Udated: COVID-19 Vaccines Approved for 2024-25

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The FDA approved updated COVID-19 vaccines for the 2024–2025 season: These vaccines target currently circulating variants and provide better protection against serious consequences of COVID-19, including hospitalization and death: CMS updated COVID-19 vaccine pricing for the 2024–2025 season: Use CPT code 90480 to bill for the administration of the vaccine. Visit the COVID-19 Vaccine Provider Toolkit for more information. Note: […]

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NAHC Hails Legislation to Extend Hospital at Home Waiver Program

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The National Association for Home Care & Hospice (NAHC) applauds the introduction in the United States Senate of the Hospital Inpatient Services Modernization Act of 2024, bipartisan legislation sponsored by Sen. Thomas Carper (D-De) and Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) to extend the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Acute Hospital Care at Home waiver program […]

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Maryland Encouraged Home Health Agencies to Adopt Telehealth During the Pandemic and Beyond

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Maryland home health agencies responded rapidly to the COVID-19 pandemic by implementing telehealth at a much faster rate than agencies in other parts of the country. The Maryland Health Care Commission reported that in January 2020, 25 percent of home health agencies in the state used telehealth. By May, less than half a year later […]

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CMS Details Payment for in-Home Vaccines

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The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced on January 4, 20224 that they make an additional payment for in-home administration of these Part B preventive vaccines for certain Medicare patients: Flu, Hepatitis B, & Pneumococcal Shots: Additional Payments Started January 1 Visit In-Home Vaccine Administration: Additional Payment to learn more, including: COVID-19 Shots Visit Medicare COVID-19 […]

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Draft OASIS-E1 Instrument Now Available

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The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently posted the draft OASIS-E1 All Items instrument, scheduled for an effective date of January 1, 2025. The accompanying OASIS-E1 Manual will be released at a later date. An Office of Management and Budget (OMB) number and the information collection timeframe estimate are yet to be assigned.  The […]

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DEA Extends COVID-19 Teleprescribing Flexibilities through December 2024

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The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) on October 6, 2023 issued a temporary rule extending COVID-19 telemedicine flexibilities for prescribing of controlled medications through December 31, 2024, which is the current date for expiration of other telemedicine-related flexibilities. Prior to issuance of this temporary rule those flexibilities would have expired for new patients on November 11, […]

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OIG: Home Health Agencies Did Not Use Telehealth Early in the COVID-19 Pandemic

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A new report from the U.S Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Inspector General (OIG) found that home health agencies (HHAs) rarely furnished services via telehealth early in the COVID-19 public health emergency. For the few claims in the OIG sample with services furnished via telehealth, HHAs did not fully comply with Medicare […]

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Impact of Proposed Nursing Home Staffing Requirements

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Earlier this month the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) proposed minimum staffing standards for Long-Term Care Facilities (LTC).  The proposed rule would establish minimum Registered Nurse (RN) and Nurse Aide (NA) hours per resident day (HPRD).  It does not include requirements for Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs)/Licensed Vocational Nurses (LVNs).   Additionally, the rule […]

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CMS Issues Guidance Extending HCBS Public Health Emergency Flexibilities

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On August 2, 2023, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a State Medicaid Director Letter (SMDL) that enables states to extend certain flexibilities granted by “Appendix K” authority, which is a process to make disaster-related changes to a HCBS Medicaid waivers. Previously, Appendix K changes were scheduled to expire 6 months after […]

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NAHC Analysis: Medicaid Unwinding Impacting Thousands of Older Adults and People with Disabilities

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Beginning in April, state Medicaid agencies have begun disenrolling individuals from the program for the first time since 2020 due to the end of COVID-era eligibility requirements. This “unwinding” process represents one of the largest issues in Medicaid policy, with an estimated 15-20 million individuals likely to lose Medicaid coverage over the next 12 months. […]

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Post-Acute Care Quality Reporting Programs: iQIES Update

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For this refresh, Home Health (HH) Outcome and Assessment Information Set (OASIS) will be based on the standard number of quarters. The HH QRP claims-based measures, with the exception of PPR, have been updated for this refresh and are now based on the standard number of quarters. Due to the COVID-19 reporting exceptions, PPR continues […]

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