On the evening of December 1, 2020, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released the final Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) for calendar year (CY) 2021. The rule includes finalized policies related to telehealth, the Quality Payment Program (QPP), care management and others. Provisions of this final rule become effective on January 1, 2021. [...] Read More
On the evening of December 1, 2020, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released the final Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) for calendar year (CY) 2021. The rule includes finalized policies related to telehealth, the Quality Payment Program (QPP), care management and others. The rule has not yet been published in the Federal Register [...] Read More
On November 20, 2020, the Health and Human Services’ Office of Inspector General (OIG) issued a fact sheet and final rule that removes potential regulatory barriers to care coordination and value-based care created by certain key healthcare laws and associated regulations, including the anti-kickback statute (AKS) and Beneficiary Inducements Civil Monetary Penalty (CMP).1 The changes [...] Read More
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has released on its website an interim final rule with comment (IFC) related to the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE). The IFC has not yet been released in the Federal Register. The IFC revises requirements for long-term care (LTC) facilities and strengthens CMS enforcement to ensure compliance [...] Read More
CMS has released the CY 2021 proposed Physician Fee Schedule (PFS). This proposed rule includes policies for payment to physicians as well as Medicare Part B policies. Comments on the proposed rule are due on October 5, 2020. CMS Likely to Finalize Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Provisions in December Typically, CMS releases its Medicare Physician [...] Read More
On August 3, 2020, President Trump announced that he was signing an executive order (EO) to further expand telehealth services, specifically for rural health providers. The executive order builds on actions taken during the public health emergency (PHE) by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). The EO directs the Department of Health and [...] Read More
In addition to a second interim final rule to address the COVID-19 pandemic, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) also updated the current blanket waivers that are aimed at helping providers respond to the declared public health emergency (PHE). Below are the new waiver items updated by CMS after April 21, 2020. Telehealth [...] Read More
On April 30th, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced a second interim final rule (IFC) aimed at addressing the ongoing COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE). The rule has not yet been submitted to the Federal Register. The rule include flexibilities for a variety of areas including infection control in long-term care facilities, [...] Read More
On the afternoon of April 30th, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that it submitted a second interim final rule (IFC) to the Federal Register and that it released an additional set of blanket waivers under section 1135 of the Social Security Act aimed at addressing the ongoing COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE). Below are many of the new flexibilities and capabilities included in the waivers and rule: Interim Final [...] Read More
Congress has been working on Phase III of coronavirus relief and a vote on the package is expected to occur the week of Mar 23-27, 2020. Provisions in the legislation include human resources, hospital payment, patient cost-sharing, coverage of diagnostics and vaccines, and supply shortages. For many of the provisions, HHS is directed to implement [...] Read More