CMS Issues Coronavirus Guidance

Over the past week, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has issued a flurry of guidance documents and FAQs regarding COVID-19 for healthcare providers in private practice, hospitals, nursing homes, hospices and dialysis facilities, and for Medicare Advantage and Part D insurance plans. The guidance includes how to bill and collect for coronavirus testing, how Medicare will pay for emergency services, drug and vaccine coverage, and billing for telehealth and home health services, among other things. Press releases and links to the guidance documents are available in the Newsroom on CMS’s website.

Last week, CMS released new billing codes for coronavirus testing. Most major health insurers have now agreed to waive cost-sharing for testing for their insureds, as already required in New York State pursuant to a directive discussed here last week.