Thursday, October 8, 2020
- Hospice Quality Reporting Program: Successful Facilities for FY 2021
- Laboratories: Pay Your CLIA Certification Fees Online
- Institutional Providers: Give Us Your Feedback on the Provider Specific File by November 1
- Submit Medicare GME Affiliation Agreements during COVID-19 PHE by January 1
- COVID-19: Optimizing PPEand Child Health and Wellness
- Ostomies are Life-Savers
- Laboratory Quick Start Guide for CLIA Certification
- Provider Compliance Tips — Revised
- ICD-10-CM, ICD-10-PCS, CPT, and HCPCS Code Sets — Revised
- DMEPOS Accreditation — Revised
- SNF and LTCH Quality Reporting Programs: COVID-19 Public Reporting — Revised
View this edition as PDF (PDF)
News
Hospice Quality Reporting Program: Successful Facilities for FY 2021
CMS posted the Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 list of successful hospices (PDF) for the Hospice Quality Reporting Program. These hospices met the calendar year 2019 hospice quality data reporting requirements that impact FY 2021 payment. Successful hospices get their full annual payment update. See the October 1 update on the Requirements and Best Practices webpage for more information.
Laboratories: Pay Your CLIA Certification Fees Online
You now have the option to pay Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) certification fees through a secure platform hosted by the Treasury Department. Online payments process overnight.
For More Information:
- Visit the CLIA website
- Email questions to LabExcellence@cms.hhs.gov
Institutional Providers: Give Us Your Feedback on the Provider Specific File by November 1
CMS is updating the Provider Specific File to improve your experience, and we need your feedback. Information in this file affects payments under the prospective payment systems. Send your comments or suggestions to ModernizingMedicare@cms.hhs.gov by November 1. We’ll only respond to messages related to the Provider Specific File. Visit the Provider Specific Data webpage for more information.
Submit Medicare GME Affiliation Agreements during COVID-19 PHE by January 1
CMS extended the deadline to submit Medicare Graduate Medical Education (GME) affiliation agreements to January 1, 2021. Two or more teaching hospitals can form a GME group to combine direct and/or indirect medical education resident caps and train residents. During the Public Health Emergency (PHE), email new or amended agreements by January 1 to Medicare_GME_Affiliation_Agreement@cms.hhs.gov with “new” or “amended” in the subject line, and send a copy to your MAC.
For More Information:
- COVID-19 Emergency Declaration Blanket Waivers for Health Care Providers (PDF): See page 8 (location may change if document is updated)
- MLN Matters Article SE20011 (PDF): Clarification of other waivers
COVID-19: Optimizing PPE and Child Health and Wellness
The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) Technical Resources, Assistance Center, and Information Exchange (TRACIE) released:
- Optimizing Healthcare PPE and Supplies Webinar Q&A: Read responses to questions from the September 24 webinar
- PPE Preservation Planning Toolkit: Reuse, repurpose, or reduce the use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
- Crisis Standards of Care in Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Facilities: Respond to crisis standards of care
- Child Health and Wellness Webinar Recording: Listen to the first webinar in the Hidden Consequences: How the COVID-19 Pandemic is Impacting Children series
For More Information:
- ASPR TRACIE Fact Sheet
- ASPR TRACIE website
- ASPR TRACIE Novel Coronavirus Resources webpage
Ostomies are Life-Savers
Ostomy Awareness Day increases awareness of bowel and urinary diversion surgery and proper care for patients. Review the Provider Compliance Tips for Ostomy Supplies (PDF) Medicare Learning Network Fact Sheet and learn about:
- Coverage requirements
- Billing
- Guidelines for refills
Events
CMS-CDC Fundamentals of COVID-19 Prevention for Nursing Home Management Call — October 8
Thursday, October 8 from 4 to 5 pm ET
CMS, CDC, and the Quality Improvement Organization (QIO) Program present this live Question and Answer (Q&A) series:
- Register for live Q&A sessions held twice a month through January
- Submit questions in advance to DVACSupport@thebizzellgroup.com
- Visit the QIO Program FAQ webpage
Target Audience: Clinical and administrative nursing home staff members.
Publications
Laboratory Quick Start Guide for CLIA Certification
Read the CMS Laboratory Quick Start Guide (PDF) to learn how to get CMS Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) certification to perform testing on human specimens.
For More Information:
- Visit the CLIA Certification webpage
- Email questions to LabExcellence@cms.hhs.gov
Provider Compliance Tips — Revised
CMS revised the following Medicare Learning Network Fact Sheets with Provider Compliance Tips. Learn about coverage and documentation requirements to prevent claim denials.
- Canes and Crutches
- Diabetic Shoes
- Enteral Nutrition
- Enteral Nutrition Pumps
- Hospital Beds and Accessories
- Infusion Pumps & Related Drugs
- Lenses
- Manual Wheelchairs
- Ordering Lower Limb Orthoses
- Ordering Lower Limb Prostheses
- Ostomy Supplies
- Parenteral Nutrition
- Patient Lifts
- Polysomnography (Sleep Studies)
- Positive Airway Pressure Devices and Accessories Including Continuous Positive Airway Pressure
- Spinal Orthoses
- Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulators
ICD-10-CM, ICD-10-PCS, CPT, and HCPCS Code Sets — Revised
CMS revised the ICD-10-CM, ICD-10-PCS, CPT, and HCPCS Code Sets Medicare Learning Network Fact Sheet. Learn:
- Details for each code set
- Payment information
DMEPOS Accreditation — Revised
CMS revised the DMEPOS Accreditation Medicare Learning Network Fact Sheet. Learn about:
- Accreditation requirements for Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics, and Supplies (DMEPOS) suppliers
- Quality Standards
- Exempted supplies
SNF and LTCH Quality Reporting Programs: COVID-19 Public Reporting — Revised
CMS updated Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) public reporting tip sheets for Skilled Nursing Facilities (PDF) (SNFs) and Long-Term Care Hospitals (PDF) (LTCHs):
- Strategy for data exempted from public reporting
- Impact on the Nursing Home Compare website refresh
Multimedia
Dementia Care Call: Audio Recording and Transcript
An audio recording (ZIP) and transcript (PDF) are available for the September 22 Medicare Learning Network call on Dementia Care. Learn about the unique challenges facing nursing home residents living with dementia during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic and best practices to support them.
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