WASHINGTON, D.C. (August 26, 2021)–The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is expanding opportunities for people to receive COVID-19 vaccinations in their home. To ensure Medicare beneficiaries who have difficulty leaving their homes or are otherwise hard-to-reach can receive the vaccination, health care providers can now receive additional payments for administering vaccines to multiple residents in one home setting or communal setting of a home.
CMS
WASHINGTON, D.C. (August 13, 2021)—On a party line vote, the U.S. House of Representatives advanced the annual appropriations for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for fiscal year 2022, approving $119 billion in discretionary spending, an increase of $23 billion over the previous year.
(Discretionary spending does not include Medicare and Medicaid care-related expenses, as that is considered mandatory spending and not subject to the annual appropriations process.)
WASHINGTON, D.C. (August 6, 2021)—The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released a final rule on July 30, 2021, permanently exempted manual complex rehab technology (CRT) wheelchair accessories from pricing based on competitive bidding results for standard wheelchair accessories.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (August 6, 2021)—AAHomecare has retained The Nickles Group (TNG), a well-established D.C. lobbying firm, to bolster the association’s capability to engage Capitol Hill and federal agencies overseeing health care policy.
HME’s role through the pandemic underscores the need for stronger national investment in home-based care
WASHIGNTON, D.C. (August 5, 2021)—The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has added bid data that compares Round 2021 of the Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics, and Supplies (DMEPOS) Competitive Bidding Program (CBP) to the most recent three rounds of competition.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (July 30, 2021)—It’s a victory for complex rehab suppliers. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a final rule that ends the application of bid-derived rates for complex rehab technology (CRT) wheelchairs.
WASHINGTON, D.C (July 16, 2021)—The National Association for Home Care & Hospice (NAHC) and a group of like-minded organizations representing America's health providers have written a letter to Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-NY) and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), asking them to:
• oppose an extension of mandatory Medicare sequestration as a pay-for in any infrastructure package; and
WASHINGTON, D.C. (July 16, 2021)—The Council for Quality Respiratory Care (CQRC)—a coalition of the nation's leading home respiratory therapy providers and manufacturing companies—expressed concern in response to the Proposed Decision Memo for Home Use of Oxygen and Home Oxygen Use to Treat Cluster Headaches, which outlines proposed changes to documentation requirements put in place to protect providers and patient access by two National Coverage Determinations (NCDs) related to home oxygen.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (July 6, 2021)—The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Service (CMS) has published proposed changes to the Oxygen National Coverage Determination (NCD) based on public comments from last year’s opening of the National Coverage Analysis (NCA) for Home Use of Oxygen Use to Treat Cluster Headaches. Proposed changes include but are not limited to:
BIRMINGHAM, Alabama (July 1, 2021)—The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid (CMS) isn’t ready to make dramatic changes yet to the Patient Driven Groupings Model (PDGM) but could reduce base payment rates as soon as 2023 if current tren
WASHINGTON, DC (June 29, 2021)—The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has issued a proposed rule that would i
WASHINGTON, DC (June 25, 2021)--New legislation was introduced in the U.S. Senate and House on Thursday that would strengthen and expand access to quality homecare services and support the caregiving workforce that provides them.
According to a summary of the bill provided by the Senate Committee on Aging, the Better Care Better Jobs Act, a key element of President Biden’s American Jobs Plan, would:
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (June 9, 2021)—Clover Health, a technology company committed to improving health equity for America’s underserved seniors, announced plans to scale its in-home primary care program, Clover Home Care, through the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ (CMS) new Direct Contracting model.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (June 9, 2021)—As part of President Biden’s commitment to increasing access to vaccinations, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced an additional payment amount for administering in-home COVID-19 vaccinations to Medicare beneficiaries who have difficulty leaving their homes or are otherwise hard-to-reach.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (June 4, 2021)—The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued guidance on how states can receive enhanced funding, provided through the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARP), to increase access to home- and community-based services (HCBS) for Medicaid beneficiaries.
ARLINGTON, Va. (June 1, 2021)—Home medical equipment (HME) suppliers in rural and other non-bid areas received significant support in the April 2020 Cares Act through measures that extended the 50/50 blended rate for rural suppliers through the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE), and for the first time provided a 75/25 rate (a blend using 75% current adjusted rates and 25% unadjusted rates) for suppliers in other non-bid areas for the duration of the PHE.
NEW YORK (June 1, 2021)—ConcertoCare, a risk-bearing in-home primary care provider for seniors, was named a Direct Contracting Entity (DCE) by the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation (Innovation Center). As a DCE, ConcertoCare (listed as Perfect Health by CMMI, dba ConcertoCare) will now be able to offer its world-class care solution to Medicare patients who would benefit from advanced primary care in the home.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (May 25, 2021)—The Senate has confirmed Chiquita Brooks-LaSure as the next administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). The vote was 55 to 44 in favor of her confirmation. Brooks-LaSure will be the first Black woman to hold the position.
Today, leaders in the homecare industry shared their reactions to the news.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (April 9, 2021)—For a short period early in the COVID-19 pandemic, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) expanded its Accelerated and Advanced Payments (AAP) Program to Medicare providers and suppliers, including DME and home health suppliers. The expanded program was available for suppliers starting March 28, 2020, and the suspension of the program was announced a month later in April.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (March 31, 2021)—Last week, the Senate passed an amended version of H.R. 1868, extending the pause on 2% Medicare sequester cuts though the end of 2021. Without Congressional action, those cuts would go back into effect on April 1.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (March 23, 2021)—The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has issued Change Request (CR) 12085—Correction to Period Sequence Edits on Home Health Claims.