On May 11, 2021, CMS announced a new Interim Rule that will require Long-Term Care (LTC) facilities and Intermediate Care Facilities for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities (ICFs-IID) to report weekly COVID-19 vaccination status data for both residents and staff. The report will be made to the CDC’s National Healthcare Safety Network
Effective May 6, 2021, Medicare increased its payment rates for administering monoclonal antibodies to treat beneficiaries with COVID-19. The national average payment rate increased from $310 to $450 for most health care settings. CMS announced that it also set a higher national payment rate of $750 when monoclonal antibodies are administered ...
On May 3, 2021, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced the launch of a new program that covers costs of administering COVID-19 vaccinations to patients enrolled in health plans that do not cover the cost of vaccination fees or cover them with patient cost-sharing. This program, called the COVID-19 Coverage Assistance Fund ...
On May 6, 2021, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear issued Executive Order 2021-312, clarifying that small groups of individuals are no longer mandated to wear facial coverings when indoors in a private business or home if all individuals present have received the final dose of a COVID-19 vaccine at least 14 days prior. This order was effective May 6th at 5 p.m.
On May 5, 2021, the DOL effectively withdrew the Trump Administration’s independent contractor rule, continuing President Biden’s employee-friendly agenda in the Labor and Employment space. The much discussed “economic realities” test would have shifted the power balance towards employers by making it easier to classify workers ...
On April 27, 2021, President Biden issued an Executive Order raising the minimum wage to $15 for some federal contractors and subcontractors. Starting January 30, 2022, all federal agencies must include a $15 minimum wage clause in new contract solicitations. Federal agencies are expected to incorporate the increased wage clause into ...
By: Michelle D. Wyrick
The United States Department of Labor (“DOL”) has launched a new initiative named “Essential Workers, Essential Protections” that is designed to educate essential workers and their employers about laws that protect essential workers, including wage and hour laws. Examples of essential workers include workers ...
Patent clients come from many different perspectives. Our firm represents clients who own numerous patents and whose employees possess impressive knowledge about our patent system. We also represent clients with no prior patents and very little practical experience with patenting. This post is geared primarily to the latter group, providing ...
On April 21, 2021, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) decided that the long-standing contract bar doctrine should remain unchanged “at this time.” The Board invited public comment on whether to overturn or modify the longstanding precedent and considered 17 amici briefs from unions, employer advocates, and other lawmakers, in ...
On April 20, 2021, Medicare announced that it will cover and pay for bamlanivimab, when administered alone, only for dates of service from November 10, 2020 to April 16, 2021. This change in payment policy was to align with the FDA announcement on April 16, 2021, that it had revoked the Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for bamlanivimab, when ...