CMS Announces Guidance for FQHCS on CARES Distant Site Provision (Updated April 17, 2020) Today the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid announced its guidance allowing Community Health Centers and Rural Health Clinics (RACs) to receive enhanced Medicare reimbursement for telehealth services, per the provision in the CARES Act. Retroactive to January 27, 2020 and continuing …
Author: Susan Sumrell
Telehealth Information for Health Centers on the Frontlines of COVID-19
NACHC staffer Michaela Keller contributed to this NACHC Blog post. President Trump signed H.R. 6074, the “Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2020,” into law earlier this month, providing emergency supplemental funding in response to the coronavirus, also known as COVID-19. In addition to $100 million in funding for Community Health Centers, the …
NACHC Launches New Medicaid Resources for Health Centers
NACHC is excited to share several new and updated Medicaid-related resources for Community Health Centers and Primary Care Associations (PCAs). NACHC coordinated with Feldesman Tucker Leifer Fidell to create or update resources to reflect changes in policies and experiences we heard from health centers and PCAs. The new and updated resources include: Medicaid FQHC PPS …
CMS Unveils New Initiative to Overhaul Primary Care
This post has been updated with new information. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has released the CMS Primary Cares Initiative, with the goal of improving patient care while managing health care costs. Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar described the move as “a historic turning point” in press reports. He …
Items of Interest to Health Centers in CMS Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Proposed Rule
Update (Nov. 16, 2018): This rule has been finalized as proposed. Beginning January 1, 2019, health centers will be able to bill for these services. NACHC is hosting a webinar on Thursday, November 29, 2018 at 1 pm ET with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and health center partners to learn more about these …
Trump Administration Issues Final Rule on Association Health Plans
The Trump Administration issued a final rule on Association Health Plans (AHPs), which was proposed earlier this year. This is the first rule finalized after President Trump issued an Executive Order last year to “promote health care choice and competition” in the insurance market. This final rule amends The Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) …
Increasing Access to Care Through Telehealth
Today, more and more providers are relying on the long reach of technology to provide care to their patients. Telehealth is especially helpful in areas where people have limited access to health care services, whether the reason is lack of transportation or economic, cultural and/or linguistic barriers. The way it works is through telecommunication, some …
President’s Commission Releases Final Report on Opioid Crisis
Just after the President’s Public Health Declaration on the opioid crisis, the President’s Commission on Combating Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis released its final report earlier this month. The report includes 56 specific recommendations to help address the nation’s increasingly troubling opioid addiction problem, and focuses on 4 main areas: federal funding and programs, opioid …
CMS Releases Rule That Improves Care for Health Center Medicare Patients
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released its final rule on the CY2018 Physician Fee Schedule earlier this month. While this annual rule typically does not impact services for Community Health Centers (because they are not paid on the Physician Fee Schedule), this year’s rule includes some important provisions that boost care for health center …
CMS Issues Informational Bulletins on Waiver Processes
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ (CMS’) Center for Medicaid and CHIP Services (CMCS) has issued two informational bulletins on changes to the Section 1115 Medicaid waiver process and State Plan Amendment and 1915 waiver process. The informational bulletins are a follow-up to a March 14 letter from CMS Administrator Seema Verma and then-HHS Secretary …