Tag: Public Health Emergency

WASHINGTON – President Joe Biden has announced that the public health emergency will end on May 11, 2023.  Under the last declaration in January, the PHE was set to end on April 11.  “The advance notice goes beyond HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra’s previous guidance to health care stakeholders that the agency would provide at least 60 days advance notice before ending the PHE,” AAHomecare noted in a bulletin.  Knowing when the PHE will end gives industry...

WASHINGTON – President Joe Biden has announced that the public health emergency will end on May 11, 2023.  Under the last declaration in January, the PHE was set to end on April 11.  “The advance notice goes beyond HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra’s previous guidance to health care stakeholders that the agency would provide at least 60 days advance notice before ending the PHE,” AAHomecare noted in a bulletin.  Knowing when the PHE will end gives industry...

WASHINGTON – Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra has extended the public health emergency for an additional 90-day period through April 11, 2023. While the PHE remains in effect, the 75/25 blended rate in non-rural/non-competitive bid areas will remain in effect, along with other policies tied to the status of the PHE. Those other policies include providing flexibility to expand the use of home-based respiratory products and continuous glucose monitors; implementing waivers of...

WASHINGTON – CMS plans to primarily focus MAC, RAC and SMRC medical reviews on claims with dates of service outside of the public health emergency, the agency stated in a recent clarification.  CMS stated:  “During the PHE, flexibilities were applied across claim types. For certain DME items, this included the non-enforcement of clinical indications for coverage. Since clinical indications for coverage were not enforced for certain DME items provided during the PHE, once...

WASHINGTON – CMS will host a virtual listening session with health care providers on Sept. 13 to gather information on their experiences during public health emergencies outside of the COVID-19 pandemic. Topics of discussion will include What have been your facility's experiences in developing and implementing emergency preparedness plans under the CMS regulations, and do the current CMS emergency preparedness regulations create any unintended barriers in your work? This session is the...

WASHINGTON – CMS has posted a joint DME MAC publication clarifying that certificates of medical necessity are not required for oxygen claims during the public health emergency.  The publication also clarifies that DME Information Forms are not required for external infusion pumps during the PHE.  “CMS-1744-IFC (an interim final rule issued April 6, 2020) stated that CMS would exercise enforcement discretion for clinical indications of coverage for the oxygen NCDs...

WASHINGTON – The Department of Health and Human Services has extended the public health emergency for another 90 days, until July 16, 2022. There are a number of HME-related provisions that are tied to the PHE, including Medicare’s 75/25 blended reimbursement rates for non-rural, non-competitive bidding areas, and waivers of certain telehealth restrictions and other waivers and policy changes. The PHE was initially declared on Jan. 27, 2020.   

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has extended the current public health emergency for another 90 days, effective Jan. 16. There are a number of HME-related provisions that are tied to the PHE, including Medicare’s 75/25 blended reimbursement rates for non-rural, non-competitive bidding areas, and waivers of certain telehealth restrictions and other waivers and policy changes. The PHE was initially declared on Jan. 27, 2020.  

ARLINGTON, Va. – Certified assistive technology professionals that were unable to fulfill the work experience requirement for re-certification as a result of the ongoing public health emergency and are scheduled to be recertified between Sept. 1, 2021 – April 1, 2022, may apply for an exception from the RESNA Professional Standards Board, which will make decisions on a case-by-case basis. ATPs can submit their recertification application (RESNA Recert Application 2021.pdf) as soon as...

WASHINGTON – Xavier Becerra, the secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, has extended the COVID-19 public health emergency for another 90 days from Oct. 18. There are a number of HME-related provisions tied to the PHE, including Medicare’s 75/25 blended rates for non-rural, non-competitive bidding areas, and telehealth and other policy waivers. Becerra will next consider an extension in January 2022.