WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito is talking with the White House about a possible waiver for the state that would allow hospitals more flexibility in the way beds can be used in connection with a possible influx of patients from the coronavirus.
Capito told MetroNews Tuesday about conversations she had earlier in the day with Trump administration officials focused in part on what’s called a Section 1135 waiver.
“I’m concerned after talking with hospitals that when West Virginia gets hit hospitals will be able to handle the surge,” Capito said.
Capito said the waiver, which was granted to the state of Florida Tuesday, allows, among other things, hospitals to use beds differently when it comes to Medicare, Medicaid, and CHIP requirements.
“To relax some of regulations and some of the rules on pre-authorizations and other things–to give our hospitals the ability to meet what could be a surge,” Capito said.
The waiver, which can only come when the president has declared a national emergency, must be requested by the governor. Capito said she’s spoken with Gov. Jim Justice and state DHHR Secretary Bill Crouch.
“This a preparedness measure for our hospitals but you have to have the paperwork done and all of the i’s dotted and t’s crossed to make sure you have this flexibility that you think you’re going to need,” Capito said.
The announcement of the Florida waiver by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) said it would allow the hospitals there “to waive prior authorization requirements to remove barriers to needed services, streamline provider enrollment processes to ensure access to care for beneficiaries, allow care to be provided in alternative settings in the event a facility is evacuated to an unlicensed facility, suspend certain nursing home screening requirements to provide necessary administrative relief, and extend deadlines for appeals and state fair hearing requests. These flexibilities will enable the state to focus its resources on combating this outbreak and provide the best possible care to Medicaid beneficiaries in their state.”
CMS said Tuesday that it would continue “to expeditiously review and approve as appropriate all Section 1135 waivers and other requests that the agency receives to ensure that we are providing our state partners with the maximum flexibility they need to care for their Medicaid beneficiaries during the public health emergency.”
Capito said she’s also pressing on the White House and Centers for Disease Control to make more equipment and testing available to West Virginia.
“We’re getting calls from people who are frustrated they can’t or their loved ones can’t get a test–so we’re trying to sort of impress on the administration how important that is and how we need to make that more robust in the state,” she said.
Capito has also heard from small business owners in connection with the impact of the coronavirus.
“The need for a capital infusion to sort of get them over the hump and I think that will be the next step through the Small Business Administration,” Capito said. “What we think, I think what the small business would tell you, the immediacy is the most critical part of this.”
U.S. Senator Joe Manchin was also occupied with questions about testing Tuesday. Manchin spoke with FDA Commissioner Dr. Stephen Hahn and U.S. HHS Secretary Alex Azar and others about testing and equipment.
“Dr. Hahn committed to me that he will do everything in his power to ensure West Virginians have access to the testing equipment necessary to curb the rapid spread of the COVID-19 outbreak and protect our brave healthcare professionals who are fighting this virus on the front lines,” Manchin said. “I urged HHS Secretary Azar and Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response Kadlec to send more PPEs from the federal stockpile to West Virginia so our public health professionals are adequately prepared for this virus. No state is more at risk than West Virginia. We cannot afford to let this deadly disease get a foothold in West Virginia.”