Hospitals

Disparities in U.S. hospitalizations for serious infections in patients with & without opioid use disorder (OUD)

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In a research article published in PLOS Medicine (August 2020), patients with opioid use disorder (OUD) who are hospitalized for serious infections requiring prolonged intravenous antibiotics may face barriers to discharge, which could prolong length of stay (LOS) and increase financial burden. Researchers used the 2016 National Inpatient Sample, a nationally representative database of all …

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How Can Hospitals Improve the Health of their Communities?

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The Bloomberg American Health Initiative and the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Equity are working with IBM Watson Health to develop a method to measure the impact of hospitals on community health and equity, for possible inclusion in the Fortune/IBM Watson Health 100 Top Hospitals Program. The U.S. has experienced a decline in life expectancy …

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Respiratory distress the cause of most post-COVID hospital readmissions

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This published article in the Journal of General Internal Medicine (August 2020) describes a retrospective cohort study of COVID-19 positive patients who were hospitalized between February 27 and April 12, 2020. The main measures were readmission or return to the emergency department following discharge for COVID-19 infection. Of the 2864 discharged patients, 103 (3.6%) returned …

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CMS Releases Long-Term Care Hospital Quality Reporting Program Web-Based Training

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The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is offering a web-based training course for those who are new to the Long-Term Care Hospital (LTCH) Quality Reporting Program (QRP). This course is designed to provide a general overview of the program as well as a variety of links and resources for additional information. Specific topics …

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COVID-19 and Influenza Season 2020-2021

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The COVID-19 pandemic caused healthcare providers to change how they operate to continue providing essential services to patients. It is essential to ensure immunization services are maintained or re-initiated. Immunizations help protect individuals and communities from vaccine-preventable diseases and outbreaks while reducing the burden of respiratory illness during the upcoming influenza season. Centers for Disease …

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Anticoagulation Forum Virtual Boot Camp: Sep. 25-26

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September 25-26, 2020 The Anticoagulation Forum moved its course online and now you can learn from anywhere! View the same solid curriculum and bonus content on COVID-19 with 10.75 hours of continuing education (CE) credit. This program is delivered virtually by a phenomenal faculty including Dr. Scott Kaatz, Dr. Geoff Barnes, NP, Diane Wirth, and …

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CMS Webinar on August 24: Medicare Care Compare

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August 24, 2-2:45PM EDT Requires Login. You’ll get an email and appointment after registration. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is making improvements to help people with Medicare find information about health care providers and services, as part of the eMedicare initiative to modernize and personalize your experiences with Medicare information. Care Compare …

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CMS COVID-19 Stakeholder Calls: August 21-27

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CMS hosts varied recurring stakeholder engagement sessions to share information related to the agency’s response to COVID-19. These sessions are open to members of the healthcare community and are intended to provide updates, share best practices among peers, and offer attendees an opportunity to ask questions of CMS and other subject matter experts. Lessons from …

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August is National Immunization Awareness Month

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The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Office of Minority Health is honoring National Immunization Awareness Month. Although vaccination rates are low among all adults in the U.S., research shows that racial and ethnic minority groups are disproportionately affected when it comes to receiving recommended vaccines. Many factors can contribute to lower vaccination rates, including …

August is National Immunization Awareness Month Read More »

Now Available: Web-Based Course on Hospice QRP Education and Training Resources

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The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) provides a web-based training course for hospices wanting a resource to the many trainings offered related to the Hospice Quality Reporting Program (HQRP).  The goal is to assist hospice staff to better determine and access those trainings and documents that meet their learning needs. This course is …

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CMS Proposes Policies to Provide Seniors with More Choices and Lower Costs for Surgeries

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The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is proposing several policies that would give Medicare beneficiaries more choices in where they seek care and lower their out-of-pocket costs for surgeries. The proposed rule takes steps that would allow hospitals and ambulatory surgical centers to operate with better flexibility and patients to have what they …

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Telehealth Webinar on August 25: Telehealth Then & Now – A Provider’s Perspective

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Tuesday, August 25, 1-2PM EDT Part of the Telehealth Practice Innovations During the COVID-19 Pandemic Webinar Series Join us to learn the evolution of telehealth technology and how providers are using it during the pandemic. Our speaker will share provider challenges, barriers, lessons learned, and his experience consulting with nursing homes as they navigate telehealth. …

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CMS Proposes to Expand Telehealth Benefits Permanently for Medicare Beneficiaries Beyond the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency and Advances Access to Care in Rural Areas

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Physician Fee Schedule Proposed Rule would make permanent certain telehealth and workforce flexibilities provided during the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency and improve healthcare for Americans in Rural Areas  The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is proposing changes to expand telehealth permanently, consistent with the Executive Order on Improving Rural and Telehealth Access that …

CMS Proposes to Expand Telehealth Benefits Permanently for Medicare Beneficiaries Beyond the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency and Advances Access to Care in Rural Areas Read More »

CMS Updates Medicare Payment Policies for Several Types of Healthcare Providers

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Three final rules will strengthen Medicare program July 31, 2020 – The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is finalizing three Medicare payment rules that further advance our efforts to strengthen the Medicare program by better aligning payments for inpatient psychiatric facilities (IPF), skilled nursing facilities (SNF) and hospices. Inpatient Psychiatric Facilities IPF PPS …

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CMS and CDC announce provider reimbursement available for counseling patients to self-isolate at time of COVID-19 testing

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The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are announcing that payment is available to physicians and health care providers to counsel patients, at the time of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) testing, about the importance of self-isolation after they are tested and prior to the onset …

CMS and CDC announce provider reimbursement available for counseling patients to self-isolate at time of COVID-19 testing Read More »

Bringing Attention to Health Equity for People with Disabilities

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In honor of the 30th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Medicare-Medicaid Coordination Office (MMCO) is sharing messages and materials on supporting equal opportunities and inclusion for people with disabilities, many of whom are dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid. On July 26, 1990 the ADA was enacted to prohibit discrimination against …

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CMS COVID-19 Stakeholder Engagement Calls: August 11-14

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CMS hosts varied recurring stakeholder engagement sessions to share information related to the agency’s response to COVID-19. These sessions are open to members of the healthcare community and are intended to provide updates, share best practices among peers, and offer attendees an opportunity to ask questions of CMS and other subject matter experts. Call details …

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CMS Updates Data on COVID-19 Impacts on Medicare Beneficiaries

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On July 28, 2020 – The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services released its first monthly update of data that provides a snapshot of the impact of COVID-19 on the Medicare population. For the first time, the snapshot includes data for American Indian/Alaskan Native Medicare beneficiaries. The new data indicate that American Indian/Alaskan Native beneficiaries …

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COVID-19 Workshop on August 6: COVID-19 & Telehealth Advance Care Conversations

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Thursday, August 6, 2020, 10:30-11:00 AM EDT Our COVID-19 Workshop Series continues on Thursdays, 10:30 – 11:00 am. Join us as Michele Carignan, RN and Courtney Lamothe, MSW, LCSW from Continuum Care of Rhode Island, discuss the importance of advance care conversations during the COVID-19 pandemic. Learning Objectives: Recognize the importance and challenges of having …

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OCR Issues Guidance on Civil Rights Protections Prohibiting Race, Color, and National Origin Discrimination During COVID-19

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Today, the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is issuing guidance to ensure that recipients of federal financial assistance understand that they must comply with applicable federal civil rights laws and regulations that prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, and national origin in HHS-funded …

OCR Issues Guidance on Civil Rights Protections Prohibiting Race, Color, and National Origin Discrimination During COVID-19 Read More »

Telehealth Webinar on August 11: Medicare Billing and Coding for Telehealth During the COVID-19 Pandemic

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August 11, 1-2pm EDT Part of the Telehealth Practice Innovations During the COVID-19 Pandemic Webinar Series Learn how to bill Medicare for expanded telehealth services under the CMS 1135 Waiver. The presentation, by Susan Whittaker, CPC, CPMA, Senior Program Coordinator, Healthcentric Advisors will include information on: Medicare telehealth coding and billing based on care setting …

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Telehealth Webinar on July 28: Telehealth 101 & Lay of the Land

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Tuesday, July 28, 1-2pm EDT Part of the Telehealth Practice Innovations During the COVID-19 Pandemic Webinar Series An overview of telehealth, presented by Reid Plimpton, MPH, Program Manager of the Northeast Telehealth Resource Center. Learn about: The Telehealth Resource Center’s mission Strategies for implementation Telehealth modalities, uses, value and costs Associated laws Real-life examples Materials …

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CMS COVID-19 Stakeholder Engagement Calls – July

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CMS hosts varied recurring stakeholder engagement sessions to share information related to the agency’s response to COVID-19. These sessions are open to members of the healthcare community and are intended to provide updates, share best practices among peers, and offer attendees an opportunity to ask questions of CMS and other subject matter experts. Call details …

CMS COVID-19 Stakeholder Engagement Calls – July Read More »

HHS Telemedicine Hack

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A 10-week learning community to accelerate telemedicine implementation for ambulatory providers Wednesdays, July 22—Sept 23, 12-1PM ET Although telemedicine use has grown exponentially during the COVID-19 pandemic, many ambulatory providers still lack the knowledge and skills needed to implement video-based telemedicine into their practices. To support wide adoption of telemedicine, the U.S. Department of Health …

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CDC COVID-19 Webinar on July 29: Promising Practices in Health Equity

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July 29, 2020 @ 3:00 – 4:00 p.m. ET Please join the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for another webinar focused on sharing promising public health practices to reduce COVID-19 related disparities. During this webinar, presenters will discuss actions taken to mitigate the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on racial and ethnic minorities. Additionally, …

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CMS Call on July 17: COVID-19 Lessons from the Front Lines Call

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Lessons from the Front Lines: COVID-19 (Twice a month on Fridays at 12:30 – 2:00 PM Eastern) Lessons from the Front Lines calls are a joint effort between CMS Administrator Seema Verma, FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn, MD, and the White House Coronavirus Task Force. Physicians and other clinicians are invited to share their experience, ideas, …

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New England Town Hall on July 29: Substance Use & COVID-19: A Way Forward

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July 29, 2020 @ 2-3:30PM EDT The US. Department of Health & Human Services hosted a New England Virtual Town Hall with the U.S. Surgeon General, VADM Jerome M. Adams, MD, MPH, entitled Substance Use and COVID-19: A Way Forward. This virtual, live New England Town Hall was designed to help our region chart a …

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COVID-19 Workshop on July 16: Resiliency – Coping & Recovering During a Pandemic

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Thursday, July 16, 2020, 10:30-11:00 AM EDT Our COVID-19 Workshop Series continues on Thursdays, 10:30 – 11:00 am. Resilience is the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties—so what does that look like across the health care spectrum during this pandemic? Join us as we discuss fostering community resilience and how it impacts those you serve. …

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Deadline for Eligible Hospitals: Promoting Interoperability Hardship Exception Application

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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 …

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CMS COVID-19 Stakeholder Engagement Calls – Week of 6/29/20 and July

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CMS hosts varied recurring stakeholder engagement sessions to share information related to the agency’s response to COVID-19. These sessions are open to members of the healthcare community and are intended to provide updates, share best practices among peers, and offer attendees an opportunity to ask questions of CMS and other subject matter experts. Call details …

CMS COVID-19 Stakeholder Engagement Calls – Week of 6/29/20 and July Read More »

Webinar on June 30: Berkshire HealthCare Systems’ COVID-19 Journey – Getting to the Gold

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June 30, 2020 @ 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM EDT The COVID-19 pandemic created enormous pressure on our health care system. Nursing Homes, where over 85% of the residents are among the most vulnerable, were immediately impacted with several thousand residents confirmed positive in only a few weeks. As of June 18th, Massachusetts reported over …

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COVID-19 Workshop on July 2: Nourishing the Mind, Body, & Soul During COVID-19

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Providing Compassionate Food & Nutrition Services Thursday, July 2, 2020, 10:30-11:00 AM EDT Our COVID-19 Workshop Series continues on Thursdays, 10:30 – 11:00 am. Join us for a COVID-19 Workshop on July 2 as we host a conversation with registered dieticians. Together, we’ll learn about: Successful practices to stabilize resident food intake Monitoring and managing …

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CMS COVID-19 Stakeholder Engagement Calls – Week of 6/15/20

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CMS hosts varied recurring stakeholder engagement sessions to share information related to the agency’s response to COVID-19. These sessions are open to members of the healthcare community and are intended to provide updates, share best practices among peers, and offer attendees an opportunity to ask questions of CMS and other subject matter experts. Call details …

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COVID-19 Workshop on June 18: Health Equity & COVID-19 – Mitigating Impacts on Minority Populations

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Thursday, June 18, 2020, 10:30-11:00 AM EDT Our COVID-19 Workshop Series continues on Thursdays, 10:30 – 11:00 am. Join us on June 18 at 10:30am for a COVID-19 workshop on health equity. Better understand how and why COVID-19 is disproportionately affecting minority and vulnerable populations Learn actionable strategies for mitigating the impact of the pandemic …

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CMS COVID-19 Stakeholder Engagement Calls – Week of 6/1/20

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CMS hosts varied recurring stakeholder engagement sessions to share information related to the agency’s response to COVID-19. These sessions are open to members of the healthcare community and are intended to provide updates, share best practices among peers, and offer attendees an opportunity to ask questions of CMS and other subject matter experts.  Call details …

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CMS Programs & Payment for Care in Hospital Alternate Care Sites

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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 Gives States Additional Flexibility to Address Coronavirus Pandemic

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CMS has approved over 200 requests for state relief in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, including recent approvals for Alaska, Iowa, Hawaii, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Utah, and Virginia. These approvals help to ensure that states have the tools they need to combat COVID-19. This is done through a wide variety of …

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Medicare Payment for COVID-19 Diagnostic Tests

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Earlier this year, CMS took action to ensure America’s patients, health care facilities, and clinical laboratories were prepared to respond to COVID-19. To help increase testing, CMS developed two codes that laboratories can use to bill for certain COVID-19 lab tests, including serology tests. CMS has updated its guidance to include payment details for additional …

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CMS Releases Additional Waivers for Hospitals and Ground Ambulance Organizations

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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 COVID-19 Stakeholder Engagement Calls – Week of 5/18/20

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CMS hosts varied recurring stakeholder engagement sessions to share information related to the agency’s response to COVID-19. These sessions are open to members of the healthcare community and are intended to provide updates, share best practices among peers, and offer attendees an opportunity to ask questions of CMS and other subject matter experts. Call details …

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AHRQ’s COVID-19 Resources

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The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) shares a new online resource that provides access to critical research and tools related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The resource was developed to support healthcare professionals in their effort to confront the COVID-19 pandemic. It includes: tools and resources for improving clinical practice in hospitals, ambulatory care …

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May 11-15: CMS COVID-19 Stakeholder Engagement Calls

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CMS hosts varied recurring stakeholder engagement sessions to share information related to the agency’s response to COVID-19. These sessions are open to members of the healthcare community and are intended to provide updates, share best practices among peers, and offer attendees an opportunity to ask questions of CMS and other subject matter experts. Call details …

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CMS Releases Additional Waivers for Hospitals and Other Facilities

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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 …

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COVID-19: IRF Flexibilities During the PHE

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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 …

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CMS News Summary – MAY 7, 2020

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Here is a summary of recent Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) actions taken in response to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), as part of the ongoing White House Task Force efforts. To keep up with the important work the Task Force is doing in response to COVID-19, click here www.coronavirus.gov. For information specific to …

CMS News Summary – MAY 7, 2020 Read More »

RIDOH Shares Personal Protective Equipment Videos

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Personal protective equipment (PPE), including respirators (like N95s), facemasks (such as surgical masks), face shields and other eye protection, gowns, and gloves, are in short supply across the United States. Until appropriate PPE is available, the Rhode Island Department of Health provide guidance on the prioritization and conservation of PPE. Watch these educational videos on …

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CMS Hospitals without Walls Initiative

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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 Releases Updated Fact Sheets

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CMS has updated multiple fact sheets that summarize changes made through regulatory actions in response to COVID-19. View more resources available on CMS waivers and flexibilities here. A full list of emergency declaration blanket waivers for health care providers implemented to date is available here. Additional fact sheets include: Clinicians:  Physicians and Other Practitioners (PDF) …

CMS Releases Updated Fact Sheets Read More »

May 12 Webinar: Rural Health and COVID-19

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Date: Tuesday, May 12, 2020 at 4-5:00pm EST Delivering healthcare in rural communities presents unique challenges that have always required coordination and innovation. Now, more than ever, it is essential that rural communities and healthcare providers have access to the resources they need to combat COVID-19. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) …

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CMS COVID-19 Calls: May 5-8, 2020

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CMS hosts varied recurring stakeholder engagement sessions to share information related to the agency’s response to COVID-19. These sessions are open to members of the healthcare community and are intended to provide updates, share best practices among peers, and offer attendees an opportunity to ask questions of CMS and other subject matter experts. Call details …

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Weekly COVID-19 Care Site-Specific Calls

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CMS hosts weekly calls for certain types of organizations to provide targeted updates on the agency’s latest COVID-19 guidance. One to two leaders in the field also share best practices with their peers. There is an opportunity to ask questions of presenters if time allows. Home Health and Hospice (Tuesdays at 3:00 PM Eastern) Tuesday, …

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Lessons from the Front Lines: COVID-19 (Fridays at 12:30 – 2:00 PM Eastern)

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Lessons from the Front Lines calls are a joint effort between CMS Administrator Seema Verma, FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn, MD, and the White House Coronavirus Task Force. Physicians and other clinicians are invited to share their experience, ideas, strategies, and insights with one another related to their COVID-19 response. There is an opportunity to ask …

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CDC’s LTC Mini-Webinars

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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) long-term care (LTC) mini-webinars are now live! These mini-webinars are all published on the Key Strategies to Prepare for COVID-19 in Long-term Care Facilities (LTCFs) web page at the bottom under a “Webinar Series” section. View the handout (PDF). These new webinars will be a great training …

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CDC’s New PPE Educational Materials

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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) developed new Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) educational materials to be used as an aide when training healthcare personnel on selecting and correctly using; donning (putting on), doffing (taking off), and disposing of PPE to protect themselves from exposure to COVID-19 in the healthcare settings.   New COVID-19 …

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CMS Releases Additional Waivers for Long-Term Care Hospitals, Rural Health Clinics, Federally Qualified Health Centers and Intermediate Care Facilities

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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), …

CMS Releases Additional Waivers for Long-Term Care Hospitals, Rural Health Clinics, Federally Qualified Health Centers and Intermediate Care Facilities Read More »

Optimize PPE Supply

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Personal protective equipment (PPE) is used every day by healthcare personnel (HCP) to protect themselves, patients, and others when providing care. PPE helps protect HCP from potentially infectious patients and materials, toxic medications, and other potentially dangerous substances used in healthcare delivery. PPE shortages are currently posing a tremendous challenge to the US healthcare system …

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