Category Posts

It has just been announced that OSHA is suspending enforcement on the vaccine mandate for employers with 100+ employees.

The suspension comes after the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit fully blocked Biden’s executive order requiring companies with over 100 workers to mandate vaccination for their employees after temporarily stating it on November 12. The court ordered that OSHA “take no steps to implement or enforce” the vaccine mandate “until further...

The White House has issued new information to clarify two separate and distinct vaccine mandates that will impact several businesses throughout the U.S; namely 1) a vaccine mandate for staff at various healthcare provider settings and 2) a vaccine mandate for employers with 100 or more employees. The fact sheet for both mandates can be found here: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/11/04/fact-sheet-biden-administration-announces-details-of-two-major-vaccination-policies/.

Both...

As you may recall, last month the White House administration announced a vaccine mandate for employers with more than 100 employees, as well as a mandate on healthcare workers (HME suppliers included). We’ve been taking many questions from our members on this issue. Many are asking if this really take effect and what steps to be taking now.

So, will this really take effect?

According to this Forbes magazine article from October 29, there are currently approximately 10...

Supply chain issues, vendor surcharges, labor shortages, and product recalls are just a few of the complexities HME suppliers are currently facing during this COVID-19 pandemic. VGM is here to shed some light on these issues and offer some suggestions on how you can endure these issues and still continue to provide quality products and services to your patients.

Please join us for an upcoming webinar with the VGM Government Relations and Regulatory team on Tuesday, November 9 from...

Healthcare providers were presented with several economic stimulus programs to relieve some of the burdens brought on by the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE). During a recent presentation, VGM’s Mark Higley, VP of Regulatory Affairs, and Craig Douglas, VP of Payer & Member Relations, have summarized these programs, what is required of providers to stay compliant, and the tax implications surrounding these programs. 

HHS Provider Relief Fund (PRF) and Updated Reporting...

As of September 29, the application portal for Phase 4 of the HHS Provider Relief Fund (PRF) is open, and HHS has released further details regarding which providers are eligible to apply for additional funding in this latest round. The application portal is scheduled to remain open until Oct. 26. There are technically two separate programs or sources of funding available right now, but the single application serves for both programs. In addition to Phase 4 of the PRF, there is also separate...

Check out the latest vlog from Ronda Buhrmester about using the CR modifier during the public health emergency (PHE) as it relates to respiratory policies. Watch below!

Of the many negative byproducts instituted by the pandemic, manufacturing surcharges emerge as one of the largest expenditures currently being incurred. The supply chain continues to be impacted, passing down higher acquisition costs to providers. Providers cannot pass this cost onto their patients and incur unexpected costs to their businesses while being at the mercy of reimbursement rates CMS dictates. These surcharges do not adjust immediately in response to industry variables. These excessive...

The SBA has now opened both the Targeted Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) Advance and the Supplemental Targeted Advance grants to all eligible business types. Forgivable grants of up to $10,000 were available for a time during 2020 to all businesses. Later, the Targeted EIDL was available to only agricultural businesses. Now all business types can apply if they have not yet done so, but they have to meet certain criteria in order to qualify. Those criteria are as follows:

The...

On Monday, July 19, 2021, HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra announced an extension of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE). This extension will last another 90 days from July 20, 2021. The COVID-19 PHE was initially declared on January 31, 2020 (with acknowledgement that it has existed since January 27th). Any PHE declaration can only last for 90 days at a time, but can be extended or renewed. It has already been renewed multiple times. There are several provisions tied to the duration of...