Coronavirus (COVID-19)

HHSC

• HHSC HCSSA Provider COVID-19 FAQ's - 101521
• HHSC HCSSA Emergency Rule TAC 558.960 - 092421 (Replaced Emergency Rule 558.408 - 041720)
• HHSC Proposed Permanent Rules for Outbreak Management - 111221 (Will replace TAC 558.960)
• HHSC HCSSA – Emergency Rule TAC 558.961 Vaccine Authority for Home Health and Hospice Agencies (revised 11/30; effective 11/24)
• HHSC HCSSA Proposed Rule changes for - 558.303.Standards for Possession of Sterile Water or Saline, Certain Vaccines or Tuberculin, and Certain Dangerous Drugs. (Will replace 558.961)
• HHSC - Local Health Entities - Texas
• HHSC - Long-Term Care Regulatory Regional Contact Numbers
• HHSC - General Provider Checklist - COVID-19
• HHSC - PL20-35 Screening for COVID-19 and Documentation of Screening - 072020

Alerts

• Home and Community Support Services Agencies (HCSSAs) - Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is required to be worn during home visits
• FDA Investigating Certain Imported Medical Gloves - Recommends Suspending Use
• Extension of Nurse Aide Transition from Temporary Status COVID-19 Emergency Rule
• Revised: End of Temporary Suspension of Certain LTCR Requirements during COVID-19 (PL 21-29)

Webinars

• HHSC HCSSA Provider FAQ COVID-19 Webinar – October 15, 2021
• HHSC HCSSA Provider FAQ COVID-19 Webinar – September 17, 2021
• HHSC HCSSA Provider FAQ COVID-19 Webinar – August 13, 2021
• HHSC HCSSA Provider FAQ COVID-19 Webinar – June 11, 2021

Provider and Information Letters

• Provider Letters and Information Letters – HCSSA
• Provider Letters and Information Letters – Hospice
• Communications and Alerts – Waiver and Community Based Programs (click on specific program and go to bottom of webpage for communications.

Infection Control Checklists

• HHSC - Infection Control Home Health and Hospice Training
• CMS Prioritization of Survey Activity Memo - Home Health and Hospice Infection Control Checklist (Acute and Continuing Care, page 19)
• HHSC Infection Control Checklist for PAS agencies
• CDC Healthcare Professional Preparedness Checklist For Transport and Arrival of Patients With Confirmed or Possible COVID-19

Community Programs

• HHSC COVID Guidance for Community Attendants and Home Caregivers

Medicaid and CHIP Services Information

• HHSC - Medicaid and CHIP Services Information for Providers (Webpage) – Use this website to monitor Medicaid flexibilities and locate past Medicaid CHIP COVID-19 Stakeholder Information Session recordings under the Past Information Sessions tab.
• COVID-19 FAQ (FAQs) for State Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Agencies
• HHSC - MCO Questions: COVID-19

HHSC SB 809/Rider 143 Reporting

• HHSC Provider Finance Department Website – once opened, scroll down and click on “Monthly SB 809/Rider 143 COVID-19 Reporting”

DSHS

VACCINE INFORMATION 

• Governor Abbott, DSHS Vaccine Distribution Plan for Texas
• Texas COVID-19 Vaccination Plan
• Texas Vaccine Data Portal
• COVID-19 Vaccination-Pharmacy Partnership for Long-Term Care Program
• How to become a COVID-19 Vaccinator - Provider Enrollment
• COVID-19 Vaccine Information for Public, HCP and LTC Facilities
• Texas DSHS Immunization Program Portal
• COVID-19 Vaccine Frequently Asked Questions
• Texas DSHS Immunization Portal Registration Guide (ImmTrac2)
• COVID-19 Vaccine Management Resources
• COVID-19 Vaccine Allocation & Ordering System (VAOS) Training Guide
• Tips and Tricks for Enrolling in the COVID-19 Vaccination Program
• Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS)

General

• DSHS – Website for Hospitals and Healthcare Professionals
• DSHS - Guidance for Public Health Home Service Providers
• DSHS - Guidance for Public Health Home Service Providers- Spanish
• DSHS - COVID-19 and Newborn Screening
• DSHS - Information on PPE
• DSHS - Strategies for Optimizing Supply of PPE
• DSHS - State of Texas Assistance Request (STAR) process (PPE Assistance)

TEXAS COUNTY VACCINE INFORMATION

• Texas Association of Counties Website (Use this website to access the latest vaccine information for your county)

CDC

• CDC – When to Quarantine  
• CDC - Interim Guidance for Implementing Home Care of People Not Requiring Hospitalization for COVID-19 (Home Care)
• CDC - Information for Healthcare Professionals about COVID-19  
• CDC - Discontinuation of Isolation for Persons with COVID -19 Not in Healthcare Settings (Patients)
• CDC - Public - When to Quarantine (This guidance details scenarios regarding household members sharing a household with COVID positive people)  

Vaccine Information 

• CDC - COVID-19 Vaccine Booster Shots
• CDC - Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine (also known as COMIRNATY) Overview and Safety
• CDC - Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine Overview and Safety

• CDC - Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine
• CDC - Common Vaccine Safety Questions and Concerns
• CDC – Making a Strong Recommendation for COVID-19 Vaccination
• CDC – Answering Patient’s Questions
• CDC - Understanding and Explaining mRNA COVID-19 Vaccines
• CDC - COVID-19 Vaccination Communication Toolkit for HCP Staff
• CDC – Vaccination for You and Your Family
• CDC - 8 Things to Know about the U.S. COVID-19 Vaccination Program
• CDC – COVID-19 Vaccination 122920
• The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices’ Interim Recommendation for Allocating Initial Supplies of COVID-19 Vaccine — United States, 2020
• CDC – What Clinicians need to know about the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine
• Post Vaccine Considerations for Healthcare Personnel
• Interim Clinical Considerations for Use of mRNA COVID-19 Vaccines Currently Authorized in the United States
• V-safe After Vaccination Health Checker
• COVID-19 Vaccine Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) Fact Sheets for Recipients and Caregivers

Clinical Care

• CDC - Clinical Care Guidance for Healthcare Professionals about COVID-19
• CDC - Evidence based list of underlying medical conditions that increase a person’s risk of severe illness from COVID-19  
• CDC - Discontinuation of Transmission-Based Precautions and Disposition of Patients with COVID-19 in Healthcare Settings
• CDC - Clinical Questions about COVID-19: Questions and Answers

Infection Control

• CDC - COVID-19 Infection Control Guidance for Healthcare Professionals   

• PPE
• CDC - Using Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)  
• CDC -Strategies to Optimize the Supply of PPE and Equipment during Shortages
• CDC - PPE Burn Rate Calculator
• CDC - PPE FAQ's
• CDC - How to properly DON and DOF PPE
• CDC - Strategies for Optimizing the Supply of Facemasks

• FIT testing (See more under OSHA heading)
• CDC - Strategies for Best N95 Respirator Fit in Times of Crisis
• CDC - The Need for Fit Testing During Emerging Infectious Disease Outbreaks

• Hand Hygiene
• CDC - HCP Hand Hygiene Recommendations

Return to Work and Staffing Shortages

• CDC - Criteria for Return to Work for Healthcare Personnel with Suspected or Confirmed COVID-19 (Interim Guidance)
• CDC - Strategies to Mitigate Healthcare Personnel Staffing Shortages (coincides with return to work guidance)
• CDC - Guidance for Risk Assessment and Work Restrictions for Healthcare Personnel with Potential Exposure to COVID-19
• CDC - Public Health Guidance for Community-Related Exposure (coincides with Guidance for Risk Assessment and Work Restrictions for Healthcare Personnel with Potential Exposure to COVID-19)

Testing

• CDC - Overview of Testing for COVID-19
• CDC - Interim Guidelines for Collecting, Handling, and Testing Clinical Specimens for COVID-19  

Pediatric

• COVID-19 Vaccination for Children 5 through 11 Years Old
• CDC - Information for Pediatric Healthcare Providers

HCP Training

• CDC - Training for Healthcare Professionals

Preparedness

• CDC - Preparedness Tools for Healthcare Professionals and Facilities Responding to COVID-19

Public Health

• CDC - Public Health Activity Guidance – Intended for Managers and their staff engaged in public health clinic settings and field outreach activities in state and local health departments.

Cleaning and Disinfecting

• CDC - Cleaning and Disinfecting Your Facility
• CDC - Cleaning and Disinfection for Community Facilities

BON:

• BON - COVID-19 COVID-19 Education Webpage
• BON - COVID-19 Resource Page

TMHP:

• News and Information for Providers

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS):

• Palmetto GBA - COVID-19 Webpage
• CMS COVID-19 Webpage
• CMS Vaccine Mandate – Interim Final Rule November 5, 2021
• CMS Memo QSO-22-04-ALL (Suspending the Final Rule) December 2, 2021
• CMS – COVID-19 Vaccine Policies and Guidance Webpage
• COVID-19 Accelerated/Advance Payment (AAP) Repayment FAQ
• CMS Quarterly OASIS Q&As – January 2020 – October 2021
• CMS COVID-19 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on Medicare Fee-for-Service (FFS) Billing
• CMS - COVID-10 Waivers and Flexibilities Webpage
• CMS - COVID-19 Emergency Declaration Blanket Waivers for Health Care Providers
• CMS - Revised Survey Prioritization Memo
• CMS Guidance onCMS - Prioritization of Survey Activities
• CMS - Guidance for Infection Control and Prevention Concerning Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Home Health Agencies (HHAs)
• CMS - All Medicare Advantage Organizations, Part D Sponsors, and Medicare-Medicaid Plans - Information Related to COVID-19
  
  

FDA

• FDA - COVID-19 Educational Resources for staff and patients
• FDA – COVID-19 Vaccine Webpage
• FDA - FAQ's COVID-19
• FDA - Updates on (Do not use) Hand Sanitizers with Methanol
• Pfizer-Biontech COVID-19 Vaccine Fact Sheet, Regulatory Information and FAQ’s
• Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine Fact Sheets, Regulatory Information and FAQ’s
• Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) COVID-19 Vaccine Fact Sheets, Regulatory Information and FAQ’s

OSHA

Healthcare Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) – June 2021

• OSHA ETS FAQ’s
• Healthcare Standard 1910.502
• Mini Respiratory Protection Program Standard 1910.504
• Materials Incorporated by Reference 1910.502
• Fact Sheet – Subpart U COVID-19 Healthcare ETS
• Summary – COVID-19 Healthcare ETS
• Fact Sheet – Mini Respiratory Protection Program
• Fact Sheet – Protecting Workers Rights under the ETS
• Flow Chart – Is your Workplace covered by the ETS?
• Template of COVID-19 Plan – Can be accessed HERE, will download as a Word document.
• Template – Healthcare Worksite Checklist and Employee Job Hazard Analysis
• Template and Instruction on the COVID-19 Log
• Reporting COVID-19 Fatalities and Hospitalizations to OSHA - Guidance
• Employer Notification Tool
• Communication and Coordination between Employers
• Sample COVID-19 Health Screening Questionnaire
• Flow Chart – Notification, Removal and Return to Work for Employees
• Flow Chart – Notification, Removal and Return to Work for Employers
• Inspection Procedures for the ETS
• Employee Training Presentations for the ETS – Can be accessed HERE, will download as a Power Point document.

Other OSHA Guidance

• Protecting Workers: Guidance on Mitigating and Preventing the Spread of COVID-19 in the Workplace
• OSHA - Existing OSHA standards apply to COVID-19
• OSHA - Healthcare Workers COVID-19 Webpage
• OSHA - Respiratory Training Website

Vaccine & Testing Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) – November 2021 (not applicable to healthcare providers while the Healthcare ETS is effective; currently on hold due to litigation)

• Vaccine and Testing ETS website

HIPAA (OCR)

• HIPAA, COVID-19 Vaccination, and the Workplace
• OCR Announces Notification of Enforcement Discretion for Use of Online or Web-Based Scheduling Applications for the Scheduling of COVID-19 Vaccination Appointments
• OCR Issues Guidance on HIPAA, Health Information Exchanges, and Disclosures of Protected Health Information for Public Health Purposes
• OCR - HIPAA Privacy and Novel Coronavirus
• HHS-OCR - HIPAA COVID-19 Webpage

OIG

• OIG COVID-19 Webpage
• OIG – COVID Fraud Webpage
• Toolkit: Insights for Communities From OIG's Historical Work on Emergency Response
• Toolkit: Insights for Health Care Facilities From OIG's Historical Work on Emergency Response
• OIG COVID-19 FAQ's

Fraud (DOJ)

• DOJ - COVID Resource Page

Payroll Protection Program (SBA)

• SBA Paycheck Protection Program Webpage
• SBA - PPP FAQ's for borrowers
• SBA - Frequently Asked Questions on PPP Loan Forgiveness

Cares Act Provider Relief Fund (HHS)

• HHS - Provider Relief Fund Webpage

IRS

• IRS - Coronavirus Resource Webpage
• IRS - FAQ's on Provider Relief-Payments
• IRS - Employee Retention Credit
• IRS - FAQs: Employee Retention Credit under the CARES Act
• IRS - COVID-19-Related Tax Credits for Required Paid Leave Provided by Small and Midsize Businesses FAQs

Employment (DOL)

• DOL - COVID-19 and the American Workplace - Resource Page
• DOL - COVID-19 and the Fair Labor Standards Act Questions and Answers
• DOL - COVID-19 and the Family and Medical Leave Act Questions and Answers

EEOC

• What You Should Know About EEOC - COVID-19 and the ADA, the Rehabilitation Act, and Other EEO Laws

Texas Workforce Commission (TWC)

• TWC - COVID-19 Employer Resources Webpage

Training Materials (Patients and Staff)

• Debunking COVID-19 Vaccine Myths
• American Medical Association Vaccine FAQ’s for Patients
• gov – Vaccine FAQ’s
• Texas Medical Association – Vaccines Defend What Matters (formerly Be Wise Immunize) Website
• HHSC - Helping Residents with Dementia Prevent the Spread of COVID-19
• HHSC - Helping Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities and Related Conditions Prevent the Spread of COVID-19
• WHO - Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) training: Online training Webpage
• HHS - ASPRTRACIE - COVID-19 Healthcare Workforce Training Resources Webpage
• CDC - Print Resources, Flyers, etc. Webpage
• TMA - Risk Assessment Chart
• TMA - Risk Assessment Chart (Spanish)

Governor’s Office

• Texas Coronavirus Webpage
• Executive Order GA-40 - Prohibiting Vaccine Mandates By Any Entity

• COVID-19 State of Texas Executive Orders
• Texas - Find COVID-19 Testing Sites

Member Only Resources

• COVID-19 State Flexibility Update Webinar & Handouts - 041620
• COVID-19: Home Health & Hospice: Keep the Cash Flowing - 041620
• Teletherapy Toolkit
• Medicaid STAR Kids MCO Teletherapy
• TAHC&H Member’s Daily News Updates COVID19
• CARES Act Webinar + Handouts

LEGAL

• Akin Gump - Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19): Employer FAQs

• Akin Gump - Obligations to Record and Report COVID-19 Cases to OSHA or Applicable State Agencies
• Akin Gump - Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19): Employer FAQs

• Akin Gump - ICYMI: Hedge Up Special Bulletin on Guidance to Employers and Suggested Practices for Responding to Coronavirus