COVID-19 Resources
COVID-19 Resources
COVID-19 Week in Review
See a recap of this week's news and resources. A new Academy update will be posted each Friday.
COVID-19 Vaccine Resources: Vaccine Access/Eligibility, Side Effects, and Cost
This vaccination effort faces unprecedented challenges in terms of the order of magnitude, the complexity of the vaccine administration, and the limited supply of the product. Each state has devised its own vaccine distribution plan; although these plans have been described as “works in progress” and continue to be updated and refined. The links below are intended to provide information about vaccine access, safety information and potential side effects as well as costs.
Contact your local and state health department to ascertain whether audiologists are included in the definition of “health-care worker.”
The Academy has also learned that in many states, local departments of health are taking responsibility for vaccinating health-care providers who are not affiliated with a large health-care system or hospital.
Practice Management Resources
- August 31, 2020: AHA, AMA, and ANA Urge Public to Wear Masks
- August 20, 2020: Considerations in the Search for Transparent Face Coverings During the COVID-19 Pandemic
- August 3, 2020: Coding and Reimbursement: Telehealth
- June 25, 2020: Academy Signs On to Multi-Stakeholder Letter Urging Recent Telehealth Changes Remain Permanent
- May 21, 2020: Executive Order Directs Federal Agencies to Recommend COVID-19 Regulatory Waivers
- May 21, 2020: Warren and Rice Lead Letter to House and Senate Urging Inclusion of Medicare Audiologist Access and Services Act in Upcoming COVID-19 Packages
- April 30, 2020: CMS Expands List of Medicare Eligible Telehealth Providers to Include Audiologists
- April 10, 2020: The CARES Act Provider Relief Fund Begins Disbursements
- April 6, 2020: Resource Details State-by-State Guidance About Businesses
- April 3, 2020: COVID-19 Telehealth Update and Guide
- April 1, 2020: Treasury Department Releases Application Form and Fact Sheet for Forgivable Small Businesses Loans
- March 28, 2020: Trump Administration Provides Financial Relief for Medicare Providers
- March 27, 2020: President Signs “The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act” (CARES) that Includes Small Business Assistance
- Information from the Small Business Administration (SBA)
- Information from the National Federation of Independent Businesses (NFIB)
- Guidance from OSHA
- Academy: Infection Control in Audiological Practices
Telehealth Resources
Telehealth and Medicare/Medicaid
- December 9, 2020: National Governors Association Report: The Future of State Telehealth Policy
- August 20, 2020: HHS Extends Application Deadline for Financial Relief Medicaid Providers until August 28, 2020
- June 25, 2020: Academy Signs On to Multi-Stakeholder Letter Urging Recent Telehealth Changes Remain Permanent
- April 30, 2020: CMS Expands List of Medicare Eligible Telehealth Providers to Include Audiologists
- April 3, 2020: COVID-19 Telehealth Update and Guide
- April 2, 2020: Academy Urges CMS to Lift the Medicare Physician Order Requirement and Allow Audiologists to Provide Services via Telehealth
- March 24, 2020: HHS Secretary Azar Calls on Governors to Allow Health Professionals to Practice Across State Lines
- March 24, 2020: Academy Requests CMS Exercise Its Regulatory Authority to Allow Coverage of Audiology Services Via Telehealth
- March 23, 2020: CMS Approves Medicaid Section 1135 Waivers for 11 Additional States in Response to COVID-19
- March 21, 2020: Telehealth and Medicare/Medicaid
Below is a resource list with information on the provision of telehealth services. The Academy will post additional information as it comes available.
- New Resource Compiles Results of Recent Patient and Provider Telehealth Surveys
- Tele-audiology in a Pandemic and Beyond: Flexibility and Suitability in Audiology Practice (Audiology Today, Jul/Aug 2020 Pre-Press)
- Professional Liability and Tele-audiology Services (Hearing Review, April 23, 2020)
- CCHP Creates "COVID-19 Related State Actions" Resource
- CHHP: State Telehealth Resource Including Medicaid Reimbursement, Private Payer Laws, and Occupation-Specific Regulations
- Covered Telehealth Services Under Medicare
- CMS FAQs on Provision of Telehealth Services
- Office of Civil Rights FAQs on HIPAA Enforcement Discretion
Toolkits and Resource Centers
- CMS Provides Comprehensive COVID-19 Toolkit for Providers and Patients
- Interactive Map Provides Information on COVID-19 Related State Legislation
- Academy Tele-audiology Toolkit
- ASHA: Telepractice During COVID-19
- CAPCSD COVID-19 Response Recommended Education Resources
- National and Regional Telehealth Resource Centers (TRCs)
Treatment and Management Considerations
- COVID-19 in Cerumen: A Potential Source of Viral Spread of Patients Infected with SARS-CoV-2
- COVID-19 "Long-Haulers:" The Emergnce of Auditory/Vestibular Problems After Medical Intervention
- New Resource Outlining Status of State Traveler Quarantine Orders, Guidance and Restrictions
- COVID Tracking Project Provides Daily 50-State Testing and Outcomes Data
- Dietary Supplements Used for COVID-19 Treatment
- Newborn Hearing Screenings and Follow-Up: Essential During a Pandemic?
- Our Essential Role in Communication: Resources That Can Help
- COVID-19 Return to Work Guidance and Recommendations for Vestibular Clinicians
- Universal Masking Flyer (PDF)
- Vestibular Testing Safety: COVID-19 and Beyond
- Surgical Monitoring Safety: COVID-19 and Beyond
- Booth Safety: COVID-19 and Beyond
- COVID-19—Planning for In-Person Care
- COVID-19: Moving Toward Full Audiology Services
- Best Practices Guidelines for Safely Conducting Hearing Testing During the COVID-19 Pandemic (NHCA)
Ototoxicity, Medications, and Supplements
- Ototoxicity of FDA-Approved Drugs Being Re-Purposed for COVID-19 Treatment
- Audiological Management of COVID-19 Survivors Treated with Hydroxychloroquine and Azithromycin
- COVID-19: Considerations for Treatments Using Quinine Derivatives and Other Ototoxic Compounds
Government Resources
- State COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Plan
- Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Publishes Interim Final Rule Confirming Practice Across State Lines for VA Health-Care Professionals
- State and Local COVID-19 Response Information—Continuously Updated
- CDC: What Is Coronavirus (COVID-19)?
- CDC: Infection Control for Healthcare Professionals
- CDC: Workplace, Schools, and Home Guidance (PDF)
Public Awareness and Educational Resources
- CDC: What Is Coronavirus (COVID-19)?
- Support the CDC's public health messaging campaign by sharing these infographics on your website or social media channels.
- Johns Hopkins Medicine: Coronavirus Myth v. Fact
- Johns Hopkins Medicine: Coronavirus at a Glance Infographic
- Hopkins Medicine: Coronavirus, Social and Physical Distancing and Self-Quarantine
Communication Access Resources
- CDC: ASL Video Series—COVID-19
- HLAA: How Do I Communicate with Doctors, Nurses, and Staff at the Hospital During COVID-19?
- HLAA: Communications & Medical Access in the Hospital During Disasters: Temporary Recommendations for Hospitals and Medical Facilities During the COVID-19 Pandemic
- Guide For Deaf/Hard of Hearing To Communicate With Hospital Staff During Coronavirus Crisis
Mental Health
- CDC: COVID-19: Managing Stress & Anxiety
- AFSP: Taking Care of Your Mental Health in the Face of Uncertainty