Legislative News
Implications for Home-Based Care Providers in the CY 2021 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) Final Rule
On December 1, The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released the long-awaited CY 2021 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) Final Rule. The MPFS Final Rule includes payment and policy changes that will significantly impact home-based care providers. Decreased Reimbursement for Home and Domiciliary Visits...
COVID-19 Update: CMS Paying Providers for Counseling Services
On July 30th, 2020, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that it will begin paying qualified healthcare professionals (i.e., MD, NP, PA, CNS, CNM) for counseling services provided to traditional Medicare beneficiaries when related to the administration of a COVID-19 test. Clinicians are advised...
COVID-19 Update: New CMS Virtual Training
On July 21, 2020, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced a new 10-week, virtual peer-to-peer learning community entitled, HHS Telemedicine Hack. The training was developed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness Response (ASPR),...
CMS releases additional interim final rule, creating more telehealth flexibility and featuring significant regulatory changes
On April 30, 2020, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released a second Interim Final Rule with new flexibilities and changes relevant to home-based medical care providers. The changes in this most recent Interim Final Rule are effective immediately, with many modifications retroactively effective as of...
COVID-19 Update 04/24/20 – More on Medicare Telehealth Services-related Changes
As providers and practices continue to determine the best way to safely care for their patients while navigating the ever-changing regulatory requirements related to COVID-19, HCCI is committed to continuing to provide accurate, clarifying and timely information. “Medicare telehealth services” refer to a certain list of services that would...
COVID-19 Update 04/08/20 – Additional Key Information and Flexibilities in the CMS Interim Final Rule
In addition to changes in the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Interim Final Rule discussed in our previous update, Providers and practices should be aware of the following additional information and waiver flexibilities in the rule: Home Health Agencies can now provide additional services...
HCCIntelligence™ Update: COVID-19 Telehealth Billing Requirements
In our recent article, Providing Telephonic and Virtual Care Requirements as part of COVID-19 Precautions, available on HCCI’s COVID-19 Information Hub, we highlighted the requirements of virtual visits. We also provided an overview of the 1135 Telehealth Waiver as part of the president’s emergency declaration during...
Providing Telephonic and Virtual Care Requirements as part of COVID-19 Precautions
The Home Centered Care Institute (HCCI) understands that many Home-Based Practices and Providers are increasing the use of virtual and telephonic care as an alternative to face-to-face care, as appropriate, due to the current COVID-19 pandemic. Though a telehealth waiver is mentioned under recent legislation (H.R.6074 – Coronavirus Preparedness...
HHS and CMS Announce Brad Smith as CMMI Director, Senior Advisor for Value-Based Transformation
January 6, 2020 Press Release from the HHS.gov U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Today, the Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced that Brad Smith will serve...
CMS Announces Request for Applications for Primary Care First Model Options
CMS Announces Request for Applications for Primary Care First Model Options (Highlights for Consideration included below) CMS released the Request for Applications (RFA) for the Primary Care First (PCF) and Seriously Ill Population (SIP) models last Thursday, October 24. The practice application period also started that day...