Month / Year
Subject

Category: Telehealth

Final Payment Rules – Calendar Year (CY) 2022

On November 2, 2021, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued the final rules for Calendar Year (CY) 2022 Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS), CY 2022 Physician Fee Schedule, and CY 2022 Home Health PPS.

KEY UPDATES FROM THE CY 2022 OPPS FINAL RULE:
CY 2022 Medicare Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) and Ambulatory Surgical Center (ASC) Payment System Final Rule (CMS-1753-FC).
 
OPPS & ASC Payment Rates
Both the OPPS and ASC payment rates for hospitals that meet applicable quality reporting requirements will be increased by 2.0 percent (2.7 percent less 0.7 percentage point productivity adjustment.
 
Price Transparency
Proposed Increase in Civil Monetary Penalties (CMP) for noncompliance will be scaled by bed size (range $109,500 to $2,007,500 per hospital). Smaller hospitals with 30 or fewer beds are subject to a fine equal to $300 per day. Hospitals with a bed count between 31-550 beds are subject to a fine between $310 to $550 per day with a maximum penalty $2,007,500. Hospitals with a bed count of 551 or greater beds, are subject to a fine equal to $2,007,500 per hospital.
 
CMS is also requiring machine-readable files are accessible for automated searches and direct downloads.
 
Toyon’s Take
These fines emphasize CMS’s push to provide public access to pricing information.
 
Use of CY 2019 Claims Data for CY 2022 OPPS/ASC Ratesetting
CMS believes the best available data for projecting expected cost and OPPS/ASC payment derives from calendar year 2019, prior to the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE). Conventionally, CMS would have used the most recent data (from 2020) for ratesetting.
 
Toyon’s Take
Toyon recommends providers regularly evaluate CY 2022 OPPS/ASC payments to ascertain the reasonableness of CMS’s projection that CY 2022 cost and volumes will be more reflective of 2019 levels as compared to 2020. When areas of the country “normalize” from COVID-19 PHE, then it is best to use data from prior to the outbreak to project CY 2022 OPPS/ASC payments. Notably, CY 2020 data may not be used in future rates.
 
Changes to the Medicare Inpatient Only (IPO) List
In CY 2022 CMS will add back all codes to the IPO list, except CPT codes 22630 (Lumbar spine fusion), 23472 (Reconstruct shoulder joint), 27702 (Reconstruct ankle joint) and their corresponding anesthesia codes. Also, the planned elimination of the IPO list will be put on hold until further notice. See this link.
 
Toyon’s Take
Requiring certain services as inpatient only is a noteworthy change in course from the CY 2021 OPPS/ASC final rule initially eliminating 298 services from the IPO list. CY 2021 was also scheduled to be year one of a three-year process to phase out the entire IPO list. However, CMS listened to stakeholder comments and agrees patient safety is the main concern. Medicare continuously desires to provide their beneficiaries a choice, therefore is using additional time to review procedures and outcomes of IPO services.
 
OPPS and 340B
CMS is continuing to pay hospitals 22.5 percent less the Average Sales Price (ASP) for select 340B drugs.
 
Click here for the link to the display copy of the OPPS/ASC final rule; the document is scheduled to be published in the federal register on 11/16/2021.

 
KEY UPDATES FROM THE CY 2022 PHYSICIAN FEE SCHEDULE FINAL RULE:
CY 2022 Medicare Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) and Ambulatory Surgical Center (ASC) Payment System Final Rule (CMS-1751-F).
 
Telehealth Expansion for Behavioral Health
The COVID-19 PHE shows gaps in healthcare delivery and the need for technology to treat patients, especially patients located in remote communities. CMS, in this rule, is eliminating barriers and will allow patients to access telehealth services in their homes, for the diagnosis, evaluation, and treatment of mental health disorders.
 
Medicare will also cover mental health visits in Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) through telehealth technologies, including audio only calls.
 
Increasing Access to Physician Assistants’ (PA) Services
CMS will institute a change that will authorize Medicare to make direct Medicare payments to Physician Assistants (PAs) for professional services they furnish under Part B. Beginning January 1, 2022 PAs are permitted to bill Medicare directly. This change allows greater access to care for Medicare beneficiaries. 
 
Medicare Ground Ambulance Data Collection System
CMS finalized changes to the Medicare Ground Ambulance Data Collection System including:
  • Finalizing a new data collection period beginning between January 1, 2023, and December 31, 2023, and a new data reporting period beginning between January 1, 2024, and December 31, 2024, for selected ground ambulance organizations in year three;
  • Revising the timeline for when the payment reduction for failure to report will begin aligning the timelines for the application of penalties for not reporting data; and
  • Amending to the Medicare Ground Ambulance Data Collection Instrument. This will improve its clarity and make the instrument less burdensome to complete.

Click here for the link to the display copy of the Physician Fee Schedule; the document is scheduled to be published in the federal register on 11/19/2021.


 
KEY UPDATES FROM THE CY 2022 HOME HEALTH PPS FINAL RULE:
CY 2022 Home Health Prospective Payment System Rate Update Final Rule (CMS-1747-F & CMS-5531-F)
 
CY 2022 Updates to the Home Health (HH) PPS rates
The final rule updates CY 2022 Medicare Home Health (HH) payment rates by 2.6 percent and uses the latest Core-Based Statistical Area (CBSA) delineations as well as the latest available pre-reclassified hospital wage data under the Medicare IPPS.

CY 2022 Updates to Home Health Quality Reporting Program
The Home Health QRP is a program that reports quality data to CMS. All HHAs that do not meet reporting requirements receive a 2-percentage point reduction to their annual market basket percentage update for the respective calendar year. In this final rule the OASIS-based measure is removed as it did not demonstrate any meaningful difference in performance. Two claim-based measures will be replaced with a new measure that surrounding attribution and associated with desired patient outcomes.
 
CMS is finalizing its proposal that effective January 1, 2023, HHAs begin collecting data on the Transfer of Health Information to Provider-Post Acute Care measure, the Transfer of Health Information to Patient-PAC measure, as well as six categories of standardized patient assessment data elements, to support the coordination of care.
 
Click here for the link to the display copy of the Home Health PPS update; the document is scheduled to be published in the federal register on 11/9/2021

For questions regarding these rules, please contact Scott.Besler@toyonassociates.com.
 
 
Back to top

COVID-19 Regulatory Changes

 
President’s National Emergency Declaration; CMS COVID-19 Fact Sheet
 
For more information regarding CMS Current Emergency response and issuances, use the link below:
 
See additional COVID-19 updates below:
 
Skilled Nursing Facilities (SNFs)
CMS is temporarily waiving the following requirements for SNFs:
 
3-Day Prior Hospitalization Coverage for SNFs
For those individuals who need to be transferred as a result of an emergency related to the COVID-19 virus, Medicare will waive this requirement when the following conditions occur:
  • Evacuated from a nursing home in the emergency area;
  • Discharged from a hospital (in the emergency or receiving locations) in order to provide care to more seriously ill patients; OR
  • Need SNF care as a result of the emergency, regardless of where the individual resided
Renewal of SNF Benefit Period
Medicare beneficiaries who have recently exhausted their SNF benefits may have their SNF coverage renewed without having to start a new benefit period. The 60-day post-discharge wellness requirement for a new 100-day SNF benefit period to begin will be waived.
  • Additional SNF care related to the COVID-19 virus will be covered without requiring a break in the spell of illness
  • Individuals who had either begun or were ready to begin the process of ending their spell of illness will receive up to an additional 100 days of SNF Part A coverage
Standard MDS Timeframes Waived
CMS will waive the standard timeframe requirements for Minimum Data Set (MDS) assessments and transmissions, which are normally due at the time of admission, within 14 calendar days after admission or change in condition, and upon discharge/transfer, among others.
 
Toyon’s Take:
Providers will need to educate their clinical and billing staff on these changes. How quickly will the MACs’ billing systems be ready to accept bills containing these changes? Billing departments may expect to have claims rejected at first and to require additional help to code and resolve claims.
 
Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs)
CMS is waiving the following requirements for CAHs:
  • Limitation for the number of beds to 25
  • Limitation for the average length of stay to 96 hours
Toyon’s Take:
This waiver will allow CAHs to accept COVID-19 patients in rural areas where bed space may be scarce. How quickly can CAHs increase staffing in order to handle an increase in patients?
 
Acute Care Patients in Excluded Distinct Part Units
CMS is allowing the following changes for housing acute care patients in hospitals:
  • Hospitals may be allowed to house acute care patients in excluded distinct part units, where appropriate, as a result of this emergency
  • The patient’s medical record should be annotated to indicate that the acute care patient is being housed on an excluded unit due to the emergency

Excluded Unit Patients in Acute Care Settings

CMS is waiving the following requirements regarding care for excluded unit patient in the acute care settings of hospitals:
  • Hospitals may be allowed to house excluded distinct part IPF unit patients in acute care settings, as a result of this emergency, and continue to bill for services under the IPF PPS, where the environment is appropriate and conducive to safe care
  • Similarly, hospitals may be allowed to house excluded distinct part IRF unit patients in acute care settings, as a result of this emergency, and continue to bill for services under the IRF PPS, where the environment is appropriate, and patients continue to receive intensive rehab services
  • CMS will allow IRFs to exclude patients, who are admitted to the unit as a result of this emergency, from the IRF population for purposes of calculating the 60% threshold that is required for an IRF to maintain its special certified status
Long-Term Care Hospitals (LTCHs)
LTCHs will be allowed to exclude patient stays related to this emergency in order to meet the 25-day average length of stay requirement.
 
Toyon’s Take:
Providers will need to consider whether or not it is safe to place patients with non-psychiatric diagnoses on IPF units that house more acute psychiatric patients and vice versa.
 
Presumably, CMS will consider both misplaced acute patients on IRF units and misplaced IRF patients on acute care units when calculating the 60% threshold during this fiscal year. The appropriate coding on the claims will need to be verified in order to identify these patients.
 
Coverage and Payment Issues
CMS is making the following changes to Medicare beneficiary coverage:
  • Vaccine:  Once developed, the COVID-19 vaccine will be covered in full under Part D
  • Hospital Stays:  Patients with the virus who no longer meet the need for acute inpatient care but are being quarantined in a hospital patient room may not be charged a private room accommodation differential and will not have to pay an additional deductible for the quarantine period
  • IPPS Payment:  Medicare will pay any DRG and outlier payment, including any quarantine time, until discharge, even when the patient no longer meets the need for acute inpatient care
  • Telehealth:  Patients who have an established relationship with their physician or practitioner may have a “virtual check-in” in any healthcare facility as well as their homes, where the communication need not be related to a medical visit within the previous seven days and does not necessarily lead to a medical visit within the next 24 hours.  This expansion of services will also allow patients to access their physicians using a wider range of communication, including telephones with audio and video capabilities.  In addition, CMS is granting Medicaid waivers to cover broader telehealth services for its beneficiaries.
Toyon’s Take:

If necessary, hospitals should create a new Medicare COVID-19 private room charge in their CDMs to reflect similar charges for both private and semi-private room accommodations, when patients are diagnosed with the virus.  Unless the patient is in an ICU room, it is unlikely that the charges from additional days will generate an outlier payment.

Coverage and Payment Issues

CMS is making the following changes to Medicare beneficiary coverage:
  • Vaccine:  Once developed, the COVID-19 vaccine will be covered in full under Part D
  • Hospital Stays:  Patients with the virus who no longer meet the need for acute inpatient care but are being quarantined in a hospital patient room may not be charged a private room accommodation differential and will not have to pay an additional deductible for the quarantine period
  • IPPS Payment:  Medicare will pay any DRG and outlier payment, including any quarantine time, until discharge, even when the patient no longer meets the need for acute inpatient care
  • Telehealth:  Patients who have an established relationship with their physician or practitioner may have a “virtual check-in” in any healthcare facility as well as their homes, where the communication need not be related to a medical visit within the previous seven days and does not necessarily lead to a medical visit within the next 24 hours.  This expansion of services will also allow patients to access their physicians using a wider range of communication, including telephones with audio and video capabilities.  In addition, CMS is granting Medicaid waivers to cover broader telehealth services for its beneficiaries.
Toyon’s Take:

If necessary, hospitals should create a new Medicare COVID-19 private room charge in their CDMs to reflect similar charges for both private and semi-private room accommodations, when patients are diagnosed with the virus.  Unless the patient is in an ICU room, it is unlikely that the charges from additional days will generate an outlier payment.

Provider Enrollment
CMS will be making the following changes to the provider enrollment process:
  • Waiver of application fee
  • Waiver of site visits
  • Postponement of all revalidation actions
  • Allow licensed providers to render services outside of their state of enrollment
  • Expedited pending or new applications from providers
Toyon’s Take:
Even though many of the steps in the standard provider enrollment process may be temporarily waived, providers should be prepared for CMS and State Agencies to revisit these applications and perform a more thorough follow-up review, after this emergency has passed. Providers should maintain all documentation related to any provider enrollment action until that follow-up review is conducted should that be necessary.
 
Medicaid Programs
CMS is allowing states the flexibility to make changes, such as the following examples:
  • Waive prior authorization requirements for fee-for-service programs
  • Permit providers located out of state to provide care to another state’s Medicaid enrollees who are impacted by this emergency
  • Temporarily suspend certain provider enrollment and revalidation requirements
  • Temporarily waive requirements that physicians and other healthcare professionals be licensed in the state in which they are providing services, so long as they have an equivalent license in another state
  • Temporarily suspend requirements for certain pre-admission and annual screenings for nursing home residents
States can assess their needs in the Medicaid Response Toolkit.
 
COVID-19 Testing: HCPCS U0001 / HCPCS U0002
Beginning April 1, providers can bill Medicare and other insurers for COVID-19 testing provided on or after Feb. 4 using the following Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) codes:
  • HCPCS U0001 – Medicare will reimburse approximately $36 to allow providers to bill for using CDC’s RT-PCR Diagnostic Test Panel
  • HCPCS U0002 – Medicare will reimburse approximately $51 for validated, in-house developed COVID-19 diagnostic tests.
Please refer to the link below for COVID-19 Test Pricing by MAC jurisdiction:
 
Other Recently Published Rules
 
Interoperability and Patient Access Final Rule [CMS-9115-F]
(FR Publish Date TBD)
  • Improved exchanges for dually eligible patients, which will change from monthly to daily (beginning April 1, 2022)
  • CMS will begin publicly reporting hospitals and clinicians that may be blocking information, based on their EHR attestations (late 2020)
  • CMS is modifying provider CoPs to require that electronic event notifications of a patient’s admission, discharge, and/or transfer be sent to healthcare facilities or practitioners in an effort to improve coordination of care (effective 6 months after publication of this Final Rule)

This information was current as of the time it was published.

Back to top
Toyon Associates Healthcare Finance

Here TO HELP

Receive a no obligation consultation on how Toyon can help make your cost reporting simpler, easier, and trusted.