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.
CMS
Benefiting fraud reduction & agency operations
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.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (July 22, 2020)—The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently announced in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Provider Burden Relief Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) that the suspension of Medicare fee for server (FFS) audits due to the COVID-19 public health emergency will be lifted beginning Aug. 3, 2020 (see page 1).
WASHINGTON, D.C. (July 21, 2020)—The National Association for Home Care & Hospice (NAHC) is urging the independent National Commission on Safety and Quality in Nursing Homes to ensure that residents of nursing homes have access to hospice care, whether in the form of safe, in-person visits or by telehealth communication.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (July 14, 2020)—The American Association for Homecare (AAHomecare) joined other health care groups in asking Congress to affirm tax-exempt status for recent relief for healthcare providers, as noted in a late June press release.
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.
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.