Health Workforce Innovations in Response to the COVID Pandemic
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Home Health Agencies: CMS Flexibilities to Fight COVID-19
Created
2020-08-20 17:58:48
Created by
Alison Coates
Updated by
Alison Coates
Update time
2020-08-20 17:58:48
New methods of care need to be implemented during the pandemic to reduce exposure of patients and providers and maintain continuity of care even if services can't be offered in person for everyone.
Medicare Telehealth and Telecommunications Technology:
Home Health Agencies (HHAs) can provide more services to beneficiaries using telecommunications technology within the 30-day period of care, so long as it’s part of the patient’s plan of care and does not replace needed in-person visits as ordered on the plan of care. We acknowledge that the use of such technology may result in changes to the frequency or types of in-persons visits outlined on existing or new plans of care. Telecommunications technology can include, for example: remote patient monitoring; telephone calls (audio only and TTY); and 2-way audio-video technology that allows for real-time interaction between the clinician and patient. However, only in-person visits can be reported on the home health claim.
The required face-to-face encounter for home health can be conducted via telehealth (i.e., 2-way audio-video telecommunications technology that allows for real-time interaction between the physician/allowed practitioner and the patient).
Plans of Care and Certifying/Recertifying Patient Eligibility:
In addition to a physician, section 3708 of the CARES Act allows a Medicare-eligible home health patient to be under the care of a nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist, or a physician assistant who is working in accordance with State law.
Training and Assessment of Aides: CMS is waiving the requirement at 42 CFR §418.76(h)(2) for Hospice and 42 CFR §484.80(h)(1)(iii) for HHAs, which require a registered nurse, or in the case of an HHA a registered nurse or other appropriate skilled professional (physical therapist/occupational therapist, speech language pathologist) to make an annual onsite supervisory visit (direct observation) for each aide that provides services on behalf of the agency.
The 12-hour annual in-service training requirement for home health aides is also waived.
Licensure flexibility
Telehealth/virtual care
Expanded roles
Other
Community Health Workers
Mental Health Workers
Nurse Practitioners*
Nurse Specialists*
Nurses - Licensed Practical
Nurses - Registered
Personal Support Workers
Social Workers
Speech/Language Pathologists
Other Health Care Workers
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency, the Trump Administration has issued an unprecedented array of temporary regulatory waivers and new rules to equip the American healthcare system with maximum flexibility to respond to the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. These temporary changes will apply immediately across the entire U.S. healthcare system for the duration of the emergency declaration.