Tag: COVID-19

WASHINGTON – CMS has informed all Medicare providers who requested and received COVID-19 accelerated and advance payments during the public health emergency that it will begin recovering those payments as early as March 30.  The exact timing depends on the one-year anniversary of when a provider received their first payment.  “Please be sure your billing staff are aware that the recovery has begun, or will begin soon, but no sooner than one year from the date CMS issued...

YARMOUTH, Maine – Patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) should be given extra care and monitoring to minimize exposure to COVID-19, according to an analysis published in Sleep Medicine. Physicians can use telemedicine-based practice to provide care and evaluations for OSA patients to minimize their visits to hospitals. Physicians and caregivers should also be engaged in close monitoring of OSA patients with suspected COVID-19 for early diagnosis and treatment to avoid severe...

YARMOUTH, Maine – There was a huge government push to help manufacturers ramp up production of ventilators at the start of the pandemic, but that hasn’t been the case for oxygen concentrators, even as they have become increasingly in demand. Major manufacturers of oxygen concentrators say they’re ramping up production as best as they can. Ball Ground, Ga.-based CAIRE has added shifts at its manufacturing facilities and boosted its staff by 30%, helping the company to double its...

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Upstate HomeCare is partnering with Nascentia Health, a local health care services provider, to participate in the Special Projects for Equitable and Efficient Distribution (SPEED) pilot to fight COVID-19 in local, non-hospital facilities. The pilot will assist in allocating monoclonal antibodies to avoid unnecessary hospital admissions and prevent progression of the disease. “Upstate is proud to stand on the front lines to take part in helping those...

WASHINGTON - The Department of Health and Human Services has authorized licensed pharmacists to order and administer COVID-19 vaccinations to persons ages 3 or older, subject to certain requirements. The guidance is issued under the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act (PREP Act). A recent study by the National Community Pharmacists Association found that 86% of community pharmacists they plan to offer the COVID-19 vaccines when they become available. “NCPA appreciates steps the...

NAPERVILLE, Ill. - They say you can't teach an old dog new tricks, but Oswald's Pharmacy has been learning new ones since 1875. Its newest trick? Covid-19 antibody testing. “I think what's exciting about it is we're able to turn on a dime and try something new because we're just a single independent pharmacy and I think it's an added benefit to the community,” said Alex Anderson, general manager and 6th generation family member. “Even people who haven't been to our store before,...