NJAASC has curated authoritative information and a list of resources for our Membership’s reference. We will continue to update this as more information becomes available.
PAST COVID E-BLAST HAVE BEEN ARCHIVED DUE TO SPACE RESTRAINTS AND TO KEEP THINGS CURRENT.
Q&A FROM THE DEPARTMENT -7/21/20
Question #1:
Please see the EO issued 6/25 page 4-5
“iii. Standards to Guide Prioritization Decisions”
- Facilities shall establish a prioritization policy for providing care and scheduling. All cases shall be reviewed by a site-based governance group to ensure consistency. The governance group:
- Shall develop and review prioritization of surgical and procedural care for essential cases;
- Model capacity based on extended turnover and spacing out of procedures and any pre-/post-procedure appointments; and
- May consider the following:
- Prioritizing previously cancelled and/or postponed cases;
- Specialties' prioritization;
- Strategy for allotting daytime "OR/procedural time";
- Identification of essential healthcare professionals and medical device representatives when necessary for procedures;
Question #2:
There is no requirement for two negative tests. See EO issued 6/25 page 7-8
Stefanie Mozgai, BA, RN, CPM
Assistant Commissioner
Department of Health
Health Facility Survey & Field Operations
Q:
Can you Please ask the DOH about their Position on allowing Med students or Residents Back into the Facilities I know initially it was said to limit the vendors reps etc.
Q:
If the pre saliva COVID test comes back Positive on a asymptomatic patient we cancel; the test .The Physician sends the asymptomatic patient for a Nasal Swab and that's negative . Can We can proceed with the exam or do we have to wait a period of time or have two Negative tests?
UPDATED TRAVEL ADVISORY FAQs FROM DOH – 7/21/20
Here is Travel FAQs updated today from NJDOH
THIS TEST IS NOT ACCEPTABLE – 7/21/20
A
:
No-this is a serology test that detects antibodies
Dr. Thomas Kirn, NJDOH
THIS TEST IS STILL NO GOOD! – 7/21/20
A
:
No antigen at this moment.
Q:
Please look into this email I received from Cardinal about their Sofia antigen tests
If DOH approves centers can do in house and is only 24 hours turn around and minimal quarantine and thus it is very appealing thanks
I just saw this news release.
Maybe this will be high enough for NJAASC
Quidel's Sofia SARS Antigen FIA updates EUA performance data to 96.7% PPA vs PCR
Quidel Corporation (San Diego, CA) announced it has updated the performance data for its Sofia SARS Antigen FIA test on its package insert to 96.7% using direct nasal swab specimens versus PCR as a result of further studies included in its amended Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) that were submitted to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Additionally, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has indicated its intent to purchase both Sofia 2 instruments and the Sofia SARS Antigen FIA for distribution and use in nursing homes. Under the proposed terms, HHS will purchase 2,000 Sofia instruments and 750,000 Sofia SARS Antigen FIA tests over the next few months to expand access to COVID-19 testing in nursing homes throughout the U.S. The Sofia SARS Antigen FIA is available to healthcare providers in the U.S. through distribution representatives for Cardinal Health, Fisher Healthcare, Henry Schein, McKesson, or Medline.
HHS PROVIDER RELIEF PAYMENTS ARE TAXABLE INCOME- 7/21/20
In posts to their respective website FAQs, the
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
and the
Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
have both clarified that grant payments received by for-profit providers from the HHS Provider Relief Fund shall be treated as taxable income. Tax-exempt providers are exempt from taxation on the Provider Relief Fund payments, unless the payment is reimbursing expenses or lost revenue attributable to an unrelated trade or business of the tax-exempt provider.
The agencies explain that a payment from the Provider Relief Fund to a business, even if the business is a sole proprietorship, does not qualify as a qualified disaster relief payment under Section 139 of the Internal Revenue Code and is therefore includible in gross income under Section 61 of the Code.
The CARES Act, under which the Provider Relief Fund was established, did not address whether these grants would be taxable income. If Congress intended the grants to be non-taxable, additional legislative action would be necessary. Unless or until such time, physician practices, for-profit hospitals, and other for-profit healthcare facilities must report the payments as part of their taxable gross income.
