CMS Resources for Hospitals

On April 16, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) revoked the Emergency Use Authorization for bamlanivimab, when administered alone, due to a sustained increase in COVID-19 viral variants in the U.S. that are resistant to this antibody therapy. The FDA determined that the known and potential benefits of bamlanivimab, when administered alone, no longer outweigh the known and potential risks. Medicare will cover and pay for bamlanivimab, when administered alone, for dates of service from Nov. 10, 2020 – April 16, 2021.

Read this special edition Medicare Learning Network Matters Article that includes information for all Medicare providers and suppliers who requested and received COVID-19 Accelerated and Advance Payments (CAAPs) from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) due to COVID-19. CMS began recovering those payments as early as March 30, 2021, depending upon the one-year anniversary of when providers received their first payment. This article also gives information on how to identify recovered payments. Providers should ensure their billing staff are aware that the recovery has begun, or will begin soon, but no sooner than one year from the date CMS issued the CAAP to your organization or facility.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is investing $150 million to increase access to COVID-19 monoclonal antibody therapeutic treatments for patients in vulnerable communities across the country.

As part of President Biden’s National Strategy for the COVID-19 Response and Pandemic Preparedness, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will invest $10 billion from the American Rescue Plan to ramp up screening testing to help schools reopen, $2.25 billion to scale up testing in underserved populations, and provide new guidance on asymptomatic screening testing in schools, workplaces and congregate settings.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is increasing the Medicare payment amount for administering the COVID-19 vaccine. Visit the CMS website for more information and to review billing codes.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health will offer the funding as health literacy grants to localities, who will partner with community-based organizations, to reach racial and ethnic minority, rural and other vulnerable populations.

Janssen Pharmaceuticals, part of Johnson & Johnson, will be the first federal partner to use repurposed Merck facilities to manufacture COVID-19 vaccine. Merck will use two of its facilities to produce drug substance, formulate and fill vials of Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has issued new guidance removing barriers to COVID-19 diagnostic testing and vaccinations, and strengthening requirements that plans and issuers cover diagnostic testing without cost sharing.

Do you know how to code for administering a COVID-19 vaccine? View this webpage from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services for more information.

Health care providers can view this webpage from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to learn how to enroll in Medicare to bill for administering COVID-19 vaccines.

This toolkit from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is for providers, states and insurers to help swiftly administer the COVID-19 vaccine, and includes information on enrolling, billing and coding for vaccine administration.

This Department of Health and Human Services campaign aims to increase public confidence in COVID-19 vaccines while reinforcing basic prevention measures, including mask wearing and social distancing.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services created this plan to outline its process to prepare for, respond to, and recover from current and future pandemic threats. This plan addresses policy responses related to waivers and flexibilities. It also includes some information specific to rural health care providers, health care facilities and residents.

In response to a surge in COVID-19 cases in many areas of the country, the federal Healthcare Resilience Working Group has released guidance detailing strategies to help health care providers manage patient surge. State, local, tribal and territorial governments can use these strategies to enhance their health care capabilities and support a more comprehensive health care system response.

Download this one-page document for links to resources about the COVID-19 vaccines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

Beginning Jan. 1, 2021, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is implementing 21 new procedure codes to describe the introduction or infusion of therapeutics, including monoclonal antibodies and vaccines for COVID-19 treatment, into the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, Procedure Coding System (ICD-10-PCS).

CMS to implement new COVID-19 diagnostic codes into the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-10). Effective Jan. 1, 2021, CMS will assign MS-DRGs to six new ICD-10 codes for reporting COVID-19-related conditions.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid (CMS) is implementing 21 new procedure codes into the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, Procedure Coding System (ICD-10_PCS) for COVID-19 vaccines and therapeutics.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is extending quarter (Q) 3 2020 data submission deadlines by one month for providers that participate in certain Medicare Quality Reporting and Value-Based Purchasing Programs to help providers focus on patient care during the COVID-19 public health emergency.

Read this Medicare Learning Network Special Edition newsletter from Dec. 22, 2020, from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to learn about the payment codes for the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine.

This fact sheet from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) provides an overview of key practices and resources to help consumers understand approved and authorized use of respirators, avoid purchasing fraudulent products, and report fraud.

View this website from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services that provides COVID-19 vaccine policies and guidance.

The Department of Health and Human Services updates its guidance to hospitals on the reporting of COVID-19-related data.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services updates its FAQs regarding coverage, billing and payment for monoclonal antibody therapies used to treat COVID-19

Read this special edition of the Medicare Learning Network newsletter, which lists important information regarding coding and payment for health care providers administering the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine.

Read this MLN Connects Special Edition newsletter to learn about the PC-ACE software updated health care providers can download in preparation of the release of the vaccine(s) for COVID-19 in order to use the proper codes when administering the vaccines.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has expanded the list of telehealth services that Medicare Fee-For-Service will pay for during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) public health emergency. CMS is also providing additional support to state Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program agencies in their efforts to expand access to telehealth. Medicare will begin paying eligible practitioners who furnish these newly added telehealth services effective immediately, and for the duration of the public health emergency. These new telehealth services include certain neurostimulator analysis and programming services, and cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation services.

View this tip sheet to learn when long-term care hospitals should resume reporting data on measures and standardized patient assessment data.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) states every facility that conducts COVID-19 testing is considered a laboratory and must be certified under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988 (CLIA). View this quick-start guide to learn how your facility can apply to be CLIA certified.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has announced new funding opportunities for rural health care providers associated with the Community Health Access and Rural Transformation Model.

On July 6, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services updated the Medicare Learning Network Matters Article SE20016 to clarify how rural health clinics and federally qualified health centers can apply the cost sharing (CS) modifier to preventive services furnished via telehealth.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has released preliminary data on the impact of COVID-19 on the Medicare population. This data was derived from claims between Jan. 1 and May 16, 2020.

Read this news release from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services that gives more information about the total number of reported novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) cases and hospitalizations among Medicare beneficiaries between Jan. 1 and May 16, 2020.

This new guidance from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) specifies the additional data to be reported to HHS by laboratories along with COVID-19 test results.

View this Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services webpage for resources to assist with managing patient surge due to COVID-19.

This newly published fact sheet provides state and local governments developing alternate care sites with information on how to seek payments through the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) programs.

Read this MLN Matters Article for more information.

Learn more about the flexibilities the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has announced for inpatient rehabilitation facilities during the COVID-19 public health emergency.

Watch this 24-minute video from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services that provides updated answers to common questions about the expanded Medicare telehealth services benefit during the COVID-19 public health emergency.

Read this Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) fact sheet to learn more about the flexibilities afforded to hospital outpatient departments to offer telehealth services, and to allow hospitals to provide services in other sites in response to COVID-19 as part of the CMS Hospital Without Walls initiative.

View this fact sheet for more information about flexibilities the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has afforded to long-term care hospitals and extended neoplastic disease care hospitals in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

View this fact sheet for more information about flexibilities the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has afforded to inpatient rehabilitation facilities in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

View this fact sheet for more information about flexibilities the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has afforded to teaching hospitals, teaching physicians and medical residents in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

View this fact sheet for information on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) flexibilities to fight COVID-19.

Several changes in the interim final rule with comment period allow additional Medicare payment. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has issued FAQs addressing Medicare fee-for-service billing issues.

Read this Health Affairs blog post to learn more about the recent Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' (CMS) policy changes and what it means for health care professionals on the front lines.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services issued frequently asked questions clarifying requirements and considerations for hospitals and other providers related to the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA) during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Visit the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Scoring, Payment Adjustment, and Hardship Information webpage for detailed information.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services issued a memo March 23, 2020, listing the prioritization of survey activities it will complete during the COVID-19 pandemic. This memo also lists the surveys it will not complete.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced that independent freestanding emergency departments can provide care to Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries during the COVID-19 public health emergency.

This page holds all Partner Relations Group Podcasts, transcripts and audio recordings. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) makes open door forums and other presentations available as audio podcasts.

CMS Releases Additional Blanket Waivers for Long-Term Care Hospitals, Rural Health Clinics, Federally Qualified Health Centers and Intermediate Care Facilities.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced April 15, 2020, that it increased the payment for high-production coronavirus lab tests.

Keep up with the important work the Task Force is doing in response to COVID-19.

Listen to this webinar from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) as they answer questions during office hours on April 14, 2020.

See these April 11, 2020, FAQs regarding implementation of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (the FFCRA), the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (the CARES Act), and other health coverage issues related to Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' (CMS) official website has the latest resources related to COVID-19. It is updated regularly with clinical and technical announcements for providers and facilities, as well as guidance on billing and codes, coverage, provider enrollment and more.

CMS announced the following blanket waivers are in effect, with a retroactive effective date of March 1, 2020, through the end of the emergency declaration.

Email your COVID-19 questions to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) at Covid-19@cms.hhs.gov.

Here are CMS' frequently asked questions (FAQs) on Medicare Fee-for-Service (FFS) billing during COVID-19.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has expanded its current Accelerated and Advance Payment Program to a broader group of Medicare Part A providers and Part B suppliers for the duration of the public health emergency

Listen to this webinar from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) as they answer questions during office hours on April 9, 2020.

On April 7, 2020, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) experts provided updates on recent actions taken to address the COVID-19 public health emergency.

On April 3, 2020, 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.

This CMS Medicare Learning Network (MLN) video provides answers to common questions about the Medicare telehealth services benefit.

Read the latest actions the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has taken in response to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Read about exceptions and extensions for Quality reporting requirements for acute care hospitals, PPS-exempt cancer hospitals, inpatient psychiatric facilities, skilled nursing facilities, home health agencies, hospices, inpatient rehabilitation facilities, long-term care (LTC) hospitals, ambulatory surgical centers (ASC), renal dialysis facilities, and MIPS-eligible clinicians affected by COVID-19.

Here is a list of CMS changes due to COVID-19.

CMS provides guidance to states on how to apply for Section 1135 waivers through the Medicaid Disaster Response Tool Kit.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released new tools to help speed states’ access to emergency flexibilities and resources.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) compiled the best practices and lessons learned that communities have already faced fighting COVID-19

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are issuing new recommendations to state and local governments and long-term care facilities (also known as nursing homes) to help mitigate the spread of the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19).

Ensemble Health Partners provides the latest coding updates due to COVID-19.

Here is a list of CMS' new 1135 waivers to respond to COVID-19.

In order to increase cash flow to providers of services and suppliers impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has expanded its current Accelerated and Advance Payment Program to a broader group of Medicare Part A providers and Part B suppliers.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced changes that allow hospitals and health systems to deliver services at other locations to make room for COVID-19 patients needing acute care in their main facility. CMS’s announcement also waives certain requirements to enable and encourage hospitals to hire local physicians and other providers to address potential surges. New rules allow hospitals to support physician practices by transferring critical equipment, including items used for telehealth, as well as providing meals and childcare for their health care workers.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), most people with Medicare are at higher risk for COVID-19. Here are Medicare's latest resources to keep you up to date.

CMS prioritized and suspended certain federal and SSA surveys, and delayed revisit surveys, for three weeks beginning March 23, 2020.

Here is a summary of recent Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) actions taken in response to COVID-19.

On March 18, 2020, CMS answered frequently asked questions about catastrophic health coverage and the coronavirus (COVID-19).

On March 18, 2020, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that all elective surgeries, non-essential medical, surgical, and dental procedures be delayed during the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

This page holds all COVID-19 podcasts, transcripts and audio recordings from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) published this fact sheet.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' (CMS) Quality Improvement Organization (QIO) program developed this page to share resources to prevent and treat COVID-19, also known as the Coronavirus, as it spreads throughout the United States.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) developed this toolkit to help you stay informed on CMS and HHS materials available on COVID-19.

CMS released this memo on May 19, 2020.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced the following blanket waivers are in effect, with a retroactive effective date of March 1, 2020, through the end of the emergency declaration.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced the following blanket waivers are in effect, with a retroactive effective date of March 1, 2020, through the end of the emergency declaration.

CMS is authorized to waive certain Medicare, Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) program requirements and conditions of participation under Section 1135 of the Social Security Act.

CMS released these frequently asked questions on March 12, 2020.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced the following blanket waivers are in effect, with a retroactive effective date of March 1, 2020, through the end of the emergency declaration.

On March 12, 2020, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) posted frequently asked questions (FAQs) to the Medicaid.gov website to aid state Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) agencies in their response to the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has developed a second Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) code that can be used by laboratories to bill for certain COVID-19 diagnostic tests to help increase testing and track new cases.

CMS calls on all health care providers to activate infection control practices and issues guidance to inspectors as they inspect facilities affected by Coronavirus.

This memorandum responds to questions CMS has received and provides important guidance for hospitals and critical access hospitals (CAHs) in addressing the COVID-19 outbreak and minimizing transmission to other individuals.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is suspending non-emergency inspections across the country, allowing inspectors to turn their focus on the most serious health and safety threats like infectious diseases and abuse.