-
Wit v. UnitedHealthcare Hearing Delayed to Wednesday, Sept. 2
The remedies hearing in the Wit v. UnitedHealthcare case scheduled for this week has been delayed to Wednesday, Sept. 2. NABH has learned that U.S. Chief Magistrate Judge Joseph Spero has re-scheduled the hearing due to meetings related to Covid-19. Members of the public and press are welcome to join the webinar, and NABH will send an updated Zoom link when it becomes available.
-
CMS Announces 2.2% Payment Update and Scope-in-Practice Changes for 2021
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will update the Medicare payment rate for the Inpatient Psychiatric Facilities Prospective Payment System (IPF PPS) by 2.2% in Fiscal Year (FY) 2021, the agency announced in a final rule late Friday. In its April proposed rule, CMS had estimated a 2.4% payment rate update for IPFs next year. The agency included its updated estimates and calculations in a fact sheet accompanying Friday’s final rule. According to the rule, CMS will allow advanced practice providers, including physician assistants, nurse practitioners, psychologists, and…
-
Help Maintain Coverage of Telehealth Expanded During Covid-19
NABH is requesting information from our members to show how expanded coverage of telehealth during the Covid-19 pandemic has helped maintain and even improve access to behavioral healthcare. This information will help us advocate for continuation of this expanded coverage of telehealth after the public health emergency ends. Here is a quick survey to share the requested data on the impact of the telehealth expansion. Please submit the survey and any additional information as soon as possible, but no later than Friday, July 31. Please email Kirsten Beronio, Director of Policy…
-
Deadline to Apply for Medicaid / CHIP Provider Relief Extended to Aug. 3
Friday, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), announced that it is extending the application deadline for Medicaid and CHIP Provider Relief Fund distribution from today July 20, 2020 to August 3, 2020. In June, HHS announced plans to distribute approximately $15 billion to eligible providers that participate in state Medicaid and CHIP programs who had not yet received a payment from earlier distributions from the Provider Relief Fund. This HHS fact sheet explains the application process. In addition, HHS is holding focus groups tomorrow and Wednesday to identify opportunities to…
-
HHS Announces Changes to Covid-19 Daily Data Reporting Process Effective July 15
HHS announced that as of Wednesday, July 15, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) Covid-19 module will no longer be an option for hospitals to fulfill the agency’s request for daily data reporting on bed capacity, utilization, personal protective equipment (PPE), and in-house laboratory testing data. Instead, HHS is asking hospitals to use one of these four options to report that information: If your state has assumed reporting responsibility, submit all data to your state each day and your state will submit on your…
-
SAMHSA Updates Confidentiality of Patient Records in Final Rule
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) on Monday issued a final rule to update the Confidentiality of Substance Use Disorder Patient Records known as 42 CFR part 2 (or “part 2”) regulations, further aligning the regulations with other healthcare delivery rules. Key changes include: Part 2 programs may share information verbally with a non-part 2 provider without subjecting the non-part 2 record to the requirements of part 2, as long as the non-part 2 provider segregates specific substance use disorder (SUD) records. Patients may consent to disclosures…
