WASHINGTON, D.C. (September 24, 2020)—The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced the availability of up to $165 million in supplemental funding to states currently operating Money Follows the Person (MFP) demonstration programs. This funding will help state Medicaid programs jump-start efforts to transition individuals with disabilities and older adults from institutions and nursing facilities to home and community-based settings of their choosing.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (September 24, 2020)—Home medical equipment (HME) suppliers have received a notice from the CBIC indicating that that Competitive Bidding Round 2021 “contract offers and disqualification information would soon be provided” in Connexion and encouraging suppliers to make sure their CMS Enterprise Portal information was up to date. 
 


WASHINGTON, D.C. (September 18, 2020)—The Office of Inspector General (OIG) of the Department of Health and Human Services conducted an audit to determine whether the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) ensured that MACs and QICs reviewed appealed extrapolated overpayments consistently and in a manner that conforms with existing CMS requirements.


WASHINGTON , D.C. (September 3, 2020)—Under the leadership of President Trump, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) launched Care Compare, a streamlined redesign of eight existing CMS healthcare compare tools available on Medicare.gov. Care Compare provides a single user-friendly interface that patients and caregivers can use to make informed decisions about healthcare based on cost, quality of care, volume of services, and other data.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (August 28, 2020)—The Partnership for Quality Home Healthcare—a coalition of home health leaders dedicated to developing innovative reforms to improve the program integrity, quality, and efficiency of home healthcare for our nation's seniors—submitted comments this week to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) in response to the CY 2021 Home Health Prospective Payment System (HH PPS) Proposed Rule.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (August 28, 2020)—The Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC) submitted a letter to Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar on the need for clear and timely guidance from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to state Medicaid and CHIP programs when HHS elects to end the current public health emergency (PHE).

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (August 25, 2020)—eSolutions, a health care technology company, is adding an enhancement to its Durable Medical Equipment (DME) Eligibility platform that allows DME providers to check for same or similar equipment items on multiple patients at once. This new enhancement, called Same or Similar Batch, verifies all Medicare HCPCS codes, including A, L and V codes, for same or similar equipment items.


The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced an application deadline extension for the Phase 2 general distribution to Medicaid, Medicaid managed care, Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and dental providers, as part of an effort to provide financial relief to health care providers affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

WASHINGTON (August 5, 2020)—The Council for Quality Respiratory Care (CQRC)—a coalition of the nation's leading home oxygen therapy provider and manufacturing companies—commended a bipartisan coalition of 101 lawmakers led by Representatives Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) and David Loebsack (D-IA) for sending a letter to HHS Secretary Alex Azar and CMS Administrator Seema Verma urging them to delay implementation of the Medicare Competitive Bidding Program (CBP) for Durable Medical Equipment,


WASHINGTON, D.C. (July 24, 2020)—The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) could have saved $192 million by targeting home health claims for review with visits slightly above the threshold that triggers a higher Medicare payment, according to a new report from the Office of Inspector General (OIG) of the Department of Health & Human Services.