Special Bulletin
The federal agency has announced waivers on a rolling basis over the last month. Federal officials announced over the weekend that they would be waiving costs of COVID-19 diagnostic testing and related services for the privately insured. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), together with the U.S.…
The move comes on the heels of other regulations also being suspended amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has temporarily suspended a series of rules in order to allow healthcare facilities nationwide to bolster their medical staffs, federal officials announced Thursday. Specifically, the…
April 9, 2020
NEWS ALERT: Amid COVID-19 Pandemic UHC Announces Expansion of Telehealth Coverage
By Mark Spivey The insurer giant is also waiving the audio-visual component requirement. The nation’s second-largest healthcare insurer announced this week that it is waiving telehealth site restrictions and audio-visual mandates amid the continuing COVID-19 pandemic. UnitedHealthcare (UHC) made the announcement via an update to its online resource library on Wednesday, saying that…
April 10, 2020
OIG Report on Hospital Woes amid Coronavirus Pandemic Spurs Powerful Reaction
By Mark Spivey The former HHS Inspector General and AHA have rallied to the defense of the report’s architect. A report issued this week by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG) describes a dystopian scenario of American hospitals reeling badly from the COVID-19 viral…
April 6, 2020
Avalanche of New Guidance from CMS No Match for COVID-19
By Chuck Buck and Mark Spivey Providers and federal officials alike continue to adjust to the new normal, and an uncertain future. EDITOR’S NOTE: Dr. Ronald Hirsch, vice president of R1 RCM, and healthcare attorney David Glaser, of Fredrikson and Bryon, reported these two stories during this week’s live edition of Monitor Mondays. What follows are…
In an unprecedented move, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has released 15 documents specifying new waivers in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. These waivers touch every aspect of medical care. CMS Administrator Seema Verma said that while all the waivers are blanket waivers covering all providers in…
Federal authorities have decided that telephonic communications is an acceptable alternative to in-person meetings. EDITOR’S NOTE: With looming shortages of personal protective equipment (PPE) and an unknown asymptomatic period associated with COVID-19 infection, hospitals around the country have been doing everything possible to preserve stocks of PPE and minimize contact…
March 25, 2020
BREAKING: UHC, Cigna Waive Prior Authorizations for Post-Acute Care
By Chuck Buck and Mark Spivey Long-awaited and highly anticipated, providers hope other payers will follow suit. Healthcare insurer giant UnitedHealthcare (UHC) has announced that it will be suspending prior authorization requirements for post-acute settings through May 31, 2020, with the waiver applying to long-term care facilities (LTCFs), acute inpatient rehabilitation (AIR), and skilled nursing facilities…
Connect with Us
Top Stories
Advisors
Editorial Board
- Adam J. KleinAllen Jost, PhDAlvin Gore, MD, CHCQM and Cathi Charlberg, LVN, CHCQMAmanda Gilliland, RN, BSNAmber Soucy, MSN, RNAndrew B. Wachler, Esq.Andrew B. Wachler, Esq. and Emma E. TrivaxAndrew H. Hughes, MD and Charles Locke, MD, CHCQM-PHYADVAndrew Wachler and Kaitlin NucciAndrew Wachler, Esq., and Sarah Hillegonds, Esq.Angela Phillips, PTAspen AlbrightBarbara Vandegrift, RN, BSN, MABecky Rodrian, CPC, CEMC, CBCS, MBSBenjamin Kartchner MD, CHCQM-PhyAdvBrian T. LandryChristina Panos, RHIA, CTRChristopher Halleman, DOChristopher J. Laney, Esq.Chuck BuckClark AnthonyColleen Morley, DNP, RN, CCM, CMAC, CMCN, ACM-RNDaniel Zirkman, MDDavid A. McKenzie, CAEDavid Jury MD, MSDavid M. Glaser, Esq.Delilah Davis, RN, BSN, CCADenise Coleman, LPNDenise Nash, MD, CCS, CIMDheeraj Mahajan, MD, FACPDuane Abbey, PhD, CFPEdward Hu, MD and Charles Locke, MDEdward Roche, PhD, JDElizabeth C. Dunbar, MD, MBA, FACEP, CHCQM-PHYADVEllen Fink-Samnick MSW, ACSW, LCSW, CCM, CRPEllen Parucka Walker LCSW ACSWErica E. Remer, MD, FACEP, CCDSErin Diesel Roumayah, Esq.Frank D. Cohen, MPA, MBBGlenn Krauss, RHIA, BBA, CCS, CCS-P, CPUR, CCDS, C-CDI, PCS, FCS, C-CDAMGloryanne Bryant, RHIA, RHIT, CCS, CCDSGreg FordHolly Louie, RN, BSN, CHBMEJ. Paul Spencer, CPC, COCJanelle Ali-Dinar, PhDJeffrey D. Lehrman DPM, FASPS, MAPWCAJessica Forster, Esq.John Foggle, MDJohn K. Hall, MD, JD, MBA, FCLM, FRCPCJulia K. Brodt, PhDJuliet B. Ugarte Hopkins, MD, CHCQM-PHYADVKaitlin Nucci Esq.Kathleen K. Borchard, BSN, RN-ACMKathy Seward, MD, CHCQM-PHYADVKim T. Charland, BA, RHIT, CCSKnicole C. Emanuel Esq.Kristi Pollard, RHIT, CCS, CPC, CIRCC, AHIMA-approved ICD-10-CM/PCS trainerLaurie M. Johnson, MS, RHIA, FAHIMA AHIMA Approved ICD-10-CM/PCS TrainerLeslie Marsh, RN, BS, MSN, MBALori O’Hara, MA, CCC-SLPMadison AllenMaggie Elehwany, JDMark SpiveyMarvin D Mitchell, RN, BSN, MBAMary Beth Pace, RN, BSN, MBA, ACM, CMACMary Inman, Esq. and Anne Hayes Hartman, Esq.Mary Inman, Esq. and Max Voldman, Esq.Matt Lambert, MDMatthew AlbrightMaureen Testoni Esq,Max Voldman, Esq.Melinda Battaile, MD, FHM, MMCI, CHCQM-PHYADV, CCDSMichael A. Salvatore, MD, FACPMichael KennedyMichael Rosen, Esq.Nancy J. Beckley, MB, MBA, CHCNena Scott, MSEd, RHIA, CCS, CCS-P, CCDSPhillip Angello, MDRalph Wuebker, MD, MBARichard “Dick” Beckley, YNS, USN, 1966-1970Robin Sewell, CDIP, CCS, CPC, CICRonald Hirsch, MDSarah Hillegonds, Esq.Sean M. Weiss, CEMA, CMCO, CPMA, CPC-P, CMPE, CMPM, CPC-PSean Weiss, CHC, CEMA, CMCO, CPMA, CPC-P, CMPE, CPC and David Glaser, Esq.Shannon Deconda, CPC, CPC-I, CEMC, CMSCS, CPMA®Stanley Nachimson, MSStefani Daniels, MSN, RN, CMAC, ACM and Tiffany Ferguson, LMSW, ACMStefani Daniels, MSNA, ACM, CMAC
