Archived COVID-19 Emails from AMS

Below are the COVID-19 communications we have sent through email.  Keep in mind, some information in earlier emails may not be relevant at the present time.

To search for a particular topic, click Control+F, and a search bar will appear in your browser.  Type in any word or phrase, and the words will be highlighted below.  To read the information from the email, click to open the link.

March 2021

• 3-9-21_Email Update
  • Vaccine group 1B Opens Up

February 2021

• 2-22-21_Email Update
  • ADH New Policy on Quarantine After Full Vaccination
• 2-3-21_Email Update
  • Free Webinar: Monoclonal Antibodies – Response to the COVID-19 Outbreak

January 2021

• 1-28-21_Email Update
  • ACHI – Can Employers Require Staff to Get Vaccinated for COVID-19?
• 1-22-21_Email Update
  • AMA Update on Biden Administration National Strategy on COVID-19 and Pandemic Preparedness
• 1-15-21_Email Update
  • Free COVID Test Kits for Primary Care Physician Clinics
• 1-14-21_Email Update
  • ADH Expands Vaccine Rollout to Phase 1B; BCBS Extends Benefits to 4-21-21; UnitedHealth Extends Benefits to 4-20-21
• 1-5-21_Email Update
  • Monoclonal Antibodies Resources
• 1-4-21_Email Update
  • Vaccinating Community Health Care Workers…..STARTS NOW

December

• 12-23-20_Email Update
  • Update on when private practices and medical clinics may be vaccinated.
• 12-15-20_Email Update
  • Arkansas Receives Initial Shipment of 25,000 Doses of COVID Vaccine
• 12-9-10_Email Update
  • Link to Updated Monoclonal Antibody Therapy Sites Across Arkansas
• 12-4-20_Email Update
  • Unemployment Insurance Fraud; ADH Updates Quarantine Guidelines; Monoclonal Antibody Therapies Available; PPE Request
• 12-3-20_Email Update
  • Emergency Use Authorization for the Use of Monoclonal Antibody Therapies for Mild to Moderate Covid-19;  PPE Request; CMS Announces Permanent Expansion of Medicare Telehealth Services and Improved Payment for Time Doctors Spend with Patients

November

• 11-17-20_Email Update
  • N95 Group Purchase through ActionPPE; ADH Covid-19 Vaccination Program Enrollment for AR Clnics
• 11-13-20_Email Update
  • ACHI Health Policy Board Releases Thanksgiving Recommendations;  CMS’s Vaccine Codes and PC-ACE Software Update
• 11-11-20_Email Update
  • New FAIR Health Study Uncovers Relationship between Covid-19 Comorbidities and Mortality;  CMS – preparing for the Covid-19 vaccines

October

• 10-30-20_Email Update
  • CMS Ensure Coverage of COVID Vaccines and Therapies; ACHI Update, Imminent Cyber Security Threat to US Health Care Providers; Take PPE Survey
• 10-26-20_Email Update
  • PPE Survey
• 10-23-20_Email Update
  • COVID Point of Care Reporting Portal for Clinics
• 10-22-20_Email Update
  • Relapse vs reinfection guidance; BCBS of Arkansas extends COVID-19 Benefits
• 10-19-20_Email Update
  • State Receives Rapid Antigen Tests; Trump Administration Drives Telehealth Services in Medicaid and Medicare; Update from the Arkansas Center for Health Improvement:
    School District Data Update; Importance of Flu Vaccinations
• 10-2-20_Email Update
  • HHS Announces New Round of Provider Relief Funds; ACHI Update, PPE Request Form

September

• 9-29-20_Email Update
  • CMS Reports Decline in Services for Children; UnitedHealthcare is Updating Temporary Provisions to Telehealth; Survey #3 for Physicians Foundation; PPE Request Form
• 9-24-20_Email Update
  • ACHI Updates Data to include Positive Case Heatmap; Survey #3 for Physicians Foundation; PPE Request Form
• 9-11-20_Email Update
  • PPE Form Request – September 2020
• 9-10-20_Email Update
  • Updated flyers on quarantine and isolation from ADH.
• 9-3-20_Email Update
  • FP/PEDS Reimbursements for Child Vaccines

August

• 8-28-20_Email Update
  • ACHI County and School Level Data; Updated Mask Directive Includes No Vents in Masks
• 8-25-20_Email Update
  • Know the Rules for Quarantine and Isolation; Overdose Awareness Day
• 8-21-20_Email Update
  • Flowchart for Symptomatic K-12 and AAA Return to Athletics Form
• 8-20-20_Email Update
  • New Reimbursement Rates for PCPs Participating in Vaccine Program
• 8-18-20_Email Update
  • Physician Foundation Survey Results
• 8-17-20_Email Update
  • Take Our Survey; ADH Guidance on Testing
• 8-13-20_Email Update
  • ADH Guidance on How to Use COVID-19 Testing
• 8-11-20_Email Update
  • HHS Provider Relief Fund Phase 2 General Distribution Now Accepting Additional Applicants; Arkansas Children’s Guidance on Masks for Children; PPE from Buygility
• 8-4-20_Email Update
  • CMS Proposal to Expand Telehealth Benefits for Medicare for Rural Areas; ADH Guidance on Certifying COVID-19 Deaths
• 8-3-20_Email Update
  • Fraudulent Face Mask Flyer; Help Share #MaskUp Campaign

July

• 7-30-20_Email Update
  • Update Coming on Preoperative Testing for Elective Procedures; CMS and CDC Announce Provider Reimbursement Available for Counseling Patients to Self-Isolate at Time of COVID-19
    Testing
• 7-28-20_Email Update
  • ADH Guidance for Discontinuation of Isolation Precautions; Arkansas Blue Cross Blue Shield Extends Deadline; UnitedHealthcare Extends National Public Health Emergency Temporary Program Changes
• 7-23-20_Email Update
  • Unemployment Insurance Fraud
• 7-22-20_Email Update
  • FDA Issues Guidance for Pooled Testing; AMA Partners with Project N95 to Make PPE Available to AMA Members
• 7-20-20_Email Update
  • HHS Telemedicine Hack Learning Series; PPE Road Show Update
• 7-16-20_Email Update
  • Governor Issues Mandate for Face Covering
• 7-15-20_Email Update
  • Provider Relief Fund and PPP Update
• 7-8-20_Email Update
  • Scam Artists Pose as Contact Tracers; CMS Provider Relief Fund Medicaid and CHIP Distribution information
• 7-7-20_Email Update
  • Elective Procedures Moves to Phase III; Physicians’ Perspective Survey; AFMC Webinar on Telehealth
• 7-6-20_Email Update
  • Contact Tracing Update from ADH; AFMC Webinar on HIPAA  Considerations for Telehealth; Provider Relief Fund Update; Warnings with Methanol-based Hand Sanitizers
• 7-1-20_Email Update
  • PPE Efforts from the AMA

June

• 6-29-20_Email Update
  • CMS gives option to opt-out of 2020 MIPS program; Arkansas Medicaid PCMH 6-month activities deadline extended.
• 6-19-20_Email Update
  • Return to Work Guidance for Infected/Exposed Healthcare Personnel, Provider Relief Fund Update, N95 Decontamination Program, More PPE Available
• 6-15-20_Email Update
  • Executive Orders on Liability and Workers Compensation; Hydroxychloroquine Banned for Treatment of COVID19; Feedback needed for Infection Prevention Training Initiative
• 6-12-20_Email Update
  • HHS will distribute funds to physicians who participate in Medicaid and CHIP.
• 6-10-20_Email Update
  • More Advice on Elective Procedures; CMS Reopening Healthcare Facilities update; HHS Lab Reporting Guidance
• 6-4-20_Email Update
  • • BCBS Provider Newsletter, AFMC Scripts for Telemedicine, AFMC Update on HHS
• 6-1-20_Email Update
  • Update on CARES Act Provider Relief Fund, UnitedHealthcare Program Summary Update, MLN CR Modifier and DR Condition Code, Mako Medical Laboratories Assist in Testing

May

• 5-29-20_Email Update
  • Resources from ACHI, Take Our Survey
• 5-28-20_Email Update
  • AFMC Resources for Telemedicine Visits, Take Our Survey
• 5-26-20_Email Update
  • Take Our Survey, New Directive on Elective Procedures, Phase III, Exposed Person Quarantine Still 14 Days
• 5-20-20 Email Update
  • PPE Road Show Update, FDA Warns Against Some China Facemask Respirators
• 5-18-20 Email Update
  • CMS Telelphone Evaluation & Management Visits; Accuracy of Abbott Tests
• 5-15-20 Email Update
  • Revised Surgery Guidelines, Blue Cross Extends Deadline, ADH Memo on Testing Supplies; N95 Decontamination Program
• 5-14-20 Email Update
  • Guidance on HIPAA During the Coronavirus Pandemic
• 5-12-20 Email Update
  • Remdesivir Available for Hospitals, AR Insurance Dept. Policy Cancellation Info
• 5-8-20 Email Update
  • Elective Procedure Guidelines, PPE Vendors at Arkansasready.com
• 5-7-20 Email Update
  • CMS Update on Waivers and Flexibilities, HHS Deadline Extension; Aegis Science Lab for Testing, AFMC Webinar on Implementing Telehealth
• 5-6-20 Email Update
  • New Shipment of PPE, ADH Public Health Lab Testing
• 5-5-20 Email Update
  • Elective Surgery Revisited; ADH N95 Decontamination Program
• 5-4-20 Email Update
  • Ready for Business Grant Program Adds Funding, Clarification Regarding “Elective” Surgery, AMA Advocacy Update
• 5-1-20 Email Update
  • CMS Increasing Payments for Audio-Only Telephone Visits, Vetting Non-Traditional Suppliers for PPE

April

• 4-30-20 Email Update
  • AEL Lab Help with Testing, ADEC Ready for Business Grant Program Exceeds Funding Limits, May edition of the Journal
• 4-29-20 Email Update
  • State Launches New Grant Program
• 4-28-20 Email Update
  • Antibody Testing Primer, Largest Case Increase Locations Explained by ADH, Elective Surgery Call with ADH
• 4-27-20 Email Update
  • Elective Surgery Call with ADH, HHS General Allocation Fund Portal, UnitedHealthcare Resources to Aid Claims
• 4-24-20 Email Update
  • ADH Directive on Resuming Elective Procedures, ADH Updated Guidance on Testing, AR State Medical Board Update, PPE Vendor Recommendations, PPE Road Show Recap
• 4-23-20 Email Update
  • AFMC Webinar, PPE Update, US Marshals Warns of Impersonation Calls, AMA Update on CARES Act
• 4-20-20 Email Update
  • Wroten named to Economic Recovery Task Force, Rural Health Clinics Flexibilities, Physicians Advocacy Institute Update, HHS Distributes First Round of CARES Act, AMA Advocacy Update
• 4-17-20 Email Update
  • ADH Updated Guidance on Testing, Directive on Use of Nucleic Acic Amplification Test
• 4-16-20 Email Update
  • AFMC Webinar on Financially Health Practice, Update on CARES Act Distribution
• 4-15-20 Email Update
  • ADH Directive Against Using Non-FDA Serologic Tests, FCC COVID-19 Telehealth Program
• 4-14-20 Email Update
  • Governor Issues 3 New Executive Orders, Clarifications on Emergency Funds
• 4-13-20 Email Update
  • Proposed Emergency Order Sent to Governor; Docbook MD Transitions to Medici Connect
• 4-10-20 Email Update
  • Emergency Fund Distribution from CARES Act
• 4-9-20 Email Update
  • Better News on PPE, AR Insurance Commissioner Issues Orders to Help Physicians, Managing Mental Health
• 4-8-20 Email Update
  • Face Shields wtih Largeprinting.com, UnitedHealthcare and Optum to Accelerate Payments
• 4-7-20 Email Update
  • CMS Issues Clinician letter and Updated Elective Surgery Recommendations
• 4-4-20 Email Update
  • AMA Advocacy Update on Small Business Administration Loans, MIPS Reporting Relief, Other Resources
• 4-2-20 Email Update
  • AMS Coordinates PPE Requests
• 4-1-20 Email Update
  • Be a Resource for Your State Legislators

March

• 3-31-20 Email Update
  • Managing Stress and Anxiety, Financial Assistance Resources
• 3-30-20 Email Update
  • Medicare Assistance Payments, Small Business Loans for Clinics and Practices, Summary of CARES Act, Employee Retention Credit, Telemedicine Update from UnitedHealthcare
• 3-27-20 Email Update
  • Governor Announces Federal Medicaid Waiver Request, AMS Makes Formal Request for PPE, Telemedicine Update from Cigna and Humana, ADH Info on Home Quarantine, Stimulus and Relief Package Approved
• 3-25-20 Email Update
  • AFMC Telemedicine Webinar, Update on Coverage Provisions for Telephone-Only Medical Services, AMS Signs Congressional Letter, AMA Issues Special Coding Advice, Clinic Signs in Spanish and Marshallese
• 3-23-20 Email Update
  • Use of Hydroxychloroquine and Chloroquine, HIPPA Allowances for Telemedicine, Return to Work for Infected/Exposed Healthcare Personnel
• 3-20-20 Email Update
  • Limited Supplies of PPE, More on Telemedicine, Price Gouging at Commercial Labs, Medicaid Reimbursements for Lab Tests, Economic Development Resources for Your Practice
• 3-18-20 Email Update
  • AR Medicaid Revises Telemedicine Rules, Telehealth Billing Expansion Update, HIPPA Regulations for Telehealth, Clinical Guidance for Management of COVID Patients, Signage for Clinics
• 3-17-20 Email Update
  • Telemedicine Rules Relaxed, Update on PPE, Annual Membership Meeting Cancelled, COVID-19 Test Availability from ADH
• 3-13-20 Email Update
  • Test Availability, Safely Prepare Office Staff Info