- CMS: Medicare Program; Prospective Payment System and Consolidated Billing for Skilled Nursing Facilities; Updates to the Quality Reporting Program for Federal Fiscal Year 2026
- CMS: Medicare Program; FY 2026 Hospice Wage Index and Payment Rate Update and Hospice Quality Reporting Program Requirements
- Public Inspection: CMS: Medicare Program: Prospective Payment System and Consolidated Billing for Skilled Nursing Facilities; Updates to the Quality Reporting Program for Federal Fiscal Year 2026
- Public Inspection: CMS: Medicare Program: Fiscal Year 2026 Hospice Wage Index and Payment Rate Update and Hospice Quality Reporting Program Requirements
- CMS: Request for Information; Health Technology Ecosystem
- VA: Staff Sergeant Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program Funding Opportunity
- State: 60-Day Notice of Proposed Information Collection: J-1 Visa Waiver Recommendation Application
- Public Inspection: CMS: Request for Information: Health Technology Ecosystem
- HHS: Request for Information (RFI): Ensuring Lawful Regulation and Unleashing Innovation To Make American Healthy Again
- VA: Solicitation of Nominations for the Appointment to the Advisory Committee on Tribal and Indian Affairs
- GAO Seeks New Members for Tribal and Indigenous Advisory Council
- VA: Staff Sergeant Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program Funding Opportunity
- Telehealth Study Recruiting Veterans Now
- USDA Delivers Immediate Relief to Farmers, Ranchers and Rural Communities Impacted by Recent Disasters
- Submit Nominations for Partnership for Quality Measurement (PQM) Committees
CMS Increases Medicare Payment for COVID-19 Monoclonal Antibody Infusions
New payment policy for at-home administration
As part of the ongoing response to address the COVID-19 pandemic, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has increased the Medicare payment rate for administering monoclonal antibodies to treat beneficiaries with COVID-19, continuing coverage under the Medicare Part B COVID-19 vaccine benefit. Beneficiaries pay nothing out of pocket, regardless of where the service is furnished – including in a physician’s office, healthcare facility or at home.
The national average payment rate will increase from $310 to $450 for most health care settings. In support of providers’ efforts to prevent the spread of COVID-19, CMS will also establish a higher national payment rate of $750 when monoclonal antibodies are administered in the beneficiary’s home, including the beneficiary’s permanent residence or temporary lodging (e.g., hotel/motel, cruise ship, hostel, or homeless shelter).
The new national payment rate for at-home administration of monoclonal antibodies accounts for increased costs associated with the one-on-one nature of this care model. These higher national average payment rates reflect additional information provided to CMS about the costs of providing these services in a safe and timely manner, such as clinical staff and personal protective equipment. This action also means Medicare payments to providers and suppliers will be more aligned to their costs to administer these products.
CMS’s goal during the COVID-19 PHE has been to ensure that the agency is supporting beneficiary access to care. This new policy is based on timely, valuable input from stakeholders including the home health and ambulatory infusion industries on the costs associated with administering monoclonal antibodies.
CMS is updating the set of toolkits for providers, states and insurers to help the health care system swiftly administer monoclonal antibody treatment with these new Medicare payment rates, at https://www.cms.gov/medicare/covid-19/monoclonal-antibody-covid-19-infusion. In addition, CMS is updating coding resources for providers, at https://www.cms.gov/medicare/medicare-part-b-drug-average-sales-price/covid-19-vaccines-and-monoclonal-antibodies.
For additional clinical information about COVID-19 monoclonal antibodies, please visit:
Pennsylvania’s $34.6 Billion Animal Ag Industry Relies on Quick, Coordinated Emergency Declaration and Response
Pennsylvania Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding and State Veterinarian Dr. Kevin Brightbill discussed a variety of dangerous transmissible animal diseases that threaten Pennsylvania’s $34.6 billion animal agriculture industry. Should these diseases – which are currently present in other countries – arise anywhere in the United States, Pennsylvania would need to immediately declare a state of emergency to support the industry.
“Pennsylvania’s animal agriculture industry is worth billions to our economy but could be taken out in a heartbeat with one animal health pandemic like we’re experiencing today with COVID-19,” said Redding. “Inserting politics into emergency response, like is proposed with the constitutional amendments on the ballot, will slow response time and put critical resources and cross-agency collaboration out of reach for the industry we all rely on.”
High Path Avian Influenza (HPAI) and African Swine Fever (ASF) are just two of many potential threats to Pennsylvania’s animal agriculture industry. ASF is currently sweeping through China. In 2018, they lost 50 percent of their hog population but after an exceptionally cold winter the disease slowed. However, in 2021 they saw a fresh wave of ASF and have again lost 20-30 percent of their remaining population. Should either of these diseases be identified in the United States, it would be critical for an emergency to be declared in the commonwealth so that immediate cross-agency collaboration could begin, and federal funding enhanced.
“Every state in the U.S. has agreed to immediately place a 72-hour hold on transportation of hogs in and out of their state in the instance of African Swine Fever being identified in any of our states,” said Dr. Brightbill. “Placing checkpoints at our borders and at strategic locations within the state to monitor movement, in coordination with the Pennsylvania State Police or even the National Guard, may need implemented immediately with help from an Emergency Declaration.”
In 2014, an outbreak of HPAI in the United States led to the infection and loss of more than 50 million birds with estimated losses of $1.6 billion and economic losses of $3.3 billion. Pennsylvania’s poultry industry supports more than 26,000 jobs and 69 out of every 100 poultry or egg products are produced locally.
On the election ballot in May are two proposed constitutional amendments that could hinder the ability of Pennsylvania’s executive branch to make quick, coordinated actions to respond to an animal health emergency and protect those who work in and rely on the products from this multi-billion-dollar industry. The ability for the industry to overcome the challenges of the future would be at risk.
Representative Steve Malagari, who represents a multitude of Pennsylvania’s large meat processors including Clemens Food Group, Marcho Farms, Godshalls Quality Meats and JBS USA, joined Secretary Redding in his plea for Pennsylvanians to consider future emergency response scenarios when voting.
“Being able to respond to and recover from disasters quickly and effectively is imperative for our state to be able to protect livestock and people. Not only does our state rely on food and animal processing as a huge economic driver, we all need stability in our food supply chain,” said Representative Steve Malagari. “Hundreds of thousands of Pennsylvanians depend on this industry, including farmers, hospitality workers, and other businesses. When disasters arise, decisions must be made quickly to respond effectively, allocate resources, and keep people safe. In times like that, there is no time to debate how to respond, however difficult those decisions might be.”
HRSA Capital Funding Opportunity for FQHCs
As part of the American Rescue Plan, HRSA recently announced the availability of $1B to support capital projects of Section 330 FQHCs across the country. This one-time, non-competitive funding opportunity will support construction, expansion, alteration, renovation, and other capital improvements to modify, enhance, and expand health care facilities. The three-year funding project period is September 1, 2021 through August 31, 2024, and construction on the projects cannot begin prior to the start date of September 1 and the satisfaction of any award conditions. The application portal opens on Friday, May 7th, and all eligible health centers must submit an application through HRSA’s Electronic Handbook by 5 pm ET on June 24. Learn more here >
HRSA will be hosting webinar sessions on May 6th and May 18th to guide interested health centers through the application process. Learn more here >
COVID-19 Vaccine Resources: What Partners Need to Know Now 5/10/2021
As COVID-19 vaccines continue rolling out across the country, CMS is taking action to protect the health and safety of our nation’s patients and providers and keeping you updated on the latest COVID-19 resources from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
With information coming from many different sources, CMS has up-to-date resources and materials to help you share important and relevant information on the COVID-19 vaccine with the people that you serve. You can find these and more resources on the COVID-19 Partner Resources Page and the HHS COVID Education Campaign page. We look forward to partnering with you to encourage our beneficiaries to get vaccinated when they have the opportunity. For more information, visit the CMS COVID-19 Policies and Guidance page.
VACCINES.GOV MAKING IT EASIER TO FIND VACCINES
Access to a vaccine should not be an obstacle for someone to get vaccinated. Here are three vaccine tools to bring to your communities right now:
- Visit vaccines.gov (English) or vacunas.gov (Spanish) to search and find a vaccine near you.
- Text GETVAX (438829) for English or VACUNA (822862) for Spanish to receive three vaccine sites on your phone within seconds.
- Call the National COVID-19 Vaccination Assistance Hotline at 1-800-232-0233 for those who prefer to get information via phone call.
NEW COVID-19 RESOURCES: SPREAD THE WORD
COVID-19 Community Champions
On May 5, 2021, CMS debuted the first social media videos highlighting long-term care staff, also referred to as Community Champions, who moved from being initially uncertain about receiving the COVID-19 vaccine to accepting the vaccine– and encouraging their peers to do the same.
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, staff in nursing homes have been providing ongoing care to our nation’s most vulnerable. This social media campaign is intended to help increase vaccine acceptance amongst long-term care staff. Please like and share our Community Champions video: https://youtu.be/k0WbAhveyDY We can do this!
COVID-19 conference cards
Conference cards are available to order from the CMS Product Ordering web site in multiple languages. They can be found under the Featured Medicare button:
- Bring Your Medicare Card When You Get Your Covid-19 Vaccine
- Stay Protected from Covid-19 – Medicare Covers the Vaccine
Other Medicare publications are available to download in several languages here. You can also find helpful tips on CMS product ordering here.
COVID-19-RELATED COVERAGE AND PAYMENT
HRSA COVID-19 Coverage Assistance Fund (CAF)
On May 3, 2021, HHS, through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), announced a new program covering the cost of administering COVID-19 vaccines to patients enrolled in health plans that either do not cover vaccination fees or cover them with patient cost-sharing. This new program is called the HRSA COVID-19 Coverage Assistance Fund (CAF).
“After securing enough COVID-19 vaccines for all adults, the Biden-Harris Administration is elevating work to boost access to them,” said HHS Secretary Becerra. “We listened to our healthcare providers on the frontlines of the pandemic. On top of increasing reimbursement rates tied to administering the shots, we are closing the final payment gap that resulted as vaccines were administered to underinsured individuals. No healthcare provider should hesitate to deliver these critical vaccines to patients over reimbursement cost concerns.”
See the press release on this announcement here.
Learn more about CAF here. Also, see the CAF Fact Sheet and Frequently Asked Questions about the program.
Increased Medicare Payment for Administering Monoclonal Antibodies
CMS has increased Medicare payment for administering monoclonal antibodies to treat beneficiaries with COVID-19, continuing coverage under the Medicare Part B COVID-19 Vaccine Benefit. This means more providers and suppliers are readily able to administer these treatments. Beneficiaries are not responsible for any cost sharing, regardless of where the service is furnished – including in a physician’s office, other healthcare facility or at home.
The national average payment rate has increased from $310 to $450 for most health care providers. In support of providers’ efforts to prevent the spread of COVID-19, CMS will also establish a higher national payment rate of $750 for at-home monoclonal antibodies treatment.
See updated toolkits for providers, states and insurers to help the health care system swiftly administer monoclonal antibody treatment with these new Medicare payment rates, here.
In addition, CMS is updating coding resources for providers. More information can be found here.
For more information, visit www.cms.gov/covidvax.
New Funding for Rural Clinics and Hospitals
On May 4, HHS and HRSA announced new funding thanks to the American Rescue Plan to combat COVID-19 across the country. Rural clinics and hospitals will receive nearly $1 billion dollars to strengthen COVID-19 response efforts and increase vaccinations in rural communities, and approximately $250 million will be awarded to develop and support a community-based workforce who will serve as trusted voices sharing information about vaccines, work to increase COVID-19 vaccine confidence, and address any barriers to vaccination for individuals living in vulnerable and medically underserved communities.
The HHS press release on rural clinics and hospitals funding can be found here. Visit: https://www.hhs.gov/about/news/2021/05/04/hhs-announces-nearly-1-billion-from-american-rescue-plan-for-rural-covid-19-response.html
The HHS press release on community-based workforce funding can be found here.
STAY CONNECTED
Join the We Can Do This Community Corps: Help in the fight against COVID-19 by encouraging family, friends, and your community to get vaccinated. Join the Community Corps to get tips, tools and resources to share. See https://wecandothis.hhs.gov/covidcommunitycorps
For more information, please contact us: Partnership@cms.hhs.gov
How to Talk About COVID-19 Vaccines with Friends and Family
COVID-19 vaccines are new, and it’s normal for people to have questions about them. The sheer amount of information—and misinformation—about COVID-19 vaccines can be overwhelming to anyone. You can help by listening without judgement and identifying the root of their concerns. Acknowledge their emotions so they know they have been heard. Ask open-ended questions to explore their concerns, ask permission to share information, and help them find their own reason to get vaccinated.
Click here for more information and resources.
Vaccines.gov Website Is Now Live
CMS would like to make you aware that the federally supported website that makes it easier for individuals to access COVID-19 vaccines is now live. Vaccines.gov – powered by the trusted VaccineFinder brand – is available in English and Spanish, with high accessibility standard, and will help connect Americans with locations offering vaccines near them. In addition to the website, people in the U.S. are also now able to utilize a text message service, available in both English and Spanish. People can text their ZIP code to 438829 (GETVAX) and 822862 (VACUNA) to find three locations nearby that have vaccines available.
Vaccines.gov is meant to complement the number of state and pharmacy websites that have been successfully connecting many Americans with vaccinations, by providing a unified federal resource for Americans to use no matter where they are.
In addition to the website and text messaging service, the National COVID-19 Vaccination Assistance Hotline is now available to help those who prefer to get information by phone on where to get a vaccine. Call 1-800-232-0233 to find a location near you.
HPV Vaccination Rates Climb Among Young Adults
An article published in Medscape explores rising vaccination rates among young adults in the United States. Although vaccination rates against the human papillomavirus (HPV) remain low for young adults, the number of self-reported HPV vaccinations among women and men between the ages of 18 and 21 years has increased since 2010, according to new research findings.
Report: Broadband Became “Rural America’s Critical Connection” During Pandemic
Research from the Foundation for Rural Service underscores the transformative role broadband played in rural America during the Pandemic and looks into increasing demand for what has become a fundamental service.
by Stephen V. Smith,
The optimism that naturally accompanies the start of a new decade was met with a series of challenges as 2020 unfolded. The coronavirus pandemic was chief among these, creating a public health crisis, economic hardship, and social unrest.
Broadband was the technology that ran like a thread through efforts to combat these challenges.
A new white paper published by the Foundation for Rural Service, “Broadband Today: Rural America’s Critical Connection,” examined the role of broadband in responding to the pandemic.
“Never before has reliable access to high-speed internet been as important as it has been during the Covid-19 pandemic,” said FRS Executive Director Pam Becker.“Broadband connects us to our work, education, health care, government programs, and — most importantly — one another. This report examines the necessary benefits broadband access has provided to rural Americans throughout the pandemic and what more can be done to ensure sustainable, affordable networks for all going forward.”
The report found a 40% uptick in broadband usage between the end of 2019 and 2020. According to the research, rural networks were able to function well due to investments thanks to recent investments by local providers and an increase in the “fiber-to-the-home penetration.”
The report estimated that around 30% of the modern workforce could be working from home multiple days a week by as soon as the end of 2021, creating a permanent demand for higher speeds and upload capacity.
Health Care Providers Try Novel Ways to Get Shots in Arms of Rural Residents
After the shortage of vaccinations turned into ample supply, it’s the trust and willingness to get inoculated that are hardest to find.
by Liz Carey,
Health care providers and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are trying novel ways to get as many residents vaccinated as possible.
As part of that effort, the CDC recently reached out to extension agencies and other trusted rural community resources to get factual vaccination information into communities.
Called the Extension Collaborative on Immunization Teaching and Engagement (EXCITE), the program provides extension agencies with grants to promote Covid-19 vaccination information.
“The overall goal of this great collaborative effort is to create a precision immunization program based on needs assessments and local partnerships, and then to provide immunization education and linkages to immunization opportunities for the most socially vulnerable audiences,” said Alexi Piasecki, with the CDC Vaccine Task Force. “This will be done through building trust, empowering health care personnel and engaging with communities and individuals.”
The five-year, $9.9 million program is a collaborative effort between the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture and the CDC and uses the Cooperative Extension System to reach out to rural and medically underserved communities.
Request for Information (RFI): Methods and Leading Practices for Advancing Equity and Support for Underserved Communities through Government
CMS is seeking comments in response to a Request for Information (RFI) titled “Methods and Leading Practices for Advancing Equity and Support for Underserved Communities through Government.” Comments are due no later than July 6, 2021, and can be submitted on the Federal Register’s website linked here:
From the Summary of the RFI:
Recent Executive Orders have charged the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), in partnership with the heads of agencies, to identify, by July 2021, effective methods for assessing whether agency policies and actions (e.g., programs, services, processes, and operations) equitably serve all eligible individuals and communities, particularly those that are currently and historically underserved. As part of this effort, agencies are directed to consult with members of communities that have been historically underrepresented in the Federal Government and underserved by, or subject to discrimination in, Federal policies and programs, and to evaluate opportunities, as allowable, to increase coordination, communication, and engagement with community-based and civil rights organizations. Through this request for information (RFI), OMB seeks input, information, and recommendations from a broad array of stakeholders in the public, private, advocacy, not-for-profit, and philanthropic sectors, including State, local, Tribal, and territorial areas, on available methods, approaches, and tools that could assist in this effort. OMB will consider the usability, applicability, and rigor of submissions in response to this RFI as OMB gathers resources to support agencies as they conduct internal assessments on the state of equity in their policies, programs, services, processes, and operations. OMB will also use what it learns from responses to this RFI as OMB works to expand use of equity-assessment methods and approaches across the Federal Government, as agencies develop agency Equity Action Plans (due to the Domestic Policy Council by January 19, 2022) outlining steps they will take to address identified gaps in equity.
You can also access the RFI in its entirety here: