BC Advantage - 2020 Issue 5
Trump Administration Issues Second Round of Sweeping Changes to Support U.S. Healthcare System During COVID-19 Pandemic
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Article Overview
This article summarizes a CMS announcement describing pandemic-era regulatory changes intended to expand access to care and reduce administrative burden during the COVID-19 public health emergency. It is relevant to Medicare and Medicaid stakeholders, hospitals, clinics, ACOs, and other providers seeking a high-level understanding of temporary CMS flexibilities, including testing access, telehealth expansion, hospital capacity measures, workforce adjustments, and related program updates.
Why This Topic Matters
The changes discussed affect how providers, facilities, and payers operate during the COVID-19 emergency and may influence access to services, billing processes, and compliance obligations. Readers who need to track CMS emergency policy updates will find this useful for understanding the scope of the temporary flexibilities and who they affect.
Article Sections
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New rules to support and expand COVID-19 diagnostic testing for Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries
Covers CMS actions related to expanding access to COVID-19 testing and associated laboratory services for Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries. Discusses testing access, specimen collection, and related coverage flexibilities.
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Additional highlights of the waivers and rule changes announced today
Introduces a broader summary of temporary CMS waivers and rule changes affecting hospital capacity, workforce support, administrative burden, and telehealth. Includes multiple operational areas impacted by the emergency policies.
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Increase Hospital Capacity - CMS Hospitals Without Walls
Describes facility-level flexibilities intended to help hospitals expand capacity and use temporary or alternative care locations during the emergency. Covers broader operational adjustments for hospital-based services.
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Healthcare Workforce Augmentation
Summarizes policy changes aimed at supporting staffing and clinician deployment during the pandemic. Addresses workforce-related flexibilities for multiple provider types and care settings.
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Put Patients Over Paperwork/Decrease Administrative Burden
Focuses on temporary relief from certain administrative requirements and expanded flexibility for selected services delivered in alternative settings. Highlights CMS efforts to reduce paperwork burdens during the emergency.
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Further Expand Telehealth in Medicare
Covers CMS telehealth policy changes for Medicare beneficiaries during the public health emergency. Includes expanded practitioner participation, remote service delivery, and related temporary payment and access changes.
What You Will Learn
- How CMS organized its emergency response into testing, hospital, workforce, administrative, and telehealth flexibilities
- Which broad types of Medicare and Medicaid policies were affected during the COVID-19 public health emergency
- How CMS framed temporary changes intended to support provider operations and beneficiary access
- What kinds of CMS emergency waivers and rule changes were announced as part of the broader pandemic response
- How the article situates ACO, home health, and telehealth policy changes within the emergency response
Who Should Read This
- Medical coders
- Coding auditors
- Compliance staff
- Revenue cycle professionals
- Hospital administrators
- Physician practices
- Health system leaders
- Medicare and Medicaid stakeholders
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