Articles and Blogs

Friday, May 1 Recap Note – ​We believe this is the most up-to-date information available at this time, but it is subject to change ​as circumstances warrant. Also, all finalized resources can be found ​on the COVID-19 ​Resource ​Center page ​of Hall Render’s website.​ HHS Begins Distribution of Payments to High COVID-19 Admissions Hospitals and Rural... READ MORE

On April 30, 2020, CMS announced new regulatory waivers and rule changes in order to help providers address the COVID-19 public health emergency. The waivers touch on many different areas of health care and contain many significant telehealth provisions. The changes remain consistent with the agency’s pledge to expand beneficiaries’ access to telehealth services.... READ MORE

“Ladies and Gentlemen, start your engines.” As shuttered businesses look for avenues of relief from the COVID-19 crisis, they are being told that the business interruption insurance they’ve paid for, often for many years, won’t help. Insurance companies are routinely denying the claims. Many are responding by racing to the courthouse to ask the... READ MORE

Late last week CMS finally released its anticipated drug acquisition cost survey (“Survey”) to collect pricing data for certain directly reimbursable drugs called “Specified Covered Outpatient Drugs” that are subject to significantly reduced Medicare payment when acquired using a 340B Program discount (“SCODs” or “340B Drugs”). All hospitals enrolled in the 340B Program during... READ MORE

As federal, state and local governments began passing a slew of new rules and regulations in response to COVID-19, employers almost immediately found themselves attempting to navigate uncharted waters in an effort to avoid noncompliance with these newly enacted laws. A recent investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor (“DOL”) brings a little more... READ MORE

NATIONAL 21% of Physicians Furloughed, Had Pay Cut During COVID-19 Crisis 1 in 5 physicians hit with pay cut or furlough due to COVID-19, survey says 11 women making moves in healthcare leadership CMS suspends advance payments to providers, is reevaluating accelerated payments for hospitals CMS to use staffing data to assess PPE needs;... READ MORE

Thursday, April 30 Recap Note – ​We believe this is the most up-to-date information available at this time, but it is subject to change ​as circumstances warrant. Also, all finalized resources can be found ​on the COVID-19 ​Resource ​Center page ​of Hall Render’s website.​ CMS Issues Additional COVID-19 Waivers and Rule Changes CMS announced additional regulatory... READ MORE

Wednesday, April 29 Recap Note – ​We believe this is the most up-to-date information available at this time, but it is subject to change ​as circumstances warrant. Also, all finalized resources can be found ​on the COVID-19 ​Resource ​Center page ​of Hall Render’s website.​ HRSA to Host Webinar on COVID-19 Uninsured Program Portal The Health Resources... READ MORE

In response to COVID-19, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (“CMS”) has implemented multiple updates to the Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (“MIPS”) to relieve clinicians of certain reporting requirements including an extension for the 2019 performance year data submission deadline and the extension of the MIPS Extreme and Uncontrollable Circumstances policy for individual... READ MORE

On April 21, 2020, CMS issued a Memorandum identifying state-licensed freestanding independent emergency departments (“Freestanding EDs”) as a critical resource in expanding capacity for hospitals during the COVID-19 public health emergency (“PHE”) and detailing how Freestanding EDs may begin to participate in the Medicare and Medicaid programs during the PHE. The Memo comes shortly... READ MORE