CMS issues guidance for 1135 waivers
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is preparing for the termination of the COVID-19 public health emergency on Thursday, May 11. During the public health emergency, CMS used a combination of waivers, regulations, enforcement discretion and sub-regulatory guidance to provide easier access to care for health care providers and their patients.

Some flexibilities were expanded by the 2023 Consolidations Appropriations Act, while others are no longer needed. CMS has updated its CMS emergencies page with information for providers including major telehealth and individual waivers. CMS has also provided provider-specific fact sheets about COVID-19 waivers and flexibilities and a transition roadmap.

CMS is planning to host stakeholder calls and office hours to provide additional information.

State ending mandatory COVID-19 reporting
Effective Saturday, April 1, the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services will no longer require positive COVID-19 tests to be reported to the state public health division. With the widespread availability of rapid in-home tests that are not required to be reported, the case and positive test counts in the state no longer reflect the prevalence of COVID-19 in the state.

Beginning April 1, Iowa’s COVID-19 reporting dashboard is being replaced by the incorporation of surveillance data into the weekly respiratory virus surveillance report published by the Division of Public Health. The division will continue to review and analyze COVID-19 and other health data from several sources.

Iowa HHS said it will continue offering free COVID-19 testing for Iowans through the end of the year.

Register for public health emergency termination webinar
IHA is hosting a panel of health care experts to help hospitals prepare for the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency. Attorneys Carson Lamb, Laura Morgan, Mara Sanders and Alissa Smith will review:

• Federal waivers that were issued during the public health emergency.
• Returning to pre-public-health-emergency operations.
• Steps hospitals should take to prepare for the conclusion of the public health emergency.

The End of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency Is Coming webinar is scheduled from 10-11 a.m. Thursday, March 28.