04-14-2021 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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7 extent any amounts remain outstanding after one year, interest on the outstanding balances will accrue at the rate of 10.25% per annum. On April 26, 2020, CMS announced it was reevaluating and temporarily suspending the Accelerated and Advance Payment Program in light of the availability of the Provider Relief Fund and the significant funds available through other programs. Following the announced suspension of the Accelerated and Advance Payments Program, CMS continued accepting applications for accelerated or advance payments related to the COVID-19 public health emergency. A Medicare provider or supplier that applied to the program is eligible to receive an accelerated or advance payment during the public health emergency if the provider or supplier: billed Medicare for claims within 180 days immediately prior to date of application; and is not in bankruptcy, under active medical review or program integrity investigation, or subject to any outstanding delinquent Medicare overpayments. In October 2020, CMS discontinued accepting applications. CMS continues to “monitor the ongoing impacts of COVID-19 on the Medicare provider and supplier community.” On October 1, 2020, the Continuing Appropriations Act, 2021 and Other Extensions Act amended the repayment terms for recipients of accelerated and advance payments. Recipients must make repayment by contacting a Medicare Administrative Contractor. The repayment period begins one year following issuance of payment and continues for seventeen (17) months. Over the first eleven (11)-month period, Medicare will recoup 25% of payments owed to recipients. The rate increases to 50% for the subsequent six (6) months. Medicare will bill recipients for any remaining balance following the repayment period. Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act. The Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act adopted on April 24, 2020, amends the CARES Act to increase the amounts authorized for the Paycheck Protection Program and authorizes an additional $75 billion in funding for the Provider Relief Fund for reimbursement to eligible health care providers for health care-related expenses or lost revenues that are attributable to COVID-19. It also appropriates $25 billion to the Provider Relief Fund for necessary expenses to research, develop, validate, manufacture, purchase, administer, and expand capacity for COVID-19 tests. DHHS established a number of terms and conditions related to the use and repayment of CARES Act funds. Funds utilized for stipulated purposes need not be repaid to the federal government. Recipient providers must agree not to seek collection of out-of-pocket payments from a patient treated for COVID-19. Providers must attest to a list of other detailed terms and conditions, including that the provider billed Medicare in 2019, provides or provided diagnoses, testing or care for individuals with possible or actual cases of COVID-19, is not currently terminated from participation in Medicare, is not currently excluded from participation in Medicare, Medicaid, and other Federal health care programs, and does not currently have Medicare privileges revoked. Other terms and conditions include certifying that funds “will only be used to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus” and that funding will reimburse the recipient “only for health care related to expenses or lost revenues that are attributable to coronavirus.” Other relief provided for acute care hospitals in the CARES Act includes the elimination of the 2% reduction to Medicare Payments through sequestration for a temporary period, a 20% increase to the inpatient Prospective Payment System DRG weight for patients diagnosed with COVID-19 during the public health emergency, and expansion of the CMS accelerated payment program. Receipt of such relief funding by the Corporation requires increased compliance efforts to comply with above requirements. Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021. On December 27, 2020, former President Trump signed the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, which included approximately $900 billion in COVID-19 stimulus funding, in addition to the 2021 federal fiscal year omnibus spending bill. The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 included the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021. Relevant provisions included increased funding to the FDA for development of coronavirus vaccines, monitoring of medical product supply chains and additional public health response investments, as well as funding for the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (“CDC”) for purposes of distributing coronavirus vaccines. The act further included a host of healthcare- related provisions, such as a 3.75% increase to the Medicare physician services fee schedule for services furnished during the calendar year 2021. The act extended the temporary suspension for Medicare sequestration cuts (delaying the effective date from December 31, 2020, to March 31, 2021), provided for extended unemployment benefits and expanded the Paycheck Protection Program. The act did not expand the Medicare Accelerated and Advance Payments Program.