Good morning Partners!

Please share the below information to your members, audiences and partners. Thank you!

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is intensifying the fight against the flu virus to protect the people we serve across all our health care programs and taking action to protect the health and safety of our nation’s patients and providers in the wake of the 2019 Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. CMS is amplifying information from CDC as well as issuing guidance specific to the populations we serve. To help you stay up to date on CMS and HHS materials available on the Flu, a virtual toolkit has been posted. We encourage you to share resources with your members, bookmark the page, and check back often for the most up to date info.

https://www.cms.gov/outreach-education/partner-resources/flu-vaccine-partner-toolkit

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is taking action to protect the health and safety of our nation’s patients from the flu virus in the wake of the 2019 Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. CMS has released a Virtual Toolkit to help you stay up-to-date on CMS, CDC, and other federal partner resources available on the importance of the flu vaccination.

For more information on the 2020- 2021 Flu Season, visit: CDC.gov/flu

Kindest regards,

Felicia Verrett, M.S., FAC-COR II

Office of Communications Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services

7500 Security Blvd. Baltimore, MD. 21244

410-786-3848 S1-05-18 felicia.

verrett@cms.hhs.gov

CMS COVID-19 Stakeholder Engagement Calls CMS hosts varied recurring stakeholder engagement sessions to share information related to the agency’s response to COVID-19. These sessions are open to members of the healthcare community and are intended to provide updates, share best practices among peers, and offer attendees an opportunity to ask questions of CMS and other subject matter experts. Call details are below. Conference lines are limited so we highly encourage you to join via audio webcast, either on your computer or smartphone web browser. You are welcome to share this invitation with your colleagues and professional networks. These calls are not intended for the press. Calls recordings and transcripts are posted on the CMS podcast page at: https://www.cms.gov/Outreach-and-Education/Outreach/OpenDoorForums/PodcastAndTranscripts CMS COVID-19 Office Hours Calls (twice a month on Tuesday at 5:00 – 6:00 PM Eastern) Office Hour Calls provide an opportunity for hospitals, health systems, and providers to ask questions of agency officials regarding CMS’s temporary actions that empower local hospitals and healthcare systems to: Increase Hospital Capacity – CMS Hospitals Without Walls; Rapidly Expand the Healthcare Workforce; Put Patients Over Paperwork; and Further Promote Telehealth in Medicare Office Hours: Tuesday, August 25th at 5:00 – 6:00 PM Eastern Toll Free Attendee Dial In: 833-614-0820; Access Passcode: 8579003 Audio Webcast link: https://protect2.fireeye.com/url?k=0abf9ce4-56ea95f7-0abfaddb-0cc47adb5650-51cc2ca0f914a7e9&u=https://engage.vevent.com/index.jsp?eid=5779&seid=2371#/main/simplify Weekly COVID-19 Care Site-Specific Calls CMS hosts weekly calls for certain types of organizations to provide targeted updates on the agency’s latest COVID-19 guidance. One to two leaders in the field also share best practices with their peers. There is an opportunity to ask questions of presenters if time allows. Home Health and Hospice (twice a month on Tuesday at 3:00 PM Eastern) Tuesday, August 25th at 3:00 – 3:30 PM Eastern Toll Free Attendee Dial-In: 833-614-0820; Access Passcode: 6782346 Audio Webcast Link: https://protect2.fireeye.com/url?k=7f8437f3-23d13ee0-7f8406cc-0cc47adb5650-325d7e41ab13f488&u=https://engage.vevent.com/index.jsp?eid=5779&seid=2391#/main/simplify Nursing Homes (twice a month on Wednesday at 4:30 PM Eastern) Wednesday, August 26th 4:30 – 5:00 PM Eastern Toll Free Attendee Dial-In: 833-614-0820; Access Passcode: 5718509 Audio Webcast Link:https://protect2.fireeye.com/url?k=2b5e5a87-770b5394-2b5e6bb8-0cc47adb5650-8c68a2847b4b8790&u=https://engage.vevent.com/index.jsp?eid=5779&seid=2416#/main/simplify Dialysis Organizations (twice a month on Wednesday at 5:30 PM Eastern) Wednesday, August 26th at 5:30 – 6:00 PM Eastern Toll Free Attendee Dial-In: 833-614-0820; Access Passcode: 1834329 Audio Webcast Link: https://protect2.fireeye.com/url?k=245c161f-78091f0c-245c2720-0cc47adb5650-a6c34f8771be1b28&u=https://engage.vevent.com/index.jsp?eid=5779&seid=2406#/main/simplify Nurses (twice a month on Thursday at 3:00 PM Eastern) Thursday, August 27th at 3:00 – 3:30 PM Eastern Toll Free Attendee Dial-In: 833-614-0820; Access Passcode: 1556623 Audio Webcast Link:https://protect2.fireeye.com/url?k=b59e57c0-e9cb5ed3-b59e66ff-0cc47adb5650-1dbb68ce48ee57b2&u=https://engage.vevent.com/index.jsp?eid=5779&seid=2426#/main/simplify Lessons from the Front Lines: COVID-19 (twice a month on Friday at 12:30 – 2:00 PM Eastern) Lessons from the Front Lines calls are a joint effort between CMS Administrator Seema Verma, FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn, MD, and the White House Coronavirus Task Force. Physicians and other clinicians are invited to share their experience, ideas, strategies, and insights with one another related to their COVID-19 response. There is an opportunity to ask questions of presenters. Next Lessons from the Front Lines: Friday, September 4th at 12:30 – 2:00 PM Eastern Toll Free Attendee Dial-In: 833-614-0820; Access Passcode: 3374248 Audio Webcast Link: https://protect2.fireeye.com/url?k=ab8f96ce-f7da9fdd-ab8fa7f1-0cc47adb5650-8d7f049b7c0d146d&u=https://engage.vevent.com/index.jsp?eid=5779&seid=2474#/main/simplify For the most current information including call schedule changes, please click here To keep up with the important work the White House Task Force is doing in response to COVID-19 click here:https://www.coronavirus.gov/ For information specific to CMS, please visit the Current Emergencies Website.

CMS COVID-19 Stakeholder Engagement Calls CMS hosts varied recurring stakeholder engagement sessions to share information related to the agency’s response to COVID-19. These sessions are open to members of the healthcare community and are intended to provide updates, share best practices among peers, and offer attendees an opportunity to ask questions of CMS and other subject matter experts. Call details are below. Conference lines are limited so we highly encourage you to join via audio webcast, either on your computer or smartphone web browser. You are welcome to share this invitation with your colleagues and professional networks. These calls are not intended for the press. Calls recordings and transcripts are posted on the CMS podcast page at: https://www.cms.gov/Outreach-and-Education/Outreach/OpenDoorForums/PodcastAndTranscripts CMS COVID-19 Office Hours Calls (twice a month on Tuesday at 5:00 – 6:00 PM Eastern) Office Hour Calls provide an opportunity for hospitals, health systems, and providers to ask questions of agency officials regarding CMS’s temporary actions that empower local hospitals and healthcare systems to: Increase Hospital Capacity – CMS Hospitals Without Walls; Rapidly Expand the Healthcare Workforce; Put Patients Over Paperwork; and Further Promote Telehealth in Medicare Office Hours: Tuesday, August 25th at 5:00 – 6:00 PM Eastern Toll Free Attendee Dial In: 833-614-0820; Access Passcode: 8579003 Audio Webcast link: https://protect2.fireeye.com/url?k=0abf9ce4-56ea95f7-0abfaddb-0cc47adb5650-51cc2ca0f914a7e9&u=https://engage.vevent.com/index.jsp?eid=5779&seid=2371#/main/simplify Weekly COVID-19 Care Site-Specific Calls CMS hosts weekly calls for certain types of organizations to provide targeted updates on the agency’s latest COVID-19 guidance. One to two leaders in the field also share best practices with their peers. There is an opportunity to ask questions of presenters if time allows. Home Health and Hospice (twice a month on Tuesday at 3:00 PM Eastern) Tuesday, August 25th at 3:00 – 3:30 PM Eastern Toll Free Attendee Dial-In: 833-614-0820; Access Passcode: 6782346 Audio Webcast Link: https://protect2.fireeye.com/url?k=7f8437f3-23d13ee0-7f8406cc-0cc47adb5650-325d7e41ab13f488&u=https://engage.vevent.com/index.jsp?eid=5779&seid=2391#/main/simplify Nursing Homes (twice a month on Wednesday at 4:30 PM Eastern) Wednesday, August 26th 4:30 – 5:00 PM Eastern Toll Free Attendee Dial-In: 833-614-0820; Access Passcode: 5718509 Audio Webcast Link:https://protect2.fireeye.com/url?k=2b5e5a87-770b5394-2b5e6bb8-0cc47adb5650-8c68a2847b4b8790&u=https://engage.vevent.com/index.jsp?eid=5779&seid=2416#/main/simplify Dialysis Organizations (twice a month on Wednesday at 5:30 PM Eastern) Wednesday, August 26th at 5:30 – 6:00 PM Eastern Toll Free Attendee Dial-In: 833-614-0820; Access Passcode: 1834329 Audio Webcast Link: https://protect2.fireeye.com/url?k=245c161f-78091f0c-245c2720-0cc47adb5650-a6c34f8771be1b28&u=https://engage.vevent.com/index.jsp?eid=5779&seid=2406#/main/simplify Nurses (twice a month on Thursday at 3:00 PM Eastern) Thursday, August 27th at 3:00 – 3:30 PM Eastern Toll Free Attendee Dial-In: 833-614-0820; Access Passcode: 1556623 Audio Webcast Link:https://protect2.fireeye.com/url?k=b59e57c0-e9cb5ed3-b59e66ff-0cc47adb5650-1dbb68ce48ee57b2&u=https://engage.vevent.com/index.jsp?eid=5779&seid=2426#/main/simplify Lessons from the Front Lines: COVID-19 (twice a month on Friday at 12:30 – 2:00 PM Eastern) Lessons from the Front Lines calls are a joint effort between CMS Administrator Seema Verma, FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn, MD, and the White House Coronavirus Task Force. Physicians and other clinicians are invited to share their experience, ideas, strategies, and insights with one another related to their COVID-19 response. There is an opportunity to ask questions of presenters. Next Lessons from the Front Lines: Friday, September 4th at 12:30 – 2:00 PM Eastern Toll Free Attendee Dial-In: 833-614-0820; Access Passcode: 3374248 Audio Webcast Link: https://protect2.fireeye.com/url?k=ab8f96ce-f7da9fdd-ab8fa7f1-0cc47adb5650-8d7f049b7c0d146d&u=https://engage.vevent.com/index.jsp?eid=5779&seid=2474#/main/simplify For the most current information including call schedule changes, please click here To keep up with the important work the White House Task Force is doing in response to COVID-19 click here:https://www.coronavirus.gov/ For information specific to CMS, please visit the Current Emergencies Website.

Please find included a link to the Department of Health and Human Services “Vaccines.gov” page. Please share with your audiences and any groups who wish to have more information on vaccine health. Thank you!

https://www.vaccines.gov/catch-up

What%20to%20expect%20from%20a%20contact%20tracing%20call%20%28COVID-19%29.eml

Hello Everyone,

Today's edition looks at three items.  Some key findings in each area:

1. COVID deaths in the USA during the most recent week (August 9 - 15) remain at more than 1,000 per day and are well above the rates the country experienced during June and most of July.
2. COVID death rates tend to be correlated with population density.  However, among the 37 Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD) member nations, the USA ranks 7^th in the per population COVID death rate but 27^th in population density.  
3. COVID death rates per population were grouped into the four major US regions.  The Northeast region's death rate is by far the highest (3.75 times the remainder of the country's rate), but this region's population density is 3.69 times that of the rest of the nation.  Comparing these data to the OECD countries, every USA region's COVID death rate is far above where it would be expected relative to other countries based on population density rankings.  

The Menges Group

COVID%205%20Slide%20Series%20Death%20Rate%20Tabulations%2C%20August%2017.pdf

Weekly%20and%20Monthly%20Progression%20of%20Deaths%20Attributed%20to%20COVID-19%208.6.20.pdf

Hello Everyone,

Today's edition of our 5 Slide Series is attached and frames how the USA's COVID death rate compares with other highly developed countries (our death rate is 78% higher). We also portray each state's weekly progression of COVID tests, cases, and deaths through the month of July. July has been a disappointing "step backwards" month in the USA overall and especially so in many states. Nationwide, we experienced nearly twice as many COVID deaths this past week as occurred during the first week of July.

** Information prepared by The Menges Group**

Comparisons%20of%20COVID%20Death%20Rates%20Across%20Countries%20and%20States%2C%20July%2031%202020%20%20%281%29.pdf