Baker-Polito Administration Announces New
Health Care Resources, Small Business Relief, Other Efforts To Support COVID-19
Response
BOSTON – The
Baker-Polito Administration today announced new actions to support the ongoing
COVID-19 response, including new financial support for health care providers,
expanded relief for small businesses, and a new federal waiver request to give
the state expanded flexibility to respond to the public health emergency. The
Administration also joined life sciences leaders to highlight a new partnership
aimed at providing additional supplies for hospitals.
The Administration
also announced new tax penalty relief for businesses, further action to limit
the need for customers to visit the Registry of Motor Vehicles in person, and
other initiatives to support the Commonwealth’s residents and communities
throughout the COVID-19 outbreak.
Financial Support
For Health Care Providers: The
Administration’s COVID-19 Response Command Center continues to identify and
prioritize efforts to ensure the Commonwealth’s health care system has the
resources it needs to support the response to COVID-19. Today, the
Administration announced a $200 million infusion in cash at MassHealth for
critical, acute care and safety-net health care providers, as well as for
certain health care providers required to help ensure that our members
receiving care in the community or nursing facilities do not need to go to the
hospital. These will be accelerated payments and cash advances for immediate,
stopgap relief to ensure the front-line health care system is able to provide
necessary resources to patients.
Emergency Supply
Hub: Life sciences
industry leaders joined the Administration today to highlight the new Massachusetts
Life Sciences Emergency Supply Hub. MassBio, in partnership with MassMEDIC,
the Massachusetts Health and Hospital Association, and the Conference of Boston
Teaching Hospitals, launched the Supply Hub to help coordinate efforts aimed at
bringing additional supplies and resources to the Commonwealth’s health care institutions as they test and treat patients
with COVID-19. The initiative calls on life sciences and health care
organizations in the state to donate supplies needed to combat COVID-19. MassBio
will share information with the Department of Public Health to triage and
connect supplies with those healthcare providers that need them.
New Drive-Through
Testing Site: On Thursday,
the Commonwealth’s first large-scale drive-thru COVID-19 testing site launched
at CVS in Shrewsbury. The new site is the result of an ongoing partnership
between the Baker-Polito Administration, the federal government, local health
authorities and CVS. The site is designated for emergency personnel and first
responders, expanding testing access to front line workers. Currently, this
site is one of over 40 sites launching throughout the country over the next
week, with test kits supplied by the federal government.
MassHealth Waiver
& Other Requests: Massachusetts
is filing a waiver request today with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid
Services (CMS) that will give the state and its Medicaid program, MassHealth,
more flexibility to respond to the COVID-19 public health crisis. If allowed,
the waiver would enable the Commonwealth to fast-track MassHealth enrollment,
streamline administrative requirements for providers, and deliver critically
needed health care services easier during the COVID-19 emergency. Through
the waiver request and other federal requests, the Commonwealth is seeking
flexibility to address key areas of need:
- Allow
for non-traditional sites of care to expand surge capacity, such as use of
testing tents and overflow hospital sites
- Allow
new providers, including out of state providers, a streamlined pathway to
practice in the state including caring for MassHealth members
- Allow
physician assistants to practice independently
- Provide
flexibility to hospitals and skilled nursing facilities to meet increasing
demand
- Expand
MassHealth Hospital-Determined Presumptive Eligibility to all individuals – which MassHealth already expanded through a
public health order last week –
including children, older adults, and individuals who have received MassHealth
benefits within the past 12 months
- Allow
medications to be delivered to members, and waive a signature requirement
for these prescriptions
- Waive
face-to-face requirements for certain services, including Home and
Community Based Services, and behavioral health evaluations for Schedule
II-IV prescriptions
In addition, the
Administration announced that MassHealth and the Health Connector will protect
coverage for all individuals who have Medicaid coverage as of March 18, 2020
and for all individuals approved for coverage during the national emergency.
Expanded Small
Business Resources: Earlier
this week, the Administration announced a $10
Million Small Business Recovery Loan Fund to provide financial relief to
small businesses and non-profits impacted by COVID-19. Today, the
Administration announced that MassDevelopment’s Board of Directors will meet next
week to vote on a partnership that will make an additional $10 million
available for the Small Business Recovery Loan Fund.
The state-level
emergency loan fund is aimed at providing crucial resources for small
businesses that will supplement important federal relief. Governor Baker on
Tuesday formally
requested disaster relief from the federal Small Business Administration,
and with this week’s announcement
that that request had been granted, Massachusetts businesses impacted by
COVID-19 may now apply for low-interest loans.
Tax Relief for
Businesses: The
Baker-Polito Administration is announcing tax penalty relief to support
businesses affected by COVID-19. The Department of Revenue today announced that
it will waive any late-file or late-pay penalties for returns and
payment due for meals and room occupancy taxes between March 20 and May
31, 2020.
Limiting Need For
In-Person RMV Visits: The
Administration today is taking further action to limit the need for customers
to visit the Registry of Motor Vehicles in person. Today, Governor Baker issued an order
allowing the Registrar to extend vehicle registrations and modify the
conditions of registrations, plates and titles. It also enables the waiver of
certain inspection requirements.
Workforce Guidance
For Schools: Earlier
this week, Governor Baker ordered
all elementary and secondary schools to close for educational purposes
until April 6. Recognizing that local school districts employ a significant
number of hourly employees, the Department of Elementary and Secondary
Education today is issuing guidance to local school districts recommending they
continue paying hourly employees, while suggesting they continue to engage in
professional development.
Smoke Alarm
Inspections: Governor
Baker today issued
an order making a change to the inspection statutes that require a smoke
and carbon dioxide alarm inspection prior to a residential real estate
transaction. The Order would permit the inspection to be deferred if the buyer
contractually assumes responsibility for installing the detectors and the
subsequent inspection happens within 90 days of the conclusion of the COVID-19
emergency.
