WASHINGTON, D.C. (January 26, 2021)— The Health and Human Services Department’s Office of the Inspector General (OIG) has launched an audit of home health services provided through telehealth during the COVID-19 public health emergency to verify that providers aren’t doing more than they’re supposed to do to qualify for reimbursement.
COVID-19
WASHINGTON, D.C. (January 26, 2021)—The Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) has written a letter to all the nation’s governors to inform them that the current public health emergency (PHE), caused by the spread of the novel coronavirus COVID-19, will last all of 2021 and possibly into 2022.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (January 26, 2021)—Rep. Mike Thompson (D-California), founder and co-chair of the Congressional Telehealth Caucus, along with caucus Co-Chairs Reps. Peter Welch (D-Vermont), Bill Johnson (R-Ohio) and David Schweikert (R-Arizona) and caucus member Rep. Doris Matsui (D-California)announced the reintroduction of the Protecting Access to Post-COVID-19 Telehealth Act.
NAPERVILLE, Ill. (January 14, 2021)—Distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine is underway across the country, starting with frontline health care workers and those over the age of 65 (or 75 in some areas) or with underlying conditions. Although the rollout in some areas has been slow, hampered by storage issues and political obstacles, community pharmacies are gearing up to help vaccinate the masses.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (January 15, 2021)—The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), is announcing today that it will be amending the reporting timeline for the Provider Relief Fund Program (PRF) due to the recent passage of the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act. HHS has been working to provide updated reporting requirements that comply with this recently passed legislation.
DALLAS (January 12, 2021)—A new industry trends report based on a survey conducted by Axxess, a technology provider for care at home, reveals nearly three-quarters of respondents from large care at home organizations indicated their organization would require COVID-19 vaccinations and 90% indicated their organization would increase staff resources for diversity, equity and inclusion in 2021.
Technology is changing the way home-based care providers operate. The right platform can streamline everything from order management to paperwork. That was the vision CEO Vijay Kedar had for the technology-driven home health platform, Tomorrow Health.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (January 8, 2020)—On Dec. 21, 2020, both the House and Senate passed a COVID-19 relief bill that included provisions addressing a Medicare payment disparity for oxygen products in rural areas.
Numbers indicate more care will move to the home
BIRMINGHAM, Alabama (December 29, 2020)—About 40% of homecare and other health care businesses are expecting to see their financial stability improve in 2021, according to a survey conducted by The Joint Commission.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (December 21, 2020)—A broad COVID-19 relief legislative package finalized by House and Senate leaders includes provisions to address a Medicare payment disparity for oxygen products in rural areas stemming from the application of outdated budget neutrality provisions in the 1997 Balanced Budget Act.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (December 17, 2020)—The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) announced it will distribute $24.5 billion from the Provider Relief Fund (PRF) program to over 70,000 providers.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (December 3, 2020)—Vaccine advisers to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) voted 13-1 on Tuesday, Dec. 1, to recommend health care workers and residents of long-term care facilities receive prioritization for coronavirus vaccines that receive emergency authorization from the Food and Drug Administration.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (December 1, 2020)—The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has outlined unprecedented comprehensive steps to increase the capacity of the American health care system to provide care to patients outside a traditional hospital setting amid a rising number of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) hospitalizations across the country.
SAN DIEGO, Calif. (November 17, 2020)—Independa, innovators of the award winning TV-based social engagement, education and care platform, today announced the results of a commissioned U.S. consumer survey, finding COVID-19 has had a critical impact on older adults' mental health and physical health.
AMSTERDAM (November 17, 2020)—Royal Philips, a global provider of health technology, today announced findings from its first ever World COPD Day survey ahead of the awareness day on November 18. Philips surveyed more than 4,000 adults in China, India, Russia and the U.S. to gather insights on global awareness of respiratory conditions, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and how the COVID-19 pandemic has influenced overall perceptions of respiratory health.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (November 13, 2020)—The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that Medicare beneficiaries can receive coverage of monoclonal antibodies to treat coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) with no cost-sharing during the public health emergency (PHE). CMS’s coverage of monoclonal antibody infusions applies to bamlanivimab, which received an emergency use authorization (EUA) from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Nov. 9.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (October 22, 2020)—The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently released data showing that 21% of Medicare beneficiaries report forgoing non-COVID-19 related care due to the pandemic, and nearly all—98%—of beneficiaries have taken preventative measures to keep themselves safe from the virus.
MassPACE, the Massachusetts chapter of Programs of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly, has taken an innovative approach to serving its clients, mostly patients who are dual eligible for Medicare and Medicaid, during the pandemic. While traditionally center-based, MassPACE shifted to an at-home model, sending caregivers out with tablets for telehealth and also setting up social activities, counseling and more.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (October 7, 2020)—The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) opened the $20 billion Phase 3 General Distribution under the Provider Relief Fund (PRF) on Monday, Oct.5th.