CMS offers physicians flexibility during COVID-19 emergency
In response to the Trump Administration’s declaration of a federal emergency, CMS is taking immediate steps to give physicians, health care facilities, and states “maximum flexibility.” Specifically, CMS will temporarily suspend non-emergency survey inspections, allowing providers to focus on the most current serious health and safety threats, like infectious diseases and abuse. CMS will pause inspections of Ambulatory Surgical Centers. Additionally, CMS is establishing a toll-free hotline for non-certified Part B suppliers, physicians, and non-physician practitioners to enroll and receive temporary Medicare billing privileges. CMS will also expedite Medicare appeals in Fee for Service, Medicare Advantage, and Part D. Read more from CMS.
On the payer side, CMS announced flexibility for Medicare Advantage (MA) and Medicare Part D plans to improve “health care coverage to Medicare beneficiaries for COVID-19 testing, treatments, and prevention.” CMS is giving MA and Part D plans flexibility for: “waiving cost-sharing for COVID-19 tests,” as well as “treatments in doctor’s offices or emergency rooms and services delivered via telehealth;” “removing prior authorizations requirements;” “waiving prescription refill limits;” and “relaxing restrictions on home or mail delivery of prescription drugs.”
CMS has also announced an expansion of Medicare telehealth coverage. Effective March 6, 2020, Medicare will “temporarily pay clinicians to provide telehealth services for beneficiaries residing across the entire country.” This rule applies to all visits, not just those related to COVID-19.
Read FAQs on telehealth from CMS.
Billing: CMS states that “clinicians can bill immediately for dates of service starting March 6, 2020,” and telehealth services “are paid under the Physician Fee Schedule at the same amount as in-person services.”
Patient Costs: CMS states that “Medicare coinsurance and deductibles still apply for these services;” however, the Health and Human Services “Office of Inspector General (OIG) is providing flexibility for health care providers to reduce or waive cost-sharing for telehealth visits paid by federal health care programs.”
HIPAA: The HHS Office for Civil Rights (OCR) is exercising its enforcement discretion and, effective immediately, will not impose penalties on physicians using telehealth in the event of noncompliance with the regulatory requirements under HIPAA.
CMS released a Virtual Toolkit providing a centralized location for CMS COVID-19 guidance and information for patients and physicians. Access the CMS toolkit here.
To help members keep up with the latest COVID-19 news, the Academy has developed a new webpage on AAD.org that contains recommendations for steps to take in practice, whether you should discontinue some treatments, how to conserve limited supplies of personal protective equipment, whether and how teledermatology can be used to help achieve social distancing, and what scientific information about COVID-19 is being published in JAAD. Check out the Academy’s resources.
DW Insights and Inquiries: The profound dermatological manifestations of COVID-19
The COVID-19 pandemic is changing our lives in profound ways. Dermatologists have a responsibility to care for themselves, their families, patients, and community. With preparation and implementation of infection control measures, it is hoped that the pandemic will resolve, and that lessons learned will guide us for potential future infectious threats.Keep reading!
Feedback requested: AAD/NPF draft guidelines for the management and treatment of psoriasis with topical therapy, complementary and alternative medicine modalities for psoriasis severity measures
The American Academy of Dermatology is requesting feedback from members about its draft “Joint AAD-NPF Guidelines of care for the management and treatment of psoriasis with topical therapy, complementary and alternative medicine modalities for psoriasis severity measures.” AAD members are encouraged to provide comments on the draft guidelines before the comment period closes on March 18.
uidelines serve as decision-making and educational aids for clinical practice to support and improve quality dermatologic care and are used as the framework for quality measurement, reimbursement decisions, advocacy efforts, public messaging, and the identification of research gaps. When finalized, these evidence-based guidelines will be submitted for publication in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology and will be considered current for five years from the date of publication.
HHS agencies announce new EHR interoperability rules
The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) and CMS have released a pair of final rules that address electronic health record interoperability hurdles. The ONC rule would require hospitals and other health care entities to stop data-blocking practices of digital patient information. The rule would also require hospitals and other health care service providers to allow patients access to records via software used by smartphone apps.
The CMS final rule would require health plans in the Medicare Advantage, Medicaid, Health Exchange, and children’s health insurance programs to give patients access to their information via smartphone apps. The CMS rule will also require hospitals to electronically notify a patient’s physicians when that patient is admitted, discharged, or transferred. The AADA is currently reviewing the rules for potential impact on dermatology practice settings.
Read more about the road to EHR interoperability in Dermatology World.
Use your personalized online voting link or your voting access code to cast your vote for the AAD election March 21 through April 4.
Available via AAD emails, the personalized online voting link will take you directly to the AAD voting site where you can view the ballot book and cast your vote. The voting access code can be used when you log in to www.esc-vote.com/aad along with your AAD member ID number to cast your vote.
Get to know the 2020 candidates. Visit the AAD Election Connection to learn about this year’s candidates and to interact with them on top issues via the online Ask the Candidates forum.
Members who wish to receive a PDF of the 2020 AAD Election ballot book by email may request it at candidates@aad.org.
Members who wish to vote by mail may print their online secure voting ballot beginning March 21. NOTE: All ballots must be received by April 4 at 11:59 PM (ET).
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