Follow ACMA
Twitter Facebook Linkedin Instagram
v
GO
Updates & Calls to ActionMake a Donation
PUBLIC POLICY UPDATES

Administration Issues Second Round of Sweeping Changes to Support U.S. Healthcare System During COVID-19 Pandemic


Posted on: 5/1/2020

On Thursday, April 30, the Trump Administration issued another round of sweeping changes to support the U.S. healthcare system during the COVID-19 pandemic. Several of these changes impact our ACMA members, their organizations, and the patients and families they serve. Some highlights are below. Visit the CMS Waivers Website >>> for a complete list of waivers. If you have questions on a topic or are confused about the implementation of these changes, utilize the learning link and lean on our network of 9,000 health care professionals. We learn together!


Increased Hospital Capacity – CMS Hospitals Without Walls

Under the Hospitals Without Walls initiative. CMS has taken multiple steps to allow hospitals to provide services in other healthcare facilities and sites that are not part of the existing hospital, and to set up temporary expansion sites to help address patient needs. Previously, hospitals were required to provide services within their existing departments.

This includes flexibilities to increase beds without facing reduced payments for indirect medical education, allowing inpatient psychiatric and rehabilitation facilities to admit more patients, excepting certain requirements to enable inpatient rehab facilities to accept patients from acute-care hospitals experience a surge, highlight flexibilities that allow payment for outpatient hospital services, allowing provider-based hospital outpatient departments that relocate off-campus to obtain a temporary exception and continue to be paid under OPPS and allowing long-term acute-care hospitals to accept any acute-care hospital patients and be paid at a higher Medicare payment rate as mandated by the CARES Act.

Healthcare Workforce Augmentation

To bolster the U.S. healthcare workforce amid the pandemic, CMS continues to remove barriers for hiring and retaining physicians, nurses, and other healthcare professionals to keep staffing levels high at hospitals, health clinics, and other facilities. CMS also is cutting red tape so that health professionals can concentrate on the highest-level work they’re licensed for.

This allows nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, and physician assistants to now provide home health services as mandated by the CARES Act. CMS is also temporarily allowing Community Mental Health Centers to offer partial hospitalization and other mental health services to clients in the safety of their homes. CMS will not enforce certain clinical criteria in local coverage determinations that limit access to therapeutic glucose monitors for beneficiaries with diabetes.

Further Expanded Telehealth in Medicare

CMS directed a historic expansion of telehealth services so health care providers can deliver a wider range of care to Medicare beneficiaries in their homes. Beneficiaries thus don’t have to travel to a healthcare facility and risk exposure to COVID-19.

For the duration of the COVID-19 emergency, CMS is waiving limitations on the types of clinical practitioners that furnish telehealth services including physical therapists, occupational therapists and speech-language pathologists.

Hospitals may bill as the originating site for telehealth services furnished by hospital-based practitioners to Medicare patients registered as hospital outpatients. CMS previously announced that Medicare would pay for certain services conducted by audio-only telephone between beneficiaries and their doctors and other clinicians. Now, CMS is broadening that list to include many behavioral health and patient education services. CMS is also increasing payments for these telephone visits to match payments for similar office and outpatient visits.

As mandated by the CARES Act, CMS is paying for Medicare telehealth services provided by rural health clinics and federally qualified health clinics. Previously, these clinics could not be paid to provide telehealth expertise as “distant sites.” Now, Medicare beneficiaries located in rural and other medically underserved areas will have more options to access care from their home without having to travel.

Since some Medicare beneficiaries don’t have access to interactive audio-video technology that is required for Medicare telehealth services or choose not to use it even if offered by their practitioner, CMS is waiving the video requirement for certain telephone evaluation and management services, and adding them to the list of Medicare telehealth services. As a result, Medicare beneficiaries will be able to use an audio-only telephone to get these services.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and our ACMA advocacy firm Lobbyit contributed to this information.

Read the complete list of COVID-19 Blanket Waivers >>>

Read the CMS Hospital Flexibilities >>>

Read the Press Release >>>

Return to Legislative Postings

Announcements

LIMITED AVAILABILITY ANNIVERSARY PACKAGES! | ACMA 2024 National Conference

Join us for the 25th Anniversary ACMA National Conference, April 19-22, 2024 in Nashville, TN. Don't miss out on the most exciting case management conference of the year! Experience ACMA at National!

Save The Date | 2024 Leadership and Physician Advisor Conference

Our 2024 Leadership and Physician Advisor Conference is November 18-20 in Huntington Beach, CA! Health plans and providers, this conference has everything you need. Find out more here!

Share Your Research | Collaborative Case Management

Do you have a project or measurable initiative you've instituted at your organization? Have you conducted research on a current issue in the field? Share your experiences and results with your professional community! Email your proposal (or ask any questions): vmatthews@acmaweb.org. Learn More >>>

Get ACMA News in the Palm of Your Hand

Join the conversation with ACMA! Text the keyword ACMA to 844-554-2497 to stay up to date on all the latest news and announcements, delivered straight to your phone!

Now Accepting Presentations for Chapter Conferences

We are now accepting presentations for upcoming ACMA chapter conferences. If you have a unique solution, intervention or strategy to improve case management, this is a great opportunity to share your knowledge and be a part of ACMA's national-caliber education at the local level. There is no deadline to submit; presentations will be accepted throughout the year so you can prepare a submission as your schedule allows. Submit a presentation >>

National Case Management Week - Save The Date!

2024 - October 13-19
2025 - October 12-18
2026 - October 11-17
2027 - October 10-16
2028 - October 8-14

American Case Management Association
17200 Chenal Parkway Ste 300 #345
Little Rock, AR 72223
Phone: 501-907-ACMA (2262)
Fax: 501-227-4247