COVID-19 update for Friday, April 23 as of 4:00 p.m.

Attention:  Health Care Providers

HHS has extended until 3:00 p.m. (eastern) on Saturday, April 25 the deadline for providers to submit data that will be used to determine how it will allocate the $10 billion it will be distributing to providers hit especially hard by COVID-19Providers that have been targeted for possible assistance from this pool have already been notified of the need to submit data, although such notice does not assure funding.

State Update

Department of Health Daily Briefing

  • After a week of declines in the number of new COVID-19 cases, the daily case count has returned to its higher levels of one to two weeks ago.
  • More than 6000 residents of 418 long-term-care facilities located in 40 of the state’s counties have tested positive for COVID-19, as have more than 700 people who work at those facilities.
  • More than 2000 of the Pennsylvanians who have tested positive for COVID-19 are health care workers.
  • 2746 people are currently hospitalized with COVID-19 and 662 of them are on ventilators.
  • 47 percent of the state’s acute-care beds and 40 percent of its ICU beds are currently unoccupied and nearly 70 percent of its ventilators are not in use at this time.

Department of Health

The Department of Health has issued a notice to hospitals reminding them that they are required to promptly notify any first responder agency that is known to have transported a patient determined to be positive for COVID-19 and that they must do so as soon possible and no later than 48 hours after the determination.  This requirement is the same as that called for in the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Treatment Extension Act of 2009.

Insurance Department

The state Insurance Department has published COVID-19 guidance regarding volunteer physicians, podiatrists, and certified nurse midwives practicing under a reactivated license.  The notice addresses the medical malpractice insurance obligations of such volunteers depending on where they practice during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Pennsylvania Health Law Center

The Pennsylvania Health Law Center has launched a “COVID-19 Resource Center.”  While it has useful information, its primary target audiences appears to be consumers and those who work with consumers.

Federal Update

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Food and Drug Administration

National Institutes of Health

The White House

Resources to Consult

Pennsylvania Department of Human Services

Main COVID-19 Page

COVID-19 Provider Resources

Press Releases

Pennsylvania Department of Health

Main COVID-19 Page

PA Health Alert Network

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Main COVID-19 Page

FAQ

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