- CMS: Medicare Program; Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems for Acute Care Hospitals and the Long-Term Care Hospital Prospective Payment System and Policy Changes and Fiscal Year 2026 Rates; Requirements for Quality Programs; and Other Policy Changes; Correction
- CMS: Medicare Program; Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems for Acute Care Hospitals and the Long-Term Care Hospital Prospective Payment System and Policy Changes and Fiscal Year 2026 Rates; Requirements for Quality Programs; and Other Policy Changes; Correction
- CMS: Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Contract Year 2026 Policy and Technical Changes to the Medicare Advantage Program, Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit Program, Medicare Cost Plan Program, and Programs of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly; Correction
- CMS: Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Contract Year 2026 Policy and Technical Changes to the Medicare Advantage Program, Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit Program, Medicare Cost Plan Program, and Programs of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly; Correction
- 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: Fiscal Year 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
- CMS: Medicare and Medicaid Programs; CY 2025 Payment Policies Under the Physician Fee Schedule and Other Changes to Part B Payment and Coverage Policies; Medicare Shared Savings Program Requirements; Medicare Prescription Drug Inflation Rebate Program; and Medicare Overpayments; and Appeal Rights for Certain Changes in Patient Status; Corrections and Correcting Amendment
- CMS: Request for Information; Health Technology Ecosystem
- CMS: Medicare and Medicaid Programs; CY 2025 Payment Policies Under the Physician Fee Schedule and Other Changes to Part B Payment and Coverage Policies; Medicare Shared Savings Program Requirements; Medicare Prescription Drug Inflation Rebate Program; and Medicare Overpayments; and Appeal Rights for Certain Changes in Patient Status; Corrections and Correcting Amendment
- VA: Staff Sergeant Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program Funding Opportunity
- State: 60-Day Notice of Proposed Information Collection: J-1 Visa Waiver Recommendation Application
- HHS: Request for Information (RFI): Ensuring Lawful Regulation and Unleashing Innovation To Make American Healthy Again
- Public Inspection: CMS: Request for Information: Health Technology Ecosystem
Families First Coronavirus Response Act Waives Coinsurance and Deductibles for Additional COVID-19 Related Services
The Families First Coronavirus Response Act waives cost-sharing under Medicare Part B (coinsurance and deductible amounts) for Medicare patients for COVID-19 testing-related services. These services are medical visits for the HCPCS evaluation and management categories described below when an outpatient provider, physician, or other providers and suppliers that bill Medicare for Part B services orders or administers COVID-19 lab test U0001, U0002, or 87635.
Cost-sharing does not apply for COVID-19 testing-related services, which are medical visits that: are furnished between March 18, 2020 and the end of the Public Health Emergency (PHE); that result in an order for or administration of a COVID-19 test; are related to furnishing or administering such a test or to the evaluation of an individual for purposes of determining the need for such a test; and are in any of the following categories of HCPCS evaluation and management codes:
- Office and other outpatient services
- Hospital observation services
- Emergency department services
- Nursing facility services
- Domiciliary, rest home, or custodial care services
- Home services
- Online digital evaluation and management services
Cost-sharing does not apply to the above medical visit services for which payment is made to:
- Hospital Outpatient Departments paid under the Outpatient Prospective Payment System
- Physicians and other professionals under the Physician Fee Schedule
- Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs)
- Rural Health Clinics (RHCs)
- Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs)
For services furnished on March 18, 2020, and through the end of the PHE, outpatient providers, physicians, and other providers and suppliers that bill Medicare for Part B services under these payment systems should use the CS modifier on applicable claim lines to identify the service as subject to the cost-sharing wavier for COVID-19 testing-related services and should NOT charge Medicare patients any co-insurance and/or deductible amounts for those services.
For professional claims, physicians and practitioners who did not initially submit claims with the CS modifier must notify their Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC) and request to resubmit applicable claims with dates of service on or after 3/18/2020 with the CS modifier to get 100% payment.
For institutional claims, providers, including hospitals, CAHs, RHCs, and FQHCs, who did not initially submit claims with the CS modifier must resubmit applicable claims submitted on or after 3/18/2020, with the CS modifier to visit lines to get 100% payment.
Additional CMS actions in response to COVID-19, are part of the ongoing White House Task Force efforts. To keep up with the important work the Task Force is doing in response to COVID-19, visit www.coronavirus.gov. For a complete and updated list of CMS actions, and other information specific to CMS, please visit the Current Emergencies Website.
New Video Available on Medicare Coverage and Payment of Virtual Services
CMS released a video providing answers to common questions about the Medicare telehealth services benefit. CMS is expanding this benefit on a temporary and emergency basis under the 1135 waiver authority and Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act.
Strategies for Disseminating and Implementing COVID-19 Public Health Prevention Practices in Rural Areas
By Beth Prusaczyk, PhD, Department of Medicine, Division of General Medical Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
The rapid spread of COVID-19 across the United States (US) demands a similarly rapid scientific response to mitigate the impact. While the initial scientific discourse about the virus appropriately focused on virology, clinical features, and therapeutics, there is now equal, if not greater, attention on the public health practices that are immediately needed to slow the spread as the response shifts from―containment‖ to―mitigation.
To mitigate the spread of the virus, numerous states have enacted policies that restrict their residents statewide, such as closing all schools, limiting gatherings over a certain amount, or issuing ―shelter in place/stay at home‖ orders for all non-essential activities. These―social or physical distancing‖ practices are seen by many public health experts as the most effective tools currently available to slow the transmission of the virus.
Updated: Most Aggressive States Against the Coronavirus – WalletHub Study
With nearly all of the 50 states in some form of lockdown to fight the spread of COVID-19, WalletHub today released updated rankings for the Most Aggressive States Against the Coronavirus, as well as accompanying videos.
To identify which states are taking the most aggressive actions to combat coronavirus, WalletHub compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia across 51 key metrics. The data set ranges from tested cases of COVID-19 per capita to school closures, ICU beds, and shelter-in-place policies. Below, you can see highlights from WalletHub’s report, along with a summary of the largest changes in rank from our previous report and a Q&A with WalletHub analysts.
States with Most Aggressive Measures |
States with Least Aggressive Measures |
1. New York | 42. Texas |
2. District of Columbia | 43. Utah |
3. Alaska | 44. Florida |
4. Hawaii | 45. Mississippi |
5. New Jersey | 46. Arkansas |
6. Rhode Island | 47. Wyoming |
7. Washington | 48. Alabama |
8. Massachusetts | 49. Nebraska |
9. New Hampshire | 50. South Dakota |
10. West Virginia | 51. Oklahoma |
Note: Rankings reflect data available as of 1 p.m. ET on April 6, 2020.
National Public Health Week 2020
The week of April 6-12, 2020 is National Public Health Week. Join the American Public Health Association in recognizing the contributions of public health and highlighting issues that are important to improving overall health. Use the hashtag “#NPHW2020” on social media and consider joining the Twitter Chat on April 8 at 2 p.m.
Click here for more information.
Click here to register for the Twitter Chat.
Free Oral Health Educational Curriculum: Smiles for Life
Smiles for Life (SFL) is a free online oral health curriculum. The curriculum consists of 60-minute modules covering core areas of oral health relevant to health professionals. The topics are: The Relationship of Oral Health & Systemic Health, Child Oral Health, Adult Oral Health, Acute Dental Problems, Pregnancy & Woman’s Oral Health, Caries Risk Assessment Fluoride Varnish & Counseling, The Oral Exam, and Geriatric Oral Health.
Lessons from The Front Lines: COVID-19
On April 3, CMS Administrator Seema Verma, Deborah Birx, MD, White House Coronavirus Task Force, and officials from the FDA, CDC, and FEMA participated in a call on COVID-19 Flexibilities. Several physician guests on the front lines presented best practices from their COVID-19 experience(s). You can listen to the conversation here.
Mental Health Remains a Concern in Rural America
As the coronavirus spreads across the country, the related anxiety, fear, and depression also threaten the health of Americans. Mental health experts say the combination of rising death tolls and social isolation make it difficult to cope with the pandemic. As the Director of the Office of Rural Mental Health Research, Andrea Beckel-Mitchener explains that rural communities often pursue counseling less often due to the “stigma to seeking help.” Further, rural areas often have less access to mental health care. Telehealth has received growing support recently and can greatly improve mental health care in rural communities. For tips on coping with social distancing and isolation, check out the advice given by Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
Indian Health Services and Rural Areas to be Given COVID-19 Testing Priority
Politico reports that in a April 2, 2020 news briefing, Dr. Deborah Birx, the White House coronavirus coordinator, announced that rapid point-of-care tests will distributed to areas of the country where current COVID-19 testing is scarcest. “These are new tests, and we have prioritized the groups that we think have the least access to testing now,” Dr. Birx said. “Priority will be given to Indian Health Services and rural areas that do not have access to labs that perform high-volume coronavirus tests.”
Bipartisan Leaders Ask HHS to Help Rural Providers
With the support from the National Rural Health Association, 41 senators and 81 representatives wrote a letter to HHS Secretary Azar urging the administration to fairly distribute aid to rural hospitals and health clinics. Under the CARES Act, the HHS Secretary has flexibility in how the $100 billion fund will be allocated to struggling providers. The lawmakers requested that funding be provided to rural hospitals quickly, as many are running low on money while preparing for the coronavirus. NRHA is concerned that large health systems (who also need help) will consume the funds due to small rural providers’ inability to compete for the funds. We are advocating for a rural set-aside to be established within these funds to ensure that rural providers can access this important, much-needed funding.