State Resources and Information

Virginia Department of Medical Assistance Services (DMAS)
DMAS COVID-19 webpage 
DMAS Provider COVID-19 webpage
3-27-20 Medicaid Memo: Clarifications and Changes: Behavioral Health and ARTS Provider Flexibilities Related to COVID-19
3-19-20 Medicaid Memo: Provider Flexibilities Related to COVID-19
3-19-20 MCO Services Delivery Flexibilities Related to COVID-19

Virginia Department of Behavior (DBHDS)
DBHDS COVID-19 webpage
DBHDS Resources for Healthcare Providers During COVID-19
3-24-20 DBHDS Guidelines re: Executive Order 53 (download)
3-20-20 DBHDS Update on FieldPrint Office Closures (download)
3-16-20 DBHDS CHRIS Guidance (download)
3-14-20 DBHDS Office of Licensing and Office of Human Rights Provider Update (download)
3-5-20 DBHDS Office of Licensing Provider Memo re: COVID-19

DHP
DHP COVID-19 – Closure of walk-in services (3-17-20)
Board of Counseling COVID-19 Updates
Board of Social Work COVID-19 Updates
Board of Psychology COVID-19 Updates
11-13-15 Board of Counseling Guidance on Technology-Assisted Counseling and Supervision (attachment)
QMHP FAQ (attachment)

Health plans

Medicaid MCOs
Aetna
Anthem
Magellan Complete Care
Magellan Health (BHSA)
Optima
United Healthcare
Virginia Premier

Commercial Plans
Anthem
CareFirst 
Kaiser
UHC
Principal

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Virginia News and Information

• Virginia Uses Genetic Technology to Combat COVID-19 (4-6-20)

 

• Governor Announces Emergency Funding to Shelter Virginia’s Homeless Population (4-3-20)

 

• Virginia Receives Major Disaster Declaration from Federal Government for COVID-19 (4-2-20)

 

• Governor Issues Stay-at-Home Order; (3-30-20)

 

• Governor Encourages Completion of 2020 Census Online (3-27-20)

 

• Governor Directs Postponement of Elective Surgeries (3-25-20)

 

• Governor Orders Closure of Certain Non-Essential Businesses, K-12 Schools; Executive Order 53  (3-23-20) 

 

• Governor Announces Additional Actions to Address COVID-19 Issues This includes eliminating co-pays eliminated for all Medicaid-covered, providing tax relief for businesses and enabling small businesses to apply for low-interest federal disaster loans. 

• Governor and Health Commissioner Issue Public Health Emergency Order to Enforce 10-Patron Limit, Order of Public Health Emergency One (3-17-20)

 

• Governor Announces Measures to Combat COVID-19 and Support Impacted Virginians (4-17-20) This includes directing adherence to 10-person gathering plan, quarantine for high-risk individuals and worker/employer support

• Virginia Urges Healthcare Professionals to Volunteer to Help (3-25-20)

In order to meet the healthcare workforce needs related to COVID-19, Virginia is considering licensing regulations, use of medical students and use of the Virginia Medical Reserve Corp to meet the need for healthcare professionals. The Virginia Medical Reserve Corp includes 8,000 professionals, with 1,500 volunteers who signed up during the month of March. Virginia is looking for additional volunteers who are 18 years or older and are healthcare professionals who either are or have been licensed. Training is provided online. For more information, visit http://www.vdh.virginia.gov/mrc/.

Quick State Resources

• Virginia Department of Health
• Virginia COVID-19 web page

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Updates from the Governor

Highlights from the April 6, 2020, briefing from Governor Northam are below.

COVID-19 numbers in Virginia

• Virginia currently has 2,878 positive cases, up 241 within the last 24 hours.  The number of deaths has increased to 54 with three new deaths in the past 24 hours.
• A total of 24,521 people have been tested.
• A total of 497 individuals are currently hospitalized. It was shared that the hospitalization numbers come from the Virginia Health Information website, which tracks hospital claims and therefore, the data lags versus the data from VHHA, which is based on hospital census information. 
• A question was asked as to whether Virginia can begin to post COVID-19 recovery numbers. The State Health Commissioner responded that they do not have access to this data.
• The Governor shared that Virginia has a lot of people who likely have COVID-19, but we don’t know that they have it because they are not having symptoms and we do not have access to more widespread testing. 
• New numbers on surge timing based on the University of Washington model were raised during the briefing by a reporter. When asked about reports that Virginia’s surge is likely to be April 20 versus May 20 based on this model, the Governor responded that the models change day-to-day because the data is changing day-to-day. 

Supplies and equipment needs

• The Governor shared that Virginia has signed a $27 million contract with the Virginia-based company, Northfield, to obtain PPE, with the first shipment expected next week. 
• He also announced a contract with Estes to support distribution of supplies to where they are most needed. 
• Shipments of food to food banks, hand sanitizer and masks have already been made. 
• A third shipment of supplies from the national stockpile has also been delivered to Virginia hospitals.

Testing

• Virginia continues to work toward a rapid result test that has a turn-around time of 15-30 minutes.
• Access to the test kits continues to be a challenge.
• Turn-around times for private labs continue to be long but they continue to work to improve those turn-around times.
• It was also shared that some additional private labs are opening in Virginia to help manage some of the testing burden.

Face covering

• The Governor acknowledged the CDC’s recommendations that individuals cover their faces when outside their homes and recommended that Virginians follow this guidance. 
• He shared that the use of face coverings can help reduce the spread of the virus through the air and can restrict individuals from touching their faces. 
• With this, however, he emphasized that non-medical grade face coverings do not provide medical-grade protection and individuals should continue to stay at home and to practice social distancing when outside the home. 
• He also recommended that face coverings be washed at least once a day with soap and water.

Alternative healthcare treatment sites

• Following last week’s announcement that the Dulles Expo Center (Northern Virginia), the Richmond Convention Center, and the Hampton Roads Convention Center have been selected as alternative healthcare treatment sites, Virginia is moving forward to prepare those sites, which is beginning this week.

Long-term care facilities

• When asked about how Virginia is approaching long-term care facilities, the Health Commissioner shared that Virginia’s 35 local health districts are in close contact with LTC facilities within their districts. 
• When a COVID-19 case is identified in a LTC facility, public health officials work with them to isolate person infected, implement protocols to protect others at the facility and investigate contacts that person may have had.

Construction projects

• A question was raised as to why construction, including non-essential construction, was still happening. The Governor responded he is not aware of any issues or problems related to this.

Non-essential businesses

• The Governor continued to receive questions about why non-essential businesses have not been ordered to close. He once again referred to the guidance that these bricks and mortar businesses ensure no more than 10 patrons are in a businesses at a time. 

Department of Corrections

• A reporter raised that a number of positive COVID-19 cases have been reported among inmates and staff at the Department of Corrections. 
• The Governor indicated that he is utilizing the protocols in place to determine where pardons may be appropriate and does not plan to issue another Executive Order granting broad clemency. 
• Sec. of Public Safety Brian Moran reminded the group that the Supreme Court would not allow former Governor Terry McAuliffe to restore the rights of convicted felons in a blanket action. It found that clemency may only be given on an individual basis. Sec. Moran stated that process is “clumsy” and “extensive.”
• Sec. Moran shared that there are 2,351 inmates who are either characterized as geriatric inmates or were convicted prior to 1995 when parole was abolished. The Parole Board is actively reviewing these cases and 95 inmates were released in March, representing a 153% increase from the prior month. 
• Sec. Moran shared that approximately 90% of these individuals were convicted of violent offenses so that is also be considered as the Parole Board considers appropriate action.

National Public Health Week

• The Governor once again shared that this week is National Public Health Week, providing an important reminder to thank and acknowledge public health workers for the critical work they are doing across Virginia.

To watch the Governor’s briefing, click here.

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​Federal Resources and Information

Families First Coronavirus Response Act Q&A
The U.S. Department of Labor issued additional guidance related to the Families First Coronavirus Response Act. Check out the new Q&A, which is available here.

(3-19-20) Guidance Issued on Essential Critical Infrastructure Workforce
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security issued guidance on essential critical infrastructure workers on March 19, 2020. It outlines guidance on essential critical infrastructure workers during the COVID-19 response. While this is not Virginia-specific, it provides federal government perspective on this important issue. The following is included in the healthcare/public health section of this document:

• Caregivers (e.g., physicians, dentists, psychologists, mid-level practitioners, nurses and assistants, infection control and quality assurance personnel, pharmacists, physical and occupational therapists and assistants, social workers, speech pathologists and diagnostic and therapeutic technicians and technologists)
• Workers in other medical facilities (including Ambulatory Health and Surgical, Blood Banks, Clinics, Community Mental Health, Comprehensive Outpatient rehabilitation, End Stage Renal Disease, Health Departments, Home Health care, Hospices, Hospitals, Long Term Care, Organ Pharmacies, Procurement Organizations, Psychiatric Residential, Rural Health Clinics and Federally Qualified Health Centers)

(3-20-20) The Families First Coronavirus Response Act
This week, the President signed into law H.R. 6201. This legislation does the following:

• Provides employees of employers with fewer than 500 employees, who have been on the job for at least 30 days, with the right to take up to 12 weeks of job-protected leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act for a qualifying need related to a declared COVID-19 public health emergency.
• Requires employers with fewer than 500 employees to provide employees with two weeks of paid sick leave, paid at the employee's regular rate if they meet certain requirements. 
• Requires private health plans to provide coverage for COVID-19 diagnostic testing at no cost to the consumer, including the cost of a provider, and urgent care center and emergency room visits to receive testing. The Act further clarifies that health care provider visits include in-person visits and telehealth visits.
• Provides a refundable tax credit equal to 100 percent of qualified paid sick leave wages paid by an employer for each calendar quarter, with certain limitations
• $500 million for the Women and Infants and Children (WIC) program to provide access to nutritious foods to low-income pregnant women or mothers with young children who lose their jobs due to the COVID-19 emergency
• $400 million to assist local food banks to meet increased demand for low-income Americans, including $300 million to purchase nutritious foods and $100 million to support the storage and distribution of the foods
• Allow states to provide emergency Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) food assistance to households who would otherwise receive free or reduced-price meals at school
• $250 million for the Senior Nutrition program to provide 25 million additional home-delivered and pre-packaged meals to low-income seniors who are home-bound, have disabilities, and have multiple chronic illnesses, as well as for associated caregivers
• $1 billion for the National Disaster Medical System to reimburse the costs of COVID-19 diagnostic testing and services provided to individuals without health insurance
• Nutrition Waivers to allow the National School Lunch Program to permit child and adult care centers to district food, 
• Provides $1 billion in 2020 for emergency grants to states for activities related to the processing and paying of unemployment insurance (UI) benefits under certain conditions.
• $500 million would be used to provide immediate additional funding to all states for staffing, technology, systems, and other administrative costs.
• $500 million would be reserved for emergency grants to states which experienced at least a 10 percent increase in unemployment
• For states that experience an increase of 10 percent or more in their unemployment rate, the bill provides 100 percent federal funding for Extended Benefits, which normally require 50 percent of funding to come from states
• Allow the National School Lunch Program to permit child and adult care centers to distribute food
• Allow WIC participants to be certified without being physically present at the WIC clinic
• Suspend the work and work training requirements for SNAP during the crisis
• Allow states to request special waivers to provide temporary, emergency SNAP benefits to existing SNAP households

(3-17-20) Expansion of Telehealth for Medicare Beneficiaries
Today, the Trump Administration announced that telehealth benefits for Medicare beneficiaries are being expanded during the COVID-19 outbreak. This will allow, beginning March 6, Medicare to temporarily pay clinicians to provide telehealth services for beneficiaries residing across the country. For more information, click here.

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