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PAST COVID E-BLAST HAVE BEEN ARCHIVED DUE TO SPACE RESTRAINTS AND TO KEEP THINGS CURRENT.
NJAASC will again begin to send out NEWS TO KNOW to NJAASC members only, beginning Monday 8/17/20.
COVID e-blast will continue for everyone whenever there is new information from DOH or other pertinent news.
Q&A FROM DOH – 8/13/20
Q: The top of page 6 of the ED states that we need to use available testing on staff whenever possible.
Does this mean we have to test all staff frequently?
A: There is no requirement for staff testing in ASCs at this time.
Stefanie Mozgai, BA, RN, CPM
Assistant Commissioner
Department of Health
Health Facility Survey & Field Operations
EDA PROGRAM FOR PPE – 8/13/20
ASCs are small businesses, so as long as you qualify within the employee parameters of this program, you might want to take advantage of it for PPE.
INTERESTING LEGISLATION TO WATCH – 8/13/20
This bill has already passed the Assembly by a vote of 75-0.
There is at this time, no corresponding Senate bill.
ASSEMBLY, No. 4412
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
219th LEGISLATURE
INTRODUCED JULY 16, 2020
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman ROY FREIMAN
District 16 (Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex and Somerset)
Assemblyman ANTHONY S. VERRELLI
District 15 (Hunterdon and Mercer)
Assemblywoman VERLINA REYNOLDS-JACKSON
District 15 (Hunterdon and Mercer)
Co-Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman Vainieri Huttle, Assemblyman Caputo, Assemblywomen Timberlake, Downey, Assemblyman DeAngelo and Assemblywoman Swain
SYNOPSIS
Requires facilities offering COVID-19 tests to provide accurate timeframes for test results; requires DOH to update COVID-19 website with information regarding testing locations that provide COVID-19 test results within 48 hours.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning coronavirus disease 2019 testing.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Prior to testing an individual for the coronavirus disease 2019, a public or private facility that performs coronavirus disease 2019 tests, shall inform the individual of the timeframe in which he or she will receive test results and provide the individual the results of his or her coronavirus disease 2019 test within the timeframe specified by the facility.
2. The Commissioner of Health shall update the New Jersey COVID-19 Information Hub Internet website in a manner that provides information regarding which testing locations listed on the website provide a coronavirus disease 2019 test result within 48 hours after a test is performed.
3. This act shall take effect immediately and shall expire upon the end of both the state of emergency and the public health emergency declared in response to the coronavirus disease 2019.
STATEMENT
This bill requires facilities offering coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) tests to provide accurate timeframes for test results, and requires the Commissioner of Health to update the State’s COVID-19 website with information regarding testing locations that provide COVID-19 test results within 48 hours.
The bill provides that, prior to testing an individual for COVID-19, a public or private facility that performs COVID-19 tests, is to inform the individual of the timeframe in which he or she will receive test results and provide the individual the results of his or her COVID-19 test within the timeframe specified by the facility.
Under the bill, the Commissioner of Health is to update the New Jersey COVID-19 Information Hub Internet website in a manner that provides information regarding which testing locations listed on the website provide a coronavirus disease 2019 test result within 48 hours after a test is performed.
NEW JERSEY LAB SUES CIGNA FOR NON PAYMENT OF COVID SERVICES- 8/13/20
REVISED ED OPTION #2 – 8/13/20
Just wanted to make sure everyone- in particular your doctors understand the implications of using Option #2.
There is no gray area or interpretation with this.
If you choose to use this Option, then these patients will be treated as COVID positive and you MUST then utilize the IC (air exchange, PPE etc) rules per the ED.
Your doctors do not assume that the patient is negative or treat them as such. I am hearing that some doctors are doing just this based on test results from the past received that show most patients are negative. You cannot make that assumption!
This is being looked at by DOH by the way in their surveys, with their COVID inspections.
