WASHINGTON, D.C. (July 10, 2020)—As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, the increased utilization of products directly responding to related respiratory challenges (ventilators, oxygen, sleep equipment, etc.) have the potential to skew state Medicaid programs’ spending and impact rates for the broader range of home medical equipment.
CMS
ALEXANDRIA, Va. (July 1, 2020)—The Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Centers of Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released the proposed home health rule for calendar year (CY) 2021, outlining how the permanent home infusion therapy services benefit will be implemented, starting in January 2021.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (June 26, 2020)—On May 8, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Servics (CMS) published the second Interim Final Rule (IFR) that provided further relief and clarification for health care providers during the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency. Specifically for DMEPOS, the IFR included the following provisions:
WASHINGTON, D.C. (June 26, 2020)—The preview of the CY 2021 home health proposed rule, Medicare and Medicaid Programs; CY 2021 Home Health Prospective Payment System Rate Update; Home Health Quality Reporting Requirements; and Home Infusion Therapy Services Requirements, has been posted.
WASHINGTON D.C. (June 23, 2020)—Under the leadership of President Trump, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is calling for a renewed national commitment to value-based care based on Medicare claims data that provides an early snapshot of the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on the Medicare population.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (June 19, 2020)—As noted last week, HHS opened the application portal for CARES Act relief for Medicaid/CHIP-only providers. The new round of relief is for health care providers who have directly billed their state Medicaid/CHIP programs or Medicaid managed care plans between Jan.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (June 15, 2020)—While there are undoubtedly new challenges that all providers have had to deal with during this public health emergency (PHE), some hospices have dealt with exceptional challenges in serving residents of facilities (nursing homes, assisted living facilities, independent living, etc.).
WASHINGTON, D.C. (June 12, 2020)—AAHomecare is urging home medical equipment suppliers and other industry stakeholders to educate their Congressional representatives on the potential impacts of moving forward with Round 2021 of the competitive bidding program and enlist their support for a delay in implementing the program.
BOTHELL, Wash. (June 10, 2020)—On May 29, 2020, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) updated its policy for HCPCS E0467 (Multi-Function Ventilator) removing “same or similar” restrictions and paving the way for increased access to integrated respiratory care for ventilator users regardless of their device billing history.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (June 9, 2020)—On June 2, 2020, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced plans to modify aspects of various innovation models being administered by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) in response to COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE).
WASHINGTON, D.C. (June 3, 2020)—As announced first in January 2019, starting in calendar year (CY) 2021 (and through CY 2024) the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will begin a demonstration program under the Value-Based Insurance Design (VBID) model to test coverage of hospice care as part of the Medicare Advantage (MA) benefit package.
WASHINGTON, D.C (May 29, 2020)—The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has released the Medicare Program: Contract Year 2021 Policy and Technical Changes to the Medicare Advantage Program, Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit Program, and Medicare Cost Plan Program, with important information about the special election period for hospice beneficiaries.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (May 27, 2020)—AAHomecare is currently working on comments for the Interim Final Rule (IFR), Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Policy and Regulatory Revisions in Response to the COVID-19 public health emergency that was published on April 6, 2020. This IFR provided relief on coverage for respiratory products and allows non-physician healthcare professionals to prescribe DME under Medicaid.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (May 21, 2020)—The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has released additional information on the Provider Relief Fund deadline for submitting revenue information. The Agency is also reminding eligible providers that they have until June 3, 2020, to accept the Terms and Conditions and submit their revenue information to support receiving an additional payment from the Provider Relief Fund $50 billion General Distribution.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (May 20, 2020)—The National Association for Home Care & Hospice (NAHC) is urging the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to establish permanent flexibilities allowing hospices to utilize telecommunications to deliver multi-disciplinary, patient-centered care, and to ensure that such services can be recorded and monitored for their impact on quality of care.
WASHIGTON, D.C. (May 13, 2020)—Late on Friday, May 8, 2020, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) updated its COVID-19 Emergency Declaration Blanket Waivers for Health Care Providers document with welcome changes for home health agencies and hospices.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (May 12, 2020)—Last week, the DME MACs announced that the certificate of medical necessity (CMN) for oxygen claims will not be required during the public health emergency. This is due to the CMS interim final rule published on April 6 (CMS-1744-IFC) that waived the clinical indication requirements for respiratory NCDs and LCDs. In the new announcement, the DME MACs clarified that the same exemption will apply to external infusion pumps.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (May 5, 2020)—The COVID-19 stimulus legislation enacted in late March provides significant reimbursement relief for suppliers servicing Medicare beneficiaries in non-rural areas that are not subject to the bidding program. The reimbursement rate for items that have been receiving 100% of the competitive bidding adjusted fee schedule are getting a blended rate of 75% adjusted and 25% unadjusted (2015 fee schedule) rates.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (April 28, 2020)—On March 9, 2020, both the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) issued for display on the ONC website final rules that advance the goals of interoperability of electronic health care records (EHR). On April 22, 2020 these rules went on display at the federal register (FR) and will be published in the FR on May 1, 2020.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (April 28, 2020)—The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that it is reevaluating the amounts that will be paid under its Accelerated Payment Program and suspending its Advance Payment Program to Part B suppliers effective immediately.