COVID-19

Coronavirus update for Friday, June 26 as of 3:30 p.m. Department of Health and Human Services HHS updated its CARES Act Provider Relief Fund FAQ. The latest changes are marked “6/22/2020.”  Most refer to the planned Provider Relief Fund distribution of $15 billion to Medicaid and CHIP providers. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services CMS has posted an FAQ on implementation of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act and the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. CMS has issued guidance to hospitals on visits to patients who are COVID-19 negative. CMS has clarified previous guidance that Medicare Administrative [...]

Coronavirus update for Monday, June 22 as of 2:30 p.m. Department of Health and Human Services HHS has added new questions and answers and modified others in its CARES Act Provider Relief Fund FAQ. Providers should review these changes carefully; they are marked 6/19/2020 and 6/21/2020. CARES Act Provider Relief Fund - Medicaid and SCHIP-Only Distribution Webcasts On its Provider Relief Fund web page, HHS has posted the following notice: HHS expects to distribute $15 billion to eligible Medicaid and CHIP providers through the Provider Relief Fund.  Join our webcast to learn more about the application process.  Please pre-register to [...]

Coronavirus update for Thursday, June 18 as of 3:00 p.m. CARES Act Provider Relief Fund - Medicaid and SCHIP-Only Distribution Webcasts On its Provider Relief Fund web page, HHS has posted the following notice: HHS expects to distribute $15 billion to eligible Medicaid and CHIP providers through the Provider Relief Fund.  Join our webcast to learn more about the application process.  Please pre-register to reserve a spot on your preferred date: Tuesday, June 23, 2020 at 2 PM ET Thursday, June 25, 2020 at 2 PM ET   Department of Health and Human Services HHS has published “Healthcare System Considerations [...]

Coronavirus update for Tuesday, June 16 as of 2:30 p.m. Department of Health and Human Services HHS has updated its CARES Act Provider Relief Fund FAQ, adding new questions on pages 9 and 32 that are labeled “Added 6/13/2020” and new questions on pages 8, 14, and 31 that are labeled “Added 6/15/2020.” Hospitals should pay particular attention to the new question and answer at the top of page 9 (added 6/13/2020), which describes the reporting requirements of grant recipients to ensure their compliance with the program’s terms and conditions. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services CMS has updated its [...]

Coronavirus update for Friday, June 12 as of 4:00 p.m. Department of Health and Human Services As we reported previously, HHS will be distributing $10 billion in CARES Act Provider Relief Fund grants to hospitals that have served especially large numbers of COVID-19 patients. To apply for these grants, hospitals must submit data to HHS via its teletracking web site.  See below for: information about the Provider Relief Fund and the grants to high-impact hospitals; an FAQ about the grants and the data to be submitted; and where to submit the data. Hospitals must submit their data no later than [...]

Coronavirus update for Wednesday, June 10 as of 3:00 p.m. Department of Health and Human Services On Tuesday HHS announced that it will be distributing $15 billion to clinicians and facilities that participate in state Medicaid and CHIP programs and/or Medicaid and CHIP managed care organizations that have not yet received any general distribution grants from the Provider Relief Fund. This funding is intended to supply relief to Medicaid and CHIP providers experiencing lost revenues or increased expenses due to COVID-19.  Examples of providers serving Medicaid/CHIP beneficiaries that may be eligible for this funding include pediatricians, obstetrician-gynecologists, dentists, opioid treatment [...]

Coronavirus update for Wednesday, June 3 as of 12:00 p.m. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services CMS has updated its FAQ on Medicare COVID-19 fee-for-service billing.  All of the changes address national coverage determinations and are clearly marked within the document.  Providers should review them carefully. In response to COVID-19, CMS is providing new flexibilities and adjustments to current and future CMMI models to address the emergency.  It has released a chart that outlines the models and the new changes.  CMS also has written a blog post describing additional CMMI model flexibilities. CMS has released guidance to states supporting implementation of the Optional COVID-19 Testing (XXIII) Group­­­ established by [...]