COVID-19

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CMS has expanded Medicare telehealth benefits on a temporary and emergency basis pursuant to the Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act.  Starting March 6, 2020, Medicare will pay for office, hospital, and other visits furnished via telehealth provided by doctors, nurse practitioners, clinical psychologists, and licensed clinical social workers.  The HHS Office of Inspector…

On March 25, 2020, the Offshore Marine Service Association (OMSA) issued a memorandum providing guidance on the transport of potentially infected personnel during the COVID-19 pandemic. The memorandum aims to guide the offshore service industry on using the appropriate standards and procedures prior to, during and after the transport of potentially infected personnel.

The transport…

Yesterday afternoon, on March 25, 2020, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division issued its model notices that meet the requirements of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (“FFCRA”). The DOL provided a model notice for private sector employees and for public employees. All employers covered by the paid sick leave and…

Late Tuesday afternoon, March 24, 2020, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division issued guidance in the form of 14 questions and answers on the new COVID-19 leave act. Here is the link to the latest guidance. Some of the highlights are described below.

Although practitioners and commentators uniformly agreed that the act…

The COVID-19 pandemic is reshaping many areas of law and regulation as businesses grapple with maintaining compliance, while also responding to the fluid needs of their clients and employees. In an effort to ease the regulatory burden on businesses, certain government agencies have made announcements that their offices will exercise discretion or waive certain noncompliance…

On Wednesday, March 18, 2020, the EEOC released updated guidance titled “What You Should Know About the ADA, the Rehabilitation Act, and COVID-19.” The release may be accessed here: https://www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/newsroom/wysk/wysk_ada_rehabilitaion_act_coronavirus.cfm.

Along with some specific new guidance, the EEOC references its 2009 publication titled “Pandemic Preparedness in the Workplace and the Americans with Disabilities Act”…

Businesses are scouring their insurance policies for coverage for COVID-19 losses.  Among the insurance policies that may provide coverage for such losses are commercial property policies, pollution liability policies, general liability policies, workers’ compensation policies, and employment practices liability policies.

Coverage Under Property Policies (Business Interruption)

Commercial property insurance policies often provide coverage for…

Employees who experience a “COBRA-qualifying event” and would otherwise lose group health coverage are entitled to elect to continue their group health coverage under federal law – COBRA.  For those employers not covered by COBRA (who have fewer than 20 employees), Louisiana has a group health insurance continuation statute that also allows employees to continue…

The recent OPEC/COVID-19-related drop in energy prices may soon set off a tidal wave of energy-related bankruptcies. Funding for exploration and production (“E&P”) companies is much harder to find, and much more expensive, than it was just a few weeks ago.  Reserve reports that might have been at “concern” status at year end will be…

UPDATE:  All casinos, bars, and movie theaters in the entire state are ordered closed and restaurants are limited to delivery, take-out, and drive thru.  The change takes effect at midnight tonight and remains in effect until April 13.

Yesterday, Mayor LaToya Cantrell of the City of New Orleans issued restrictions concerning bar and restaurant operations…