View the latest health equity news, events, and tools to support your efforts in eliminating health care disparities within your health system and communities. What’s inside? An Equity Agenda for the Field of Health Care Quality Improvement The Study to Promote Innovation in Rural Integrated Telepsychiatry Legislation Introduced for Medicare Pilot Program for Medically-Tailored Meals …
October is Health Literacy Month, when we take time to recognize the importance of creating equitable access to health care information for individuals, and the role health care organizations play making health literacy a priority. The CDC has two definitions of the term, based on the Healthy People 2030 initiative: Personal health literacy is the degree …
Four Ways to Improve Health Literacy at Your Health Care Organization Read More »
The new StAT (Standards, Approaches and Tactics for Infection Control & Prevention) Learning Series for Hospital Clinical Staff and Leaders includes a variety of interactive, self-paced learning modules on infection prevention and control in the hospital setting. The series of 15-minute learning modules is produced by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). The …
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Service (CMS) is taking action to drive value-based, person-centered care, and promote sustainability and readiness to respond to future public health emergencies in our nation’s hospitals through the Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS)/ Long-Term Care Hospital (LTCH) Prospective Payment System final rule released today. The final rule, effective …
Eligible Hospitals must Submit Medicare Promoting Interoperability Program Hardship Exception Application by September 1 The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) requires that all eligible hospitals use 2015 Edition certified electronic health record technology (CEHRT) to meet the requirements of the Promoting Interoperability Programs. CMS mandates downward payment adjustments be applied to eligible hospitals …
In response to the COVID-19 public health emergency, state and local governments, hospitals, and others are developing alternate care sites to expand capacity and provide needed care to patients. This newly published fact sheet provides state and local governments developing alternate care sites with information on how to seek payments through CMS programs – Medicare, …
CMS Programs & Payment for Care in Hospital Alternate Care Sites Read More »
CMS continues to release waivers for the healthcare community that provide the flexibilities needed to take care of patients during the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE). CMS recently provided additional blanket waivers for the duration of the PHE that: Modify existing physical environment waivers to allow for increased flexibilities for surge capacity and patient quarantine …
CMS Releases Additional Waivers for Hospitals and Ground Ambulance Organizations Read More »
CMS continues to release waivers for the healthcare community that provide the flexibilities needed to take care of patients during the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE). CMS recently provided additional blanket waivers for the duration of the PHE that: Expand hospitals’ ability to offer long-term care services (“swing beds”); Waive distance requirements, market share, and …
CMS Releases Additional Waivers for Hospitals and Other Facilities Read More »
CMS is exercising regulatory flexibilities for Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities (IRFs) during the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE) to waive the 60 percent rule. We are also waiving IRF coverage and classification requirements if all of these criteria are satisfied: Patient is admitted to a freestanding IRF to alleviate acute care hospital bed capacity issues IRF …
CMS is allowing healthcare systems and hospitals to provide services in locations beyond their existing walls to help address the urgent need to expand care capacity and to develop sites dedicated to COVID-19 treatment. Slides: COVID-19 Regulations & Waivers To Enable Health System Expansion (PDF)
CMS continues to release waivers for the healthcare community that provide the flexibilities needed to take care of patients during the COVID-19 public health emergency. CMS recently provided additional blanket waivers related to caring for patients in Long-Term Care Hospitals (LTCHs), temporary expansion locations of Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), …
Hospitals: The CARES Act appropriated $100 billion to establish a Provider Relief Fund. This Fund, administered by the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), is being used to distribute payments to health care entities across the country that have been affected by the coronavirus. To date, $30 billion has been distributed generally to health …
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act increases payment for Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) and long-term care hospital (LTCH) inpatient hospital care attributable to COVID-19. CMS provided guidance for IPPS hospitals and LTCHs on how to code claims to receive the higher payment. The CARES Act also waives the requirement that Medicare …
CMS Implements CARES Act Hospital Payment and Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility Waivers Read More »
Today, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) sent a letter to the nation’s hospitals on behalf of Vice President Pence requesting they report data in connection with their efforts to fight the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19). Specifically, the Trump Administration is requesting that hospitals report COVID-19 testing data to the U.S. Department of …
Trump Administration Engages America’s Hospitals in Unprecedented Data Sharing Read More »
CDC guidance for COVID-19 may be adapted by state and local health departments to respond to rapidly changing local circumstances. Who this is for: Healthcare personnel managing patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). What this is for: To help prevent the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19 in healthcare facilities. How to use: Reference …
CMS is committed to taking critical steps to ensure America’s health care facilities and clinical laboratories are prepared to respond to the threat of the COVID-19. Coordination with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and local public health departments – We encourage all hospitals to monitor the CDC website for information and resources and contact …
FAQs and Considerations for Patient Triage, Placement and Hospital Discharge Read More »
