Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) strategies for COVID care When: Thursday, June 25, 2020 Time: 4:00 – 5:00 pm ET Registration Required: Register HERE Objectives Following this call, participants will understand why using personal protective equipment (PPE) is necessary for infection prevention and will be able to describe how to properly use it. … Read More
CMS issues call to action based on new data detailing COVID-19 impacts on Medicare beneficiaries
On June 22, 2020, CMS called for “a renewed national commitment to value-based care based on Medicare claims data that provides an early snapshot of the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on the Medicare population. The data shows that older Americans and those with chronic health conditions are at … Read More
Medicare coverage of COVID-19 testing for nursing home residents and patients
On Friday, June 19, 2020, CMS instructed Medicare Administrative Contactors and notified Medicare Advantage plans to cover coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) laboratory tests for nursing home residents and patients. This instruction follows the CDC recent update of COVID-19 Testing Guidelines for Nursing Homes that provides recommendations for testing of nursing home residents … Read More
Coronavirus commission for safety and quality in nursing homes – Members announced
In mid-May of this year, I blogged about CMS announcing a call for nominations for the new contractor-led Coronavirus Commission on Safety and Quality in Nursing Homes “to help inform immediate and future responses to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) within these facilities. This independent Commission’s work will build on the Administration’s … Read More
COVID-19 frequently asked questions document updated
On June 16, 2020, CMS updated the COVID-19 FAQ document. The document is now 81 pages in length. As with previous updates, each FAQ is identified by a date beneath the verbiage. You’ll see New: 6/16/20 or another date to indicate whether an FAQ is new or older. You’ll note there … Read More