News COVID-19: Vaccine Access in Long-term Care Settings There’s Still Time: Recommend the Flu Shot Chiropractic Treatment of the Spine: Comparative Billing Report in January MLN Matters® Articles Calendar Year (CY) 2022 Annual Update for Clinical Laboratory Fee Schedule and Laboratory Services Subject to Reasonable Charge Payment — Revised New & Expanded Flexibilities for RHCs & FQHCs during the COVID-19 PHE — Revised Publications Rural Health Clinic — Revised
News COVID-19: Updated Materials for Visiting Nursing Homes During Omicron Surge COVID-19: Vaccine Access in Long-term Care Settings COVID-19: New HCPCS Code for Remdesivir Antiviral Medication – Updated NIH Treatment Guidelines Panel Link COVID-19: Pfizer Booster Doses for Ages 12+ & Immunocompromised Ages 5–11 CMS Proposes Medicare Coverage Policy for Monoclonal Antibodies Directed Against Amyloid for the Treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease & National Stakeholder Call Additional Residency Positions: Apply by March 31 Medicare Ground Ambulance Data Collection System: [...]
As part of its ongoing efforts across many channels to expand Americans’ access to free testing, the Biden-Harris Administration is requiring insurance companies and group health plans to cover the cost of over-the-counter, at-home COVID-19 tests, so people with private health coverage can get them for free starting January 15th. The new coverage requirement means that most consumers with private health coverage can go online or to a pharmacy or store, buy a test, and either get it [...]
COVID-19: New HCPCS Code for Remdesivir Antiviral Medication Following the recent statement from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) COVID-19 Treatment Guidelines Panel regarding therapies for the COVID-19 Omicron variant, CMS created HCPCS code J0248 for VEKLURY™ (remdesivir) antiviral medication when administered in an outpatient setting. This code is available for use by all payers and is effective for dates of service on or after December 23, 2021: Long descriptor: Injection, remdesivir, 1 mg Short descriptor: Inj, remdesivir, [...]
AAOS Advocacy in Action Reiterated serious concern over how quickly and with how little stakeholder input is being used for the Department of Veterans Affairs Supremacy Project, which is developing National Standards of Practice for physicians and other health professionals that supersede state scope of practice and licensure laws. The Bone Beat New Episode Conversations on health policy issues affecting musculoskeletal care... Reimbursement Changes and Implementation of Surprise Billing Law Orthopaedic surgery is set to face reductions in [...]
News COVID-19 Vaccine Access in Long-Term Care Settings DMEPOS Final Rule NPPES: Public Reporting of Digital Contact Information VBID Model: Hospice Benefit Component Federally Qualified Health Center CY 2022 PPS RHC: AIR Payment Limit for CY 2022 Compliance Surgical Dressings: Medicare Requirements Claims, Pricers, & Codes January 2022 Integrated Outpatient Code Editor (I/OCE) Specifications Version 23.0 MLN Matters® Articles Addition of the QW Modifier to Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) Code 86328 January 2022 Update of the [...]
CMS Funding 1,000 New Residency Slots for Hospitals Serving Rural & Underserved Communities Administration takes action to address access to care, workforce shortages in high-need areas On December 17, CMS took a critical step to advance health equity and access, issuing a final rule that will enhance the health care workforce and fund additional medical residency positions in hospitals serving rural and underserved communities. The Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) final rule with comment [...]
Year End Special Edition Happy holidays from your Office of Government Relations team! We hope you enjoy this special edition of Advocacy Now featuring short summaries of the major advocacy accomplishments in 2021. A full list of wins can be downloaded here – we look forward to continuing to advocate for orthopaedic priorities on your behalf in the New Year. 2021 AAOS Advocacy Wins Mitigated 2021 and 2022 Medicare Pay Cuts to Specialty Care Just before the [...]
News Medicare FFS Claims: 2% Payment Adjustment (Sequestration) Changes Flu Shot Disparities Opioid Treatment Programs: New Information for 2022 Medicare Clinical Laboratory Fee Schedule Private Payor Data Reporting – Delayed until 2023 PEPPERs for Short-Term Acute Care Hospitals COVID-19 Vaccine & Monoclonal Antibody Products: Changes for MA Plan Claims Starting January 1, 2022 Claims, Pricers, & Codes Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine, 15 Valent Average Sales Price Files: January 2022 Skin Substitute Codes National Correct Coding Initiative Medicare Policy Manual: [...]
News PECOS: Multi-Factor Authentication Requirement Delayed HHS Seeks Public Comments to Advance Equity & Reduce Disparities in Organ Transplantation, Improve Life-Saving Donations, and Dialysis Facility Quality of Care Orthoses Referring Providers: Comparative Billing Report in December Compliance Implanted Spinal Neurostimulators: Document Medical Records MLN Matters® Articles Reduced Payment for Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy Services Furnished in Whole or in Part by a Physical Therapist Assistant or an Occupational Therapy Assistant Update to Medicare Deductible, Coinsurance and Premium Rates [...]