The December meeting of the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) focused on draft recommendations that will be voted on in January for inclusion in the annual March Report to Congress. Domains of analysis focus on beneficiary access to care, quality of care, providers’ access to capital, and Medicare margins. The recommendations emanating from these domains are purely advisory. They require Congressional action to be implemented, which more often than not fails to occur.
Both the CDC and some states have issued targeted guidance to assist the general public, as well as businesses, to make informed and, ideally, safe decisions regarding holiday travel and gatherings for Thanksgiving. In this article, we summarize and offer ‘essential highlights’ from the voluminous guidance that has been published, with emphasis on those recommendations from CDC or the states that are new or are expanded beyond what has already been offered for travel, holidays and general get-togethers.
Payment Update
The rule establishes a 2.0% payment update for CY 2021 based on the statutory formula. While we recommended that CMS take into account the unprecedented cost of supplies due to the pandemic and increase the payment in response, it was noted that they “do not yet have the claims and cost report data to conduct the analysis needed for a possible add-on payment to account for any increased costs for PPE” but “can examine overall costs once we have complete claims and cost report data for CY 2020”.
Today’s White House Webinar on the Trump Administration’s support of older adults and vulnerable populations ravaged by COVID featured remarks by Vice President Mike Pence; HHS Secretary Alex Azar; CMS Administrator Seema Verma; HHS Assistant Secretary for Health Brett Giroir; and Rear Admiral John Polowczyk. Universally, all speakers praised the hard work and dedication of aging services organizations and their staff in the battle against COVID and expressed gratitude.
In late September, months after the COVID-19 crisis hit the United States, senior housing communities have begun receiving relief payments. HUD staff have started notifiying Section 202 and other HUD-assisted housing providers of their approved COVID-19 Supplemental Payments, or CSPs.
Applications not submitted by Sept. 28 will be voided. It is not clear what wil happen if a private pay assisted living or nursing home provider has not had its TIN validated by the Sept.
To be eligible for an incentive payment, nursing homes “must have an active state certification as a nursing home or skilled nursing facility (SNF) and receive reimbursement from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).” In addition, they will need to pass through both of the following “gateways”:
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released considerations and recommendations for operators of multifamily housing communities during COVID-19.
Building on the CDC’s coronavirus guidance for other congregate settings, including retirement homes and shared housing, the CDC’s new considerations are tailored specifically to multifamily housing providers serving sensitive individuals.
In its consideration for multifamily housing communities, the CDC offers infection control recommendations for a number of operational scenarios and recommendations:
As hurricane and wildfire season continue to threaten affordable housing communities and residents, HUD’s Office of Multifamily Housing has established a new disaster response team. HUD will soon announce a stakeholder call about the new effort.
The performance-based incentive payments represent $2 billion of the $5 billion SNF Infection Control Distribution from the Provider Relief Funds.
HHS will measure nursing homes on two outcomes:
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