HealthPRO Heritage has summarized important updates from a memo released by the Department of Health & Human Services found here and a memo released by CMS found here.
Waive of 3-Day Hospitalization Requirements
Details related to the waiver for a 3-day hospital requirement were updated. Specifically, SNF care without a 3-day inpatient hospital stay will be covered for beneficiaries who experience dislocations or are otherwise affected by the COVID-19 emergency, such as those who are:
- evacuated from a nursing home an the emergency area,
- discharged from a hospital (in the emergency or receiving locations) in order to provide care to more seriously ill patients, or
- need SNF care as a result of the emergency, regardless of whether that individual was in a hospital or nursing home prior to the emergency.
60-Day Break Waived
Medicare beneficiaries can receive up to an additional 100 days of SNF Part A coverage for care needed as a result of the COVID-19 emergency without requiring a 60-day break in services.
This renewed coverage for extended care services, which will not first require starting a new spell of illness, will apply only for those beneficiaries who have been delayed or prevented by the emergency itself from commencing or completing the process of ending their current benefit period and renewing their SNF benefits that would have occurred under normal circumstances.
HealthPRO Heritage will continue to provide accurate and timely communication during this challenging time. Our leadership and clinical teams remain committed to proactively supporting our industry as we all work through the COVID-19 crisis together.
Please contact us with feedback/inquiries at: info@healthpro-heritage.com.