CMS Resources for Hospitals

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 efforts to support Louisiana and Texas in response to Hurricane Laura. Read this news release to learn more about the waivers available for health care providers in Louisiana and Texas affected by Hurricane Laura. This news release also lists more information about care for patients needing dialysis treatment, access to medical equipment and supplies and special enrollment for certain Medicare beneficiaries and individuals.

Read this interim final rule, CMS-3401-IFC, from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), that lists updated requirements for laboratories reporting SARS-CoV-2 test results and regulatory revisions in response to the COVID-19 public health emergency, including fines for nursing homes that fail to report COVID-19 data to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Healthcare Safety Network.

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 30, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced that payment is available to physicians and health care providers to counsel patients, at the time of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) testing, and about the importance of self-isolation after they are tested and prior to the onset of symptoms.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is finalizing three Medicare payment rules that further advance efforts to strengthen the Medicare program by better aligning payments for inpatient psychiatric facilities (IPF), skilled nursing facilities (SNF) and hospices.

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.

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

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 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 teaching hospitals, teaching physicians and medical residents in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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).

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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.

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).

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) released new tools to help speed states’ access to emergency flexibilities and resources.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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 these frequently asked questions on March 12, 2020.

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.

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 released this memo on May 19, 2020.

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) 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) 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.

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.

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

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.