Editor's Note The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on June 22 called for a renewed commitment to value-based care based on Medicare claims data that provides an early snapshot of the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Medicare population. Medicare patient data, from January 1 to May…
Editor's Note The Joint Commission announced June 17 that it has resumed limited survey activities this month, and that scoring of items that are not compliant will not be the primary focus during the COVID-19 public health emergency. However, the Joint Commission says, there are several elements of performance (EPs)…
Far fewer cases of COVID-19 have been seen in rural areas of the US than in large urban populations. But even healthcare facilities not inundated with COVID-19 patients have sustained revenue losses and disruptions in standard procedures. One major advantage for Heartland Surgery Center in Kearney, Nebraska, was seeing the…
Editor's Note The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on June 9 released a guide for healthcare facilities to resume in-person, non-emergent, non-COVID-19 services in states and regions with no evidence of COVID-19 resurgence. Recommendations include: designating separate areas for COVID-19 care establishing non-COVID-19 care zones where patients can…
Editor's Note The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) administrator Seema Verma says use of telehealth has grown dramatically during the COVID-19 pandemic, and some provisions that were extended temporarily will be made permanent, the June 2 Becker’s Hospital Review reports. During the pandemic, CMS expanded access to telehealth…
Editor's Note The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on June 1 unveiled enhanced enforcement actions for nursing homes with violations of infection control practices. The enhanced and targeted accountability actions are based on trends in recent data regarding the incidence of COVID-19 in nursing homes and infection control…
Editor's Note The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on May 11 released a proposed rule that increases Medicare inpatient prospective payment system (IPPS) rates by a net of 3.1% in FY 2021, compared to 2020, for acute care hospitals participating in the Hospital Inpatient Quality Reporting Program that…
Health systems nationwide are examining policies and procedures related to their resources, staffing, and scheduling to prepare for anticipated patient surges due to COVID-19. In late March, I talked with perioperative physicians and administrators from two health systems with rapid increases in COVID-positive cases, which have prompted significant changes in…
Editor's Note: The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on April 19 issued recommendations on how hospitals and healthcare systems can protect their staff and patients as they reopen for nonemergent care. The new recommendations update earlier guidance on limiting nonessential surgical and medical procedures and are specifically targeted…
Editor's Note The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on March 22 extended the deadlines for quality reporting and applications for providers, clinicians, and facilities in value-based care (VBC) programs as they face a growing number of COVID-19 patients. CMS also announced that it will not use any data…