The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has issued temporary regulatory waivers and new rules to equip the American healthcare system with maximum flexibility to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. In response to these changes, HealthCare ConsultLink (HCL) has created an interim-procedures change policy, EP.1 Emergency Policy Changes, and a form for the documentation of Temporary Emergency Policy Changes & Staff Acknowledgment. These documents have been created to respond to any and all interim policy changes that may be necessary for an agency. Due to the rapidly changing information and temporary nature of updates, HCL will not be providing specific policies for every change at this time. ..

To help agencies stay informed, HCL has compiled a quick reference list of websites and documents for your convenience. Please note it is the responsibility of each agency to stay current of all state and federal requirements during this time of national emergency. ..

We are reaching out again to bring you updates regarding the ever-evolving situation surrounding COVID-19. The following will provide information from the March 24th webinar, courtesy of the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) in collaboration with the Texas Association of Home Care and Hospice (TAHCH). Additionally, we are including key information from our last email sent on March 19th, along with newly revised screening tools, for your convenience. ..