Hospitals

Earn Free CE: CDC’s Online Antibiotic Stewardship Training

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This U.S. Antibiotic Awareness Week, register for CDC’s FREE online antibiotic stewardship training course, which offers 10 hours of continuing education (CE) to help you improve antibiotic use and protect patients. The first module is now updated with the latest national antibiotic resistance data from CDC’s recently released report, Antibiotic Resistance Threats in the United …

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CMS Request for Application: Value in Opioid Use Disorder Treatment Initiative

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CMS is announcing the Request for Application (RFA) open period (November 19, 2020 to January 3, 2021) for the Value in Opioid Use Disorder Treatment (ViT) Initiative The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (Innovation Center) is announcing the Request for Application (RFA) for a new initiative that …

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CMS to Celebrate the Power of Rural

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Rural communities face their own unique challenges when it comes to accessing and receiving quality health care. Approximately 60 million Americans live in rural areas, with nearly every state having at least one rural county. Research has shown that rural Americans are disproportionately affected by certain health conditions compared to their urban counterparts due to factors …

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Rapid eMOLST Implementation to Facilitate Advance Care Planning During COVID-19 Pandemic

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The article Rapid Implementation of eMOLST Order Completion and Electronic Registry to Facilitate Advance Care Planning: MOLST Documentation Using Telehealth in the Covid-19 Pandemic was posted on the New England Journal of Medicine Catalyst on Tuesday November 3. The article discusses seven lessons learned during the rapid implementation of eMOLST at Mount Sinai Health System …

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CMS Will Retire the Original Compare Tools on December 1

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CMS will retire the original Compare Tools on December 1. Use Medicare.gov’s Care Compare to find and compare health care providers. In early September, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released Care Compare on Medicare.gov, which streamlines our eight original health care compare tools.  Since then, you’ve had the opportunity to use and …

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U.S. Antibiotic Awareness Week: November 18-24, 2020

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This annual observance highlights necessary steps everyone should take to improve antibiotic prescribing and use. Antibiotics save lives, but any time antibiotics are used, they can cause side effects and lead to antibiotic resistance. In U.S. doctors’ offices and emergency departments, at least 47 million antibiotic prescriptions each year are unnecessary, which makes improving antibiotic …

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Know the connection between Diabetes and Kidney Disease

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34 million Americans have diabetes, and 1 in 3 of them also has chronic kidney disease. Once your kidneys have been damaged by diabetes, they cannot be cured. November is National Diabetes Awareness Month and today is World Diabetes Day, making now the perfect time to learn how you can prevent diabetic kidney disease or …

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Understanding the Pharmacy Partnership for Long-Term Care Program

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The Pharmacy Partnership for Long-term Care (LTC) Program provides end-to-end management of the COVID-19 vaccination process, including cold chain management, on-site vaccinations, and fulfillment of reporting requirements. The program facilitates safe vaccination of this patient population, while reducing burden on long-term care facilities (LTCFs) and jurisdictional health departments.   LTCF staff who have not received COVID-19 …

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COVID-19 Vaccine Codes and PC-ACE Software Update

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In anticipation of the availability of a vaccine(s), for the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) in response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the American Medical Association (AMA), working with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), created new codes for the vaccine and the administration of the vaccine.  To prepare for the vaccine administration claims, …

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CMS Takes Steps to Ensure Medicare Beneficiaries Have Wide Access to COVID-19 Antibody Treatment

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Coverage Available at No Cost to Beneficiaries Across Variety of Settings in Health Care System The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced that starting November 13, Medicare beneficiaries can receive coverage of monoclonal antibodies to treat coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) with no cost-sharing during the public health emergency (PHE). CMS’ coverage of monoclonal antibody …

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Take Action Against Diabetes

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The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Office of Minority Health (CMS OMH) is recognizing National Diabetes Month in November. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), an estimated 34 million people in the United States have diabetes, and 1 in 5 of them don’t know they have it. Diabetes occurs because …

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National Family Caregivers Month

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National Family Caregivers Month, celebrated each November, is a time to recognize and honor family caregivers across the country. In November, the IPRO QIN-QIO is celebrating the efforts of family caregivers, supporting stronger relationships with loved ones, and raising awareness of the role that family caregivers play in the care of aging relatives and those …

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IPRO to Provide Hospital Quality Improvement Services for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

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Lake Success, NY, October 19, 2020 – The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has awarded a four-year contract to IPRO to serve as a Hospital Quality Improvement Contractor (HQIC) within its Network of Quality Improvement and Innovation Contractors (NQIIC). HQICs will provide targeted quality improvement assistance to small, rural and critical access hospitals …

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Article: 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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Initiative: 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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Article: 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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National Recovery Month

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September is National Recovery Month. This national observance is dedicated to helping those with a mental or substance use disorder to live a healthy life through education. Supports like substance use treatment and mental health services can enable those with a mental or substance use disorder to live a rewarding life. The IPRO QIN-QIO is …

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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 …

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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 …

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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 …

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Resources: 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 …

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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 …

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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 …

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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, …

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Resources for Mental Health Month

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May is Mental Health Month, and we want to recognize the unique position frontline health workers are in during this pandemic and what kind of toll that takes on their mental wellness. As it is, those in health care face high rates of burn out. But now they’re even more at risk for negative mental …

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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 …

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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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