Category: Uncategorized

To view the memo.

First posted April 13,2020 and pinned as top post. Removed pin April 24th.

If you see a payment appear in the checking account from HHS and do not know why. This is why….

Immediate infusion of $30 billion into healthcare system

Recognizing the importance of delivering funds in a fast and transparent manner, $30 billion is being distributed immediately – with payments arriving via direct deposit beginning April 10, 2020 – to eligible providers throughout the American healthcare system. These are payments, not loans, to healthcare providers, and will not need to be repaid.

• Providers will be paid via Automated Clearing House account information on file with UHG or the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
  • The automatic payments will come to providers via Optum Bank with “HHSPAYMENT” as the payment description.
  • Providers who normally receive a paper check for reimbursement from CMS, will receive a paper check in the mail for this payment as well, within the next few weeks.
• Within 30 days of receiving the payment, providers must sign an attestation confirming receipt of the funds and agreeing to the terms and conditions of payment. The portal for signing the attestation will be open the week of April 13, 2020, and will be linked on this page.
• HHS’ payment of this initial tranche of funds is conditioned on the healthcare provider’s acceptance of the Terms and Conditions – PDF, which acceptance must occur within 30 days of receipt of payment. Not returning the payment within 30 days of receipt will be viewed as acceptance of the Terms and Conditions. If a provider receives payment and does not wish to comply with these Terms and Conditions, the provider must do the following: contact HHS within 30 days of receipt of payment and then remit the full payment to HHS as instructed.  Appropriate contact information will be provided soon.

Is this different than the CMS Accelerated and Advance Payment Program?

Yes. The CMS Accelerated and Advance Payment Program has delivered billions of dollars to healthcare providers to help ensure providers and suppliers have the resources needed to combat the pandemic. The CMS accelerated and advance payments are a loan that providers must pay back. Read more information from CMS.

To understand all of what this means and what you need to do, you must check out the CMS website.

https://www.hhs.gov/provider-relief/index.html

Today the Governor has lifted a few more regulations around telehealth. Here is the link- https://gov.texas.gov/news/post/governor-abbott-waives-regulations-expands-telehealth-options

This is what is in the link –

Governor Greg Abbott has temporarily waived a series of regulations to lift certain telehealth restrictions and expand telehealth options as Texas responds to COVID-19. These waivers will allow a smart phone or any audio-visual, real-time, or two-way interactive communication system to qualify as a telecommunications technology that can be used to provide certain telehealth services. These waivers apply to speech-language pathologists and audiologists, behavior analysts, hearing instrument fitters and dispensers, and dyslexia therapists and practitioners.

Part B News shared an article titled ” Telehealth expands: Find the full list of extra codes for COVID-19 crisis”. This article is dated April 6th. Thought it might be useful. Find it in the InK files.

The link below will take you to a spreadsheet I found on MGMA. It covers the nation so more information than you may need. However, POET is in hopes of creating a pared down version using this format. Meanwhile hopefully this will be helpful to all of you until we have ours completed.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1_Y1jSR1LfAxto1C_X6ZOeyPQe6RWHU8cgOuVNxFRIXA/edit#gid=0

Here is a link to a good resource for telemedicine/telehealth.

http://www.karenzupko.com/KZA-telehealth-solution-center

Karen Zupko has been in the business for as long as I can remember. The information is concise and appears up to date – as much as anyone can keep up with all the changes.

Effective April 1, 2020, Cigna Medicare is accepting the Arcadia 360s via telehealth until further notice.

Attached is the latest announcement regarding this change. Also attached is the Arcadia 360 User Guide for performing the 360s via telehealth.

Key items to note are:

•  Telehealth 360s must be both visual and audio.
• In the Location field of the 360, the provider will need to select “Other”. In “Other Location” they should type “telehealth”.
• Vitals and physical exam are not required to pass the audit check for a telehealth visit.
• Telehealth 360s are reimbursing at the same rate – $150 plus FFS reimbursement on the corresponding claim.
•  CMS has not yet approved telehealth for risk adjustment. CareAllies and Cigna have been working with CMS to see if there may be some opportunity for clemency during this pandemic.

If you’re concerned or uncertain about expanded medical leave, paid sick leave, or complying with other regulations regarding personnel, TMA Practice Management Services experts have created a FAQ to help guide your practice during the pandemic.

The below is from the MGMA community.  It offers another source of information for several topics regarding this pandemic.  

 Our team at NORCAL Group has developed what we hope is a robust website on this topic that will hopefully supplement (and possibly overlap) the MGMA resource centers.  It is constantly evolving as well, so you may want to check back often.  Some of the most requested resources are on telehealth and telehealth consent.  We’ve included various downloads that are open access, including a sample consent form in both Word and fillable PDF formats; so you can either adapt it to your practice’s needs or will be able to send it  out quickly by email and obtain an electronic signature.

https://www.norcal-group.com/pandemic

www.norcal-group.com/pandemic/telehealth-consent

https://www.norcal-group.com/pandemic/telemedicine

Take care everyone!