-
HHS to Host Hospital Data Reporting Webinar on Nov. 13
The U.S. Health and Human Services Department (HHS) will host a webinar on Friday, Nov. 13 at 1 p.m. ET to review the updated guidance for hospital data reporting requirements during the Covid-19 pandemic. This webinar is the fourth webinar HHS has hosted to provide guidance to the nation’s healthcare providers on this topic and will include a question-and-answer period. Click here to register and here for the webinar slide deck.
-
CMS Corrects Announcement to Say Providers Cannot Use PRF When Repaying Medicare Loans
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) has corrected a misstatement in its Oct. 8 news release to say the nation’s healthcare providers and suppliers cannot use Provider Relief Funds (PRF) to repay Medicare loans the agency has made during the Covid public health emergency. The correction first appeared in an FAQ on Oct. 9. CMS subsequently corrected its original news release
-
CMS Gives Medicare Part A & B Providers One More Year to Repay AAP Loans
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) said Thursday it will give Medicare Part A and B providers and suppliers an additional year to repay loans the agency made to them during the Covid-19 public health emergency (PHE). CMS had advanced payments to Medicare Part A and B providers and suppliers through the Accelerated and Advance Payment (AAP) program to help cover costs as the PHE disrupted healthcare services this year. Initially CMS had required providers to start making repayments in August 2020. “CMS’ advanced payments were loans given…
-
New CMS Guidance Requires Psychiatric Hospitals to Report Covid-19 Data Weekly
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has released guidance that requires Medicare- and Medicaid-participating psychiatric hospitals to report Covid-19 data to the agency on a weekly basis. CMS published an interim final rule in early September that said hospitals would be required to submit Covid-19 data during the public health emergency in a frequent, standardized way that the U.S. Health and Human Services Department (HHS) secretary specified. This week’s awaited guidance makes it clear that the nation’s psychiatric hospitals—along with rehabilitation hospitals—need to report their data weekly, and…
-
HHS Includes Behavioral Healthcare Providers in Provider Relief Fund Phase 3 Distribution
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on Thursday announced an additional $20 billion is available from the Provider Relief Fund (PRF) for healthcare providers to recover Covid-19-related financial losses and changes in operating expenses. HHS highlighted behavioral healthcare providers in its announcement and encouraged these providers to apply for this latest round of funding. HHS has developed a list of behavioral healthcare providers who are now eligible for funding, such as addiction counseling centers, mental health counselors, and psychiatrists. “Our behavioral health providers have shouldered the burden of responding and…
-
HHS Provider Relief Fund Reporting Requirements Change Terms for Recovering Lost Revenue
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has issued guidance that contradicts the department’s June FAQ about calculating lost revenue from Covid-19 that may be recovered through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act’s (CARES) Provider Relief Fund (PRF). In the June FAQ, HHS said providers could “use any reasonable method of estimating the revenue during March and April 2020 compared to the same period had Covid-19 not appeared.” This latest guidance defines lost revenue that may be recovered as being limited to “a negative change in year-over-year net patient care operating income.” The…
