Today, CMS issued a multitude of
additional waivers and rule suspensions that affect clinics, hospitals and
other healthcare facilities. The waivers are retroactive to March 1, 2020
and waive a significant number of conditions of participation (COPs) and other
regulatory requirements.
Some major highlights include:
| Category | Description |
| Orders | Verbal orders may be used for drugs and biologicals Authentication requirements for orders are waived Pre-printed orders, standing orders and protocols will be allowed |
| Medical Records | The requirement to complete records within 30 days of discharge is waived |
| Medical Staff | Physicians with expiring privileges will be allowed to continue practice New physicians may practice before undergoing full medical staff/governing body review |
| Discharge Planning | Hospitals must ensure a patient is discharged to an appropriate setting however, a number of the detailed documentation requirements have been waived |
| Anesthesia Services | CRNA services may be rendered without a supervising anesthesiologist unless otherwise required by the hospital and/or state law |
| Utilization Review (UR) | The requirement to perform UR review to evaluate medical necessity of an admission or length of stay is waived unless otherwise required by state law |
The
29 page fact sheet details numerous other changes related to staffing,
documentation and service locations which should be reviewed
carefully. You can access the release at: https://www.cms.gov/files/document/summary-covid-19-emergency-declaration-waivers.pdf
We recommend referring to the CMS and other regulatory sites frequently
as changes and updates are occurring rapidly. CMS has a dedicated page on
their website for all emergency updates here: https://www.cms.gov/About-CMS/Agency-Information/Emergency/EPRO/Current-Emergencies/Current-Emergencies-page
HBE is available to assist with remote outsource coding, training of your
providers and staff, revenue cycle oversight as well as policy revisions,
auditing and other compliance needs you may have. We will continue to
monitor these important developments.
DISCLAIMER: This newsletter contains only summary information and
highlights; it should be read in conjunction with the full article or document
provided as a link. Any advice or recommendations given are general and
specific questions should be directed to professional counsel.