (D-PA) introduced S. 3569, the HELP for Volunteers Act, permanently extending the Health Center Volunteer Health Professionals Program. The program was first authorized in 2016 but has grown significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Currently, over 100 health centers utilize more than 500 volunteer providers through the program. The language to permanently extend the program was also included in the discussion draft of Senate HELP Committee Chair Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) and Ranking Member Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC) 's PREVENT Pandemics Act, to which NACHC submitted a letter in response.
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