[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 90 (Friday, May 8, 2020)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 27550-27629]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-09608]



[[Page 27549]]

Vol. 85

Friday,

No. 90

May 8, 2020

Part II





 Department of Health and Human Services





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Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services





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42 CFR Parts 409, 410, 412, et al.

45 CFR Part 156





Medicare and Medicaid Programs, Basic Health Program, and Exchanges; 
Additional Policy and Regulatory Revisions in Response to the COVID-19 
Public Health Emergency and Delay of Certain Reporting Requirements for 
the Skilled Nursing Facility Quality Reporting Program; Interim Final 
Rule

  Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 90 / Friday, May 8, 2020 / Rules and 
Regulations  

[[Page 27550]]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

42 CFR Parts 409, 410, 412, 413, 414, 415, 424, 425, 440, 483, 484, 
and 600

Office of the Secretary

45 CFR Part 156

[CMS-5531-IFC]
RIN 0938-AU32


Medicare and Medicaid Programs, Basic Health Program, and 
Exchanges; Additional Policy and Regulatory Revisions in Response to 
the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency and Delay of Certain Reporting 
Requirements for the Skilled Nursing Facility Quality Reporting Program

AGENCY: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), HHS.

ACTION: Interim final rule with comment period.

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SUMMARY: This interim final rule with comment period (IFC) gives 
individuals and entities that provide services to Medicare, Medicaid, 
Basic Health Program, and Exchange beneficiaries needed flexibilities 
to respond effectively to the serious public health threats posed by 
the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Recognizing the 
critical importance of expanding COVID-19 testing, we are amending 
several Medicare policies on an interim basis to cover FDA-authorized 
COVID-19 serology tests, to allow any healthcare professional 
authorized to do so under State law to order COVID-19 diagnostic 
laboratory tests (including serological and antibody tests), and to 
provide for new specimen collection fees for COVID-19 testing under the 
Physician Fee Schedule and Outpatient Prospective Payment System, 
during the public health emergency (PHE) for the COVID-19 pandemic. 
Recognizing the urgency of this situation, and understanding that some 
pre-existing CMS rules may inhibit innovative uses of technology and 
capacity that might otherwise be effective in the efforts to mitigate 
the impact of the pandemic on beneficiaries and the American public, we 
are amending several CMS policies and regulations in response to the 
COVID-19 PHE and recent legislation, as outlined in this IFC. These 
changes apply to physicians and other practitioners, hospice providers, 
federally qualified health centers, rural health clinics, hospitals, 
critical access hospitals (CAHs), community mental health centers 
(CMHCs), clinical laboratories, teaching hospitals, providers of the 
laboratory testing benefit in Medicaid, Opioid treatment programs, and 
quality reporting programs (QRPs) for inpatient rehabilitation 
facilities (IRFs), long-term care hospitals (LTCHs), skilled nursing 
facilities (SNFs), home health agencies (HHAs) and durable medical 
equipment, prosthetics, orthotics, and supplies (DMEPOS) suppliers.

DATES: 
    Effective date: These regulations are effective on May 8, 2020.
    Applicability date: The policies in this IFC are applicable 
beginning on March 1, 2020, or January 27, 2020, except as further 
described in the table in SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.
    Comment date: To be assured consideration, comments must be 
received at one of the addresses provided below, no later than 5 p.m. 
on July 7, 2020.

ADDRESSES: In commenting, please refer to file code CMS-5531-IFC.
    Comments, including mass comment submissions, must be submitted in 
one of the following three ways (please choose only one of the ways 
listed):
    1. Electronically. You may submit electronic comments on this 
regulation to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the ``Submit a 
comment'' instructions.
    2. By regular mail. You may mail written comments to the following 
address ONLY: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Department of 
Health and Human Services, Attention: CMS-5531-IFC, P.O. Box 8016, 
Baltimore, MD 21244-8016.
    Please allow sufficient time for mailed comments to be received 
before the close of the comment period.
    3. By express or overnight mail. You may send written comments to 
the following address ONLY: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 
Department of Health and Human Services, Attention: CMS-5531-IFC, Mail 
Stop C4-26-05, 7500 Security Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21244-1850.
    For information on viewing public comments, see the beginning of 
the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rebecca Cole, (410) 786-1589, for 
general information, or contact one of the following:
    [email protected], for issues related to the HHVBP Model.
    [email protected], for issues related to scope of practice 
issues; additional flexibilities for hospital outpatient departments 
and CMHCs to furnish outpatient services at temporary expansion sites, 
including the beneficiary's home and expanded CMHCs; expansion of the 
extraordinary circumstances relocation exception policy for on-campus 
and excepted off-campus provider-based departments (PBDs) that relocate 
in response to the COVID-19 PHE; teaching physician policies, including 
time spent by residents at another hospital and the medical education 
methodology of counting teaching hospital beds; counting beds for 
provider-based rural health clinic payment level; services furnished by 
opioid treatment programs; modified requirements for ordering COVID-19 
diagnostic laboratory tests; payment to hospitals and physician's 
offices for specimen collection; counting time for telehealth 
evaluation and management visits; method for updating the telehealth 
list during the PHE; paying for remote monitoring services; and 
increased payment for telephone evaluation and management visits (Note 
this email address has an underscore``_'' between ``HAPG'' and ``COVID-
19''.)
    [email protected], for issues related to the Medicare IRF 
benefits.
    [email protected], for issues related to section 3712 of the CARES 
Act.
    Hillary Loeffler, (410) 786-0456, [email protected], or 
[email protected], for issues related to the Medicare home 
health and hospice benefits.
    [email protected], for issues related to the Partial 
Hospitalization Program (PHP) and CMHC issues.
    [email protected], for issues pertaining to the 
Medicaid home health benefit related to section 3708 of the CARES Act.
    Kari Vandegrift, (410) 786-4008, and Elizabeth November, (410) 786-
4518 or [email protected], for issues related to the 
Medicare Shared Savings Program.
    Leigha Basini, (301) 492-4380, for issues related to the separate 
billing requirement.
    Sheri Gaskins, (410) 786-9274, for issues related to Medicaid 
laboratory flexibilities.
    Cassandra Lagorio, (410) 786-4554, for issues related to the BHP.
    Molly MacHarris, (410) 786-4461, or [email protected], for issues 
related to the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS).
    [email protected], for issues related to 
national coverage determination and local coverage determination 
requirements.

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    Joan Proctor, (410) 786-0949, or [email protected], for 
issues related to the following Post-Acute Care QRPs: HH QRP, IRF QRP, 
LTCH QRP, and SNF QRP.
    Julia Venanzi, (410) 786-1471, for issues related to the Hospital 
VBP Program.
    Adam Rubin, (410-786-1919), for issues related to Certification of 
Home Health Services.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The policies in this IFC are applicable 
beginning on March 1, 2020, or January 27, 2020, except as further 
described in the following table:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
          Provision                        Applicability date
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Medicare Shared Savings        We are revising Sec.   425.400 to expand
 Program--Expansion of Codes    the definition of primary care services
 used in Beneficiary            used in the Shared Savings Program
 Assignment.                    beneficiary assignment methodology for
                                the performance year starting on January
                                1, 2020, and for any subsequent
                                performance year that starts during the
                                PHE for the COVID-19 pandemic, as
                                defined in Sec.   400.200, which
                                includes any subsequent renewals.
Modification to Medicare       We are revising Sec.  Sec.   409.41
 Rules and Medicaid             through 409.48; 424.22; 424.507(b)(1);
 Concerning Certification and   Sec.   440.70(a)(2) and (3), and (b)(1),
 Provision of Home Health       (2) and (4); and several sections of 42
 Services.                      CFR part 484 to include physician
                                assistants, nurse practitioners, and
                                clinical nurse specialists as
                                individuals who can certify the need for
                                home health services and order services.
                                These changes are permanent, and
                                applicable to services provided on or
                                after March 1, 2020.
Flexibility for Medicaid       We are revising Sec.   440.30 to provide
 Laboratory Services.           states with flexibility to provide
                                Medicaid coverage for certain laboratory
                                tests and X-ray services that may not
                                meet certain requirements in Sec.
                                440.30(a) or (b) (such as the
                                requirement that tests be furnished in
                                an office or similar facility). This
                                flexibility is retroactive to March 1,
                                2020, during the period of the COVID-19
                                PHE and for any subsequent periods of
                                active surveillance. The flexibility
                                also applies to future PHEs resulting
                                from outbreaks of communicable disease
                                and subsequent periods of active
                                surveillance.
Requirement for Facilities to  We are revising Sec.   483.80 to
 Report Nursing Home            establish explicit reporting
 Residents and Staff            requirements for long-term care (LTC)
 Infections, Potential          facilities to report information related
 Infections, and Deaths         to COVID-19 cases among facility
 Related to COVID-19.           residents and staff. These reporting
                                requirements are applicable on the
                                effective date of this IFC.
Separate Billing and           We are delaying by 60 days the date when
 Segregation of Funds for       individual market qualified health plan
 Abortion Services.             (QHP) issuers must be in compliance with
                                the separate billing policy for non-Hyde
                                abortion services. Under this 60-day
                                delay, individual market QHP issuers
                                must comply with the separate billing
                                policy beginning on or before the QHP
                                issuer's first billing cycle following
                                August 26, 2020.
DME Interim Pricing in the     We are revising Sec.   414.210 to provide
 CARES Act.                     increased fee schedule amounts in
                                certain areas starting on March 6, 2020,
                                and for the duration of the PHE for the
                                COVID-19 pandemic.
Merit-based Incentive Payment  For the reasons discussed in section
 System (MIPS) Qualified        II.R. of this IFC, we are delaying the
 Clinical Data Registry         implementation of the completion of QCDR
 (QCDR) Measure Approval        measure testing policy by 1 year.
 Criteria:                      Specifically, we are amending Sec.
 --Completion of QCDR Measure   414.1400(b)(3)(v)(C) to state that
 Testing.                       beginning with the 2022 performance
 --Collection of Data on QCDR   period, all QCDR measures must be fully
 Measures.                      developed and tested, with complete
                                testing results at the clinician level,
                                prior to submitting the QCDR measure at
                                the time of self-nomination. This change
                                is applicable on the effective date of
                                this IFC.
                               For the reasons discussed in section
                                II.R. of this IFC, we are delaying the
                                implementation of the collection of data
                                on QCDR measures policy by one year.
                                Specifically, we are amending Sec.
                                414.1400(b)(3)(v)(D) to state that
                                beginning with the 2022 performance
                                period, QCDRs are required to collect
                                data on a QCDR measure, appropriate to
                                the measure type, prior to submitting
                                the QCDR measure for CMS consideration
                                during the self-nomination period. This
                                change is applicable on the effective
                                date of this IFC.
Hospital VBP Program.........  We are revising the extraordinary
                                circumstances exception policy to allow
                                CMS to grant an exception to hospitals
                                located in an entire region or locale
                                without a request and we are codifying
                                the updated policy at Sec.   412.165(c).
                                This change is permanent, and is
                                applicable beginning on the effective
                                date of this IFC.
IRF QRP......................  We are revising the compliance date for
                                the IRF QRP to October 1st of the year
                                that is at least one full fiscal year
                                after the end of the PHE. This change is
                                applicable on the effective date of this
                                IFC.
LTCH QRP.....................  We are revising the compliance date for
                                the LTCH QRP to October 1st of the year
                                that is at least one full fiscal year
                                after the end of the PHE. This change is
                                applicable on the effective date of this
                                IFC.
HH QRP.......................  We are revising the compliance date for
                                the HH QRP to January 1st of the year
                                that is at least one full calendar year
                                after the end of the PHE. This change is
                                applicable on the effective date of this
                                IFC.
SNF QRP......................  We are revising the compliance date for
                                the SNF QRP to October 1st of the year
                                that is at least two full fiscal years
                                after the end of the PHE. This change is
                                applicable on the effective date of this
                                IFC.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Inspection of Public Comments: All comments received before the 
close of the comment period are available for viewing by the public, 
including any personally identifiable or confidential business 
information that is included in a comment. We post all comments 
received before the close of the comment period on the following 
website as soon as possible after they have been received: http://regulations.gov. Follow the search instructions on that website to view 
public comments.

Table of Contents

I. Background
II. Provisions of the Interim Final Rule With Comment Period (IFC)
    A. Reporting Under the Home Health Value-Based Purchasing Model 
for CY 2020 During the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency

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    B. Scope of Practice
    C. Modified Requirements for Ordering COVID-19 Diagnostic 
Laboratory Tests
    D. Opioid Treatment Programs (OTPs)--Furnishing Periodic 
Assessments via Communication Technology
    E. Treatment of Certain Relocating Provider-Based Departments 
During the COVID-19 PHE
    F. Furnishing Hospital Outpatient Services in Temporary 
Expansion Locations of a Hospital or a Community Mental Health 
Center (Including the Patient's Home)
    G. Medical Education
    H. Rural Health Clinics (RHCs)
    I. Durable Medical Equipment (DME) Interim Pricing in the CARES 
Act
    J. Care Planning for Medicare Home Health Services
    K. CARES Act Waiver of the ``3-Hour Rule'' and Modification of 
IRF Coverage and Classification Requirements for Freestanding IRF 
Hospitals for the PHE During the COVID-19 Pandemic
    L. Medicare Shared Savings Program
    M. Additional Flexibility Under the Teaching Physician 
Regulations
    N. Payment for Audio-Only Telephone Evaluation and Management 
Services
    O. Flexibility for Medicaid Laboratory Services
    P. Improving Care Planning for Medicaid Home Health Services
    Q. Basic Health Program Blueprint Revisions
    R. Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) Qualified 
Clinical Data Registry (QCDR) Measure Approval Criteria
    S. Application of Certain National Coverage Determination and 
Local Coverage Determination Requirements During the PHE for the 
COVID-19 Pandemic
    T. Delay in the Compliance Date of Certain Reporting 
Requirements Adopted for IRFs, LTCHs, HHAs and SNFs
    U. Update to the Hospital Value-Based Purchasing (VBP) Program 
Extraordinary Circumstance Exception (ECE) Policy
    V. COVID-19 Serology Testing
    W. Modification to Medicare Provider Enrollment Provision 
Concerning Certification of Home Health Services
    X. Health Insurance Issuer Standards Under the Affordable Care 
Act, Including Standards Related to Exchanges: Separate Billing and 
Segregation of Funds for Abortion Services
    Y. Requirement for Facilities To Report Nursing Home Residents 
and Staff Infections, Potential Infections, and Deaths Related to 
COVID-19
    Z. Time Used for Level Selection for Office/Outpatient 
Evaluation and Management Services Furnished Via Medicare Telehealth
    AA. Updating the Medicare Telehealth List
    BB. Payment for COVID-19 Specimen Collection to Physicians, 
Nonphysician Practitioners and Hospitals
    CC. Payment for Remote Physiologic Monitoring (RPM) Services 
Furnished During the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency
III. Waiver of Proposed Rulemaking
IV. Collection of Information Requirements
V. Response to Comments
VI. Regulatory Impact Analysis
Regulations Text

CPT (Current Procedural Terminology) Copyright Notice

    Throughout this IFC, we use CPT codes and descriptions to refer to 
a variety of services. We note that CPT codes and descriptions are 
copyright 2019 American Medical Association. All Rights Reserved. CPT 
is a registered trademark of the American Medical Association (AMA). 
Applicable Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) and Defense Federal 
Acquisition Regulations (DFAR) apply.

I. Background

    The United States is responding to an outbreak of respiratory 
disease caused by a novel (new) coronavirus that was first detected in 
China and which has now been detected in more than 190 countries 
internationally, and all 50 States and the District of Columbia. The 
virus has been named ``severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 
2'' (SARS-CoV-2'') and the disease it causes has been named 
``coronavirus disease 2019'' (``COVID-19'').
    On January 30, 2020, the International Health Regulations Emergency 
Committee of the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the outbreak 
a ``Public Health Emergency of international concern''. On January 31, 
2020, Health and Human Services Secretary, Alex M. Azar II, determined 
that a Public Health Emergency (PHE) exists for the United States to 
aid the nation's healthcare community in responding to COVID-19 
(hereafter referred to as the PHE for the COVID-19 pandemic) and on 
April 21, 2020, Secretary Azar renewed, effective April 26, 2020, the 
determination that a PHE exists. On March 11, 2020, the WHO publicly 
declared COVID-19 a pandemic. On March 13, 2020, the President of the 
United States declared the COVID-19 pandemic a national emergency.
    Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that are common in 
people and many different species of animals, including camels, cattle, 
cats, and bats. Rarely, animal coronaviruses can infect people and then 
spread between people such as with MERS-CoV, SARS-CoV, and now with 
this new virus (SARS-CoV-2).
    The complete clinical picture with regard to COVID-19 is not fully 
known. Reported illnesses have ranged from very mild (including some 
with no reported symptoms) to severe, including illness resulting in 
death. While information so far suggests that much COVID-19 illness is 
mild, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports find 
that in the United States, between March 1 and 28, 2020, the overall 
laboratory-confirmed COVID-19-associated hospitalization rate was 4.6 
per 100,000 population.\1\ A pandemic is a global outbreak of disease. 
Pandemics happen when a new virus emerges to infect people and can 
spread sustainably, from person-to-person. The virus, SARS-CoV-2, that 
causes COVID-19 is infecting people and spreading easily worldwide from 
person-to-person because there is little to no pre-existing immunity. 
This is the first pandemic known to be caused by the emergence of a new 
coronavirus.\2\
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    \1\ https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6915e3.htm.
    \2\ https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/cases-updates/summary.html.
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    People in places where ongoing community spread of the virus that 
causes COVID-19 has been reported are at elevated risk of exposure, 
with the level of risk dependent on the location. Healthcare workers 
caring for patients with COVID-19 are at elevated risk of exposure. 
Close contacts of persons with COVID-19 also are at elevated risk of 
exposure.
    The CDC has reported that some people are at higher risk of getting 
very sick from this illness.\3\ This includes:
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    \3\ https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6915e3.htm.

 Older adults, with risk increasing by age.
 People who have serious chronic medical conditions like:
++ Obesity
++ Cardiovascular disease
++ Diabetes mellitus
++ Hypertension
++ Chronic lung disease.

The CDC has developed guidance to help in the risk assessment and 
management of people with potential exposures to COVID-19, including 
recommending that health care professionals make every effort to 
interview a person under investigation for infection by telephone, text 
monitoring system, or video conference.\4\
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    \4\ https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/cases-updates/summary.html.

    As the healthcare community establishes and implements recommended 
infection prevention and control practices, regulatory agencies under 
appropriate waiver authority granted by the PHE for the COVID-19 
pandemic declaration are also working to revise and implement 
regulations that work in concert with healthcare community infection 
prevention and

[[Page 27553]]

treatment practices. Based on the current and projected increase in the 
rate of incidence of the COVID-19 disease in the US population, and 
observed fatalities in the elderly population, who are particularly 
vulnerable due to age and co-morbidities, and additionally, the impact 
on health workers who are at increased risk due to treating the 
population, we believe that certain regulations should be reviewed and 
revised as appropriate to offer providers and suppliers additional 
flexibilities in furnishing services to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. 
We are addressing some of these regulations in a previous IFC which 
appeared in the April 6, 2020 Federal Register (85 FR 19230) with an 
effective date of March 31, 2020 (hereafter referred to as the ``March 
31st COVID-19 IFC''). In this interim final rule with comment period 
(IFC), we are revising additional regulations to ensure that sufficient 
health care items and services are available to meet the needs of 
individuals enrolled in the programs under Title XVIII (Medicare) and 
Title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act (the Act), or in the 
identified programs authorized under the Affordable Care Act. In 
addition, we are implementing regulations in response to recent 
legislation including the Coronavirus Preparedness and Response 
Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2020 (Pub. L. 116-123, March 6, 2020), 
the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (Pub. L. 116-127, March 18, 
2020), and the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act 
(CARES Act) (Pub. L. 116-136, March 27, 2020).
    In this extraordinary circumstance, we recognize that the COVID-19 
pandemic greatly increases the overall risk to public health. We 
believe that this increased risk results in an immediate change, not 
only in the circumstances under which services can safely occur, but 
also in to the business relationships among providers, suppliers, and 
practitioners. By increasing access to hospital and community mental 
health services furnished in temporary expansion locations of the 
hospital including the patient's home, increasing access to laboratory 
and diagnostic testing in a patient's home or other settings that could 
help to minimize transmission of communicable disease, and improving 
infection control, this IFC will provide the necessary flexibility for 
Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries to be able to receive medically 
necessary services without jeopardizing their health or the health of 
those who are providing those services, while also minimizing the 
overall risk to public health. Notably, all final provisions included 
in this IFC are only for the duration of the PHE for the COVID-19 
pandemic, unless otherwise indicated.
    We also acknowledge that the COVID-19 PHE has created a lack of 
predictability for many ACOs regarding the impact of expenditure and 
utilization changes on historical benchmarks and financial performance, 
created uncertainty around future program participation, and disrupted 
population health activities as clinicians, care coordinators, and 
financial and other resources are diverted to address immediate acute 
care needs. We are amending the Shared Savings Program regulations in 
order to address the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and encourage 
continued participation by ACOs. In addition, this IFC also provides 
flexibility to states operating a BHP to seek certification for 
temporary significant changes to its BHP Blueprint that are directly 
tied to the PHE for the COVID-19 pandemic, including the ability to 
apply the changes retroactively to the start of the PHE. Finally, in 
light of these extraordinary circumstances and the immediate need for 
QHP issuers to divert resources to responding to the COVID-19 PHE, we 
are delaying by 60 days the date when individual market issuers must be 
in compliance with the separate billing policy. Under this 60-day 
delay, QHP issuers must comply with the separate billing policy 
beginning on or before the QHP issuer's first billing cycle following 
August 26, 2020.
    As QHP issuers and Exchanges work to respond to the COVID-19 PHE 
and implement and establish policies to ensure access to COVID-19-
related care for enrollees, HHS is working to assess and extend 
regulatory flexibility to QHP issuers, Exchanges, and other health 
industry stakeholders where doing so may enable these stakeholders to 
divert existing resources to aiding the COVID-19 PHE response. We 
believe extending the deadline 60 days for QHP issuers and Exchanges to 
comply with the separate billing policy is appropriate so that they may 
adequately respond to and divert resources to address the COVID-19 PHE.
    Also, consistent with section 3708 of the CARES Act, we are 
expanding 42 CFR parts 409, 424.22, 424.507(b), 440.70 and part 484 to 
permit nurse practitioners (NPs), clinical nurse specialists (CNSs), 
and physician assistants (PAs) to certify the need for home health 
services and to order services in the Medicare and Medicaid programs.

II. Provisions of the Interim Final Rule With Comment Period (IFC)

    In this IFC, we use the term, ``Public Health Emergency (PHE),'' as 
defined at 42 CFR 400.200. The definition identifies the PHE determined 
to exist nationwide by the Secretary of Health and Human Services (the 
Secretary) under section 319 of the Public Health Service Act on 
January 31, 2020, and renewed effective April 26, 2020, as a result of 
confirmed cases of COVID-19.

A. Reporting Under the Home Health Value-Based Purchasing Model for CY 
2020 During the COVID-19 PHE

    Through this IFC, we are implementing a policy to align the Home 
Health Value-Based Purchasing (HHVBP) Model data submission 
requirements with any exceptions or extensions granted for purposes of 
the Home Health Quality Reporting Program (HH QRP) during the PHE for 
COVID-19. We are also implementing a policy for granting exceptions to 
the New Measures data reporting requirements under the HHVBP Model 
during the PHE for COVID-19. Specifically, during the PHE for COVID-19, 
to the extent that the data that participating HHAs in the nine HHVBP 
Model states are required to report are the same data that those HHAs 
are also required to report for the HH QRP, HHAs are required to report 
those data for the HHVBP Model in the same time, form and manner that 
HHAs are required to report those data for the HH QRP. As such, if CMS 
grants an exception or extension that either excepts HHAs from 
reporting certain quality data altogether, or otherwise extends the 
deadlines by which HHAs must report those data, the same exceptions 
and/or extensions apply to the submission of those same data for the 
HHVBP Model. In addition, in this IFC, we are adopting a policy to 
allow exceptions or extensions to New Measure reporting for HHAs 
participating in the HHVBP Model during the PHE for COVID-19.
    As authorized by section 1115A of the Act and finalized in the CY 
2016 HH PPS final rule (80 FR 68624), the HHVBP Model has an overall 
purpose of improving the quality and delivery of home health care 
services to Medicare beneficiaries. The specific goals of the Model are 
to: (1) Provide incentives for better quality care with greater 
efficiency; (2) study new potential quality and efficiency measures for 
appropriateness in the home health setting; and (3) enhance the current 
public reporting process. All Medicare certified HHAs providing 
services in Arizona, Florida, Iowa, Nebraska, North

[[Page 27554]]

Carolina, Tennessee, Maryland, Massachusetts, and Washington are 
required to compete in the Model. The HHVBP Model uses the waiver 
authority under section 1115A(d)(1) of the Act to adjust Medicare 
payment rates under section 1895(b) of the Act based on the competing 
HHAs' performance on applicable measures. The maximum payment 
adjustment percentage increases incrementally over the course of the 
HHVBP Model in the following manner, upward or downward: (1) 3 percent 
in CY 2018; (2) 5 percent in CY 2019; (3) 6 percent in CY 2020; (4) 7 
percent in CY 2021; and (5) 8 percent in CY 2022. Payment adjustments 
are based on each HHA's Total Performance Score (TPS) in a given 
performance year (PY), which is comprised of performance on: (1) A set 
of measures already reported via the Outcome and Assessment Information 
Set (OASIS),\5\ completed Home Health Consumer Assessment of Healthcare 
Providers and Systems (HHCAHPS) surveys, and select claims data 
elements; and (2) three New Measures for which points are achieved for 
reporting data.
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    \5\ OASIS is the instrument/data collection tool used to collect 
and report performance data by HHAs.
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    The HHVBP Model utilizes some of the same quality measure data that 
are reported by HHAs for the HH QRP, including HHCAHPS survey data. The 
other HHVBP measures are calculated using OASIS data, which are still 
required to be reported during the PHE; however, we have given 
providers additional time to submit OASIS data (https://www.cms.gov/files/document/covid-home-health-agencies.pdf); claims-based data 
extracted from Medicare fee-for-service (FFS) claims; and New Measure 
data. To assist HHAs while they direct their resources toward caring 
for their patients and ensuring the health and safety of patients and 
staff, we are adopting a policy for the HHVBP Model to align the HHVBP 
data submission requirements with any exceptions or extensions granted 
for purposes of the HH QRP during the PHE for COVID-19. For the same 
reason, we are also establishing a policy for granting exceptions to 
New Measure reporting requirements for HHAs participating in the HHVBP 
Model during the PHE for COVID-19.
    Under this policy, to the extent CMS has granted an exception to 
the HH QRP (for 2019 Q4 and 2020 Qs 1-2 as noted below in this 
section), or may grant any future exceptions or extensions under this 
same program for other CY 2020 reporting periods, HHAs in the nine 
HHVBP Model states do not need to separately report these measures for 
purposes of the HHVBP Model, and those same exceptions apply to the 
submission of those same data for the HHVBP Model. In accordance with 
this policy, if CMS grants an exception or extension under the HH QRP 
that either excepts HHAs from reporting certain quality data 
altogether, or otherwise extends the deadlines by which HHAs must 
report those data, the same exceptions and/or extensions apply to the 
submission of those same data for the HHVBP Model.
    In response to the PHE for COVID-19, on March 27, 2020, we issued 
supplemental public guidance (https://www.cms.gov/files/document/guidance-memo-exceptions-and-extensions-quality-reporting-and-value-based-purchasing-programs.pdf) excepting HHAs from the requirement to 
report any HH QRP data for the following quarters:
     October 1, 2019-December 31, 2019 (Q4 2019).
     January 1, 2020-March 31, 2020 (Q1 2020).
     April 1, 2020-June 30, 2020 (Q2 2020).
    Under our policy to align HHVBP data submission requirements with 
any exceptions or extensions granted for purposes of the HH QRP during 
the PHE for COVID-19, HHAs in the nine HHVBP Model states are not 
required to separately report measure data for these quarters for 
purposes of the HHVBP Model. We note that with regard to the exception 
from the requirement to report Q4 2019 HH QRP data, we do not 
anticipate any issues in calculating the TPSs based on CY 2019 data 
under the HHVBP Model because HHAs had the opportunity to submit these 
Q4 2019 data on a rolling basis.
    In addition, to ensure that HHAs are able to focus on patient care 
in lieu of data submission during the PHE for COVID-19, in this IFC, we 
are establishing a policy to allow us to grant exceptions to New 
Measure reporting for HHAs participating in the HHVBP Model during the 
PHE for COVID-19. We are codifying these changes at Sec.  484.315(b). 
In accordance with this policy, we are granting an exception to all 
HHAs participating in the HHVBP Model for the following New Measure 
reporting requirements:
     April 2020 New Measures submission period (data collection 
period October 1, 2019-March 31, 2020).
     July 2020 New Measures submission period (data collection 
period April 1, 2020-June 30, 2020).
    We note that although the data collection period for the April 2020 
New Measures submission period began in 2019, the data collected during 
this period are used for the calculation of the TPSs for CY 2020 
performance, not CY 2019 data. We further note that HHAs may optionally 
submit part or all of these data by the applicable submission 
deadlines. If we make the determination to grant an exception to New 
Measure data reporting for periods beyond the April and July 2020 
submission periods, for example if the PHE for COVID-19 extends beyond 
the New Measure submission periods we have listed in this IFC, we will 
communicate this decision through routine communication channels to the 
HHAs participating in the HHVBP Model, including but not limited to 
issuing memos, emails and posting on the HHVBP Connect website (https://app.innovation.cms.gov/HHVBPConnect).
    We acknowledge that the exceptions to the HH QRP reporting 
requirements, as well as the modified submission deadlines for OASIS 
data and our exceptions for the New Measures reporting requirements, 
may impact the calculation of performance under the HHVBP Model for the 
performance year (PY) 2020. We also note that while we are able to 
extract the claims-based data from submitted Medicare FFS claims, we 
may need to assess the appropriateness of using the claims data 
submitted for the period of the PHE for COVID-19 for purposes of 
performance calculations under the HHVBP Model. We are evaluating 
possible changes to our payment methodologies for CY 2022 in light of 
this more limited data, such as whether we would be able to calculate 
payment adjustments for participating HHAs for CY 2022, including those 
that continue to report data during CY 2020, if the overall data is not 
sufficient, as well as whether we may consider a different weighting 
methodology given that we may have sufficient data for some measures 
and not others. We are also evaluating possible changes to our public 
reporting of CY 2020 performance year data. We intend to address any 
such changes to our payment methodologies for CY 2022 or public 
reporting of data in future rulemaking.

B. Scope of Practice

    In December 2019, CMS issued a request for feedback in response to 
part of the President's Executive Order (E.O.) 13890 on ``Protecting 
and Improving Medicare for Our Nation's Seniors,'' seeking the public's 
help in identifying additional Medicare regulations which contain more 
restrictive supervision requirements than existing state scope

[[Page 27555]]

of practice laws, or which limit health professionals from practicing 
at the top of their license (for a link to this request for feedback 
see https://www.cms.gov/files/document/request-information-reducing-scope-practice-burden.pdf). In response to this request, we received 
several recommendations from nonphysician practitioners (NPPs) that 
inform CMS policymaking to ensure an adequate number of clinicians are 
able to furnish critical services and tests during the COVID-19 PHE. 
According to the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, 
currently, twenty-two states and DC are considered Full Practice 
Authority (FPA) states because their licensure laws allow full and 
direct patient access to NPs. We are finalizing provisions that address 
several of those recommendations in this section of the IFC, on an 
interim basis for the duration of the PHE. We note that the responses 
to our request for information on these topics did not indicate the 
number of states having more flexible scope of practice rules than our 
federal regulations. In this rule, we are also seeking public feedback 
indicating the number of states to help us understand the scope of 
impact of these changes.
1. Supervision of Diagnostic Tests by Certain Nonphysician 
Practitioners
    Rapid expansion of COVID-19-related diagnostic testing capacity 
(such as lab tests and respiratory imaging) is a top priority in the 
strategy to combat the pandemic. In response to the request for 
feedback discussed above, PAs and NPs recommended regulatory changes 
that would allow them to supervise diagnostic tests because they stated 
that they are currently authorized to do so under their State scope of 
practice rules. We also received feedback from radiologists who did not 
support making any changes to our regulations that would result in any 
inappropriate expansion of the role of NPPs. Currently, under 42 CFR 
410.32(a)(3) of our regulations, physicians and NPPs who are treating a 
beneficiary for a specific medical problem may order diagnostic tests 
when they use the results of the tests in the management of the 
beneficiary's specific medical problem. Specifically, NPPs who furnish 
services that would be physicians' services if furnished by a physician 
(that is, NPs, PAs, CNSs, clinical psychologists (CPs), clinical social 
workers (CSWs), and certified nurse-midwives (CNMs)), and who are 
operating within the scope of their authority under State law and 
within the scope of their Medicare statutory benefit may order 
diagnostic tests when they use the results of the tests in the 
management of the beneficiary's specific medical problem. However, 
under our current regulation at Sec.  410.32(b), only physicians are 
generally permitted to supervise diagnostic tests. The regulation at 
Sec.  410.32(b)(1) provides as a basic rule that all diagnostic tests 
paid under the Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) must be furnished under an 
appropriate specified minimum level of supervision by a physician as 
defined in section 1861(r) of the Act. Section 410.32(b)(2) then 
provides for certain exceptions to which the general basic rule does 
not apply. For instance, under Sec.  410.32(b)(2)(v), the requirement 
that diagnostic tests must be furnished under the appropriate level of 
supervision by a physician does not apply for tests performed by an NP 
or CNS authorized under applicable state law to furnish the test. (We 
note that, as for all services they furnish, the NP or CNS necessarily 
would be working in collaboration with a physician under Sec. Sec.  
410.75 and 410.76, respectively). Similarly, at Sec.  
410.32(b)(2)(vii), the requirement that diagnostic tests must be 
furnished under the appropriate level of supervision by a physician 
does not apply for tests performed by a CNM authorized under applicable 
state law to furnish the test. There are not currently any exceptions 
under Sec.  410.32(b)(2) for services furnished by PAs. As such, any 
diagnostic tests furnished by PAs would need to be under the 
appropriate level of supervision by a physician in accordance with 
Sec.  410.32(b)(1). We note further that our regulation at Sec.  
410.32(b)(3) specifies that only a general level of physician 
supervision is required for diagnostic tests performed by a PA that the 
PA is legally authorized to perform under state law. Of course, all 
services furnished by PAs must meet the physician supervision 
requirements under Sec.  410.74, which generally defers to state law 
requirements that address the requisite practice relationship between 
PAs and physicians, or requires certain documentation of the working 
relationship between the PA and physicians to supervise PA services if 
the issue is not addressed in state law. Thus, while NPs, CNSs, PAs, 
and CNMs are permitted to furnish diagnostic tests to the extent they 
are otherwise authorized under state law to do so, the regulations at 
Sec.  410.32 does not address whether NPs, CNSs, PAs and CNMs may 
supervise others when furnishing diagnostic tests.
    In light of the need to reinforce and increase COVID-19-related 
diagnostic testing capacity throughout the duration of the PHE, and to 
increase the flexibility and availability of health care professionals 
to provide needed care, we are finalizing on an interim basis changes 
to our regulation at Sec.  410.32(b) to add flexibility for NPs, CNSs, 
PAs, and CNMs, which are types of practitioners that have separately 
enumerated benefit categories under Medicare law that permit them to 
furnish services that would be physicians' services if furnished by a 
physician and be paid under Medicare Part B for the professional 
services they furnish directly and ``incident to'' their own 
professional services, to the extent authorized under their State scope 
of practice. The interim changes will ensure that these practitioners 
may order, furnish directly, and supervise the performance of 
diagnostic tests, subject to applicable state law, during the PHE. As 
we observe how rapidly the COVID-19 virus is transmitted in the 
population, we believe this policy will help to ensure that an adequate 
number of health care professionals are available to support critical 
COVID-19-related and other diagnostic testing needs, and provide needed 
medical care. This policy will support the rapid expansion of COVID-19-
related diagnostic testing capacity to quickly identify affected 
individuals and protect against transmission of the virus to vulnerable 
populations, and help to address potential clinical workforce shortages 
that may impact access to services and other diagnostic tests that 
still need to be furnished during the PHE.
    Specifically, we are amending the regulation at Sec.  410.32(b)(1) 
to specify in the basic rule that diagnostic tests covered under 
section 1861(s)(3) of the Act and payable under the PFS must be 
furnished under the appropriate level of supervision by a physician as 
defined under section 1861(r) of the Act or, during the PHE, by a NP, 
CNS, PA, and CNM, as described above. Additionally, we are amending the 
regulation at Sec.  410.32(b)(2)(iii)(B) which addresses supervision of 
COVID-19-related diagnostic psychological and neuropsychological 
testing services to allow these services to be supervised by a NP, CNS, 
PA and CNM as described above, during the PHE, in addition to 
physicians and CPs who are currently authorized to supervise these 
tests. We are also amending the regulation at Sec.  410.32 by adding a 
new paragraph (b)(2)(viii) to allow diagnostic tests to be performed by 
a PA without physician supervision (although as noted above, the 
regulation at Sec.  410.74 continues to apply) when authorized to 
perform the tests under applicable state law. Furthermore, we are 
amending the

[[Page 27556]]

regulation at Sec.  410.32(b)(3) regarding the levels of supervision, 
to also authorize NPs, CNSs, PAs, and CNMs, as described above, during 
the PHE to provide the appropriate level of supervision assigned to 
diagnostic tests. Since we are adding PAs under Sec.  
410.32(b)(2)(viii) to the list of exceptions to the general basic rule 
for supervision during the PHE, and given that the physician 
supervision requirement in the regulation at Sec.  410.74 continues to 
apply, we are removing the parenthetical regarding general physician 
supervision for diagnostic tests furnished by PAs from Sec.  
410.32(b)(3). We are also correcting the typographical error under 
Sec.  410.32(d)(2)(i) regarding documentation and recordkeeping 
requirements to state that when ordering diagnostic tests, the 
physician (or qualified NPP, as defined in paragraph (a)(2) of this 
section), who orders the service must maintain documentation of medical 
necessity in the beneficiary's medical record.
2. Therapy--Therapy Assistants Furnishing Maintenance Therapy (PFS)
    We currently make payment under Medicare Part B for outpatient 
occupational and physical therapy (Sec. Sec.  410.59(a) and 410.60(a), 
respectively) when they are furnished by an individual meeting 
qualifications in part 484 for an occupational therapist (OT) or 
physical therapist (PT), or an appropriately supervised occupational 
therapy assistant (OTA) or physical therapy assistant (PTA). This 
includes our policy for rehabilitative services for which improvement 
of the beneficiary's functional status is expected. However, in cases 
where it is medically necessary to maintain, prevent or slow the 
deterioration of a patient's condition, a separate policy requires the 
skills of a physical or OT, not a PTA or OTA, to carry out a therapist-
established maintenance program, which is generally known as 
``maintenance therapy.'' For services furnished by PTAs and OTAs, 
claims from therapists and providers are required to use the ``CO'' and 
``CQ'' modifiers for their respective OTA and PTA therapy services, to 
indicate that a supervised therapy assistant performed the 
rehabilitative or maintenance therapy services.
    In response to the request for feedback discussed above, therapists 
and therapy providers pointed out that our Part B policy specifying 
that maintenance therapy requires the skills of a therapist is not 
consistent with the policy for services furnished in SNF and Home 
Health Part A settings where PTAs and OTAs are permitted to furnish 
these services. They recommended that we revise our policy to permit 
the treating therapist who established or is responsible for the 
maintenance program plan to determine when it is clinically appropriate 
to delegate the performance of maintenance therapy services to PTAs and 
OTAs, as they are charged with overseeing a patient's course of 
treatment and assigning responsibilities to assistants. They suggested 
that permitting PTAs and OTAs to furnish maintenance therapy services 
would give Medicare patients greater access to care and permit 
therapists and therapy providers more flexibility for resource 
utilization.
    To increase availability of needed health care services during the 
COVID-19 PHE, we believe it is appropriate to synchronize our Part B 
payment policies as suggested by the stakeholders, and to permit the PT 
or OT who established the maintenance program to delegate the 
performance of maintenance therapy services to a PTA or OTA when 
clinically appropriate. We believe that, by allowing PTAs and OTAs to 
perform maintenance therapy services, PTs and OTs will be freed up to 
furnish other services, including such services as non-medication pain 
management therapies that may reduce reliance on opioids or other 
medications, as well as those services related to the COVID-19 PHE that 
require a therapist's assessment and evaluation skills, including 
communication technology-based services (CTBS) that were made available 
for PTs, OTs and speech-language pathologists (SLPs) during the PHE in 
the March 31st COVID-19 IFC (85 FR 19245 and 19265 through 19266).
3. Therapy--Student Documentation (PFS)
    In the CY 2020 PFS final rule,\6\ we simplified medical record 
documentation requirements and finalized a general principle to allow 
the physician, PA, or the advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs), 
specifically, NPs, CNSs, CNMs, and certified registered nurse 
anesthetist (CRNAs) who furnish and bill for their professional 
services to review and verify, rather than re-document, information 
included in the medical record by physicians, residents, nurses, 
students or other members of the medical team. We explained that this 
principle would apply across the spectrum of all Medicare-covered 
services paid under the PFS. We noted that the policy was intended to 
apply broadly, and accordingly amended regulations for teaching 
physicians, other physicians, PAs, and APRNs to expressly provide for 
this flexibility for medical record documentation requirements for 
professional services furnished by physicians, PAs and APRNs in all 
settings.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \6\ Medicare Program; CY 2020 Revisions to Payment Policies 
under the Physician Fee Schedule and Other Changes to Part B Payment 
Policies; Medicare Shared Savings Program Requirements; Medicaid 
Promoting Interoperability Program Requirements for Eligible 
Professionals; Establishment of an Ambulance Data Collection System; 
Updates to the Quality Payment Program; Medicare Enrollment of 
Opioid Treatment Programs and Enhancements to Provider Enrollment 
Regulations Concerning Improper Prescribing and Patient Harm; and 
Amendments to Physician Self-Referral Law Advisory Opinion 
Regulations Final Rule; and Coding and Payment for Evaluation and 
Management, Observation and Provision of Self-Administered 
Esketamine Interim Final Rule (84 FR 62568-63563).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    To increase the availability of clinicians who may furnish 
healthcare services during the PHE, we are announcing a general policy 
that there is broad flexibility for all members of the medical team to 
add documentation in the medical record which is then reviewed and 
verified (signed) by the appropriate clinician. Specifically, on an 
interim basis during the PHE for the COVID-19 pandemic, any individual 
who has a separately enumerated benefit under Medicare law that 
authorizes them to furnish and bill for their professional services, 
whether or not they are acting in a teaching role, may review and 
verify (sign and date), rather than re-document, notes in the medical 
record made by physicians, residents, nurses, and students (including 
students in therapy or other clinical disciplines), or other members of 
the medical team. We note that although there are currently no 
statutory or regulatory documentation requirements that would impact 
payment for therapists when documentation is added to the medical 
record by persons other than the therapist, we are discussing this 
issue in response to stakeholder concerns about burden and in 
consideration of the current COVID-19 PHE. Specifically, this policy 
will ensure that therapists, as members of the clinical workforce, are 
able to spend more time furnishing therapy services, including pain 
management therapies to patients that may minimize the use of opioids 
and other medications, rather than spending time documenting in the 
medical record. We emphasize that our established principle is focused 
on the clinician, as described above who furnishes and bills for their 
professional services rather than the individuals who may enter 
information into the medical record. We want to emphasize that

[[Page 27557]]

information entered into the medical record should document that the 
furnished services are reasonable and necessary.
4. Pharmacists Providing Services Incident to a Physicians' Service
    In response to the request for feedback discussed above, numerous 
stakeholders asked us to clarify that pharmacists are permitted to 
provide services to Medicare beneficiaries incident to the professional 
services of a physician, like other clinical staff or certain other 
clinicians. These stakeholders have asked us, in particular, about 
pharmacists who provide medication management services. Medication 
management is covered under both Medicare Part B and Part D. We are 
clarifying explicitly that pharmacists fall within the regulatory 
definition of auxiliary personnel under our regulations at Sec.  
410.26. As such, pharmacists may provide services incident to the 
services, and under the appropriate level of supervision, of the 
billing physician or NPP, if payment for the services is not made under 
the Medicare Part D benefit. This includes providing the services 
incident to the services of the billing physician or NPP and in 
accordance with the pharmacist's state scope of practice and applicable 
state law. This clarification does not alter current payment policy for 
pharmacist services furnished incident to the professional services of 
a physician or NPP.
    Although fully consistent with current CMS policy, we believe this 
clarification may encourage pharmacists to work with physicians and 
NPPs in new ways that expand the availability of health care services 
during the COVID-19 PHE, and increase access to medication management 
of individuals with substance/opioid use disorder. We emphasize that 
consistent with the Controlled Substances Act (Pub. L. 91-513, enacted 
October 27, 1970), methadone should continue to be dispensed from 
certified and accredited Opioid Treatment Programs (OTPs) under the 
supervision of clinicians who have received appropriate training and 
fully understand the risks of that medication as is required by 
statute.

C. Modified Requirements for Ordering COVID-19 Diagnostic Laboratory 
Tests

    The rapid expansion of COVID-19 diagnostic laboratory testing 
capacity is a top priority in our strategy to combat the pandemic. To 
that end, several large clinical diagnostic laboratory and pharmacy 
businesses are operating community testing sites across the country in 
cooperation with state and federal authorities.\7\ In combination with 
the availability of point of care tests that provide rapid results, 
these sites are a key component in the expansion of COVID-19 testing 
capacity.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \7\ Guidance for Licensed Pharmacists, COVID-19 Test, and 
Immunity Under the PREP Act, HHS, April 8, 2020, https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/authorizing-licensed-pharmacists-to-order-and-administer-covid-19-tests.pdf.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Under Medicare Part B, clinical diagnostic laboratory tests, 
including COVID-19 diagnostic tests, are paid for under the Clinical 
Laboratory Fee Schedule (CLFS), without any beneficiary cost-sharing 
requirements (coinsurance or Part B deductible). See generally sections 
1861(s)(3), 1833(a)(1)(D)(i)(II), (b)(3)(A), (h)(5)(C) and (D), and 
1834A of the Act, and 42 CFR part 414, subpart G.
    Under our current regulation at Sec.  410.32(a), diagnostic 
laboratory tests such as the COVID-19 tests are covered only when they 
are ordered by a physician or other practitioner who is treating the 
beneficiary, and who uses the results of the test in managing the 
patient's specific medical condition. If a patient arrives at a 
community testing site without an order for the test from his or her 
physician or practitioner, Medicare would not currently cover the test.
    We have taken substantial steps to broaden access to safely-
delivered care via telehealth and other communication technology-based 
services during the COVID-19 PHE in an attempt to ensure that a COVID-
19 test could be ordered by a physician or other practitioner treating 
the beneficiary. Notwithstanding these flexibilities, not all 
beneficiaries have access to a doctor to obtain a COVID-19 diagnostic 
laboratory test. The most recently available results from the Medicare 
Current Beneficiary Survey indicated that only 70 percent of Medicare 
beneficiaries view a doctor's office as their source of care. In the 
same survey, 23 percent of beneficiaries indicated that a medical 
clinic, urgent care center, or hospital outpatient department (HOPD) 
was their source of care. HOPDs and urgent care clinics may not be able 
to furnish community patient visits because they are treating an excess 
number of patients already testing positive for the virus. The survey 
also indicated that 7 percent of beneficiaries reported no source of 
care.\8\ We anticipate needing to test many Medicare beneficiaries 
quickly as part of the rapid expansion of COVID-19 testing capacity to 
combat the pandemic. Therefore, the need for a patient to first have a 
visit with a physician or practitioner to obtain an order for COVID-19 
testing to meet Medicare ordering requirements could still present a 
significant barrier to patients who might otherwise seek a test.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \8\ Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Medicare Current 
Beneficiary Survey Chart Book 2016. https://www.cms.gov/Research-Statistics-Data-and-Systems/Research/MCBS/Data-Tables-Items/2016Chartbook.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Prior to the Guidance for Licensed Pharmacists, COVID-19 Test, and 
Immunity Under the PREP Act, which HHS issued on April 8, 2020 (April 
Guidance),\9\ state governments had sought to increase access to 
testing by removing prior authorization of COVID-19 tests in the 
commercial health insurance market.\10\ States and State Boards of 
Pharmacy had also sought to increase physician capacity by permitting 
pharmacists to test for and treat influenza and streptococcus 
infections under protocols.\11\ State Boards of Pharmacy have in turn 
sought to increase pharmacist capacity by relaxing pharmacist to 
pharmacy technician supervision ratios.\12\ With growing supplies of 
tests and in light of the April Guidance we anticipate that States will 
look increasingly to pharmacists and other qualified healthcare 
professionals to order and furnish COVID-19 tests.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \9\ HHS Statements on Authorizing Licensed Pharmacists to Order 
and Administer COVID-19 Tests, HHS, April 8, 2020, https://www.hhs.gov/about/news/2020/04/08/hhs-statements-on-authorizing-licensed-pharmacists-to-order-and-administer-covid-19-tests.html.
    \10\ Karen Pollitz, ``Private Health Coverage of COVID-19: Key 
Facts and Issues,'' Kaiser Family Foundation, March 18, 2020, 
https://www.kff.org/private-insurance/issue-brief/private-health-coverage-of-covid-19-key-facts-and-issues/.
    \11\ National Alliance of State Pharmacy Associations (NASPA), 
Pharmacist Prescribing: ``Test and Treat,'' February 8, 2019, 
available at https://naspa.us/resource/pharmacist-prescribing-for-strep-and-flu-test-and-treat/
    \12\ NASPA. ``COVID-19: Information from the States,'' April 14, 
2020, available at https://naspa.us/resource/covid-19-information-from-the-states/.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Information provided by the CDC shows that the likelihood of severe 
outcomes of COVID-19 illness is highest in adults aged 65 and older and 
people with underlying health conditions, which suggests that the 
Medicare beneficiary population is at particularly high risk from the 
disease.\13\ Additionally, as noted by the CDC in guidance on how to 
protect against COVID-19 infection, some studies have

[[Page 27558]]

suggested that COVID-19 may be spread by people who are not showing 
symptoms.\14\ We believe it is vital for Medicare beneficiaries to have 
broad access to COVID-19 testing so that they can properly monitor 
their symptoms, make prompt decisions about seeking further care, and 
take appropriate precautions to prevent further spread of the disease.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \13\ Preliminary Estimates of the Prevalence of Selected 
Underlying Health Conditions Among Patients with Coronavirus Disease 
2019--United States, February 12-March 28, 2020. MMWR Morb Mortal 
Wkly Rep 2020;69:382-386. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm6913e2.
    \14\ Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): How to Protect 
Yourself & Others, CDC, https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/prevention.html.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Given the critical importance of expanding COVID-19 testing to 
combat the pandemic and the heightened risk that the disease presents 
to Medicare beneficiaries, we are amending our regulation at Sec.  
410.32(a) to remove the requirement that certain diagnostic tests are 
covered only based on the order of a treating physician or NPP. Under 
this interim policy, during the COVID-19 PHE, COVID-19 tests may be 
covered when ordered by any healthcare professional authorized to do so 
under state law. Additionally, because the symptoms for influenza and 
COVID-19 might present in the same way, during the COVID-19 PHE, we are 
also removing the same ordering requirements for a diagnostic 
laboratory test for influenza virus and respiratory syncytial virus, a 
type of common respiratory virus. CMS will make a list of diagnostic 
laboratory tests for which we are removing the ordering requirements 
publicly available. We are removing the treating physician or NPP 
ordering requirement for these additional diagnostic laboratory tests 
only when they are furnished in conjunction with a COVID-19 diagnostic 
laboratory test as medically necessary in the course of establishing or 
ruling out a COVID-19 diagnosis or of identifying patients with an 
adaptive immune response to SARS-CoV-2 indicating recent or prior 
infection. We would not expect there to be any medical necessary reason 
to use the specimen for unrelated or repeat testing. When COVID-19 
diagnostic laboratory testing becomes sufficiently prevalent, 
sensitive, and specific such that laboratory tests for influenza or 
related respiratory conditions are no longer needed to establish a 
definitive COVID-19 diagnosis, we expect that additional testing for 
influenza or related respiratory viral illness would no longer be 
medically necessary. We are also making conforming amendments to our 
regulations at Sec.  410.32(d)(2) and (3) to remove certain 
documentation and recordkeeping requirements associated with orders for 
COVID-19 tests during the COVID-19 PHE, as these requirements would not 
be relevant in the absence of a treating physician's or NPP's order. 
While no order is required under Medicare, we do expect the entity 
submitting the claim to include the ordering or referring NPI 
information on the claim form when an order is written for the test, 
consistent with current billing instructions.
    When COVID-19 tests are furnished without a physician's or NPP's 
order as set forth in this regulation during the COVID-19 PHE, the 
laboratory conducting the tests is required to directly notify the 
patient of the results consistent with other applicable laws, as well 
as meet other applicable test result reporting requirements. 
Comprehensive and timely reporting of all testing results to local 
officials is critical to public health management of the pandemic, and 
we would expect any clinician or laboratory receiving results to report 
those results promptly, consistent with state and local public health 
requirements, typically within 24 hours.

D. Opioid Treatment Programs (OTPs)--Furnishing Periodic Assessments 
via Communication Technology

    In the CY 2020 PFS final rule (84 FR 62634), we finalized an add-on 
code describing periodic assessments furnished by OTPs. The finalized 
add-on code is Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) code 
G2077 (Periodic assessment; assessing periodically by qualified 
personnel to determine the most appropriate combination of services and 
treatment). The medical services described by this add-on code can be 
furnished by a program physician, a primary care physician or an 
authorized healthcare professional under the supervision of a program 
physician or qualified personnel such as NPs and PAs. The other 
assessments, including psychosocial assessments can be furnished by 
practitioners who are eligible to do so under their state law and scope 
of licensure. We note that to bill for the add-on code, the services 
need to be medically reasonable and necessary and that OTPs should 
document the rationale for billing the add-on code in the patient's 
medical record (84 FR 62647).
    In light of the PHE for the COVID-19 pandemic, during which the 
public has been instructed to practice self-isolation or social 
distancing, in the March 31st COVID-19 IFC, we revised Sec.  
410.67(b)(3) and (4) to allow the therapy and counseling portions of 
the weekly bundles of services furnished by OTPs, as well as the add-on 
code for additional counseling or therapy, to be furnished using audio-
only telephone calls rather than via two-way interactive audio-video 
communication technology during the PHE for the COVID-19 pandemic if 
beneficiaries do not have access to two-way audio/video communications 
technology, provided all other applicable requirements are met (85 FR 
19258).
    In addition to the flexibilities described above, we have 
determined that it is also necessary to revise Sec.  410.67(b)(7) on an 
interim final basis to allow periodic assessments to be furnished 
during the PHE for the COVID-19 pandemic via two-way interactive audio-
video communication technology. In addition, in cases where 
beneficiaries do not have access to two-way audio-video communications 
technology, the periodic assessments may be furnished using audio-only 
telephone calls rather than via two-way interactive audio-video 
communication technology, provided all other applicable requirements 
are met. We believe this change is necessary to ensure that 
beneficiaries with opioid use disorders are able to continue to receive 
these important services during the PHE for the COVID-19 pandemic. 
While we will allow this flexibility during the PHE for the COVID-19 
pandemic, we expect that OTPs will use clinical judgment to determine 
whether they can adequately perform the periodic assessment over audio-
only phone calls, and if not, then they should perform the assessment 
using two-way interactive audio-video communication technology or in 
person as clinically appropriate. Regardless of the format that is 
used, the OTP should document in the medical record the reason for the 
assessment and the substance of the assessment.
    Additionally, we note that SAMHSA has offered flexibilities to 
states to ensure that individuals being treated with medication for 
opioid use disorders can continue to receive their medication during 
the PHE for the COVID-19 pandemic. SAMHSA provides specific guidance 
for OTPs on its website at SAMHSA.gov/coronavirus. The following is a 
list of resources posted on the SAMHSA website as of the time of 
publication of this rule:
     Opioid Treatment Program (OTP) Guidance (March 16, 2020) 
available at https://www.samhsa.gov/sites/default/files/otp-guidance-20200316.pdf.
     OTP Guidance for Patients Quarantined at Home with the 
Coronavirus available at https://www.samhsa.gov/sites/default/files/otp-covid-implementation-guidance.pdf.

[[Page 27559]]

     FAQs: Provision of Methadone and Buprenorphine for the 
Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder in the COVID-19 Emergency available at 
https://www.samhsa.gov/sites/default/files/faqs-for-oud-prescribing-and-dispensing.pdf.
     COVID-19 Public Health Emergency Response and 42 CFR part 
2 Guidance available at https://www.samhsa.gov/sites/default/files/covid-19-42-cfr-part-2-guidance-03192020.pdf.
     Considerations for the Care and Treatment of Mental and 
Substance Use Disorders in the COVID-19 Epidemic: March 20, 2020 
available at https://www.samhsa.gov/sites/default/files/considerations-care-treatment-mental-substance-use-disorders-covid19.pdf.

E. Treatment of Certain Relocating Provider-Based Departments During 
the COVID-19 PHE

1. Background
    In 2015, the Congress addressed payments for services furnished by 
certain off-campus provider-based departments (PBDs) through section 
603 of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 (BBA 2015) (Pub. L. 114-74, 
enacted November 2, 2015). In the CY 2017 Outpatient Prospective 
Payment System (OPPS) and Ambulatory Surgical Center Payment System 
(ASC) proposed rule, we discussed the provisions of section 603 of the 
BBA 2015, which amended section 1833(t) of the Act (81 FR 45681). For 
the full discussion of our initial implementation of this provision, we 
refer readers to the CY 2017 OPPS/ASC final rule with comment period 
(81 FR 79699 through 79719) and interim final rule with comment period 
(81 FR 79720 through 79729).
    Section 603 of the BBA 2015 amended section 1833(t) of the Act by 
amending paragraph (1)(B) and adding a new paragraph (21). As a general 
matter, under sections 1833(t)(1)(B)(v) and (t)(21) of the Act, 
applicable items and services furnished by certain off-campus 
outpatient departments (OPD) of a provider on or after January 1, 2017 
are not considered covered OPD services as defined under section 
1833(t)(1)(B) of the Act for purposes of payment under the OPPS and are 
instead paid ``under the applicable payment system'' under Medicare 
Part B if the requirements for payment are otherwise met.
    In the CY 2017 OPPS/ASC final rule with comment period (81 FR 79699 
through 79719) and the interim final rule with comment period (81 FR 
79720 through 79729), we established a number of policies to implement 
section 603 of the BBA 2015. Broadly, we finalized policies that define 
whether certain items and services furnished by a given off-campus PBD 
may be considered excepted, and thus, continue to be paid under the 
OPPS; established the requirements for the off-campus PBDs to maintain 
excepted status (both for the excepted off-campus PBDs and for the 
items and services furnished by excepted off-campus PBDs); and 
described the applicable payment system for non-excepted items and 
services (generally, the PFS).
    We created the ``PO'' modifier in the CY 2015 Outpatient 
Prospective Payment System Final Rule (79 FR 66910-66914), which is 
reported with every HCPCS code for all outpatient hospital items and 
services furnished in an excepted off-campus PBD of a hospital. In the 
CY 2017 OPPS/ASC final rule with comment period (81 FR 79699 through 
79719) and the interim final rule with comment period (81 FR 79720 
through 79729), we created the ``PN'' modifier to collect data for 
purposes of implementing section 603 of the BBA 2015 and also to 
trigger payment under the newly adopted PFS-equivalent rates (50 
percent of the OPPS for CY 2017) for non-excepted items and services. 
In the CY 2018 PFS final rule (82 FR 53023 through 53030), the PFS 
Relativity Adjuster was revised to be 40 percent of the OPPS rate 
beginning in CY 2018.
2. Definition of Off-Campus Outpatient Department (OPD)
    Under section 603 of the BBA 2015, certain ``off-campus departments 
of a provider'' are considered ``non-excepted'' and paid under the 
``applicable payment system'' instead of the OPPS. In defining the term 
``off-campus outpatient department of a provider,'' section 
1833(t)(21)(B)(i) of the Act specifies that the term means a department 
of a provider (as defined at 42 CFR 413.65(a)(2) as that regulation was 
in effect on November 2, 2015, the date of enactment of the BBA 2015) 
that is not located on the campus (as defined in Sec.  413.65(a)(2)), 
of the provider or within the distance (described in the definition of 
campus) from a remote location of a hospital facility (as defined in 
Sec.  413.65(a)(2)). The definition of ``campus'' in Sec.  413.65(a)(2) 
includes the physical area immediately adjacent to the provider's main 
buildings, other areas and structures that are not strictly contiguous 
to the main buildings but are located within 250 yards of the main 
buildings, and any other areas determined on an individual case basis, 
by the CMS regional office (RO), to be part of the provider's campus.
    We note that on March 30, 2020, the Secretary issued several 
waivers \15\ under section 1135(b) of the Act in response to the PHE 
for the COVID-19 pandemic, including a waiver of Medicare's provider-
based rules in Sec.  413.65. Importantly, the waiver does not determine 
whether a PBD is excepted or non-excepted for purposes of section 603 
of the BBA 2015, and the definitions in Sec.  413.65 that section 603 
cross-references, including the definition of campus at Sec.  
413.65(a)(2), remain relevant to that determination.
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    \15\ https://www.cms.gov/files/document/summary-covid-19-emergency-declaration-waivers.pdf.
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    We note that the definition of ``applicable items and services'' 
specifically excludes items and services furnished by a dedicated 
emergency department as defined at 42 CFR 489.24(b). Section 
1833(t)(21)(B)(ii) of the Act also excepts from the definition of 
``off-campus outpatient department of a provider,'' for purposes of 
paragraphs (1)(B)(v) and (21)(B) of the section, an off-campus PBD that 
was billing under section 1833(t) of the Act with respect to covered 
OPD services furnished prior to November 2, 2015, the date of enactment 
of the BBA 2015. As a result, the definition of ``off-campus outpatient 
department of a provider'' does not include:
     Off-campus PBDs that were billing under the OPPS for 
covered OPD services furnished prior to November 2, 2015;
     PBDs located on the campus of a hospital;
     Those PBDs within the distance (described in the 
definition of campus at Sec.  413.65(a)(2), as of November 2, 2015) of 
a remote location of a hospital facility; or
     Those PBDs determined by the CMS Regional Office to be 
part of the provider's campus.
    The items and services furnished by these excepted off-campus PBDs 
on or after January 1, 2017 continue to be paid under the OPPS.
3. Extraordinary Circumstances Policy
    In implementing section 603 of the BBA 2015, we recognized the need 
to determine the status of PBDs that had been excepted but subsequently 
relocated. In 42 CFR 419.48(a)(2), we established a policy that 
excepted off-campus PBDs that have not impermissibly relocated can 
remain excepted. Generally speaking, this means that excepted PBDs that 
relocate will typically lose their excepted status and be paid under 
the applicable payment system (generally the PFS) instead. In the CY 
2017 OPPS/ASC final

[[Page 27560]]

rule (81 FR 79705), we also explained that on-campus PBDs, which are 
considered excepted due to their on-campus status, that relocate off-
campus would be considered non-excepted following their relocation. In 
other words, excepted on-campus and off-campus PBDs that relocate to an 
off-campus location are then typically paid the PFS-equivalent rate for 
items and services.
    In the CY 2017 OPPS/ASC proposed rule (81 FR 45684), we sought 
comment on potential extraordinary circumstances outside of a 
hospital's control that may lead a hospital to relocate an off-campus 
PBD. In the CY 2017 OPPS/ASC final rule (81 FR 79704 through 79706), we 
finalized a policy to allow excepted off-campus PBDs to relocate, 
temporarily or permanently, without loss of excepted status, for 
extraordinary circumstances outside of the hospital's control, such as 
natural disasters, significant seismic building code requirements, or 
significant public health and public safety issues. We also finalized 
that CMS Regional Offices would evaluate and approve or deny these 
relocation requests. In 2017, we provided additional subregulatory 
guidance on the process to request an extraordinary circumstances 
relocation exception, including the requested minimum information 
hospitals should submit to support such a request.\16\
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    \16\ https://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Medicare-Fee-for-Service-Payment/HospitalOutpatientPPS/Downloads/Subregulatory-Guidance-Section-603-Bipartisan-Budget-Act-Relocation.pdf.
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4. Extraordinary Circumstances for Relocating PBDs During the PHE for 
the COVID-19 Pandemic
    We continue to believe that our current extraordinary circumstances 
policy is appropriate under normal circumstances. However, we wish to 
give hospitals that provide services to Medicare beneficiaries the 
flexibility to respond effectively to the serious public health threats 
posed by the COVID-19 PHE. We are aware that many hospitals are 
repurposing existing clinical and non-clinical space for use as 
temporary expansion sites to furnish inpatient and outpatient care 
during the PHE for the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, we recognize 
that many hospitals are financially constrained due to the reduction in 
volume caused by the PHE for the COVID-19 pandemic.\17\ We believe 
these constraints may have led, in certain cases, to hospitals 
furloughing or otherwise laying off clinical staff. Congress recognized 
these financial constraints in the passage of the CARES Act and the 
$100 billion appropriation \18\ for Medicare and Medicaid providers and 
suppliers for, among other things, health care-related expenses or lost 
revenues that are attributable to coronavirus. Nonetheless, we remain 
concerned that if an excepted PBD that was previously paid the OPPS 
rate relocates off-campus due to the COVID-19 PHE, some hospitals would 
have difficulty sustaining operations for necessary services during the 
COVID-19 PHE at the PBD if they were paid a reduced rate for services 
that would have otherwise been paid the OPPS rate but for the fact that 
the COVID-19 PHE necessitated the temporary relocation of the excepted 
off-campus or on-campus department. Recognizing the urgency of this 
situation and understanding that hospitals may need additional 
flexibilities and financial stability to quickly expand capacity to 
mitigate the impact of the pandemic on Medicare beneficiaries and the 
American public, we are adopting a temporary relocation exception 
policy specific to the PHE for the COVID-19 pandemic so that hospitals 
can maintain treatment capacity and deliver needed care for patients.
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    \17\ For example, analysis of Medicare claims in the Integrated 
Data Repository paid through mid-April 2020 for hospital inpatient 
services furnished in the final week of March 2020 shows significant 
decreases (more than 50%), relative to claims paid through mid-April 
2019 for hospital services furnished in the final week of March 
2019, for certain high-volume elective procedures, like total knee 
arthroplasty and total hip arthroplasty. We note that any analysis 
of 2020 claims data is preliminary since providers have up to a year 
after a service is rendered to submit a claim.
    \18\ This appropriation is included in Title VIII of the CARES 
Act as part of the Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund.
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    For purposes of enabling greater hospital flexibility, and, in 
particular, enabling hospitals to rapidly develop temporary expansion 
sites for patient care, we are temporarily adopting an expanded version 
of the extraordinary circumstances relocation policy during the COVID-
19 PHE to include on-campus PBDs that relocate off-campus during the 
COVID-19 PHE for the purposes of addressing the COVID-19 pandemic. Our 
policy has historically applied only to excepted off-campus departments 
that relocate to a different off-campus location for extraordinary 
circumstances outside of the hospital's control, that submit an 
extraordinary relocation exception request to their CMS Regional 
Office, and for which the CMS Regional Office evaluates and approves 
the request. However, on-campus departments that relocate on or after 
March 1, 2020 through the remainder of the PHE for the purposes of 
addressing the COVID-19 pandemic may also seek an extraordinary 
circumstances relocation exception so that they may bill at the OPPS 
rate, as long as their relocation is not inconsistent with the state's 
emergency preparedness or pandemic plan. We believe it is important for 
hospitals to align their PBD relocations with the state's emergency 
preparedness or pandemic plans to ensure continuity with state efforts, 
as well as efforts by other health care providers in their community, 
to mitigate the effects of the PHE for the COVID-19 pandemic.
    We note that this temporary extraordinary circumstances policy is 
time-limited to the PHE for COVID-19 to enable short-term hospital 
relocation of excepted off-campus and on-campus departments to improve 
access to care for patients during this time. The temporary 
extraordinary circumstances relocation policy established here will end 
following the end of the PHE for the COVID-19 pandemic, and we 
anticipate that most, if not all, PBDs that relocate during the COVID-
19 PHE will relocate back to their original location prior to, or soon 
after, the COVID-19 PHE concludes. Hospitals that choose to permanently 
relocate these PBDs off-campus would be considered new off-campus PBDs 
billing after November 2, 2015, and therefore, would be required to 
bill using the PN modifier for hospital outpatient services furnished 
from that PBD location and would be paid the PFS-equivalent rate 
following the end of the COVID-19 PHE.
    Following the COVID-19 PHE, hospitals may seek an extraordinary 
circumstances relocation exception for excepted off-campus locations 
that have permanently relocated, but these hospitals would need to 
follow the standard extraordinary circumstances application process we 
adopted in CY 2017 \19\ and file an updated CMS-855A enrollment form to 
reflect the new address(es) of the PBD(s). We note that our standard 
relocation exception policy only applies to excepted off-campus PBDs 
that relocate; on-campus PBDs that wish to permanently relocate off-
campus will not be able to receive an extraordinary circumstances 
relocation exception under the standard extraordinary circumstances 
relocation request process after the conclusion of the COVID-19 PHE. We 
also note that hospitals should not rely on having relocated the off-
campus PBD during the COVID-19 PHE as the reason the off-campus PBD 
should be permanently excepted following the end of the

[[Page 27561]]

COVID-19 PHE. In other words, the fact that the off-campus PBD 
relocated in response to the pandemic will not, by itself, be 
considered an ``extraordinary circumstance'' for purposes of a 
permanent relocation exception, although CMS Regional Offices will 
continue to have discretion to approve or deny relocation requests for 
hospitals that apply after the COVID-19 PHE, depending on if the 
relocation request meets the requirements for the normal extraordinary 
circumstances exception. Following the COVID-19 PHE, if temporarily 
relocated off-campus PBDs do not go back to their original location, 
they will be considered to be non-excepted PBDs and paid the PFS-
equivalent rate.
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    \19\ https://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Medicare-Fee-for-Service-Payment/HospitalOutpatientPPS/Downloads/Subregulatory-Guidance-Section-603-Bipartisan-Budget-Act-Relocation.pdf.
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5. New Exception Process for Extraordinary Circumstances Relocation of 
Existing On-Campus and Excepted Off-Campus PBDs
    We are also taking steps to streamline the process for the 
extraordinary circumstances relocation exceptions for purposes of 
addressing the COVID-19 pandemic during the PHE. Specifically, using 
the process outlined below, both excepted off-campus and on-campus PBDs 
may relocate to off-campus locations during the COVID-19 PHE and begin 
furnishing and billing for services under the OPPS in the new location 
prior to submitting documentation to the RO to support the 
extraordinary circumstances relocation request.
    Importantly, if the relocation is denied by the RO under the 
extraordinary circumstances policy, and the hospital did not bill for 
them using the ``PN'' modifier, any claims billed under the OPPS in the 
new location would need to be reprocessed as having been billed by a 
non-excepted PBD and will instead be paid the PFS-equivalent rate. Non-
excepted off-campus departments will continue to be non-excepted during 
the COVID-19 PHE, even if they relocate, and thus, will continue to be 
paid the PFS-equivalent rate. They do not need to follow the process 
outlined below for relocation approval since they are already, and will 
continue to be, non-excepted.
     Hospitals with on-campus and excepted off-campus PBDs that 
relocate due to the COVID-19 PHE in a manner that is not inconsistent 
with their state's emergency preparedness or pandemic plan should 
append modifier ``PO'' to OPPS claims for services furnished at the 
relocated PBDs. This modifier indicates a service that is provided at 
an excepted off-campus PBD and is paid the OPPS payment rate.
     In place of the process adopted in the CY 2017 OPPS/ASC 
final rule with comment period (81 FR 79704 through 79705) and included 
in the existing subregulatory guidance under which off-campus PBDs can 
apply for an extraordinary circumstance relocation exception,\20\ all 
hospitals that relocate excepted on- or off-campus PBDs to off-campus 
locations in response to the COVID-19 PHE should notify their CMS 
Regional Office by email of their hospital's CCN; the address of the 
current PBD; the address(es) of the relocated PBD(s); the date which 
they began furnishing services at the new PBD(s); a brief justification 
for the relocation and the role of the relocation in the hospital's 
response to COVID-19; and an attestation that the relocation is not 
inconsistent with their state's emergency preparedness or pandemic 
plan. We expect hospitals to include in their justification for the 
relocation why the new PBD location (including instances where the 
relocation is to the patient's home) is appropriate for furnishing 
covered outpatient items and services.
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    \20\ https://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Medicare-Fee-for-Service-Payment/HospitalOutpatientPPS/Downloads/Subregulatory-Guidance-Section-603-Bipartisan-Budget-Act-Relocation.pdf.
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    To the extent that a hospital may relocate to an off-campus PBD 
that otherwise is the patient's home, only one relocation request 
during the COVID-19 PHE is necessary. In other words, the hospital 
would not have to submit a unique request each time it registers a 
hospital outpatient for a PBD that is otherwise the patient's home; a 
single submission per location is sufficient. Hospitals must send this 
email to their CMS Regional Office within 120 days of beginning to 
furnish and bill for services at the relocated on- or off-campus PBD.
     To provide additional flexibility, for purposes of 
addressing the PHE for the COVID-19 pandemic, hospitals may divide 
their PBD into multiple locations during a relocation. That is, if a 
single excepted PBD location relocates to multiple off-campus PBD 
locations in response to the COVID-19 PHE and in a manner that is not 
inconsistent with the state's emergency preparedness or pandemic plan, 
it will be permissible for all of the off-campus PBDs to which the 
excepted PBD relocated to continue to bill under the OPPS under the 
temporary extraordinary circumstances policy that is in place during 
the COVID-19 PHE. In addition, for purposes of the COVID-19 PHE, 
hospitals may relocate part of their excepted PBD to a new off-campus 
location while maintaining the original PBD location. Said differently, 
if a hospital relocates part of an excepted PBD to one or more off-
campus PBD locations, it would be permissible for the original excepted 
PBD location, as well as the relocated off-campus PBD location(s) of 
that excepted PBD, to continue to bill under the OPPS under the revised 
extraordinary circumstances policy that is in place during the COVID-19 
PHE so long as the extraordinary circumstances policy in effect during 
the COVID-19 PHE (described earlier in this section) is followed. We 
believe these flexibilities are needed for hospitals to respond 
effectively to the COVID-19 PHE. For example, one PBD may need to 
utilize two locations to maintain separation between COVID-positive and 
COVID-negative patients. Further, the relocation or partial relocation 
of an excepted PBD for the extraordinary circumstance of the COVID-19 
PHE could involve a single excepted PBD that relocates (or partially 
relocates) to a patient's home (for purposes of furnishing a covered 
OPD service), which under the Hospitals without Walls initiative, can 
be provider-based to the hospital during the COVID-19 PHE. We note 
that, during the COVID-19 PHE, a patient's home would be considered a 
PBD of the hospital when the patient is registered as a hospital 
outpatient (as discussed in section II.F. of this IFC) and is receiving 
covered OPD services from the hospital.
    However, in most cases we do not anticipate that excepted PBDs 
would need to relocate or partially relocate into many different new 
locations. Rather, we anticipate most multi-relocations or partial 
relocations would be to a limited number of locations as needed to 
respond to the COVID-19 PHE in a manner not inconsistent with the 
state's preparedness and pandemic plan, with the exception being 
multiple relocations to accommodate care in patient's homes. We also 
expect hospitals exercising this flexibility to be able to support that 
the excepted PBD is still the same PBD, just split into more than one 
location. For example, if the excepted PBD was an oncology clinic, we 
would expect that the relocated PBD(s) during the COVID-19 PHE would 
still be providing oncologic services, including in the patient's home 
to the extent such location is made provider based to the hospital.
     If Medicare-certified hospitals will be rendering services 
in relocated excepted PBDs, but intend to bill Medicare for the 
services under the main hospital, no additional provider enrollment 
actions are required (for example, hospitals do not need to submit an 
updated CMS-855A enrollment form) for the off-campus

[[Page 27562]]

relocated site during the COVID-19 PHE. Following the COVID-19 PHE, as 
noted in section II.E.4. of this IFC, hospitals that wish to 
permanently relocate their excepted PBD must file an updated CMS-855A 
enrollment form to reflect the new address(es) of the PBD(s).
    In summary, and as discussed in more detailed above, we are 
adopting a temporary extraordinary circumstances relocation exception 
policy for excepted off-campus PBDs that relocate off-campus during the 
COVID-19 PHE. We are extending that temporary policy to on-campus PBDs 
that relocate off-campus during the COVID-19 PHE, and permitting the 
relocating PBDs to continue to be paid under the OPPS. Finally, we are 
streamlining the process for relocating PBDs to obtain the temporary 
extraordinary circumstances policy exception.

F. Furnishing Outpatient Services in Temporary Expansion Locations of a 
Hospital or a Community Mental Health Center (Including the Patient's 
Home)

    Infection control is one of the primary goals of many initiatives 
CMS has undertaken during the COVID-19 PHE. Through all of the 
flexibilities offered, we have concentrated on increasing providers' 
ability to furnish services at temporary expansion locations, including 
the patient's home, to limit the need for patients to receive care in 
the hospital itself, which could unnecessarily expose the patients or 
providers to the pandemic contagion. Among the types of services that 
beneficiaries would benefit from receiving at temporary expansion 
locations are those critical outpatient services that hospitals, CMHCs, 
and CAHs furnish in their service areas. HOPDs, in particular, furnish 
a wide array of services, from clinic visits and counseling services, 
to complex surgical procedures and emergency care.
    We have taken several actions to create regulatory flexibilities in 
response to the COVID-19 PHE, including publishing the March 31st 
COVID-19 IFC, issuing numerous blanket waivers of requirements for 
health care providers under section 1135 of the Act, and exercising the 
authority granted under section 1812(f) of the Act. Since that time, we 
have received many questions about how hospital outpatient services can 
be furnished when the patient is in a temporary expansion location, 
including his or her home, particularly for those hospital outpatient 
services that typically do not co-occur with a physician or NPP 
furnishing a professional service. Those services are billed only under 
the hospital OPPS when furnished by the hospital and there is no 
professional service that is separately billable under the PFS.
    In addition, we have received questions about how the hospital 
should bill during the COVID-19 PHE when the practitioners typically 
furnishing services in HOPDs are now instead furnishing professional 
services as Medicare telehealth services under section 1834(m) of the 
Act under the flexibilities provided by both the waiver of requirements 
under section 1135(b)(8) of the Act and the March 31st COVID-19 IFC. 
Because we continue to believe that it is important for beneficiaries 
to be able to receive care in temporary expansion locations to maintain 
infection control, we explain in this section the flexibilities that 
are available to hospitals to enable them to furnish outpatient 
services to beneficiaries in their homes (or other temporary expansion 
locations), when such a location is considered to be a PBD of the 
hospital, as permitted under the waivers in effect during the COVID-19 
PHE.
    Under ordinary circumstances, Medicare would not pay for hospital 
outpatient therapeutic services that are furnished to a beneficiary in 
the beneficiary's home or any other location that could not ordinarily 
be provider-based to the hospital. Our regulations at Sec.  
410.27(a)(1)(iii) explicitly include a requirement that therapeutic 
outpatient hospital services must be furnished in the hospital or CAH 
or in a department of the hospital or CAH.
    However, as noted above, we have issued numerous blanket section 
1135 waivers to give health care providers needed flexibility to 
address the COVID-19 PHE.\21\ As part of this initiative, we have 
waived the requirements associated with becoming a PBD of a hospital at 
Sec.  413.65, as well as certain requirements under the Medicare 
conditions of participation in Sec. Sec.  482.41 and 485.623, to 
facilitate the availability of temporary expansion locations. Because 
of these waivers, during the COVID-19 PHE, temporary expansion 
locations, including beneficiaries' homes, can become PBDs of hospitals 
and therapeutic outpatient hospital services furnished to beneficiaries 
in these provider-based locations can meet the requirement that these 
services be furnished in the hospital so long as all other requirements 
are met, including the hospital conditions of participation, to the 
extent not waived, during the COVID-19 PHE. That is, while certain 
locations would not normally be permitted to be considered part of a 
hospital, during the COVID-19 PHE, the section 1135 waivers of the 
provider-based rules allow temporary expansion locations to become 
provider-based to the hospital to bill for medically necessary hospital 
outpatient therapeutic services furnished at those locations, assuming 
all other applicable requirements are met (including, to the extent not 
waived, the hospital conditions of participation).
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    \21\ https://www.cms.gov/files/document/summary-covid-19-emergency-declaration-waivers.pdf.
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    For purposes of clarifying regulatory flexibilities for hospital 
outpatient therapeutic services furnished to beneficiaries in their 
homes or other temporary expansion locations for the duration of the 
COVID-19 PHE, we considered hospital outpatient therapeutic services in 
three categories: (1) Hospital outpatient therapy, education, and 
training services, including partial hospitalization program services, 
that can be furnished other than in-person, and are furnished in a 
temporary expansion location (which may be the patient's home) that is 
a PBD of the hospital or an expanded CMHC; (2) hospital outpatient 
clinical staff services furnished in-person to the beneficiary in a 
temporary expansion location; and (3) hospital services associated with 
a professional service delivered by telehealth. We address each of 
these three categories in more detail below.
1. Hospital Outpatient and CMHC Therapy, Education, and Training 
Services
    In many cases, hospitals provide hospital outpatient therapy 
(including behavioral health), education, and training services that 
are furnished by hospital-employed counselors or other licensed 
professionals. Examples of these services include psychoanalysis, 
psychotherapy, diabetes self-management training, and medical nutrition 
therapy. With few exceptions, the Medicare statute does not have a 
benefit category that would allow these types of professionals (for 
example, counselors, nurses, and registered dieticians) to bill 
Medicare directly for their services. These services can, in many 
cases, be billed by providers such as hospitals under the OPPS or by 
physicians and other practitioners as services incident to their 
professional services under the PFS.
    Potentially the most prominent of these services are partial 
hospitalization program (PHP) services, which comprise an intensive 
outpatient program of psychiatric services provided as an alternative 
to inpatient psychiatric care

[[Page 27563]]

for individuals who have an acute mental illness. We discuss treatment 
of PHP services separately within this section of this IFC.
    Outpatient therapy, education, and training services require 
communication and interaction. Facility staff can effectively furnish 
these services using telecommunication technology and, unlike many 
hospital services, the clinical staff and patient are not required to 
be in the same location to furnish them. We have already stated that 
section 1135 blanket waivers in effect during the COVID-19 PHE allow 
the hospital to consider the beneficiary's home, and any other 
temporary expansion location operated by the hospital during the COVID-
19 PHE, to be a PBD of the hospital, so long as the hospital can ensure 
the locations meet all of the conditions of participation, to the 
extent not waived. In light of the need for infection control and a 
desire for continuity of behavioral health care and treatment services, 
we recognize the ability of the hospital's clinical staff to continue 
to deliver these services even when they are not physically located in 
the hospital. Provided a hospital's clinical staff is furnishing 
hospital outpatient therapy, education, and training services to a 
patient in the hospital (which can include the patient's home so long 
as it is provider based to the hospital), and the patient is registered 
as an outpatient of the hospital, we will consider the requirements of 
the regulations at Sec.  410.27(a)(1) to be met. We remind readers that 
the physician supervision level for the vast majority of hospital 
outpatient therapeutic services is currently general supervision under 
Sec.  410.27. This means a service must be furnished under the 
physician's overall direction and control, but the physician's presence 
is not required during the performance of the service.
    To facilitate public understanding of the types of services we 
believe can be furnished by the hospital to a patient in the hospital 
(including the patient's home if it is a PBD of the hospital) using 
telecommunications technology, we have provided on our website \22\ a 
list of the outpatient therapy, counseling, and educational services 
that hospital clinical staff can furnish incident to a physician's or 
qualified NPP's service during the COVID-19 PHE to a beneficiary in 
their home or other temporary expansion location that functions as a 
PBD of the hospital when the beneficiary is registered as an outpatient 
of the hospital. We note that this list may not include every service 
that falls into this category and we intend to update the list 
periodically, to the extent that would be helpful for public awareness.
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    \22\ www.cms.gov.
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    All services furnished by the hospital still require an order by a 
physician or qualified NPP and must be supervised by a physician or 
other NPP appropriate for supervising the service given their hospital 
admitting privileges, state licensing, and scope of practice, 
consistent with the requirements in Sec.  410.27. We note that 
hospitals may bill for these services as if they were furnished in the 
hospital and consistent with any specific requirements for billing 
Medicare in general, including any relevant modifications in effect 
during the COVID-19 PHE.\23\ We note that when these services are 
provided by clinical staff of the physician or other practitioner and 
furnished incident to their professional services, and are not provided 
by staff of the hospital, the hospital would not bill for the services. 
The physician or other practitioner should bill for such services 
incident to their own services and would be paid under the PFS. As 
always, documentation in the medical record of the reason and necessity 
of the visit is required.
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    \23\ https://www.cms.gov/About-CMS/Agency-Information/Emergency/EPRO/Current-Emergencies/Current-Emergencies-page.
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a. Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP)
    A PHP is an intensive outpatient program of psychiatric services 
provided as an alternative to inpatient psychiatric care for 
individuals who have an acute mental illness, which includes, but is 
not limited to, conditions such as depression and schizophrenia. 
Section 1861(ff)(1) of the Act defines partial hospitalization services 
as the items and services described in paragraph (2) prescribed by a 
physician and provided under a program described in paragraph (3) under 
the supervision of a physician pursuant to an individualized, written 
plan of treatment established and periodically reviewed by a physician 
(in consultation with appropriate staff participating in such program), 
which sets forth the physician's diagnosis, the type, amount, 
frequency, and duration of the items and services provided under the 
plan, and the goals for treatment under the plan. Section 1861(ff)(2) 
of the Act describes the items and services included in partial 
hospitalization services. Section 1861(ff)(3)(A) of the Act specifies 
that a PHP is a program furnished by a hospital to its outpatients or 
by a CMHC, as a distinct and organized intensive ambulatory treatment 
service, offering less than 24-hour-daily care, in a location other 
than an individual's home or inpatient or residential setting. Section 
1861(ff)(3)(B) of the Act defines a CMHC for purposes of this benefit.
    In CY 2018, which is the most recent period for which we have 
complete PHP claims data, there were a total of 482,973 paid PHP days, 
including 394,311 paid PHP days for hospital-based providers and 88,662 
paid PHP days for CMHCs. In comparison, inpatient psychiatric 
facilities (IPFs) billed 4,291,461 utilization days in FY 2019, the 
most recent period for which we have complete IPF claims data. Based on 
this comparison, we estimate that IPF services are utilized between 8 
and 9 times more frequently than PHP services.
    Previously in this section, we identified that infection control is 
a primary goal of CMS initiatives undertaken during the COVID-19 PHE. 
We also believe continuity of behavioral health services is critical 
for those participating in a PHP, particularly at a time of heightened 
anxiety and uncertainty. As noted above, we have issued numerous 
blanket waivers under section 1135 of the Act, including for hospitals 
and CMHCs providing PHP services, to give health care providers needed 
flexibility to address the COVID-19 PHE and support the goal of 
infection control while maintaining access to partial hospitalization 
services and ensuring continuity of care for patients. Effective as of 
March 1, 2020 and for the duration of the COVID-19 PHE, a temporary 
expansion location where the beneficiary may be located, including a 
beneficiary's home, may be a PBD of the hospital, or may be a temporary 
extension of the CMHC (discussed in more detail below).
    Consistent with the goals of infection control and maintaining 
access, for the duration of the COVID-19 PHE only, providers can 
furnish certain partial hospitalization services remotely to patients 
in a temporary expansion location of the hospital or CMHC, which may 
include the patient's home to the extent it is made provider-based to 
the hospital or an extension of the CMHC. PHP services consist of 
unique combinations of services designated at section 1861(ff)(2) of 
the Act, including individual psychotherapy, patient education, and 
group psychotherapy. Certain PHP services such as these require 
communication and interaction, but do not require the clinical staff or 
patient to be in the same location, nor do clinical staff need to be in 
the hospital or CMHC when furnishing these PHP services. Therefore, the

[[Page 27564]]

following types of services--to the extent they were already billable 
as PHP services in accordance with existing coding requirements prior 
to the COVID-19 PHE--can now be furnished to beneficiaries by facility 
staff using telecommunications technology during the COVID-19 PHE: (1) 
Individual psychotherapy; (2) patient education; and (3) group 
psychotherapy. Because of the intensive nature of PHP, we expect PHP 
services to be furnished using telecommunications technology involving 
both audio and video. However, we recognize that in some cases 
beneficiaries might not have access to video communication technology. 
In order to maintain beneficiary access to PHP services, only in the 
case that both audio and video are not possible can the service be 
furnished exclusively with audio. To be clear, services that require 
drug administration cannot be furnished using telecommunications 
technology. To facilitate public understanding of the types of PHP 
services that can be furnished using telecommunications technology by 
the hospital to a patient in the hospital (including the patient's home 
if it is a PBD of the hospital) or by the CMHC to a patient in an 
expanded CMHC location, we have provided on our website \24\ a list of 
the individual psychotherapy, patient education, and group 
psychotherapy services that hospital or CMHC staff can furnish during 
the COVID-19 PHE to a beneficiary in their home or other temporary 
expansion location that functions as a PBD of the hospital or expanded 
CMHC when the beneficiary is registered as an outpatient. We note that 
this list may not include every service that falls into this category 
and we intend to update the list periodically, to the extent that would 
be helpful for public awareness.
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    \24\ www.cms.gov.
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    Although these services can be furnished remotely, all other PHP 
requirements are unchanged and still in effect, including that all 
services furnished under the PHP still require an order by a physician, 
must be supervised by a physician, must be certified by a physician, 
and must be furnished in accordance with coding requirements by a 
clinical staff member working within his or her scope of practice. In 
accordance with the longstanding requirements that are detailed in the 
Medicare Benefit Policy Manual, Pub 100-02, chapter 6, section 70.3, 
documentation in the medical record of the reason for the visit and the 
substance of the visit is required. As noted above, when these services 
are provided by clinical staff of the physician or other practitioner 
and furnished incident to their professional services, and are not 
provided by staff of the hospital or CMHC, the hospital or CMHC would 
not bill for the services. The physician or other practitioner should 
bill for such services incident to their own services and would be paid 
under the PFS.
(i.) Hospital-Based PHP Providers
    As detailed above, in CY 2018, hospital-based providers furnished 
394,311 paid PHP days to Medicare beneficiaries, approximately 81.6 
percent of Medicare-paid PHP days in that year. As part of the 
initiative to promote infection control and maintain access to PHP 
services, we have waived the requirements for being a PBD of the 
hospital in Sec.  413.65, as well as certain requirements under the 
Medicare conditions of participation in Sec. Sec.  482.41 and 485.623, 
to facilitate the availability of temporary expansion locations. As 
noted above, for purposes of the COVID-19 PHE and effective as of March 
1, 2020, a temporary expansion location where the beneficiary may be 
located, including a beneficiary's home, may be a PBD of the hospital 
where the location meets the non-waived conditions of participation. 
Together, these waivers allow hospitals to consider a temporary 
expansion location where the beneficiary may be located, including 
their homes, an HOPD only in the context of the COVID-19 PHE. Thus, for 
the duration of the COVID-19 PHE, we will consider the PHP services 
furnished by hospital clinical staff, when the beneficiary is 
registered as an outpatient of the hospital and in accordance with the 
supervising practitioner's scope of practice, to the beneficiary in a 
temporary expansion location where the beneficiary may be located, 
including a beneficiary's home, to have been furnished in the hospital 
so long as the temporary expansion location is made provider-based to 
the hospital. The hospital should bill for these services as if they 
were furnished in the hospital and consistent with any specific 
requirements for billing Medicare during the COVID-19 PHE.
(ii.) Community Mental Health Centers
    A CMHC is a provider of PHP services defined under section 
1861(ff)(3)(B) of the Act. As detailed above, in CY 2018, CMHCs 
furnished 88,662 paid PHP days to Medicare beneficiaries, approximately 
18.4 percent of Medicare-paid PHP days in that year. For the duration 
of the COVID-19 PHE, we are waiving the restriction at Sec.  
485.918(b)(1)(iii) for the purpose of providing PHP services to CMHC 
patients in their homes, which will be considered a temporary expansion 
location of a CMHC. A temporary expansion location where the 
beneficiary may be located, including the beneficiary's home, can be 
considered part of a CMHC, and certain therapeutic services furnished 
to beneficiaries, when the beneficiary is registered as an outpatient 
of the CMHC, in these temporary expansion locations can meet the 
requirement that these services be furnished in the CMHC. Specifically, 
for the purposes of the COVID-19 PHE and effective as of March 1, 2020, 
we will consider temporary expansion locations where the beneficiary 
may be located, including a beneficiary's home, to be a part of the 
CMHC once a patient is registered as an outpatient of the CMHC, while 
PHP services are being furnished at that location by CMHC staff in 
accordance with the supervising practitioner's scope of practice. 
Therefore, we will consider services furnished in that location to have 
been furnished in the CMHC. The CMHC should bill for these services as 
if they were furnished in the CMHC and consistent with any specific 
requirements for billing Medicare during the COVID-19 PHE.
2. Hospital In-Person Clinical Staff Services in a Temporary Expansion 
Location (Which May the Home)
    Hospitals also provide services that are furnished by clinical 
staff under a physician's or qualified NPP's order that do not require 
professional work by the physician or qualified NPP, and thus, are 
billed only under the OPPS when furnished by the hospital and are not 
separately billable under the PFS. Wound care, chemotherapy 
administration, and other drug administration are examples \25\ of 
these types of services. We note that while surgical services also fall 
under this category, we would not anticipate that they would be 
furnished in a home that becomes provider-based to the hospital, due to 
infection control and operating room requirements. In addition, there 
are several other hospital outpatient therapeutic services that require 
the hospital's clinical staff's presence to furnish the service. The 
current section 1135 blanket waivers in place during the COVID-19 PHE 
allow the patient's home to be considered an outpatient

[[Page 27565]]

PBD of the hospital. With a primary goal of infection control and 
understanding that hospitals must meet the conditions of participation, 
to the extent not waived during the COVID-19 PHE, we are making the 
public aware of the flexibilities that exist during the COVID-19 PHE 
that enable hospitals to furnish these clinical staff services in the 
patient's home as an outpatient PBD and to bill and be paid for these 
services as HOPD services when the patient is registered as a hospital 
outpatient. Because these services have to be provided in person by 
clinical staff, these services cannot be furnished by telecommunication 
technology by the hospital. In these instances, hospital clinical staff 
must be physically present in the patient's home or other temporary 
expansion location that is provider based to the hospital to furnish 
the hospital outpatient therapeutic service. The physician supervision 
level must be met for these services, and we note that for the vast 
majority of therapeutic hospital outpatient services, the required 
supervision level is currently general supervision under Sec.  410.27. 
This means a service is furnished under the physician's overall 
direction and control, but the physician's presence is not required 
during the performance of the service. This includes non-surgical 
extended duration therapeutic services (NSEDTSs), which are services 
that can last a significant period of time, have a substantial 
monitoring component that is typically performed by auxiliary 
personnel, have a low risk of requiring the physician's or appropriate 
NPP's immediate availability after the initiation of the service, and 
are not primarily surgical in nature. Direct supervision is generally 
required for the initiation of these NSEDTs, followed by a general 
supervision requirement for the duration of the service. In the March 
31st COVID-19 IFC, we changed the supervision requirement for NSEDTs to 
instead require a general level of supervision throughout the service, 
including at service initiation, for the duration of the COVID-19 PHE.
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    \25\ With regard to observation services, we note that to bill 
for observation services all existing requirements must be met. 
These requirements are identified in Chapter 4, Section 290 of the 
Medicare Claims Processing Manual.
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    Importantly, during the time period that the patient is receiving 
services from the hospital clinical staff as a registered outpatient, 
the patient's place of residence cannot be considered a home for 
purposes of HHA services. This is because HHAs cannot bill for services 
furnished in PBDs of hospitals, and a patient's home has provider-based 
status when the patient is a registered hospital outpatient and HOPD 
services are being furnished. Because the home is not a traditional 
PBD, and because there are interactions with other types of providers 
or suppliers who may furnish services in the home, but not in the 
``hospital,'' we note that hospitals should only consider the patient 
home to be provider-based to the hospital when the patient is 
registered as a hospital outpatient. When the patient is not receiving 
outpatient services by the hospital, the patient's home can be 
considered a home for purposes of the home health benefit and the HHA 
can furnish and bill for home health services. The hospital should be 
aware if the patient is under a home health plan of care, and it must 
not furnish services to the patient that could be furnished by the HHA 
while the plan of care is active. That is, to the extent that there is 
some overlap between the types of services a HHA and a HOPD can 
provide, and the patient has a current home health plan of care, the 
hospital should only furnish services that cannot be furnished by the 
HHA.
    The fact that these services can be furnished in a patient's home 
or another temporary expansion location that is temporarily provider 
based to the hospital does not change the requirements that all 
services furnished by the hospital require an order by a physician or 
qualified NPP and must be supervised by a physician or other NPP 
appropriate for supervising the service given their hospital admitting 
privileges, state licensing, and scope of practice consistent with the 
requirements in Sec.  410.27. Hospitals should bill for these services 
as they ordinarily bill for services along with any specific billing 
requirements for relocating PBDs specific to billing during a COVID-19 
PHE as discussed in section II.D. of this IFC (that is, appending the 
PO modifier for excepted items and services and the PN modifier for 
nonexcepted services). Information regarding the application of section 
603 of the BBA 2015 to relocating PBDs is available in section II.F.4. 
of this IFC, as well as section II.E. of this IFC.
3. Hospital Services Accompanying a Professional Service Furnished Via 
Telehealth
    The majority of hospital services are furnished in conjunction with 
professional services of physicians and other practitioners. In these 
instances, practitioners furnish and bill separately for their 
professional services indicating the place of service as a HOPD, and 
the hospital bills separately to be paid for the clinical labor, 
equipment, overhead, and capital to support the delivery of that 
professional service. In the March 31st COVID-19 IFC, we instructed 
physicians and other practitioners furnishing telehealth services to 
beneficiaries in their homes as permitted during the COVID-19 PHE to 
bill for those services in the same way they would if they were 
furnishing the services in person (85 FR 19233). For many 
professionals, the HOPD is the usual location where they furnish 
services. For the duration of the COVID-19 PHE and effective March 1, 
2020, when a practitioner who ordinarily practices in a HOPD furnishes 
a telehealth service to a patient who is located at home (or otherwise 
not in a telehealth originating site), they would submit a professional 
claim with the place of service code indicating the service was 
furnished in the HOPD and using the Current Procedural Terminology 
(CPT) telehealth modifier, modifier 95. Medicare would pay the 
practitioner under the PFS at the ``facility'' rate as if the service 
was furnished in the HOPD. We adopted the aforementioned interim rule 
because we believed that, but for the COVID-19 PHE, the physician or 
practitioner would likely have furnished the service in person at their 
usual practice location; and that the service was instead furnished via 
telehealth for purposes of infection control. The March 31st COVID-19 
IFC did not provide for the hospital to submit any claim for the 
service under the aforementioned scenario.
    We acknowledge that when a physician or practitioner who ordinarily 
practices in the HOPD furnishes a telehealth service to a patient who 
is located at home, the hospital would often still provide some 
administrative and clinical support for that service. When a registered 
outpatient of the hospital is receiving a telehealth service, the 
hospital may bill the originating site facility fee to support such 
telehealth services furnished by a physician or practitioner who 
ordinarily practices there. This includes patients who are at home, 
when the home is made provider-based to the hospital (which means that 
all applicable conditions of participation, to the extent not waived, 
are met), under the current waivers in effect for the COVID-19 PHE.
    More specifically, when a telehealth service is furnished by a 
practitioner located at a distant site to a patient who is located in 
the HOPD, the hospital is presumed to provide administrative and 
clinical support resources. In such circumstances, section 
1834(m)(2)(B) of the Act allows for an originating site facility fee to 
be paid to the hospital. Section 1834(m)(2)(B)(ii) of the Act further 
provides that no facility fee shall be paid to an originating site 
described in paragraph (4)(C)(ii)(X) (that is, the home). However, as 
described

[[Page 27566]]

throughout this section, the patient's home may be considered a PBD of 
the hospital during the COVID-19 PHE if other applicable requirements 
(including the non-waived conditions of participation) are met. As 
noted above, because the home is not a traditional PBD, and because 
there are interactions with other types of providers or suppliers who 
may furnish services in the home, but not in the ``hospital,'' we note 
that hospitals should only furnish hospital outpatient services to a 
patient (who is registered as a hospital outpatient) after the 
patient's home has been made provider-based to the hospital for the 
provision of such services. In that event, the home would be serving as 
a PBD of the hospital, and as the originating site for the telehealth 
service furnished by a physician or practitioner located at a distant 
site.
    The originating site facility fee is the statutory payment that is 
made to the facility for providing the site where the patient is 
located, and any other administrative or clinical support, for a 
telehealth service. Therefore, during the COVID-19 PHE, when telehealth 
services are furnished by a physician or practitioner who ordinarily 
practices in the HOPD to a patient who is located at home or other 
applicable temporary expansion location that has been made provider 
based to the hospital, we believe it would be appropriate to permit the 
hospital to bill and be paid the originating site facility fee amount 
for those telehealth services, just as they would have ordinarily done 
outside of the COVID-19 PHE in this circumstance.
    As such, for the duration of the COVID-19 PHE, we are making the 
public aware that under the flexibilities already in effect, when a 
patient is receiving a professional service via telehealth in a 
temporary expansion location that is a PBD of the hospital, and the 
patient is a registered outpatient of the hospital, the hospital in 
which the patient is registered may bill the originating site facility 
fee for the service. As always, documentation in the medical record of 
the reason for the visit and the necessity of the visit is required.
4. Intersection With Payment Policy for Hospital Outpatient PBDs
    As discussed previously, we have waived \26\ the requirements for 
being a PBD of the hospital in Sec.  413.65, as well as certain 
requirements under the Medicare conditions of participation in 
Sec. Sec.  482.41 and 485.623, to facilitate the availability of 
temporary expansion sites. Importantly, these waivers do not determine 
whether a PBD is excepted or non-excepted for purposes of section 603 
of the BBA 2015, and the definitions in Sec.  413.65 that section 603 
cross-references, including the definition of campus at Sec.  
413.65(a)(2), remain relevant to that determination. However, in 
section II.E. of this IFC, we discuss a temporary extraordinary 
circumstances relocation policy for on-campus and excepted off-campus 
hospital outpatient PBDs that relocate due to the COVID-19 PHE, under 
which these PBDs that relocate in accordance with that policy can 
continue to bill and be paid as an on-campus or excepted off-campus PBD 
at the full OPPS payment rate. The hospital's relocation must not be 
inconsistent with their state's emergency preparedness or pandemic 
plan. For purposes of the COVID-19 PHE, on-campus or excepted off-
campus PBDs can be considered to have relocated (or partially 
relocated) to a beneficiary's home, or other temporary expansion 
location of the hospital, when the beneficiary is registered as an 
outpatient of the hospital during service delivery. Under this policy, 
the PBD is still considered either an on-campus or excepted off-campus 
PBD that is not subject to section 603 of the BBA 2015 and would bill 
with the ``PO'' modifier for services furnished to beneficiaries in 
their homes as a relocated (or partially relocated) PBD and will 
receive the full OPPS rate. However, we note that if the hospital does 
not relocate (or partially relocate) an existing on-campus or excepted 
off-campus PBD to the patient's home and does not seek an exception 
under the temporary extraordinary circumstances relocation exception 
policy discussed in section II.E. of this IFC, the patient's home would 
be considered a new non-excepted off-campus PBD and the hospital would 
bill with the ``PN'' modifier and receive the PFS-equivalent rate.
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    \26\ https://www.cms.gov/files/document/summary-covid-19-emergency-declaration-waivers.pdf.
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    Under section II.F.1. of this IFC, we have identified certain 
outpatient therapy, counseling, and educational services that hospital 
clinical staff can furnish (using telecommunications technology) 
incident to a physician's service during the COVID-19 PHE to a 
beneficiary who is registered as an outpatient when those services are 
furnished in the beneficiary's home, which functions as a PBD of the 
hospital. For example, hospital clinical staff can now remotely furnish 
psychotherapy (for example, HCPCS code 90832) to the beneficiary in 
their home, as long as the beneficiary is a registered outpatient of 
the hospital and the patient's home is made provider-based to the 
hospital. In this circumstance, if the hospital considers the 
beneficiary's home a relocated (or partially relocated) PBD, and 
follows the temporary extraordinary circumstances exception policy 
discussed in section II.E. of this IFC, the hospital would bill the 
applicable HCPCS code (for example, HCPCS code 90832) along with 
modifier ``PO'' to receive the full OPPS payment amount. The hospital 
will be paid under the PFS for services furnished to a beneficiary in 
their home if the hospital does not seek an extraordinary circumstances 
relocation exception for their PBD and, if applicable, include the 
patient's home address as one of the locations to which the PBD 
relocated and bill the claim for the services furnished in the 
patient's home using the PO modifier.
5. Summary
    As discussed above, we clarified that hospital and CMHC staff can 
furnish certain outpatient therapy, counseling, and educational 
services (including PHP services) incident to a physician's service 
during the COVID-19 PHE to a beneficiary in their home or other 
temporary expansion location using telecommunications technology. In 
these circumstances, the hospital can furnish services to a beneficiary 
in a temporary expansion location (including the beneficiary's home) if 
that beneficiary is registered as an outpatient; and the CMHC can 
furnish services in an expanded CMHC (including the beneficiary's home) 
to a beneficiary who is registered as an outpatient. We also clarified 
that hospitals can furnish clinical staff services (for example, drug 
administration) in the patient's home, which is considered provider-
based to the hospital during the COVID-19 PHE, and to bill and be paid 
for these services when the patient is registered as a hospital 
outpatient. Further, we clarified that when a patient is receiving a 
professional service via telehealth in a location that is considered a 
hospital PBD, and the patient is a registered outpatient of the 
hospital, the hospital in which the patient is registered may bill the 
originating site facility fee for the service. Finally, we clarified 
the applicability of section 603 of the BBA 2015 to hospitals 
furnishing care in the beneficiaries' homes (or other temporary 
expansion locations), and whether those locations are considered 
relocated, partially relocated, or new PBDs.

[[Page 27567]]

G. Medical Education

1. Indirect Medical Education
a. Overview of Indirect Medical Education
    Section 1886(d)(5)(B) of the Act provides for a payment adjustment 
known as the indirect medical education (IME) adjustment under the 
inpatient prospective payment system (IPPS) for hospitals that have 
residents in an approved Graduate Medical Education (GME) program, to 
account for the higher indirect patient care costs of teaching 
hospitals relative to non-teaching hospitals. The statute describes the 
calculation of the IME payment adjustment, which is applied to the 
(Medicare Severity-Diagnosis Related Group) MS-DRG payments based on 
the ratio of the hospital's number of full-time equivalent (FTE) 
residents training in the portion of the hospital subject to the IPPS 
or in such hospital's outpatient departments (OPDs), as well as 
qualifying non-provider sites to the number of inpatient hospital beds. 
The regulation regarding the calculation of this additional payment is 
located at 42 CFR 412.105.
    The calculation of IME payments is affected by a hospital's 
resident-to-bed ratio, which is the ratio of the number of FTE 
residents that a hospital is allowed to count to the number of 
available beds at the hospital. Generally, the greater the number of 
allowable FTE residents a hospital counts, the greater the amount of 
Medicare IME payments the hospital will receive. Conversely, the 
greater number of beds at the hospital for the same number of 
residents, the lower the amount of the IME payments the hospital will 
receive.
    Similar payment adjustments to reflect the higher costs of 
facilities that train medical interns and residents are applied in the 
inpatient rehabilitation facility (IRF) and IPF contexts (referred to 
as ``teaching status adjustments''). For IRFs, section 1886(j)(3)(A)(v) 
of the Act confers broad authority upon the Secretary to adjust the per 
unit payment rate by such factors as the Secretary determines are 
necessary to properly reflect variations in necessary costs of 
treatment. For example, we adjust the federal IRF prospective payment 
amount to account for facility-level characteristics such as an IRF's 
low-income percentage, teaching status, and location in a rural area, 
if applicable, as described in Sec.  412.624(e). Under Sec.  
412.624(e)(4), for discharges on or after October 1, 2005, we adjust 
the Federal prospective payment on a facility basis by a factor as 
specified by CMS for facilities that are teaching institutions or units 
of teaching institutions. This adjustment is made on a claim basis as 
an interim payment and the final payment in full for the claim is made 
during the final settlement of the cost report.
    Under the regulatory authority set out at Sec.  412.624(e)(4), the 
IRF teaching adjustment is based on the ratio of the number of FTE 
residents training in the IRF divided by the facility's average daily 
census (ADC), subject to a cap. Specifically, the amount of the 
adjustment is calculated by adding 1 to the ratio of interns and 
residents to the ADC, and then raising that sum to the 1.0163 power, as 
described in Chapter 3, Section 140.2.5.4 of the Medicare Claims 
Processing Manual (Pub. 100-04) at https://www.cms.gov/Regulations-and-Guidance/Guidance/Manuals/Internet-Only-Manuals-IOMs.
    For IPFs, section 1886(s) of the Act authorizes the Secretary to 
develop a per diem PPS for inpatient hospital services furnished in 
psychiatric hospitals and psychiatric units (IPFs) in accordance with 
section 124 of the Balanced Budget Refinement Act of 1999 (BBRA) (Pub. 
L. 106-113, November 29, 1999); section 124(a)(1) of the BBRA, in turn 
requires the Secretary to develop an adequate patient classification 
system that reflects the differences in patient resource use and costs 
among IPFs. Under this authority, we adjust the IPF federal per diem 
base rate to account for facility-level characteristics such as being 
located in a rural area, teaching status, and the cost of living for 
IPFs located in Alaska and Hawaii, if applicable, as described in Sec.  
412.424(d). For cost reporting periods beginning on or after January 1, 
2005 under Sec.  412.424(d)(1)(iii), we adjust the Federal per diem 
base rate by a factor to account for indirect teaching costs. This 
adjustment is made on a claim basis as an interim payment and the final 
payment in full for the claim is made during the final settlement of 
the cost report.
    In accordance with Sec.  412.424(d)(1)(iii), an IPF's teaching 
adjustment is based on the ratio of the number of FTE residents 
training in the IPF divided by the facility's ADC, subject to a cap. 
Specifically, the amount of the adjustment is calculated by adding 1 to 
the ratio of interns and residents to the ADC, and then raising that 
sum to the 0.5150 power, as described in Chapter 3, Section 190.6.3 of 
the Medicare Claims Processing Manual (Pub. 100-04) at https://www.cms.gov/Regulations-and-Guidance/Guidance/Manuals/Downloads/clm104c03.pdf.
    We continue to believe that our current policies for calculating 
IME payments and the IRF and IPF teaching status adjustments are 
consistent with the statute and appropriate under normal circumstances. 
However, we wish to give hospitals, IRFs, and IPFs that provide 
services to Medicare beneficiaries the flexibility to respond 
effectively to the serious public health threats posed by COVID-19. 
Recognizing the urgency of this situation, and understanding that 
hospitals may need additional flexibilities to expand capacity in the 
efforts to mitigate the impact of the pandemic on Medicare 
beneficiaries and the American public, we are changing our policies 
during the PHE for the COVID-19 pandemic so that hospitals, IRFs, and 
IPFs do not experience undue reductions in IME or teaching status 
adjustment payment amounts.
b. Holding Hospitals Harmless From Reductions in IME Payments Due to 
Increases in Bed Counts Due to COVID-19
    We have been asked by multiple teaching hospitals if CMS can hold 
hospitals harmless from a reduction in IME payments resulting from the 
temporary increase in the number of available hospital beds due to the 
influx of COVID-19 patients. The IME payment formula (under section 
1886(d)(5)(B) of the Act and Sec.  412.105) is determined in part using 
each teaching hospital's ratio of allowable FTE residents in the 
numerator and available beds in the denominator. To accommodate the 
increase in COVID-19-related patients, many hospitals are increasing 
their number of inpatient beds. Using our exceptions and adjustments 
authority under section 1886(d)(5)(I)(i) of the Act, and to mitigate 
IME payment changes from pre-COVID levels, for the duration of the 
COVID-19 PHE, for purposes of determining a hospital's IME payment 
amount, the hospital's available bed count is considered to be the same 
as it was on the day before the COVID-19 PHE was declared. We are 
revising Sec.  412.105(d)(1), to state that beds temporarily added 
during the timeframe of the COVID-19 PHE, as defined in Sec.  400.200, 
is in effect, are excluded from the calculations to determine IME 
payment amounts.
c. Holding IRFs and IPFs Harmless From Reductions to Teaching Status 
Adjustment Payments Due to COVID-19
    We have been asked by IRFs and IPFs if CMS can hold facilities 
harmless from a reduction in teaching status adjustment payments 
resulting from the

[[Page 27568]]

temporary increase in facilities' ADC due to the influx of COVID-19 
patients. We are concerned that, if a teaching IRF or IPF accepts 
patients from the inpatient acute care hospital to alleviate bed 
capacity during the PHE for the COVID-19 pandemic, the IRF's or IPF's 
ADC would increase, which would artificially decrease the IRF's or 
IPF's ratio of number of interns and residents to ADC and thereby 
decrease the facility's teaching status adjustment. To ensure that 
teaching IRFs or teaching IPFs can alleviate bed capacity issues by 
taking patients from the inpatient acute care hospitals without being 
penalized by lower teaching status adjustments, we believe it is 
appropriate to freeze the IRFs' or IPFs' teaching status adjustment 
payments at their values prior to the COVID-19 PHE. Therefore, for the 
duration of the COVID-19 PHE, an IRF's or an IPF's teaching status 
adjustment payment amount will be the same as it was on the day before 
the COVID-19 PHE was declared.
2. Time Spent by Residents at Another Hospital During the COVID-19 PHE
a. Overview of Graduate Medical Education
    Section 1886(h) of the Act, as added by section 9202 of the 
Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 (COBRA) (Pub. L. 
99-272, enacted April 7, 1986), establishes a methodology for 
determining Medicare payments to hospitals for the direct costs of 
approved GME programs. Section 1886(h)(2) of the Act sets forth a 
methodology for the determination of a hospital-specific base-period 
per resident amount that is calculated by dividing a hospital's 
allowable direct costs of GME in a base period by its number of FTE 
residents in the base period. The base period is, for most hospitals, 
the hospital's cost reporting period beginning in FY 1984 (that is, 
October 1, 1983 through September 30, 1984). The base year per resident 
amount is updated annually for inflation. In general, Medicare direct 
GME (DGME) payments are calculated by multiplying the hospital's 
updated per resident amount by the weighted number of FTE residents 
working in all areas of the hospital complex (and at non-provider 
sites, when applicable), and the hospital's Medicare share of total 
inpatient days. The provisions of section 1886(h) of the Act are 
implemented in regulations at Sec. Sec.  413.75 through 413.83.
    As noted earlier, section 1886(d)(5)(B) of the Act provides for a 
payment adjustment known as the IME adjustment under the IPPS for 
hospitals that have residents in an approved GME program, to account 
for the higher indirect patient care costs of teaching hospitals 
relative to non-teaching hospitals. The regulation regarding the 
calculation of this additional payment is located at Sec.  412.105. The 
hospital's IME adjustment applied to the MS-DRG payments is calculated 
based on the ratio of the hospital's number of FTE residents training 
in the portion of the hospital subject to the IPPS or the OPDs of such 
hospital, as well as qualifying nonprovider sites to the number of 
inpatient hospital beds.
    The calculation of both DGME and IME payments is affected by the 
number of FTE residents that a hospital is allowed to count. Generally, 
the greater the number of FTE residents a hospital counts, the greater 
the amount of Medicare DGME and IME payments the hospital will receive. 
Congress, through the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 (Pub. L. 105-33, 
enacted August 5, 1997), established a limit (that is, a cap) on the 
number of allopathic and osteopathic residents that a hospital may 
include in its FTE resident count for DGME and IME payment purposes. 
Under section 1886(h)(4)(F) of the Act, for cost reporting periods 
beginning on or after October 1, 1997, a hospital's unweighted FTE 
count of allopathic and osteopathic residents for purposes of DGME may 
not exceed the hospital's unweighted FTE count for DGME in its most 
recent cost reporting period ending on or before December 31, 1996. 
Under section 1886(d)(5)(B)(v) of the Act, a similar limit based on the 
allopathic and osteopathic FTE count for IME during that cost reporting 
period is applied effective for discharges occurring on or after 
October 1, 1997. Dental and podiatric residents are not included in 
this statutorily mandated cap.
    We continue to believe that our current policies for calculating 
DGME and IME payments are consistent with the statute and are 
appropriate under normal circumstances. However, we wish to give 
hospitals that provide services to Medicare beneficiaries the 
flexibility to respond effectively to the serious public health threats 
posed by COVID-19. Recognizing the urgency of this situation, and 
understanding that our current policies may inhibit use of residents or 
capacity that might otherwise be effective in the efforts to mitigate 
the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Medicare beneficiaries and the 
American public, we are changing our policies during the PHE for the 
COVID-19 pandemic so that hospitals do not experience undue reductions 
in DGME or IME payment amounts.
b. Time Spent by Residents at Another Hospital During the COVID-19 PHE
    We have been asked about the Medicare GME payment consequences of 
teaching hospitals sending residents assigned to them to other 
hospitals to meet COVID-19-related surges in patient volume.
    Under our current regulations, a hospital cannot claim the time 
spent by residents training at another hospital for purposes of GME 
payments (Sec. Sec.  412.105(f)(1)(iii)(A) for IME and 413.78(b) for 
DGME).
    In the unprecedented context of the nationwide COVID-19 PHE, when 
teaching hospitals need flexibility to determine resident training on 
an emergency basis to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic and hospitals 
are facing significant workforce challenges, we believe that teaching 
hospitals should be able to send residents, on an emergency basis, 
without regard to GME financial considerations, to hospitals where they 
are most needed to treat COVID-19 or non-COVID-19 patients. Therefore, 
we are revising Sec. Sec.  412.105(f)(1)(iii)(A) for IME and 413.78 for 
DGME to allow teaching hospitals during the COVID-19 PHE to claim for 
purposes of IME and DGME payments the time spent by residents training 
at other hospitals. We recognize this is a significant departure from 
existing policy and this action is being taken only during this PHE due 
to the unprecedented nature of the COVID-19 PHE. If the teaching 
hospital to which a resident is assigned sends the resident to another 
hospital and claims the resident's time, no other hospital, teaching or 
non-teaching, would be able to claim that time. During the COVID-19 
PHE, the presence of residents in non-teaching hospitals will not 
trigger establishment of per resident amounts or FTE resident caps at 
those non-teaching hospitals.
    Specifically, for the timeframe that the PHE associated with COVID-
19 is in effect, we are using our authority under section 1886(h)(4)(A) 
and (B) of the Act to suspend the requirement that a hospital cannot 
claim the time spent by residents training at another hospital so that 
a hospital which sends residents to another hospital can claim those 
FTE residents on its Medicare cost report while they are training at 
another hospital in its FTE count, if all of the following conditions 
and all other applicable requirements are met:
     The sending hospital sends the resident to another 
hospital in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This criterion would be 
met if either the sending hospital or the other hospital

[[Page 27569]]

are treating COVID-19 patients. We would not require that the resident 
be involved in patient care activities for patients with COVID-19 for 
the sending hospital to demonstrate that it sent the resident to the 
other hospital in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
     Time spent by the resident at the other hospital would be 
considered to be time spent in approved training if the activities 
performed by the resident at the other hospital are consistent with any 
guidance in effect during the COVID-19 PHE for the approved medical 
residency program at the sending hospital.
     The time that the resident spent training immediately 
prior to and/or subsequent to the timeframe that the PHE associated 
with COVID-19 was in effect was included in the sending hospital's FTE 
resident count.
    We believe that this policy will allow hospitals to react quickly 
and in ``real time'' to send residents to facilities where they are 
most needed during the PHE associated with COVID-19.
    We are revising Sec.  413.78(b), adding new Sec.  413.78(i), and 
revising Sec.  412.105(f)(1)(iii)(A) to state the conditions under 
which a hospital may claim, in its FTE resident count, residents that 
it sends to another hospital during the PHE associated with COVID-19.
    For the duration of the PHE related to COVID-19, CMS has waived 
certain requirements under the Medicare conditions of participation at 
Sec. Sec.  482.41 and 485.623, and the PBD requirements at Sec.  
413.65, to the extent necessary, in order to allow hospitals to 
establish and operate as part of the hospital any location meeting 
those non-waived conditions of participation for hospitals that 
continue to apply during the PHE. (See https://www.cms.gov/files/document/summary-covid-19-emergency-declaration-waivers.pdf). Time 
spent by residents at these locations is not treated any differently 
from time spent by residents at locations established and operated by 
the hospital prior to the COVID-19 PHE.
    Also, for the duration of the PHE related to COVID-19, CMS has 
adopted a policy that if routine services are provided under 
arrangements outside the hospital to its inpatients, these services are 
deemed to have been provided by the hospital (85 FR 19280). Similarly, 
time spent by residents at these locations is not treated any 
differently from time spent by residents at locations established and 
operated by the hospital prior to the COVID-19 PHE.

H. Rural Health Clinics (RHCs)

1. Revision of Bed Count Methodology for Determining Provider-Based 
RHCs Exemption to the RHC Payment Limit
    RHCs furnish services in rural areas that have been determined to 
be medically underserved areas or health professional shortage areas. 
RHCs are paid an all-inclusive rate (AIR) for medically-necessary, 
face-to-face visits with an RHC practitioner. Section 1833(f) of the 
Act established an RHC payment limit, which is adjusted annually based 
on the Medicare Economic Index (MEI). Under section 1833(f) of the Act, 
an RHC that is provider-based to a hospital with fewer than 50 beds is 
exempt from the national per-visit payment limit.
    To determine which provider-based RHCs are exempt from the payment 
limit, we use the same methodology that is used to calculate hospital 
bed count for the Indirect Medical Education adjustment at Sec.  
412.105(b). Specifically, a provider-based RHC (as authorized by Sec.  
413.65(a)(1)(ii)(L)) that is an integral and subordinate part of a 
hospital (including a CAH) is excepted from the per-visit payment limit 
if the hospital has fewer than 50 beds. We have used the methodology 
set out at Sec.  412.105(b) to make this calculation.
    Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, health care providers such as 
hospitals have been or are planning to increase inpatient bed capacity 
to address the surge in need for inpatient care. Given this, we do not 
believe that RHCs that are currently exempt from the national per-visit 
payment limit should now be subject to the per-visit payment limit due 
to the COVID-19 PHE, and we do not want to discourage them from 
increasing bed capacity if needed. Allowing for these provider-based 
RHCs to continue to receive the payment amounts they would otherwise 
receive in the absence of the PHE will help maintain their ability to 
provide necessary health care services to underserved communities. We 
are implementing, on an interim basis, a change to the period of time 
used to determine the number of beds in a hospital at Sec.  412.105(b) 
for purposes of determining which provider-based RHCs are subject to 
the payment limit. For the duration of the PHE, we will use the number 
of beds from the cost reporting period prior to the start of the PHE as 
the official hospital bed count for application of this policy. As 
such, RHCs with provider-based status that were exempt from the 
national per-visit payment limit in the period prior to the effective 
date of the PHE (January 27, 2020) would continue to be exempt for the 
duration of the PHE for the COVID-19 pandemic, as defined at Sec.  
400.200.

I. Durable Medical Equipment (DME) Interim Pricing in the CARES Act

1. Background
a. Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics, and Supplies 
Competitive Bidding Program
    Section 1847(a) of the Act, as amended by section 302(b)(1) of the 
Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003 
(Pub. L. 108-173, enacted on December 8, 2003), mandates the Medicare 
Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics, and Supplies 
(DMEPOS) Competitive Bidding Program (CBP) for contract award purposes 
to furnish certain competitively priced DMEPOS items and services 
subject to the CBP:
     Off-the-shelf (OTS) orthotics, for which payment would 
otherwise be made under section 1834(h) of the Act;
     Enteral nutrients, equipment, and supplies described in 
section 1842(s)(2)(D) of the Act; and
     Certain DME and medical supplies, which are covered items 
(as defined in section 1834(a)(13) of the Act) for which payment would 
otherwise be made under section 1834(a) of the Act.
    For a list of product categories included in the DMEPOS CBP, please 
refer to https://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Medicare-Fee-for-Service-Payment/DMEPOSCompetitiveBid/Round-2021/PCs.
    Areas in which the CBP are not implemented are known as non-
competitive bidding areas (non-CBAs). Currently, there are no CBAs due 
to the 2-year gap period in the DMEPOS CBP, allowing any Medicare-
enrolled DMEPOS suppliers to furnish DMEPOS items.\27\ However, we use 
the term ``former CBAs'' to refer to areas that were CBAs prior to the 
2-year gap, to distinguish those areas from non-CBAs in which the CBP 
has not previously been implemented.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \27\ All DMEPOS CBP contracts expired on December 31, 2018. 
There is currently a temporary gap in the DMEPOS CBP. Round 2021 of 
the CBP is scheduled to begin again in January 2021 and extend 
through December 31, 2023.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

b. Fee Schedule Adjustment Methodology for Non-CBAs
    Section 1834(a)(1)(F)(ii) of the Act requires the Secretary to use 
information on the payment determined under the Medicare DMEPOS CBP to 
adjust the fee schedule amounts for DME items and services furnished in 
all non-CBAs on or after January 1, 2016. Section 1834(a)(1)(F)(iii) of 
the Act

[[Page 27570]]

requires the Secretary to continue to make these adjustments as 
additional covered items are phased in under the CBP or information is 
updated as new CBP contracts are awarded. Similarly, sections 
1842(s)(3)(B) and 1834(h)(1)(H)(ii) of the Act authorize the Secretary 
to use payment information from the DMEPOS CBP to adjust the fee 
schedule amounts for enteral nutrition and OTS orthotics, respectively, 
furnished in all non-CBAs. Section 1834(a)(1)(G) of the Act requires 
the Secretary to specify the methodology to be used in making these fee 
schedule adjustments by regulation, and to consider, among other 
factors, the costs of items and services in non-CBAs (where the 
adjustments would be applied) compared to the single payment amounts 
for such items and services in the CBAs.
    In accordance with the requirements of section 1834(a)(1)(G) of the 
Act, we conducted notice and comment rulemaking in 2014 to specify 
methodologies for adjusting the fee schedule amounts for DME, enteral 
nutrition, and OTS orthotics in non-CBAs in Sec.  414.210(g). We refer 
readers to the proposed rule entitled ``Medicare Program; End-Stage 
Renal Disease Prospective Payment System, Quality Incentive Program, 
and Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics, and Supplies,'' 
published on July 11, 2014 (79 FR 40208), (hereinafter CY 2015 ESRD PPS 
DMEPOS proposed rule), and the final rule entitled ``Medicare Program; 
End-Stage Renal Disease Prospective Payment System, Quality Incentive 
Program, and Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics, and 
Supplies,'' published on November 6, 2014 (79 FR 66120), (hereinafter 
CY 2015 ESRD PPS DMEPOS final rule) for additional details.
    The methodologies set forth in Sec.  414.210(g) account for 
regional variations in prices, including for rural and non-contiguous 
areas of the United States. In accordance with Sec.  414.210(g)(1), we 
determine regional adjustments to fee schedule amounts for each state 
in the contiguous United States and the District of Columbia, based on 
the definition of region in Sec.  414.202, which refers to geographic 
areas defined by the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) in the 
Department of Commerce for economic analysis purposes (79 FR 66226). 
Under Sec.  414.210(g)(1)(i) through (iv), adjusted fee schedule 
amounts for areas within the contiguous United States are determined 
based on regional prices limited by a national ceiling of 110 percent 
of the regional average price and a floor of 90 percent of the regional 
average price (79 FR 66225). Under Sec.  414.210(g)(1)(v), adjusted fee 
schedule amounts for rural areas are based on 110 percent of the 
national average of regional prices. Under Sec.  414.210(g)(2), fee 
schedule amounts for non-contiguous areas are adjusted based on the 
higher of the average of the single payment amounts for CBAs in non-
contiguous areas in the United States, or the national ceiling amount.
    We use ZIP codes for rural, non-rural, and non-contiguous areas to 
establish geographic areas that are then used to define non-CBAs for 
the purposes of the DMEPOS fee schedule adjustments. A rural area is 
defined in Sec.  414.202 as a geographic area represented by a postal 
ZIP code, if at least 50 percent of the total geographic area of the 
area included in the ZIP code is estimated to be outside any 
Metropolitan Statistical Area (79 FR 66228). A rural area also includes 
a geographic area represented by a postal ZIP code that is a low 
population density area excluded from a CBA in accordance with section 
1847(a)(3)(A) of the Act at the time the rules in Sec.  414.210(g) are 
applied. Non-contiguous areas refer to areas outside the contiguous 
United States--that is, areas such as Alaska, Guam, and Hawaii (81 FR 
77936).
    In the final rule entitled ``Medicare Program; End-Stage Renal 
Disease Prospective Payment System, Payment for Renal Dialysis Services 
Furnished to Individuals With Acute Kidney Injury, End-Stage Renal 
Disease Quality Incentive Program, Durable Medical Equipment, 
Prosthetics, Orthotics and Supplies (DMEPOS) Competitive Bidding 
Program (CBP) and Fee Schedule Amounts, and Technical Amendments To 
Correct Existing Regulations Related to the CBP for Certain DMEPOS,'' 
published in the November 14, 2018 Federal Register (83 FR 56922), we 
established fee schedule adjustment methodologies for items and 
services furnished from January 1, 2019 through December 31, 2020.
    For the fee schedule amounts for items and services furnished from 
January 1, 2019 through December 31, 2020, in all rural and non-
contiguous non-CBAs, the fee schedule amounts are based on a blend of 
50 percent of the unadjusted fee schedule amounts and 50 percent of the 
fee schedule amounts adjusted in accordance with the current 
methodologies under Sec.  414.210(g)(1) through (8) (83 FR 57029). For 
items and services furnished from January 1, 2019 through December 31, 
2020 in all non-CBAs other than rural or non-contiguous areas, the fee 
schedule amounts are based on 100 percent of the fee schedule amounts 
adjusted in accordance with the current methodologies under Sec.  
414.210(g)(1) through (8) (83 FR 57029). These rules are located at 
Sec.  414.210(g)(9) and, again, apply to items and services furnished 
from January 1, 2019 through December 31, 2020 (83 FR 57039; 83 FR 
57070 through 57071).
2. Current Issues
    Section 3712 of the CARES Act revises the fee schedule amounts for 
certain DME and enteral nutrients, supplies, and equipment furnished in 
non-CBAs other than former CBAs through the duration of the emergency 
period described in section 1135(g)(1)(B) of the Act.
    Section 3712(a) of the CARES Act directs the Secretary to implement 
Sec.  414.210(g)(9)(iii) (or any successor regulation), to apply the 
transition rule described in such section to all applicable items and 
services as planned through December 31, 2020, and through the duration 
of the emergency period described in section 1135(g)(1)(B) of the Act, 
if longer. Therefore, section 3712(a) of the CARES Act continues our 
current policy at Sec.  414.210(g)(9)(iii) of paying for DMEPOS items 
and services furnished in rural and non-contiguous non-CBAs based on a 
50/50 blend of adjusted and unadjusted fee schedule amounts through 
December 31, 2020, or through the duration of the emergency period, 
whichever is longer. This fee schedule adjustment in rural and non-
contiguous areas results in fee schedule amounts that are approximately 
66 percent higher than the fully adjusted fee schedule amounts that we 
currently pay for DMEPOS items and services furnished in non-rural 
areas in the contiguous United States.
    Section 3712(b) of the CARES Act states, for items and services 
furnished on or after the date that is 30 days after the date of the 
enactment of this legislation, the Secretary shall apply Sec.  
414.210(g)(9)(iv) (or any successor regulation), as if the reference to 
``dates of service from June 1, 2018 through December 31, 2020, based 
on the fee schedule amount for the area is equal to 100 percent of the 
adjusted payment amount established under this section'' were instead a 
reference to ``dates of service from March 6, 2020, through the 
remainder of the duration of the emergency period described in section 
1135(g)(1)(B) of the Act (42 U.S.C. 1320b-5(g)(1)(B)), based on the fee 
schedule amount for the area is equal to 75 percent of the adjusted 
payment amount established under this section and 25 percent of the 
unadjusted fee schedule amount.'' Therefore, section

[[Page 27571]]

3712(b) of the CARES Act directs the Secretary to increase the fee 
schedule amounts for DMEPOS items and services furnished in non-CBAs 
other than rural and non-contiguous non-CBAs through the duration of 
the PHE period described in section 1135(g)(1)(B) of the Act. In 
accordance with Sec.  414.210(g)(9)(iv), the fee schedule amounts in 
these non-CBA areas are currently based on 100 percent of the adjusted 
fee schedule amount, but section 3712(b) of the CARES Act requires CMS 
to pay for these DMEPOS items and services based on 75 percent of the 
adjusted fee schedule amount and 25 percent of the historic, unadjusted 
fee schedule amount until the end of the emergency period. This 
increases payments so that they are approximately 33 percent higher 
than the payments at the fully adjusted fee schedule amounts.
    Section 3712 of the CARES Act does not affect the current adjusted 
fee schedule amounts in former CBAs. In accordance with Sec.  
414.210(g)(10), the fee schedule amounts in the former CBAs will 
continue to be based on the single payment amounts from 2018 increased 
by update factors for subsequent calendar years until new competitive 
bidding contracts are in place.
    Section 3712(b) of the CARES Act references two dates on which CMS 
should implement the payment amount increases for items and services 
furnished in non-rural and contiguous non-CBAs: April 26, 2020 (April 
26th is 30 days after March 27th, the date of the enactment of the 
CARES Act); and March 6, 2020. We believe that the law was written in a 
way that is ambiguous and essentially mandates two different and 
conflicting effective dates for the increase in the fee schedule 
amounts in non-rural and contiguous non-CBAs. Due to this ambiguity, we 
believe that we could implement the higher fee schedule amounts in non-
rural and contiguous non-CBAs on either March 6, 2020 or April 26, 
2020. Because we believe the purpose of the law is to aid suppliers in 
furnishing items under very challenging situations during the COVID-19 
PHE, we believe it is in the public's interest to implement the higher 
fee schedule amounts starting with the earlier date of March 6, 2020. 
Therefore, we are revising the regulations to implement the higher fee 
schedule amounts required under the CARES Act as of March 6, 2020.
    Additionally, section 3712(b) of the CARES Act requires CMS to pay 
the higher fee schedule amounts for the duration of the emergency 
period described in section 1135(g)(1)(B) of the Act (42 U.S.C. 1320b-
5(g)(1)(B)), but it does not specify the fee schedule amounts that 
should be in effect if the emergency period ends before December 31, 
2020. If not for section 3712(b) of the CARES Act, CMS would be paying 
the fully adjusted fee schedule amounts for DME items and services 
furnished in non-rural and contiguous non-CBAs until December 31, 2020. 
As such, we are specifying in Sec.  414.210(g)(9)(v) that the fee 
schedule amounts in non-rural and contiguous non-CBAs will again be 
based on 100 percent of the fee schedule amounts adjusted in accordance 
with Sec.  414.210(g)(9)(1) through (8) if the emergency period 
described in section 1135(g)(1)(B) of the Act (42 U.S.C. 1320b-
5(g)(1)(B)) ends before December 31, 2020.
    In summary, we are making conforming changes to Sec.  
414.210(g)(9), consistent with section 3712(a) and (b) of the CARES 
Act, but we are omitting the language in section 3712(b) of the CARES 
Act that references an effective date that is 30 days after the date of 
enactment of the law. We are revising Sec.  414.210(g)(9)(iii), which 
describes the 50/50fee schedule adjustment blend for items and services 
furnished in rural and noncontiguous areas, to address dates of service 
from June 1, 2018 through December 31, 2020 or through the duration of 
the emergency period described in section 1135(g)(1)(B) of the Act (42 
U.S.C. 1320b-5(g)(1)(B)), whichever is later. We are also adding Sec.  
414.210(g)(9)(v) which will state that, for items and services 
furnished in areas other than rural or noncontiguous areas with dates 
of service from March 6, 2020, through the remainder of the duration of 
the emergency period described in section 1135(g)(1)(B) of the Act (42 
U.S.C. 1320b-5(g)(1)(B)), based on the fee schedule amount for the area 
is equal to 75 percent of the adjusted payment amount established under 
``this section'' (by which we mean Sec.  414.210(g)(1) through (8)), 
and 25 percent of the unadjusted fee schedule amount. For items and 
services furnished in areas other than rural or noncontiguous areas 
with dates of service from the expiration date of the emergency period 
described in section 1135(g)(1)(B) of the Act (42 U.S.C. 1320b-
5(g)(1)(B)) through December 31, 2020, based on the fee schedule amount 
for the area is equal to 100 percent of the adjusted payment amount 
established under Sec.  414.210(g)(1) through (8) (referred to as 
``this section'' in the regulation text). In addition, we are revising 
Sec.  414.210(g)(9)(iv) to specify for items and services furnished in 
areas other than rural and noncontiguous areas with dates of service 
from June 1, 2018 through March 5, 2020, based on the fee schedule 
amount for the area is equal to 100 percent of the adjusted payment 
amount established under Sec.  414.210(g)(1) through (8) (``this 
section'' in the regulation text).

J. Care Planning for Medicare Home Health Services

    Historically, sections 1814(a)(2)(C) and 1835(a)(2)(A) of the Act 
have stated that for Medicare to make payment for home health services, 
a physician, who does not have a direct or indirect employment 
relationship with the HHA, must certify that home health services are 
required because the individual is confined to his or her home and is 
in need of skilled nursing care on an intermittent basis, physical or 
speech therapy, or a continued need for occupational therapy as defined 
at section 1861(m) of the Act. The certifying physician must establish 
and periodically review a plan for furnishing such services to such 
individual while the individual is under the care of a physician. The 
physician must document that the physician himself or herself or a NP 
or CNS (as those terms are defined in section 1861(aa)(5) of the Act), 
who is working in collaboration with the physician in accordance with 
State law, or a CNM (as defined in section 1861(gg) of the Act) as 
authorized by State law, or a PA (as defined in section 1861(aa)(5) of 
the Act) under the supervision of the physician, has had a face-to-face 
encounter related to the reason the home health services are needed.
    Section 3708 of the CARES Act amended sections 1814(a) and 1835(a) 
of the Act to allow NPs, CNSs, and PAs (as those terms are defined in 
section 1861(aa) of the Act), to order and certify patients for 
eligibility under the Medicare home health benefit. Additionally, 
section 3708 of the CARES Act amended sections 1814(a)(2)(C), 1835 
(a)(2)(A)(ii), and 1861(m) of the Act to allow the home health plan of 
care to be established and periodically reviewed by a physician, NP, 
CNS, or PA where such services are or were furnished while the 
individual was under the care of a physician, NP, CNS, or PA. The CARES 
Act also amended sections 1861(o)(2) and 1861(kk) of the Act to allow 
(CNMs, NPs, CNSs, or PAs to perform the role originally reserved for a 
physician in establishing HHA policies that govern the services (and 
supervision of such services) provided to patients under the Medicare 
home health benefit, as well as certify that an individual has suffered 
a bone fracture related to post-menopausal osteoporosis and that the

[[Page 27572]]

individual is unable to learn the skills needed to self-administer the 
osteoporosis drug or is otherwise mentally or physically incapable of 
self-administering such drug. Finally, section 3708 of the CARES Act 
amended section 1895(c) of the Act to allow payment for the furnishing 
of items and services under the home health prospective payment system 
(HH PPS) when these items and services are prescribed by an NP, CNS, or 
PA.
    In accordance with section 3708 of the CARES Act, these changes are 
required to take effect within 6 months of enactment of the law and the 
Secretary shall issue an IFC, if necessary to comply with the required 
effective date. Per the explicit statutory instructions at section 
3708(f) of the CARES Act, we are addressing changes in the regulations 
in this IFC to ensure these requirements are issued within the 
timeframe required by statute. These regulations are effective on May 
8, 2020, and will be retroactively applicable to March 1, 2020.We 
believe that enacting these provisions at this time will afford maximum 
flexibility for providers seeking to order home health care services 
during the PHE for the COVID-19 pandemic. That is, NPs, CNSs, and PAs 
would be able to practice to the top of their state licensure to 
certify eligibility for home health services, as well as establish and 
periodically review the home health plan of care. This is imperative 
during the PHE for the COVID-19 pandemic as more beneficiaries may be 
considered ``homebound'', either because a practitioner has determined 
that it is medically contraindicated for a beneficiary to leave the 
home because he or she has a confirmed or suspected diagnosis of COVID-
19, or because a practitioner has determined that it is medically 
contraindicated for a beneficiary to leave the home because the patient 
has a condition that may make the patient more susceptible to 
contracting COVID-19.
    In accordance with section 1861(aa)(5) of the Act, NPs, CNSs, and 
PAs are required to practice in accordance with state law in the state 
in which the individual performs such services. Individual states have 
varying requirements for conditions of practice, which determine 
whether a practitioner may work independently without a written 
collaborative agreement or supervision from a physician, or whether 
general or direct supervision and collaboration is required. HHAs or 
other practitioners should check with the relevant state licensing 
authority websites to ensure that practitioners are working within 
their scope of practice and prescriptive authority. A review of these 
websites reveals that the majority of states require physician 
collaboration for these NPPs. We note that even in states that allow 
independent practice authority, many of these practitioners continue to 
work in a practice environment (inpatient facility or outpatient or 
physician's office) that includes a physician.
    Section 1861(aa)(5) of the Act allows the Secretary regulatory 
discretion regarding the requirements for NPs, CNSs, and PAs. As such, 
the regulations at Sec. Sec.  410.74 through 410.76 set out in detail 
the qualifications needed and services provided by these practitioners 
under the Medicare program. We believe that we should align, for 
Medicare home health purposes, the definitions for such practitioners 
with the existing definitions in regulation at Sec. Sec.  410.74 
through 410.76 for consistency across the Medicare program and to 
ensure that Medicare home health beneficiaries are afforded the same 
standard of care. Therefore, we are amending the regulations at parts 
409, 424, and 484 to define a NP, a CNS, and a PA (as such 
qualifications are defined at Sec. Sec.  410.74 through 410.76) as an 
``allowed practitioner''. This means that in addition to a physician, 
as defined at section 1861(r) of the Act, an ``allowed practitioner'' 
may certify, establish and periodically review the plan of care, as 
well as supervise the provision of items and services for beneficiaries 
under the Medicare home health benefit. Additionally, we are amending 
the regulations to reflect that we would expect the allowed 
practitioner to also perform the face-to-face encounter for the patient 
for whom they are certifying eligibility; however, if a face-to-face 
encounter is performed by an allowed NPP, as set out at 42 CFR 
424.22(a)(1)(v)(A), in an acute or post-acute facility, from which the 
patient was directly admitted to home health, the certifying 
practitioner may be different from the provider performing the face-to-
face encounter. These regulation changes will become permanent and are 
not time limited to the period of the PHE for COVID-19. We will review 
and respond to any comments received on this IFC in the CY 2021 HH PPS 
final rule.

K. CARES Act Waiver of the ``3-Hour Rule'' and Modification of IRF 
Coverage and Classification Requirements for Freestanding IRF Hospitals 
for the PHE During the COVID-19 Pandemic

a. CARES Act Waiver of the ``3-Hour Rule''
    In the March 31st COVID-19 IFC (85 FR 19252, 19287), we provided a 
clarification regarding Sec.  412.622(a)(3)(ii) (commonly referred to 
as the ``3-hour rule''). On March 27, 2020, the CARES Act was enacted 
and further addressed Sec.  412.622(a)(3)(ii). Specifically, section 
3711(a) of the CARES Act requires the Secretary to waive Sec.  
412.622(a)(3)(ii) during the emergency period described in section 
1135(g)(1)(B) of the Act. This waiver was issued on April 15 2020, and 
is available at https://www.cms.gov/files/document/summary-covid-19-emergency-declaration-waivers.pdf. We note that the clarification 
provided in the March 31st COVID-19 IFC does not address section 
3711(a) of the CARES Act as it was developed prior to the enactment of 
the CARES Act. Because Sec.  412.622(a)(3)(ii) is more directly and 
comprehensively addressed by section 3711(a) of the CARES Act, the 
clarification provided in the March 31st COVID-19 IFC is moot and 
hereby rescinded.
    We note that the waiver required by section 3711(a) of the CARES 
Act is not limited to particular IRFs or patients, and therefore, is 
available during the emergency period described in section 
1135(g)(1)(B) of the Act regardless of whether a patient was admitted 
for standard IRF care or to relieve acute care hospital capacity. In 
this IFC, we are waiving Sec.  412.622(a)(3)(ii) to reflect the waiver 
required by section 3711(a) of the CARES Act.
b. Modification of IRF Coverage and Classification Requirements for 
Freestanding IRF Hospitals for the PHE During the COVID-19 Pandemic
    IRF care is only considered by Medicare to be reasonable and 
necessary under section 1862(a)(1) of the Act if the patient meets all 
of the IRF coverage requirements outlined in Sec.  412.622(a)(3), (4), 
and (5). Failure to meet the IRF coverage criteria in a particular case 
results in denial of the IRF claim. We note that the March 31st COVID-
19 IFC removes the requirement at Sec.  412.622(a)(4)(ii) to complete a 
post-admission physician evaluation during the COVID-19 PHE, as defined 
in Sec.  400.200.
    While we generally believe that all IRFs should have to comply with 
the requirements at Sec.  412.29(d), (e), (h), and (i) and Sec.  
412.622(a)(3), (4), and (5), we

[[Page 27573]]

recognize that there are certain institutional differences between 
freestanding IRF hospitals and IRF distinct part units of hospitals 
that may impose barriers on freestanding IRF hospitals seeking to admit 
patients to relieve acute care hospital capacity during the COVID-19 
PHE. Specifically, freestanding IRF hospitals do not have the same 
close affiliations with acute care hospitals that IRF distinct part 
units of hospitals have, and are not as able to establish billing 
procedures under the IPPS as have IRF distinct part units by virtue of 
the fact that the distinct part units have access to (or at least 
affiliations with) their parent hospitals' billing departments. 
Therefore, we are amending the requirements at Sec. Sec.  412.29(d), 
(e), (h), and (i) and 412.622(a)(3), (4), and (5) to add an exception 
for care furnished to patients admitted to freestanding IRF hospitals 
(identified as those facilities with the last 4 digits of their 
Medicare provider numbers between 3025 through 3099) solely to relieve 
acute care hospital capacity during the COVID-19 PHE.
    We believe that freestanding IRF hospitals need the flexibility 
during this COVID-19 PHE to determine the best care for each patient 
who is admitted solely to relieve acute care hospital capacity. 
Consistent with the Guidelines for Opening Up America Again at https://www.whitehouse.gov/openingamerica/, for the purposes of exercising 
these IRF flexibilities that are intended to provide broad flexibility 
for freestanding IRF hospitals to provide surge capacity in support of 
acute care hospitals in their state or community, CMS considers surge 
to be alleviated with regard to exercising these flexibilities when the 
state (or region, as applicable) in which the freestanding IRF is 
located is in phase 2 or phase 3. In other words, the flexibilities in 
this IFC are available for freestanding IRF hospitals admitting 
patients in support of acute care hospitals when the state is in phase 
1 or prior to entering phase 1, but are no longer available to the 
freestanding IRF hospital when the state is in phase 2 or phase 3 of 
these Guidelines. These flexibilities apply to specific patients who 
must be discharged from the acute care hospitals to the freestanding 
IRFs to provide surge capacity for the acute care hospitals, and 
therefore apply only when those specific patients are admitted to the 
freestanding IRF hospitals and continue for the duration of that 
patient's care. We believe this will allow for continuity of care and 
care planning consistency at admission and throughout a patient's stay 
if the same flexibilities apply for the duration of a patient's IRF 
stay. These limitations only apply to the provisions in this IFC and 
not to any blanket waivers issued, which have their own conditions. 
Freestanding IRF hospitals must document the particular phase for the 
state when admitting the patient and electing to exercise these 
flexibilities.
    For billing purposes, we are requiring freestanding IRF hospitals 
to append the ``DS'' modifier to the end of the IRF's unique patient 
identifier number (used to identify the patient's medical record in the 
IRF) to identify patients who are being treated in a freestanding IRF 
hospital solely to alleviate inpatient bed capacity in a state that is 
experiencing a surge during the PHE for the COVID-19 pandemic. The 
modifier will be used to identify those patients for whom the 
requirements in Sec.  412.622(a)(3)(i), (iii), (iv), (4) and (5) do not 
apply. Freestanding IRF hospitals will be paid at the IRF PPS rates for 
patients with the ``DS'' modifier.
    We anticipate that freestanding IRF hospitals will take advantage 
of these flexibilities for those beneficiaries (who are surge patients 
from inpatient hospitals), while continuing to provide standard IRF-
level care for those beneficiaries who would benefit from IRF-level 
care and would otherwise receive such care in the absence of the COVID-
19 PHE. This will provide crucial flexibility to allow freestanding IRF 
hospitals to aid in the response to the COVID-19 pandemic in several 
ways. First, we expect that some of the patients that freestanding IRF 
hospitals care for during the COVID-19 PHE in a state that is 
experiencing a surge would need high-acuity clinical care but may not 
need or be able to tolerate the intensive rehabilitation therapy 
typically provided in an IRF, such as at least two types of therapy. 
Second, waiving the documentation requirements in Sec.  412.622(a)(4) 
and (5) for patients alleviating inpatient hospital bed capacity allows 
freestanding IRF hospitals to concentrate on providing care for surge 
patients from the acute care hospitals in a state that is experiencing 
a surge, instead of completing documentation that may not be applicable 
to these acute patients during the PHE. Third, this flexibility allows 
freestanding IRF hospitals to maximize their available beds to take 
advantage of space where COVID-19 patients or surge patients could be 
safely managed. We believe this policy will allow freestanding IRF 
hospitals to make a clinical determination about what level of care 
each individual patient needs during the PHE for the COVID-19 pandemic.
    To effectuate these changes, we are amending Sec.  
412.622(a)(3)(i), (ii), (iii), and (iv) to state that these IRF 
coverage criteria continue to be required, except for care furnished to 
patients in a freestanding IRF hospital solely to relieve acute care 
hospital capacity in a state (or region, as applicable) that is 
experiencing a surge during the PHE, as defined in Sec.  400.200. 
Similarly, in Sec.  412.622(a)(4), we are amending this paragraph to 
state that the IRF documentation requirements must be present in the 
IRF medical record, except for care furnished to patients in a 
freestanding IRF hospital solely to relieve acute care hospital 
capacity in a state (or region, as applicable) that is experiencing a 
surge during the PHE, as defined in Sec.  400.200. In Sec.  
412.622(a)(5), we are amending this paragraph to state that an 
interdisciplinary team approach to care is required, except for care 
furnished to patients in a freestanding IRF hospital solely to relieve 
acute care hospital capacity in a state (or region, as applicable) that 
is experiencing a surge during the PHE, as defined in Sec.  400.200. We 
are also amending Sec.  412.29(d), (e), (h), and (i) to align the 
provisions we have waived in Sec.  412.622 with the classification 
criteria for payment to freestanding IRF hospitals under the IRF 
prospective payment system. Finally, we are amending Sec.  412.622(c) 
to add a definition of state (or region, as applicable) that are 
experiencing a surge and Sec.  412.29 to cross-reference that 
definition where applicable.

L. Medicare Shared Savings Program

    As of January 1, 2020, there are 517 Medicare Shared Savings 
Program (Shared Savings Program) Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) 
serving approximately 11.2 million Medicare FFS beneficiaries across 
the country: 37 percent of ACOs (192 of 517) are participating under 
two-sided shared savings and shared losses models; and 160 ACOs have 
agreements ending December 31, 2020, and must renew under the BASIC 
track or ENHANCED track to continue in the Shared Savings Program, 
including 20 ACOs participating in the Medicare ACO Track 1+ Model 
(Track 1+ Model).
    The COVID-19 pandemic, and the resulting PHE as defined in Sec.  
400.200, have created a lack of predictability for many ACOs regarding 
the impact of expenditure and utilization changes on historical 
benchmarks and performance year expenditures, and for those under 
performance-based risk, the potential liability for shared losses, as 
well as disrupting population health activities,

[[Page 27574]]

as clinicians, care coordinators and financial and other resources are 
diverted to address immediate acute care needs. ACOs and other program 
stakeholders have advocated for CMS to modify Shared Savings Program 
policies to address the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic including to:
     Adjust the methodology for determining shared savings and 
shared losses, such as by: Reducing or eliminating liability for ACOs 
under performance-based risk for shared losses for PY 2020; not sharing 
savings or losses with ACOs for PY 2020; or adjusting program 
calculations to address the impact of COVID-19 on benchmark and PY 
expenditures, particularly for calendar year 2020.
     Eliminate or extend the deadline for ACOs to voluntarily 
terminate from the program without being financially reconciled for PY 
2020, which under Sec.  425.221(b)(2)(ii)(A) is June 30, 2020, with 
notification 30 days prior (no later than June 1).
     Maintain or ``freeze'' ACOs in their current participation 
options so that ACOs required to renew their participation for a new 
agreement period starting on January 1, 2021, are not burdened with 
meeting application deadlines and forgo the requirement that ACOs 
participating in the BASIC track's glide path advance to the next level 
for PY 2021.
     Account for changes in billing and care patterns in 
determining beneficiary assignment.
    ACOs and other program stakeholders have indicated that there is an 
urgent need to address these concerns because ACOs need to make 
participation decisions for PY 2020 and PY 2021 soon and may choose to 
terminate their participation in the Shared Savings Program on or 
before June 30th, rather than face the potential of pro-rated losses 
for PY 2020 if the COVID-19 PHE does not extend for the entire year or 
the program's policies do not adequately mitigate liability for shared 
losses.
    We believe it is vital to the stability of the Shared Savings 
Program to encourage continued participation by ACOs by adjusting 
program policies as necessary to address the impact of the COVID-19 
pandemic, including by offering certain flexibilities in program 
participation options to currently participating ACOs and addressing 
potential distortions in expenditures resulting from the pandemic to 
ensure that ACOs are treated equitably regardless of the degree to 
which their assigned beneficiary populations are affected by the 
pandemic. The changes we are making in this IFC will help to ensure a 
more equitable comparison between ACOs' expenditures for PY 2020 and 
ACOs' updated historical benchmarks and that ACOs are not rewarded or 
penalized for having higher/lower COVID-19 spread in their patient 
populations which, in turn, will help to protect ACOs from owing 
excessive shared losses and the Medicare Trust Funds from paying out 
windfall shared savings. As described in this section of this IFC, we 
are modifying Shared Savings Program policies to: (1) Allow ACOs whose 
current agreement periods expire on December 31, 2020, the option to 
extend their existing agreement period by 1-year, and allow ACOs in the 
BASIC track's glide path the option to elect to maintain their current 
level of participation for PY 2021; (2) clarify the applicability of 
the program's extreme and uncontrollable circumstances policy to 
mitigate shared losses for the period of the COVID-19 PHE; (3) adjust 
program calculations to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on ACOs; and 
(4) expand the definition of primary care services for purposes of 
determining beneficiary assignment to include telehealth codes for 
virtual check-ins, e-visits, and telephonic communication. We also 
address how these adjustments to program policies will apply to ACOs 
participating in the Track 1+ Model.
1. Application Cycle for January 1, 2021 Start Date and Extension of 
Agreement Periods Expiring on December 31, 2020
    A renewing ACO is defined as an ACO that continues its 
participation in the program for a consecutive agreement period, 
without a break in participation, because it is an ACO whose 
participation agreement expired and that immediately enters a new 
agreement period to continue its participation in the program, or an 
ACO that terminated its current participation agreement under Sec.  
425.220 and immediately enters a new agreement period to continue its 
participation in the program (see Sec.  425.20). Section 425.224 
specifies application procedures for a renewing ACO applying to enter a 
new participation agreement with CMS for participation in the Shared 
Savings Program. We are seeking to reduce operational burden for ACOs 
and their health care providers while they respond to the serious 
health threats posed by the spread of the COVID-19. We have received 
feedback from ACO stakeholders requesting that CMS delay the Shared 
Savings Program application cycle for a January 1, 2021 start date 
(occurring in CY 2020), since they have reassigned staff and care 
coordinators to respond to the current pandemic. Due to COVID-19, 
stakeholders have expressed concern about focusing resources on 
applying to the Shared Savings Program rather than on patient care. 
Additionally, stakeholders have expressed uncertainty over their 
continued participation in the Shared Savings Program in 2021 given the 
lack of predictability of the impact of COVID-19 on expenditures used 
to establish an ACO's historical benchmark.
    In response to stakeholder feedback, we are forgoing the 
application cycle for a January 1, 2021 start date (herein referred to 
as the 2021 application cycle). We believe it is appropriate to forgo 
the 2021 application cycle as the COVID-19 PHE continues because this 
will allow ACOs and their ACO providers/suppliers currently 
participating in the Shared Savings Program to continue focusing on 
treating patients during the pandemic. There are 160 ACO Shared Savings 
Program participation agreements that will end on December 31, 2020, 
including 20 ACOs participating in the Track 1+ Model. These ACOs are 
eligible to apply to renew their participation agreement for the Shared 
Savings Program effective January 1, 2021. To reduce burden and allow 
these ACOs to continue participating in the program without a 2021 
application cycle, ACOs that entered a first or second agreement period 
with a start date of January 1, 2018, may elect to extend their 
agreement period for an optional fourth performance year. The fourth 
performance year would span 12 months from January 1, 2021, to December 
31, 2021. This election to extend the agreement period is voluntary and 
an ACO could choose not to make this election, and therefore, conclude 
its participation in the program with the expiration of its current 
agreement period on December 31, 2020. Under this approach, eligible 
ACOs will be able to remain under their existing historical benchmark 
for an additional year, which will increase stability and 
predictability given the potential impact of the pandemic on 
beneficiary expenditures under FFS Medicare and help provide greater 
certainty for ACOs making determinations regarding their future 
participation in the Shared Savings Program.
    Additionally, by forgoing the 2021 application cycle for new 
applicants, CY 2020 will not serve as benchmark year 3 for a cohort of 
ACOs that would otherwise be January 1, 2021 starters. An ACO's 
historical benchmark is determined based on the 3 most recent years 
prior to the start of its agreement period. For ACOs in a first 
agreement

[[Page 27575]]

period, benchmark year 3 is given the highest weight of the 3 benchmark 
years and, because CY 2020 is an anomalous year, we believe it could be 
disadvantageous to include CY 2020 expenditures as the third benchmark 
year for this cohort of ACOs. Cancelling the 2021 application cycle 
would provide us with additional time to consider and develop 
approaches to further mitigate the role of 2020 as a benchmark year 
given the unusual expenditure and utilization trends likely to result 
from the pandemic.
    The ACO's voluntary election to extend its agreement period must be 
made in the form and manner and by a deadline established by CMS, and 
an ACO executive who has the authority to legally bind the ACO must 
certify the election. We note that this optional 12-month agreement 
period extension is a one-time exception for all ACOs with agreements 
expiring on December 31, 2020; it will not be available to other ACOs 
or to future program entrants. We anticipate that eligible ACOs will be 
able to elect to extend their agreement starting June 18, 2020, and the 
anticipated final date to make the election will be September 22, 2020. 
We will provide additional guidance regarding the form and manner, and 
the timeframe (including any changes to the above dates), for making 
the election.
    Under the existing provision at Sec.  [thinsp]425.210(a), the ACO 
must provide a copy of its participation agreement with CMS to all ACO 
participants, ACO providers/suppliers, and other individuals and 
entities involved in ACO governance. In the case of an ACO that elects 
to extend its agreement period pursuant to this IFC, we will consider 
the ACO to be in compliance with Sec.  425.210(a) if it notifies these 
parties that it will continue to participate in the program for an 
additional year. Further, under Sec.  425.210(b), all contracts or 
arrangements between or among the ACO, ACO participants, ACO providers/
suppliers, and other individuals or entities performing functions or 
services related to ACO activities must require compliance with the 
requirements and conditions of the program's regulations, including, 
but not limited to, those specified in the participation agreement with 
CMS (see also Sec. Sec.  425.116(a)(3) (as to agreements with ACO 
participants) and 425.116(b)(3) (as to agreements with ACO providers/
suppliers)). Thus, an ACO that elects to extend its participation 
agreement pursuant to this IFC must require its ACO participants, ACO 
providers/suppliers, and other individuals or entities performing 
functions or services related to ACO activities during PY 2021 to 
comply with the program's requirements through December 31, 2021. We 
note that to remain in compliance with Sec.  425.116, an ACO may need 
to extend the duration of its agreements with ACO participants and ACO 
providers/suppliers.
    We believe there is good cause to address the extension of expiring 
participation agreements in this IFC. It would be impracticable and 
contrary to the public interest to undertake traditional notice and 
comment rulemaking for this policy because we previously announced on 
our website that the 2021 application cycle would begin on April 20, 
2020 (https://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Medicare-Fee-for-Service-Payment/sharedsavingsprogram/for-acos/application-types-and-timeline). If we 
delayed finalizing this policy until after the public has had an 
opportunity to comment on it, ACOs might begin applying (or make 
preparations to apply) to the Shared Savings Program for an agreement 
period beginning January 1, 2021, rather than devote their scarce 
resources to care delivery and coordination activities.
    We are revising Sec.  425.200(b)(3)(ii) to allow ACOs that entered 
a first or second agreement period with a start date of January 1, 
2018, to elect to extend their agreement period for an optional fourth 
performance year. Lastly, while we will forgo the application cycle for 
ACOs to apply to enter an agreement period beginning on January 1, 
2021, we note that eligible, currently participating ACOs will be able 
to apply for a SNF 3-day rule waiver (Sec.  425.612(a)(1)(i)), apply to 
establish a beneficiary incentive program (Sec.  425.304(c)(2)), modify 
ACO participant (Sec.  425.118(b)) and/or SNF affiliate lists (Sec.  
425.612(a)(1)(i)(B)), and elect to change their assignment methodology 
(Sec.  425.226(a)(1)) for PY 2021. Also, an ACO participating under the 
BASIC track's glide path may still elect to transition to a higher 
level of risk and potential reward within the BASIC track's glide path 
other than the level of risk and potential reward that the ACO would be 
automatically transitioned to for PY 2021, absent the ACO's election to 
maintain its current participation level for one year as described in 
section II.L.2. of this IFC. For example, an ACO participating in BASIC 
track Level B in PY 2020 can still elect to transition to BASIC track 
level D or E in PY 2021.
    We seek comment on the approach we are establishing with this IFC 
to address the extension of participation agreements that are scheduled 
to expire on December 31, 2020.
2. Allow BASIC Track ACOs To Elect To Maintain Their Participation 
Level for One Year
    We finalized a redesign of Shared Savings Program's participation 
options in the final rule entitled ``Medicare Program; Medicare Shared 
Savings Program; Accountable Care Organizations--Pathways to Success 
and Extreme and Uncontrollable Circumstances Policies for Performance 
Year 2017'', which appeared in the Federal Register on December 31, 
2018 (83 FR 67816). We finalized the BASIC track, added as a new 
provision at Sec.  [thinsp]425.605, which includes an option for 
eligible ACOs to begin participation under a one-sided model and 
incrementally phase-in risk (calculated based on ACO participant 
revenue and capped at a percentage of the ACO's updated benchmark) and 
potential reward over the course of a single agreement period, an 
approach referred to as the glide path (83 FR 67841). The glide path 
includes five levels: A one-sided model available only for the first 2 
consecutive performance years of a 5-year agreement period, each year 
of which is identified as a separate level (Levels A and B); and three 
levels of progressively higher risk and potential reward in performance 
years 3 through 5 of the agreement period (Levels C, D, and E). ACOs 
are automatically advanced along the progression of risk/reward levels 
at the start of each participation year, over the course of a 5-year 
agreement period, unless the ACO elects to advance more quickly, until 
ACOs reach the BASIC track's maximum level of risk/reward (Level E) (83 
FR 67844). For ACOs that entered the BASIC track's glide path for an 
agreement period beginning on July 1, 2019, the progression through the 
levels of risk and potential reward spans 6 performance years, 
including the ACO's first performance year from July 1, 2019, through 
December 31, 2019; these ACOs were not automatically advanced to the 
next risk/reward level at the start of PY 2020 (42 CFR 
425.200(b)(4)(ii), (c)(3); Sec.  425.600(a)(4)(i)(B)(2)(i)).
    Stakeholders have expressed concern that due to the unpredictable 
impact of COVID-19 during PY 2020 and the uncertainty as to their 
ability to secure a repayment mechanism for PY 2021, ACOs are uncertain 
they will continue participating in the program if they are 
automatically transitioned to downside risk or a higher level of 
downside risk in PY 2021. Specifically, stakeholders have requested we 
``freeze,'' or forgo the automatic advancement of, BASIC track

[[Page 27576]]

ACOs at their current level of participation for PY 2021. Additionally, 
per Sec.  425.204(f)(3)(iii), an ACO entering an agreement period in 
Level A or Level B of the BASIC track must demonstrate the adequacy of 
its repayment mechanism prior to the start of any performance year in 
which it either elects to participate in, or is automatically 
transitioned to a two-sided model of the BASIC track, including Level 
C, Level D, or Level E. We have concerns whether some ACOs, 
particularly those that would automatically transition to Level C of 
the BASIC track, will have the ability to establish a repayment 
mechanism prior to the start of PY 2021 because the source of capital 
to cover potential losses may be uncertain for some ACOs given the 
resource intensity of responding to the pandemic. Currently, the Shared 
Savings Program has 136 ACOs participating under Level B of the BASIC 
track that are scheduled to automatically advance to Level C on January 
1, 2021. Some stakeholders have indicated that they may be unable to 
secure a letter of credit at this time, while other stakeholders have 
indicated that their discretionary funds are currently fully committed 
to responding to the COVID-19 PHE.
    We are also concerned that some of the care coordination processes 
ACOs have been developing may be interrupted by the pandemic. For 
example, ACOs may have reallocated funding and staff resources to 
respond to the COVID-19 PHE, thereby temporarily disrupting their 
ability to implement redesigned care processes that would support their 
transition to risk. We agree that most ACOs do not know the impact that 
COVID-19 will have on their expenditures or beneficiary population and 
the potential for losses under risk arrangements. Therefore, through 
this IFC, we are permitting ACOs participating in the BASIC track glide 
path to elect to maintain their current level under the BASIC track for 
PY 2021. Prior to the automatic advancement for PY 2021, an applicable 
ACO may elect to remain in the same level of the BASIC track's glide 
path that it entered for PY 2020. For PY 2022, an ACO that elects this 
advancement deferral option will be automatically advanced to the level 
of the BASIC track's glide path in which it would have participated 
during PY 2022 if it had advanced automatically to the next level for 
PY 2021 (unless the ACO elects to advance more quickly before the start 
of PY 2022). For example, if an ACO participating in the BASIC track, 
Level B, in PY 2020 elects to maintain its current level of 
participation for PY 2021, it will participate under Level B for PY 
2021 and then will automatically advance to Level D for PY 2022, since 
the ACO would have moved automatically to Level C for PY 2021 under 
current program rules, absent this change. The ACO could also elect to 
advance more quickly by opting to move to Level E instead of Level D 
for PY 2022, in which case the ACO would participate under Level E for 
the remainder of its agreement period.
    The ACO's voluntary election to maintain its participation level 
must be made in the form and manner and by a deadline established by 
CMS, and an ACO executive who has the authority to legally bind the ACO 
must certify the election. We anticipate that eligible ACOs will be 
able to elect to maintain their participation level for PY 2021 
starting June 18, 2020, and the anticipated final date to make the 
election will be September 22, 2020. We will provide additional 
guidance regarding the form and manner, and the timeframe (including 
any changes to the above dates), for making the election; an ACO that 
does not elect to maintain its current participation level for PY 2021 
by the final date specified by CMS in this guidance will be 
automatically advanced to the next level of the glide path for that 
performance year (unless it elects to advance more quickly). This 
option is a one-time exception for ACOs currently participating in the 
Shared Savings Program under the BASIC track' glide path and will not 
be available to other ACOs that are currently participating in the 
program or to future program entrants.
    We believe there is good cause to address the automatic advancement 
of BASIC track ACOs along the glide path in this IFC. We believe we 
need to provide ACOs adequate time in 2020 to determine their 
participation options for PY 2021. It would be infeasible to finalize 
the necessary amendments to the program regulations with sufficient 
time for ACOs to be aware of the advancement deferral option, make 
related program participation decisions, and provide their election to 
CMS, if we did not implement this policy through this IFC. 
Additionally, this policy will provide further relief to ACOs that may 
not currently have the ability to establish a repayment mechanism prior 
to PY 2021 and that otherwise would be struggling during this period to 
establish one, or perhaps seeking to terminate their participation 
agreements early, rather than devoting scarce resources to care 
delivery and coordination and continuing in the program. Therefore, we 
are redesignating Sec.  425.600(a)(4)(i)(B)(2)(iii) as Sec.  
425.600(a)(4)(i)(B)(2)(iv) and adding a new Sec.  
425.600(a)(4)(i)(B)(2)(iii) to allow ACOs currently participating in 
the BASIC track's glide path to elect to maintain their current 
participation level for PY 2021.
    We seek comment on the advancement deferral option we are 
establishing with this IFC.
3. Applicability of Extreme and Uncontrollable Circumstances Policies 
to the COVID-19 Pandemic
    In December 2017, we issued an interim final rule with comment 
period entitled ``Medicare Program; Medicare Shared Savings Program: 
Extreme and Uncontrollable Circumstances Policies for Performance Year 
2017'' (hereinafter referred to as the ``December 2017 IFC''), which 
appeared in the Federal Register on December 26, 2017 (82 FR 60912 
through 60919). The December 2017 IFC established a policy for 
mitigating shared losses for Shared Savings Program ACOs participating 
in a performance-based risk track, when the ACO's assigned 
beneficiaries were located in geographic areas that were impacted by 
extreme and uncontrollable circumstances, such as hurricanes, 
wildfires, or other triggering events, during PY 2017. In the final 
rule entitled ``Medicare Program; Revisions to Payment Policies Under 
the Physician Fee Schedule and Other Revisions to Part B for CY 2019; 
Medicare Shared Savings Program Requirements; Quality Payment Program; 
Medicaid Promoting Interoperability Program; Quality Payment Program-
Extreme and Uncontrollable Circumstance Policy for the 2019 MIPS 
Payment Year; Provisions From the Medicare Shared Savings Program-
Accountable Care Organizations-Pathways to Success; and Expanding the 
Use of Telehealth Services for the Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder 
Under the Substance Use-Disorder Prevention That Promotes Opioid 
Recovery and Treatment (SUPPORT) for Patients and Communities Act'' 
(hereinafter referred to as the ``CY 2019 PFS final rule'') (83 FR 
59452), we extended the extreme and uncontrollable circumstances policy 
finalized for PY 2017 to PY 2018 and subsequent performance years. 
Under the policy adopted in that final rule, for a given performance 
year, as set forth in Sec. Sec.  425.605(f) (applicable to ACOs in two-
sided models of the BASIC track), 425.606(i) (applicable to ACOs in 
Track 2) and 425.610(i) (applicable to ACOs in the ENHANCED track), CMS 
reduces the amount of the ACO's shared losses by an amount determined 
by

[[Page 27577]]

multiplying the shared losses by the percentage of the total months in 
the performance year affected by an extreme and uncontrollable 
circumstance, and the percentage of the ACO's assigned beneficiaries 
who reside in an area affected by an extreme and uncontrollable 
circumstance. Further, as specified in the Track 1+ Model participation 
agreement available at https://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Medicare-Fee-for-Service-Payment/sharedsavingsprogram/Downloads/track-1plus-model-par-agreement.pdf, CMS adjusts the amount of shared losses for Track 1+ 
Model ACOs for extreme and uncontrollable circumstances in the manner 
described in Sec.  425.610(i).
    As specified in the Shared Savings Program regulations at 
Sec. Sec.  425.605(f), 425.606(i) and 425.610(i), CMS applies 
determinations made under the Quality Payment Program with respect to 
whether an extreme and uncontrollable circumstance has occurred and the 
affected areas. Further, CMS has sole discretion to determine the time 
period during which an extreme and uncontrollable circumstance occurred 
and the percentage of the ACO's assigned beneficiaries residing in the 
affected areas. In November 2017, we issued an interim final rule with 
comment period for the Quality Payment Program entitled ``Medicare 
Program; CY 2018 Updates to the Quality Payment Program; and Quality 
Payment Program: Extreme and Uncontrollable Circumstance Policy for the 
Transition Year'' IFC (hereinafter referred to the ``Quality Payment 
Program IFC'') (82 FR 53568), which appeared in the Federal Register on 
November 16, 2017. In the Quality Payment Program IFC (82 FR 53897), we 
explained that we anticipated that the types of events that could 
trigger the extreme and uncontrollable circumstances policies would be 
events designated a FEMA major disaster or a PHE declared by the 
Secretary, although we indicated that we would review each situation on 
a case-by-case basis.
    In the CY 2019 PFS final rule (83 FR 59969), we explained our 
belief that the extreme and uncontrollable circumstance policies under 
the Shared Savings Program address stakeholders' concerns that ACOs 
participating under a performance-based risk track could be held 
responsible for sharing losses with the Medicare program resulting from 
catastrophic events outside the ACO's control given the increase in 
utilization, difficulty of coordinating care for patient populations 
leaving the impacted areas, and the use of natural disaster payment 
modifiers making it difficult to identify whether a claim would 
otherwise have been denied under normal Medicare FFS rules. Absent this 
relief, we explained that ACOs participating in performance-based risk 
tracks might reconsider whether they are able to continue their 
participation in the Shared Savings Program under a performance-based 
risk track.
    In the March 31st COVID-19 IFC (85 FR 19230), we briefly addressed 
considerations related to applying the Shared Savings Program's extreme 
and uncontrollable circumstances policies for mitigating shared losses 
for ACOs in PY 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. We explained that 
for purposes of PY 2020 financial reconciliation, we will reduce the 
amount of an ACO's shared losses by an amount determined by multiplying 
the shared losses by the percentage of the total months in the 
performance year affected by an extreme and uncontrollable 
circumstance, and the percentage of the ACO's assigned beneficiaries 
who reside in an area affected by an extreme and uncontrollable 
circumstance (85 FR 19268). We explained that the PHE for the COVID-19 
pandemic applies to all counties in the country; therefore, 100 percent 
of assigned beneficiaries for all Shared Savings Program ACOs reside in 
an affected area. However, in describing the timeframe during which the 
extreme and uncontrollable circumstances policy would apply for 
mitigating shared losses because of the COVID-19 pandemic, we 
inadvertently stated that it would begin in March 2020 and continue 
through the end of the COVID-19 PHE, as defined in Sec.  400.200. This 
statement was inconsistent with the beginning of the COVID-19 PHE as 
defined in Sec.  400.200 (January 2020). Therefore, we are clarifying 
in this IFC that, for purposes of the Shared Savings Program, the 
months affected by an extreme and uncontrollable circumstance will 
begin with January 2020, consistent with the COVID-19 PHE determined to 
exist nationwide as of January 27, 2020, by the Secretary on January 
31, 2020, and will continue through the end of the PHE, as defined in 
Sec.  400.200, which includes any subsequent renewals.
    Catastrophic events outside the ACO's control can also increase the 
difficulty of coordinating care for patient populations, and due to the 
unpredictability of changes in utilization and cost of services 
furnished to beneficiaries, may have a significant impact on 
expenditures for the applicable performance year and the ACO's 
benchmark in the subsequent agreement period (as further discussed in 
section II.L.4. of this IFC). These factors could jeopardize the ACO's 
ability to succeed in the Shared Savings Program, and ACOs, especially 
those in performance-based risk tracks, may reconsider whether they are 
able to continue their participation in the program.
    Therefore, we believe it is important to make clear that, under the 
existing extreme and uncontrollable circumstances policies for the 
Shared Savings Program, the timeframe for the extreme and 
uncontrollable circumstance of the COVID-19 pandemic for purposes of 
mitigating shared losses will extend for the duration of the COVID-19 
PHE as specified in Sec.  400.200, which begins in January 2020. If the 
COVID-19 PHE extends through all of CY 2020, all shared losses for PY 
2020 will be mitigated for all ACOs participating in a performance-
based risk track: Including Track 2, the ENHANCED track, Levels C, D 
and E of the BASIC track, and the Track 1+ Model (as discussed in 
section II.L.6. of this IFC). At this time, the COVID-19 PHE has 
already covered 4 months (January through April 2020) meaning any 
shared losses an ACO incurs for PY 2020 will be reduced by at least 
one-third. Further, if the COVID-19 PHE extends for a large portion, if 
not all of the year, the existing extreme and uncontrollable 
circumstances policy under the Shared Savings Program would mitigate a 
significant portion of, if not all, shared losses an ACO may owe for PY 
2020. For example, if the COVID-19 PHE covers 6 months (January through 
June 2020) any shared losses an ACO incurs for PY 2020 would be reduced 
by one-half; if the COVID-19 PHE covers 9 months (January through 
September 2020) any shared losses an ACO incurs for PY 2020 would be 
reduced by three-fourths; and if the COVID-19 PHE covers the full year 
(January through December 2020) any shared losses an ACO incurs for PY 
2020 would be reduced completely, and the ACO would not owe any shared 
losses.
4. Adjustments to Shared Savings Program Calculations To Address the 
COVID-19 Pandemic
a. Background
    Section 1899(d)(1)(B)(ii) of the Act addresses how ACO benchmarks 
are to be established and updated under the Shared Savings Program. 
This provision specifies that the Secretary shall estimate a benchmark 
for each agreement period for each ACO using the most recent available 
3 years of per

[[Page 27578]]

beneficiary expenditures for Parts A and B services for Medicare FFS 
beneficiaries assigned to the ACO. Such benchmark shall be adjusted for 
beneficiary characteristics and such other factors as the Secretary 
determines appropriate, and updated by the projected absolute amount of 
growth in national per capita expenditures for Parts A and B services. 
Section 1899(d)(1)(B)(i) of the Act specifies that, in each year of the 
agreement period, an ACO is eligible to receive payment for shared 
savings only if the estimated average per capita Medicare expenditures 
under the ACO for Medicare FFS beneficiaries for Parts A and B 
services, adjusted for beneficiary characteristics, is at least the 
percent specified by the Secretary below the applicable benchmark under 
section 1899(d)(1)(B)(ii) of the Act.
    Section 1899(i)(3) of the Act grants the Secretary the authority to 
use other payment models if the Secretary determines that doing so 
would improve the quality and efficiency of items and services 
furnished under Title XVIII and the alternative methodology would 
result in program expenditures equal to or lower than those that would 
result under the statutory payment model. The authority under section 
1899(i)(3) of the Act to use other payment models includes authority to 
adopt alternatives to the benchmarking methodology set forth in section 
1899(d)(1)(B)(ii) of the Act, and alternatives to the methodology for 
determining expenditures for each performance year as set forth in 
section 1899(d)(1)(B)(i) of the Act. As discussed in earlier 
rulemaking, we have used our authority under section 1899(i)(3) of the 
Act to adopt alternative policies to the provisions of section 
1899(d)(1)(B) of the Act for updating the historical benchmark,\28\ and 
calculating performance year expenditures.\29\ We have also used our 
authority under section 1899(i)(3) of the Act to establish the Shared 
Savings Program's two-sided payment models,\30\ and to mitigate shared 
losses owed by ACOs affected by extreme and uncontrollable 
circumstances during PY 2017 and subsequent performance years.\31\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \28\ Such as using only assignable beneficiaries instead of all 
Medicare FFS beneficiaries in calculating the benchmark update based 
on national FFS expenditures (81 FR 37986-37989), calculating the 
benchmark update using factors based on regional FFS expenditures 
(81 FR 37977-37981), and calculating the benchmark update using a 
blend of national and regional expenditure growth rates (83 FR 
68027-68030).
    \29\ Such as excluding indirect medical education and 
disproportionate share hospital payments from ACO performance year 
expenditures (76 FR 67921-67922), and determining shared savings and 
shared losses for the 6-month performance years (or performance 
period) in 2019 using expenditures for the entire CY 2019 and then 
pro-rating these amounts to reflect the shorter performance year or 
performance period (83 FR 59949-59951, 83 FR 67950-67956).
    \30\ See earlier rulemaking establishing two-sided models: Track 
2 (76 FR 67904-67909), Track 3 (subsequently renamed the ENHANCED 
track) (80 FR 32771-32772), and the BASIC track (83 FR 67834-67841).
    \31\ See earlier rulemaking establishing policies for mitigating 
shared losses owed by ACOs affected by extreme and uncontrollable 
circumstances (82 FR 60916-60917, 83 FR 59974-59977).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Under the Shared Savings Program, providers and suppliers continue 
to bill for services furnished to Medicare beneficiaries and receive 
FFS payments under traditional Medicare. CMS uses payment amounts for 
Parts A and B FFS claims for a variety of Shared Savings Program 
operations, which include: Calculations under the benchmarking 
methodology; determining an ACO's eligibility for shared savings and 
liability for shared losses for each performance year under the 
program's financial models as specified in the regulations in subpart 
G; determining an ACO's eligibility for certain participation options 
as set forth in Sec.  425.600(d); and calculating the amount of the 
repayment mechanism required for ACOs participating in a two-sided 
model according to Sec.  425.204(f)(4). These operations typically 
require the determination of expenditures for Parts A and B services 
under the original Medicare FFS program for a specified population of 
Medicare FFS beneficiaries or the Medicare Parts A and B FFS revenue of 
ACO participants. We note that the Medicare FFS beneficiary population 
for which expenditures are determined may differ depending on the 
specific program operation being performed and may reflect expenditures 
for the ACO's assigned beneficiaries, assignable beneficiaries as 
defined in Sec.  425.20, or all Medicare FFS beneficiaries. The 
applicable Medicare FFS beneficiary population is specified in the 
regulations governing each program operation.
b. Removing Payment Amounts for Episodes of Care for Treatment of 
COVID-19 From Shared Savings Program Expenditure and Revenue 
Calculations
    Section 3710 of the CARES Act amended section 1886(d)(4)(C) of the 
Act to specify that for discharges occurring during the emergency 
period described in section 1135(g)(1)(B) of the Act, in the case of a 
discharge of an individual diagnosed with COVID-19, the Secretary shall 
increase the weighting factor that would otherwise apply to the 
diagnosis-related group (DRG) to which the discharge is assigned by 20 
percent. Further, the Secretary shall identify a discharge of such an 
individual through the use of diagnosis codes, condition codes, or 
other such means as may be necessary. In this section of this IFC, we 
refer to this increase in the weighting factor for DRGs as the ``DRG 
adjustment.''
    We anticipate that the localized nature of infections (for example, 
rapid outbreaks in individual nursing facilities (NFs)) and the 
unanticipated increase in expenditures, along with the increased 
flexibilities that have been implemented to allow health care providers 
to identify and treat COVID-19 patients will affect the level of 
Medicare Parts A and B expenditures during 2020, both for the Medicare 
FFS beneficiaries assigned to ACOs and for the other populations of 
Medicare FFS beneficiaries whose expenditures are considered in 
performing calculations under the Shared Savings Program. The localized 
nature of outbreaks and the increased utilization of acute care 
occurring in PY 2020 and the associated higher costs are not reflected 
in ACOs' historical benchmarks, which are determined under Sec. Sec.  
425.601(b), 425.602(b), or 425.603(d), as applicable, based on Parts A 
and B expenditures for the beneficiaries who would have been assigned 
to that ACO during the three benchmark years. For some ACOs, the higher 
costs associated with COVID-19 may not be fully accounted for (or in 
other cases may be over-represented) by the retrospective application 
of the update factor to the benchmark at the time of financial 
reconciliation. In addition, the prospective CMS-HCC risk scores, which 
are used to adjust the historical benchmark each performance year for 
changes in severity and case mix (refer to Sec. Sec.  425.601(a)(10), 
425.602(a)(9) and 425.603(c)(10); and Sec. Sec.  425.604(a)(1), 
425.605(a)(1), 425.606(a)(1), 425.610(a)(1), (2)), would not be 
expected to meaningfully adjust for such variability because they are 
prospective, and therefore, use diagnoses from 2019 to predict costs in 
2020.
    Furthermore, including the increased expenditures related to 
treatment of COVID-19 in calculations of ACO benchmarks for which CY 
2020 is a benchmark year could lead to higher than anticipated future 
historical benchmarks unnecessarily advantaging some ACOs once the 
prevalence of COVID-19 in the population begins to decrease, and the 
corresponding reduction in expenditures is reflected in performance 
year expenditures. In

[[Page 27579]]

contrast, we anticipate that the methodology used to update benchmarks 
will appropriately reflect any reduction in expenditures due to a 
cumulative yearlong decline in elective services and the deferral of 
other services as a result of regionally-uniform responses by 
beneficiaries and providers/suppliers to directives issued at federal, 
state, and local levels. Therefore, the retrospective application of 
the historical benchmark update (which for PY 2020 is either an update 
factor based on national growth rates, regional growth rates, or a 
blend of national and regional growth rates, depending on the start 
date of the ACO's agreement period) is expected to reasonably account 
for lower utilization of services by non-COVID-19 patients and prevent 
windfall shared savings payments to ACOs for PY 2020.
    Including payment amounts for treatment of acute care for COVID-19 
in calculations for which calendar year 2020 is used as a reference 
year could also distort repayment mechanism estimates and the 
identification of high and low revenue ACOs and influence ACO 
participation options. For example, ACOs could potentially be 
misclassified as either high revenue or low revenue, due to changes in 
expenditures arising from the COVID-19 pandemic, and either moved more 
quickly to higher levels of risk and reward if they are identified as 
high revenue ACOs or allowed additional time under a one-sided model 
(if eligible) or in relatively lower levels of performance-based risk 
if they are identified as low revenue ACOs.
    ACOs currently participating in a performance-based risk track have 
an urgent need to understand how we will address any distortions in 
expenditures resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. Under the Shared 
Savings Program's regulations at Sec.  425.221(b)(2)(ii)(A), an ACO 
under a two-sided model that voluntarily terminates its participation 
agreement with an effective date of termination after June 30th of the 
applicable performance year is liable for a pro-rated share of any 
shared losses determined for that performance year. Under Sec.  
425.220(a) of the regulations, ACOs are required to provide CMS at 
least 30 days' advance notice of their decision to voluntarily 
terminate from the program. As a result, ACOs that are participating 
under a two-sided model would need to provide notice to CMS no later 
than June 1, 2020, to avoid liability for a pro-rated share of any 
shared losses that may be determined for PY 2020. ACOs and other 
program stakeholders have expressed concern that ACOs need to make 
participation decisions in advance of this June 1, 2020 deadline, and 
may choose to terminate their participation in the Shared Savings 
Program on or before June 30th, rather than risk owing pro-rated shared 
losses for PY 2020. We note that as we explain in section II.L.3. of 
this IFC, the Shared Savings Program's extreme and uncontrollable 
circumstances policy will mitigate shared losses for these ACOs. 
However, given the uncertainty surrounding whether the COVID-19 PHE 
will cover the entire year and absent information regarding the steps 
that CMS intends to take to address the high costs associated with 
COVID-19 patients, many risk-based ACOs may choose to leave the program 
by June 30, 2020, to avoid the risk of owing shared losses.
    We believe it is necessary to revise the policies governing Shared 
Savings Program financial calculations, as well as certain other 
program operations, to mitigate the impact of unanticipated increased 
expenditures related to the treatment of COVID-19. Given that ACOs in 
two-sided models have very limited time (less than 2 months at the time 
of development of this IFC) to decide whether to continue their 
participation in the program or voluntarily terminate without being 
liable for shared losses, we believe there is an urgent need to 
establish policies that address the impact of COVID-19 on Shared 
Savings Program financial calculations. More generally, ACOs engage in 
care coordination and population-based activities for Medicare FFS 
beneficiaries, as they work towards achieving the Shared Savings 
Program's goals of lowering growth in Medicare FFS expenditures and 
improving the quality of care furnished to Medicare beneficiaries. We 
believe there is an urgency in taking steps to avoid adversely 
impacting ACOs, many of which have rapidly adapted to current 
circumstances in order to continue to coordinate care and deliver 
value-based care to Medicare FFS beneficiaries and meet program goals. 
In the absence of policies that adjust certain program calculations to 
remove payment amounts for episodes of care for treatment of COVID-19, 
ACOs may choose to leave the Shared Savings Program, setting back 
progress made in transitioning the health care system from volume-based 
to value-based payment. For these reasons, we find good cause to waive 
prior notice and comment rulemaking to establish policies to mitigate 
the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Shared Savings Program financial 
calculations.
    We are revising our policies under the Shared Savings Program to 
exclude from Shared Savings Program calculations all Parts A and B FFS 
payment amounts for an episode of care for treatment of COVID-19, 
triggered by an inpatient service, and as specified on Parts A and B 
claims with dates of service during the episode. We are relying on our 
authority under section 1899(d)(1)(B)(ii) of the Act to adjust 
benchmark expenditures for other factors in order to remove COVID-19-
related expenditures from the determination of benchmark expenditures. 
As discussed elsewhere in this section, we are also exercising our 
authority under section 1899(i)(3) of the Act to apply this adjustment 
to certain other program calculations, including the determination of 
performance year expenditures.
    We believe an approach that makes the triggering event for this 
adjustment the beneficiary's receipt of inpatient care for COVID-19, 
will identify the most acutely ill patients and, as a result, those 
patients with the highest-costs associated with acute care treatment. 
In contrast, we believe that treatment for COVID-19 that does not 
result in an inpatient admission does not raise the same level of 
concern in terms of generating unexpected performance year expenditures 
that are not appropriately reflected in the benchmark calculations. As 
William Bleser and colleagues have described,\32\ citing a recent 
actuarial estimate of COVID-19 costs,\33\ outpatient care was 
approximately 10 percent of the cost of hospital care, indicating that 
hospital costs are the dominant source of overall costs for treatment 
of COVID-19. We believe these findings support an approach that bases 
the exclusion of expenditures on the triggering event of an inpatient 
admission for treatment of COVID-19. Furthermore, we believe that some 
outpatient care will occur close-in-time to an eventual inpatient 
admission and following discharge. Under the approach we are 
establishing, where an episode of care includes the month of admission 
and the month following discharge, outpatient care occurring within the 
timeframe for an episode of care would also be excluded from financial 
calculations.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \32\ Bleser WK, et al. Maintaining Progress Toward Accountable 
Care And Payment Reform During A Pandemic, Part 1: Utilization And 
Financial Impact. Health Affairs. April 14, 2020. Available at 
https://www.healthaffairs.org/do/10.1377/hblog20200410.281882/full/.
    \33\ COVERED California. The Potential National Health Cost 
Impacts to Consumers, Employers and Insurers Due to the Coronavirus 
(COVID-19). Policy/Actuarial Brief (March 22, 2020). Available at 
https://hbex.coveredca.com/data-research/library/COVID-19-NationalCost-Impacts03-21-20.pdf.

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[[Page 27580]]

    Accordingly, under the approach we are adopting in this IFC, we 
will identify an episode of care triggered by an inpatient service for 
treatment of COVID-19, based on either: (1) Discharges for inpatient 
services eligible for the 20 percent DRG adjustment under section 
1886(d)(4)(C) of the Act; or (2) discharges for acute care inpatient 
services for treatment of COVID-19 from facilities that are not paid 
under the IPPS, such as CAHs, when the date of admission occurs within 
the COVID-19 PHE as defined in Sec.  400.200.
    For example, we will identify discharges of an individual diagnosed 
with COVID-19 using the following ICD-10-CM codes:
     B97.29 (Other coronavirus as the cause of diseases 
classified elsewhere) for discharges occurring on or after January 27, 
2020, and on or before March 31, 2020.
     U07.1 (COVID-19) for discharges occurring on or after 
April 1, 2020, through the duration of the COVID-19 PHE period, as 
defined in Sec.  400.200.\34\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \34\ See for example, MLN Matters, ``New Waivers for Inpatient 
Prospective Payment System (IPPS) Hospitals, Long-Term Care 
Hospitals (LTCHs), and Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities (IRFs) 
due to Provisions of the CARES Act'' (April 15, 2020), available at 
https://www.cms.gov/files/document/se20015.pdf.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Episodes of care for treatment of COVID-19 may be triggered by an 
inpatient admission for acute care either at an acute care hospital or 
other healthcare facility, which may include temporary expansion sites, 
Medicare-enrolled ASCs providing hospital services to help address the 
urgent need to increase hospital capacity to treat COVID-19 patients, 
CAHs, and potentially other types of providers.\35\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \35\ See CMS fact sheet, ``Hospitals: CMS Flexibilities to Fight 
COVID-19'', dated March 30, 2020, available at https://www.cms.gov/files/document/covid-hospitals.pdf, describing flexibilities CMS 
specified for hospitals for the provision of inpatient care to fight 
COVID-19.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    We will define the episode of care as starting in the month in 
which the inpatient stay begins as identified by the admission date, 
all months during the inpatient stay, and the month following the end 
of the inpatient stay as indicated by the discharge date. This approach 
to measuring the length of the episode of care in units of months 
aligns with the Shared Savings Program's existing methodology for 
calculating benchmark year and performance year expenditures by 
performing separate calculations for each of four Medicare enrollment 
types (ESRD, disabled, aged/dual eligible for Medicare and Medicaid, 
and aged/non-dual eligible for Medicare and Medicaid). As described in 
the final rule entitled ``Medicare Program; Medicare Shared Savings 
Program; Accountable Care Organizations--Revised Benchmark Rebasing 
Methodology, Facilitating Transition to Performance-Based Risk, and 
Administrative Finality of Financial Calculations'', which appeared in 
the Federal Register on June 10, 2016 (81 FR 37950), we account for 
circumstances where a beneficiary is enrolled in a Medicare enrollment 
type for only a fraction of a year (see 81 FR 37981). Specifically, we 
determine the number of months that an assigned beneficiary is enrolled 
in each specific Medicare enrollment type and divide by 12. Summing 
these fractions across all assigned beneficiaries in each Medicare 
enrollment type results in total person years for the beneficiaries 
assigned to the ACO. Benchmark and performance year expenditures for 
each enrollment type are calculated on a per capita basis. The 
numerator of the per capita expenditure calculation for a particular 
enrollment type reflects the total Parts A and B expenditures incurred 
by all assigned beneficiaries in that enrollment type during the year, 
with adjustments made to exclude indirect medical education and 
disproportionate share hospital payments, to include individually 
beneficiary identifiable final payments made under a demonstration, 
pilot or time limited program, and to truncate beneficiary expenditures 
to minimize variation from catastrophically large claims. The 
denominator reflects total person years for the enrollment type.
    In addition to excluding Parts A and B payment amounts with dates 
of service in the months associated with an episode of care for 
treatment of COVID-19, we will also exclude the affected months from 
total person years used in per capita expenditure calculations. For 
example, if a beneficiary had an episode of care for COVID-19 that 
lasted for 2 months, but was otherwise enrolled as an aged/non-dual 
eligible beneficiary for the full calendar PY, we will exclude their 
Parts A and B expenditures for those two months and compute their 
fraction of the year enrolled in the aged/non-dual eligible population 
as 10/12. Adjusting both expenditures and person years will ensure that 
both the numerator and denominator used to calculate per capita 
expenditures are based on the same number of months of beneficiary 
experience and allow ACOs to be treated equitably regardless of the 
degree to which their assigned beneficiary population is affected by 
the pandemic.
    We believe that the approach described in this section will provide 
for a more equitable comparison between an ACO's performance year 
expenditures and its historical benchmark and will help to ensure that 
ACOs are not rewarded or penalized for having higher/lower COVID-19 
spread in their assigned beneficiary populations which, in turn, will 
help to protect CMS against paying out windfall shared savings and ACOs 
in two-sided models from owing excessive shared losses. Further, as 
described previously in this section of this IFC, we believe that the 
retrospective application of the historical benchmark update, which 
will be calculated based on factors that reflect actual expenditure and 
utilization changes nationally and regionally, other than expenditures 
for episodes of care for treatment of COVID-19, will also help to 
mitigate the potential for windfall savings due to potentially lower 
utilization of services not related to treatment for COVID-19.
    We will adjust the following Shared Savings Program calculations to 
exclude all Parts A and B FFS payment amounts for a beneficiary's 
episode of care for treatment of COVID-19:
     Calculation of Medicare Parts A and B FFS expenditures for 
an ACO's assigned beneficiaries for all purposes, including the 
following: Establishing, adjusting, updating, and resetting the ACO's 
historical benchmark and determining performance year expenditures.
     Calculation of FFS expenditures for assignable 
beneficiaries as used in determining county-level FFS expenditures and 
national Medicare FFS expenditures, including the following 
calculations:
    ++ Determining average county FFS expenditures based on 
expenditures for the assignable population of beneficiaries in each 
county in the ACO's regional service area according to Sec. Sec.  
425.601(c) and 425.603(e) for purposes of calculating the ACO's 
regional FFS expenditures. For example, for ACOs in agreement periods 
beginning on July 1, 2019, and in subsequent years, we will use county 
FFS expenditures from which we exclude all Parts A and B FFS payment 
amounts for a beneficiary's episode of care for treatment of COVID-19 
in determining the regional component of the blended national and 
regional growth rates used to (1) trend forward benchmark year 1 and 
benchmark year 2 expenditures to benchmark year 3 according to Sec.  
425.601(a)(5)(iii), and (2) to update the benchmark according to Sec.  
425.601(b)(3). Further, we will use county expenditures from which we 
exclude all Parts A and B FFS payment amounts for a beneficiary's 
episode of care for treatment of COVID-19 to

[[Page 27581]]

update the ACO's rebased historical benchmark, according to Sec.  
425.603(d) for ACOs in a second agreement period beginning on or before 
January 1, 2019, based on regional growth rates in Medicare FFS 
expenditures.
    ++ Determining the 99th percentile of national Medicare FFS 
expenditures for assignable beneficiaries for purposes of the 
following: (1) Truncating assigned beneficiary expenditures used in 
calculating benchmark expenditures (Sec. Sec.  425.601(a)(4), 
425.602(a)(4), 425.603(c)(4)), and performance year expenditures 
(Sec. Sec.  425.604(a)(4), 425.605(a)(3), 425.606(a)(4), 
425.610(a)(4)); and (2) truncating expenditures for assignable 
beneficiaries in each county for purposes of determining county FFS 
expenditures according to Sec. Sec.  425.601(c)(3) and 425.603(e)(3).
    ++ Determining 5 percent of national per capita expenditures for 
Parts A and B services under the original Medicare FFS program for 
assignable beneficiaries for purposes of capping the regional 
adjustment to the ACO's historical benchmark according to Sec.  
425.601(a)(8)(ii)(C).
    ++ Determining the flat dollar equivalent of the projected absolute 
amount of growth in national per capita expenditures for Parts A and B 
services under the original Medicare FFS program for assignable 
beneficiaries, for purposes of updating the ACO's historical benchmark 
according to Sec.  425.602(b)(2).
    ++ Determining national growth rates that are used as part of the 
blended growth rates used to trend forward benchmark year 1 and 
benchmark year 2 expenditures to benchmark year 3 according to Sec.  
425.601(a)(5)(ii) and as part of the blended growth rates used to 
update the benchmark according to Sec.  425.601(b)(2).
     Calculation of Medicare Parts A and B FFS revenue of ACO 
participants for purposes of calculating the ACO's loss recoupment 
limit under the BASIC track as specified in Sec.  425.605(d).
     Calculation of total Medicare Parts A and B FFS revenue of 
ACO participants and total Medicare Parts A and B FFS expenditures for 
the ACO's assigned beneficiaries for purposes of identifying whether an 
ACO is a high revenue ACO or low revenue ACO, as defined under Sec.  
425.20, and determining an ACO's eligibility for participation options 
according to Sec.  425.600(d).
     Calculation or recalculation of the amount of the ACO's 
repayment mechanism arrangement according to Sec.  425.204(f)(4).
    We note that there are certain payments related to the COVID-19 PHE 
that fall outside of Medicare FFS Parts A and B claims, and by virtue 
of this fact, these payments would not be utilized under the Shared 
Savings Program methodology for determining beneficiary expenditures. 
For example, we would not account for recoupment of accelerated or 
advance payments,\36\ which occurs outside of the FFS claims processing 
system. This is because the underlying Parts A and B claims used in 
Shared Savings Program expenditure calculations would continue to 
reflect the amount the providers/suppliers are eligible to be paid, 
although that payment may be subject to offset for repayment of 
accelerated or advance payments. Further, Shared Savings Program 
expenditure calculations would also not account for lump sum payments 
made to hospitals and other healthcare providers through the CARES Act 
Provider Relief Fund,\37\ that occur outside of Parts A and B claims. 
We will continue to capture Medicare FFS Parts A and B payments to 
providers/suppliers in Shared Savings Program calculations from 
hospitals and other healthcare providers receiving these funds.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \36\ See CMS, ``Fact Sheet: Expansion of the Accelerated and 
Advance Payments Program for Providers and Suppliers During COVID-19 
Emergency,'' available at https://www.cms.gov/files/document/accelerated-and-advanced-payments-fact-sheet.pdf.
    \37\ See HHS website, CARES Act Provider Relief Fund, at https://www.hhs.gov/provider-relief/index.html.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    It is necessary to use our authority under section 1899(i)(3) of 
the Act to remove payment amounts for episodes of care for treatment of 
COVID-19 from the following calculations: (1) Performance year 
expenditures; (2) updates to the historical benchmark; and (3) ACO 
participants' Medicare FFS revenue used to determine the loss sharing 
limit in the two-sided models of the BASIC track. To use our authority 
under section 1899(i)(3) of the Act to adopt an alternative payment 
methodology to remove payment amounts for episodes of care for 
treatment of COVID-19 from these calculations, we must determine that 
the alternative payment methodology will improve the quality and 
efficiency of items and services furnished to Medicare beneficiaries, 
without resulting in additional program expenditures. We believe that 
these adjustments, which will remove payment amounts for episodes of 
care for treatment of COVID-19 from the specified Shared Savings 
Program calculations, will capture and remove from program calculations 
expenditures that are outside of an ACO's control, but that could 
significantly affect the ACO's performance under the program. In 
particular, we believe that failing to remove this spending would 
likely create highly variable savings and loss results for individual 
ACOs that happen to have over-representation or under-representation of 
COVID-19 hospitalizations in their assigned beneficiary populations.
    As described in the Regulatory Impact Analysis (section VI. of this 
IFC), we do not believe excluding payment amounts for episodes of care 
for treatment of COVID-19 from the specified calculations will result 
in an increase in spending beyond the expenditures that would otherwise 
occur under the statutory payment methodology in section 1899(d) of the 
Act. Further, we believe that these adjustments to our payment 
calculations to remove expenditures associated with treatment of COVID-
19, in combination with the optional 1-year extension for ACOs whose 
current agreement periods expire on December 31, 2020 (as discussed in 
section II.L.1. of this IFC), and the option for ACOs in the BASIC 
track's glide path to elect to maintain their current level of risk and 
reward for PY 2021 (as discussed in section II.L.2. of this IFC) will 
provide greater certainty for currently participating ACOs. As a 
result, we expect these policies will support ACOs' continued 
participation in the Shared Savings Program in the face of significant 
uncertainty arising from the disruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic 
and the resulting PHE. This, in turn, means that these organizations 
would continue working towards meeting the Shared Savings Program's 
goals of lowering growth in Medicare FFS expenditures and improving the 
quality of care furnished to Medicare beneficiaries.
    Based on these considerations, and as specified in the Regulatory 
Impact Analysis (section VI. of this IFC), we believe adjusting certain 
Shared Savings Program calculations to remove payment amounts for 
episodes of care for treatment of COVID-19 from the calculation of 
performance year expenditures, updates to the historical benchmark, and 
ACO participants' Medicare FFS revenue used to determine the loss 
sharing limit in the two-sided models of the BASIC track, meets the 
requirements for use of our authority under section 1899(i)(3) of the 
Act.
    We also acknowledge that some trends and longer lasting effects of 
the COVID-19 pandemic are challenging to anticipate at the time of 
development of

[[Page 27582]]

this IFC, and we will continue to evaluate the ongoing impact of the 
COVID-19 pandemic to determine whether additional rulemaking is 
necessary to further adjust Shared Savings Program policies. For 
example, it is unclear whether the COVID-19 pandemic may have longer-
term effects into 2021, such as through rebounding elective procedure 
costs in 2021 following potentially sustained reductions in 2020 or to 
what extent the reduction in these procedures may persist. Further, we 
anticipate learning more about the potential longer-term implications 
of the COVID-19 pandemic on Medicare beneficiaries' health and the 
health care system.
    We are adding a new provision at Sec.  425.611 to describe the 
adjustments CMS will make to Shared Savings Program calculations to 
address the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
    We seek comment on the approach to adjusting program calculations 
to mitigate the financial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on ACOs that 
we are establishing with this IFC.
5. Expansion of Codes Used in Beneficiary Assignment
a. Background
    Section 1899(c)(1) of the Act, as amended by the 21st Century Cures 
Act (Pub. L. 114-255, enacted December 13, 2016) and the Bipartisan 
Budget Act of 2018 (BBA 2018) (Pub. L. 115-123, enacted February 9, 
2018), provides that for performance years beginning on or after 
January 1, 2019, the Secretary shall assign beneficiaries to an ACO 
based on their utilization of primary care services provided by 
physicians participating in the ACO and all services furnished by RHCs 
and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) that are ACO 
participants. However, the statute does not specify which kinds of 
services may be considered primary care services for purposes of 
beneficiary assignment.
    For performance years beginning on January 1, 2019, and subsequent 
performance years, we defined primary care services in Sec.  
[thinsp]425.400(c)(1)(iv) for purposes of assigning beneficiaries to 
ACOs under Sec.  [thinsp]425.402 as the set of services identified by 
the following HCPCS/CPT codes:
    CPT codes:
     99201 through 99215 (codes for office or other outpatient 
visit for the evaluation and management of a patient).
     99304 through 99318 (codes for professional services 
furnished in a NF; services identified by these codes furnished in a 
SNF are excluded).
     99319 through 99340 (codes for patient domiciliary, rest 
home, or custodial care visit).
     99341 through 99350 (codes for evaluation and management 
services furnished in a patient's home for claims identified by place 
of service modifier 12).
     99487, 99489 and 99490 (codes for chronic care 
management).
     99495 and 99496 (codes for transitional care management 
services).
     99497 and 99498 (codes for advance care planning).
     96160 and 96161 (codes for administration of health risk 
assessment).
     99354 and 99355 (add-on codes, for prolonged evaluation 
and management or psychotherapy services beyond the typical service 
time of the primary procedure; when the base code is also a primary 
care service code).
     99484, 99492, 99493 and 99494 (codes for behavioral health 
integration services).
    HCPCS codes:
     G0402 (code for the Welcome to Medicare visit).
     G0438 and G0439 (codes for the annual wellness visits).
     G0463 (code for services furnished in ETA hospitals).
     G0506 (code for chronic care management).
     G0444 (code for annual depression screening service).
     G0442 (code for alcohol misuse screening service).
     G0443 (code for alcohol misuse counseling service).
    On March 17, 2020, we announced the expansion of payment for 
telehealth services on a temporary and emergency basis pursuant to 
waiver authority added under section 1135(b)(8) of the Act by the 
Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act, 
2020 such that Medicare can pay for telehealth services, including 
office, hospital, and other visits furnished by physicians and other 
practitioners to patients located anywhere in the country, including in 
a patient's place of residence, starting March 6, 2020. In the context 
of the PHE for the COVID-19 pandemic, we recognize that physicians and 
other health care professionals are faced with new challenges regarding 
potential exposure risks, including for Medicare beneficiaries, for 
health care providers, and for members of the community at large. For 
example, the CDC has urged health care professionals to make every 
effort to interview persons under investigation for COVID-19 infection 
by telephone, text messaging system, or video conference instead of in-
person. In the March 31st COVID-19 IFC, to facilitate the use of 
telecommunications technology as a safe substitute for in-person 
services, we added, on an interim basis, many services to the list of 
eligible Medicare telehealth services, eliminated frequency limitations 
and other requirements associated with particular services furnished 
via telehealth, and clarified several payment rules that apply to other 
services that are furnished using telecommunications technologies that 
can reduce exposure risks (85 FR 19232).
    Section 1834(m) of the Act specifies the payment amounts and 
circumstances under which Medicare makes payment for a discrete set of 
services, all of which must ordinarily be furnished in-person, when 
they are instead furnished using interactive, real-time 
telecommunication technology. When furnished under the telehealth 
rules, many of these specified Medicare telehealth services are still 
reported using codes that describe ``face-to-face'' services but are 
furnished using audio/video, real-time communication technology instead 
of in-person. As such, the majority of the codes for primary care 
services included in the additional telehealth services added in the 
March 31st COVID-19 IFC on an interim basis for the duration of the PHE 
for COVID-19 are already included in the definition of primary care 
services for purposes of the Shared Savings Program assignment 
methodology in Sec.  [thinsp]425.400(c)(1)(iv).
    The March 31st COVID-19 IFC also established flexibilities and 
separate payment for certain services that are furnished virtually 
using technologies but that are not considered Medicare telehealth 
services such as virtual check-ins, e-visits, and telephone E/M 
services, for which payment has been authorized during the COVID-19 
PHE. The codes for these virtual services are not currently included in 
the definition of primary care services for purposes of the Shared 
Savings Program assignment methodology. We believe it is critical to 
include these additional codes in the definition of primary care 
services to ensure these services are included in our determination of 
where beneficiaries receive the plurality of their primary care for 
purposes of beneficiary assignment, so that the assignment methodology 
appropriately reflects the expanded use of technology that is helping 
people who need routine care during the PHE for the COVID-19 pandemic 
and allowing vulnerable beneficiaries and beneficiaries with mild 
symptoms to remain in their homes, while maintaining access to the

[[Page 27583]]

care they need. By including services provided virtually, either 
through telehealth, virtual check-ins, e-visits or telephone, in the 
definition of primary care services, we ensure that physicians and 
other practitioners can offer options to beneficiaries whom they treat, 
while also allowing this care to be included in our consideration of 
where beneficiaries receive the plurality of their primary care, for 
purposes of assigning beneficiaries to ACOs. As a result, revising the 
definition of primary care services used in assignment to include these 
services will further allow for continuity and coordination of care. We 
also reiterate our policy defined at Sec.  425.404(b) that, for 
performance years starting on January 1, 2019, and subsequent 
performance years, under the assignment methodology in Sec.  425.402, 
CMS treats a service reported on an FQHC/RHC claim as a primary care 
service performed by a primary care physician.
b. Use of Codes for Virtual Check-Ins, Remote Evaluation E-Visits, 
Telephone Evaluation and Management Services, and Telehealth in 
Beneficiary Assignment
    Based on feedback from ACOs and the expansion of payment, on an 
interim basis, for the virtual services discussed above, we are 
revising the definition of primary care services used in the Shared 
Savings Program assignment methodology for the performance year 
starting on January 1, 2020, and for any subsequent performance year 
that starts during the PHE for the COVID-19 pandemic, as defined in 
Sec.  400.200, to include the following additions: (1) HCPCS code G2010 
(remote evaluation of patient video/images) and HCPCS code G2012 
(virtual check-in); (2) CPT codes 99421, 99422 and 99423 (online 
digital evaluation and management service (e-visit)); and (3) CPT codes 
99441, 99442, and 99443 (telephone evaluation and management services).
    Because the services listed above and described in detail in the 
preamble discussion below are similar to and may replace an E/M service 
for a beneficiary, we believe it is appropriate to include these CPT 
and HCPCS codes in the definition of primary care services used for 
assignment because the services represented by these codes are being 
used in place of similar E/M services, the codes for which are already 
included in the list of codes used for assignment. We believe it is 
important to include these services in our assignment methodology 
because we determine assignment to ACOs based upon where beneficiaries 
receive the plurality of their primary care services or whether they 
have designated an ACO professional as their primary clinician, 
responsible for their overall care, and hold ACOs accountable for the 
resulting assigned beneficiary population. Including these codes in the 
definition of primary care services used in assignment for performance 
years during the PHE for the COVID-19 pandemic will result in a more 
accurate identification of where beneficiaries have received the 
plurality of their primary care services.
    In preamble discussion below, we are also clarifying that CPT codes 
99304, 99305 and 99306, 99315 and 99316, 99327 and 99328, 99334 through 
99337, 99341 through 99345, and 99347 through 99350 will be included in 
the assignment methodology when these services are furnished using 
telehealth, consistent with additions to the Medicare telehealth list 
for the duration of the PHE for the COVID-19 pandemic as discussed in 
the March 31st COVID-19 IFC (85 FR 19235 through 19237). We use the 
assignment methodology described in Sec. Sec.  425.402 and 425.404 for 
purposes of assigning beneficiaries to ACOs for a performance year or 
benchmark year based on preliminary prospective assignment with 
retrospective reconciliation (including quarterly updates) or 
prospective assignment.
    With the emergence of the virus that causes COVID-19, there is an 
urgency to expand the use of technology to allow people who need 
routine care, vulnerable beneficiaries, and beneficiaries with mild 
symptoms to remain in their homes, while maintaining access to the care 
they need. Limiting community spread of the virus, as well as limiting 
beneficiaries' exposure to other patients and health care staff 
members, will slow viral spread. We anticipate that the patterns and 
types of care provided during the COVID-19 PHE will be different and, 
in an effort to capture these changes in the methodology used to assign 
beneficiaries to ACOs as soon as possible, so that ACOs, particularly 
those that have elected preliminary prospective assignment with 
retrospective reconciliation for PY 2020, can understand the 
beneficiary population for which they will be responsible during PY 
2020, we have determined that there is good cause to waive prior notice 
and comment rulemaking in order to implement these changes to the 
definition of primary care services in Sec.  425.400(c) immediately.
    As discussed in the March 31st COVID-19 IFC (85 FR 19244), in the 
CY 2019 PFS final rule, we finalized separate payment for a number of 
services that could be furnished via telecommunications technology, but 
that are not Medicare telehealth services. Specifically, beginning with 
CY 2019, we finalized separate payment for remote evaluation of video 
and/or images, HCPCS code G2010 (Remote evaluation of recorded video 
and/or images submitted by an established patient (e.g., store and 
forward), including interpretation with follow-up with the patient 
within 24 business hours, not originating from a related E/M service 
provided within the previous 7 days nor leading to an E/M service or 
procedure within the next 24 hours or soonest available appointment), 
and virtual check-in, HCPCS code G2012 (Brief communication technology-
based service, e.g. virtual check-in, by a physician or other qualified 
health care professional who can report E/M services, provided to an 
established patient, not originating from a related E/M service 
provided within the previous 7 days nor leading to an E/M service or 
procedure within the next 24 hours or soonest available appointment; 5-
10 minutes of medical discussion).
    These codes were finalized as part of the set of codes that is only 
reportable by the physicians and practitioners who can furnish E/M 
services. Per the March 31st COVID-19 IFC, on an interim basis for the 
PHE for the COVID-19 pandemic, we will allow these codes to be used for 
new patients. In the March 31st COVID-19 IFC (85 FR 19244), we 
explained that, in the context of the PHE for the COVID-19 pandemic, 
when brief communications with practitioners and other non-face-to-face 
services might mitigate the need for an in-person visit that could 
represent an exposure risk for vulnerable patients, we believe that 
these services should be available to as large a population of Medicare 
beneficiaries as possible. In some cases, use of telecommunication 
technology could mitigate the exposure risk, and in such cases, the 
clinical benefit of using technology to furnish the service is self-
apparent. This would be especially true should a significant increase 
in the number of people or health care professionals needing treatment 
or isolation occur in a way that would limit access to brief 
communications with established providers. Therefore, on an interim 
basis, during the PHE for the COVID-19 pandemic, we finalized that 
these services, which may only be reported if they do not result in a 
visit, including a telehealth visit, can be furnished to both new and 
established patients
    As discussed in the March 31st COVID-19 IFC (85 FR 19254), in the 
CY 2019 PFS final rule (83 FR 59452), we

[[Page 27584]]

finalized payment for new online digital assessment services, also 
referred to as ``E-Visits,'' beginning with CY 2020 for practitioners 
billing under the PFS. These are non-face-to-face, patient-initiated 
communications using online patient portals. These digital assessment 
services are for established patients who require a clinical decision 
that otherwise typically would have been provided in the office. Per 
the March 31st COVID-19 IFC (85 FR 19244), while the code descriptors 
for these e-visit codes refer to an ``established patient'', during the 
PHE for the COVID-19 pandemic, we are exercising enforcement discretion 
on an interim basis to relax enforcement of this aspect of the code 
descriptors. Practitioners who may independently bill Medicare for E/M 
visits (for instance, physicians and NPs) can bill the following codes:
     99421 (Online digital evaluation and management service, 
for an established patient, for up to 7 days, cumulative time during 
the 7 days; 5-10 minutes.)
     99422 (Online digital evaluation and management service, 
for an established patient, for up to 7 days cumulative time during the 
7 days; 11-20 minutes.)
     99423 (Online digital evaluation and management service, 
for an established patient, for up to 7 days, cumulative time during 
the 7 days; 21 or more minutes.)
    We also considered adding additional e-visit HCPCS codes which are 
used by clinicians who may not independently bill for E/M visits and 
who are not included in the definition of ACO professional in Sec.  
425.20 (for example, PTs, OTs, SLPs, CPs). However, because these 
services are not furnished by ACO professionals, we determined it was 
not necessary to include the following codes in our definition of 
primary care services for use in assignment:
     G2061 (Qualified nonphysician healthcare professional 
online assessment and management service, for an established patient, 
for up to seven days, cumulative time during the 7 days; 5-10 minutes.)
     G2062 (Qualified nonphysician healthcare professional 
online assessment and management service, for an established patient, 
for up to seven days, cumulative time during the 7 days; 11-20 
minutes.)
     G2063 (Qualified nonphysician qualified healthcare 
professional assessment and management service, for an established 
patient, for up to seven days, cumulative time during the 7 days; 21 or 
more minutes.)
    As discussed in the March 31st COVID-19 IFC (85 FR 19264 through 
19265) and as discussed previously in this IFC, CMS finalized, on an 
interim basis for the duration of the PHE for the COVID-19 pandemic, 
separate payment for CPT codes 99441 through 99443 and 98966 through 
98968, which describe E/M and assessment and management services 
furnished via telephone. While the code descriptors for these services 
refer to an ``established patient'' during the COVID-19 PHE we are 
exercising enforcement discretion on an interim basis to relax 
enforcement of this aspect of the code descriptors. Practitioners who 
may independently bill Medicare for E/M visits (for instance, 
physicians and NPs) can bill the following codes:
     99441 (Telephone evaluation and management service by a 
physician or other qualified health care professional who may report 
evaluation and management services provided to an established patient, 
parent, or guardian not originating from a related E/M service provided 
within the previous 7 days nor leading to an E/M service or procedure 
within the next 24 hours or soonest available appointment; 5-10 minutes 
of medical discussion.)
     99442 (Telephone evaluation and management service by a 
physician or other qualified health care professional who may report 
evaluation and management services provided to an established patient, 
parent, or guardian not originating from a related E/M service provided 
within the previous 7 days nor leading to an E/M service or procedure 
within the next 24 hours or soonest available appointment; 11-20 
minutes of medical discussion.)
     99443 (Telephone evaluation and management service by a 
physician or other qualified health care professional who may report 
evaluation and management services provided to an established patient, 
parent, or guardian not originating from a related E/M service provided 
within the previous 7 days nor leading to an E/M service or procedure 
within the next 24 hours or soonest available appointment; 21-30 
minutes of medical discussion.)
    We also considered adding the additional telephone assessment and 
management CPT codes which are used by clinicians who may not 
independently bill for E/M visits and who are not included in the 
definition of ACO professional in Sec.  425.20 (for example, PTs, OTs, 
SLPs, CPs). However, because these services are not furnished by ACO 
professionals, we determined it was not necessary to include these 
codes in our definition of primary care services for use in assignment:
     98966 (Telephone assessment and management service 
provided by a qualified nonphysician health care professional to an 
established patient, parent, or guardian not originating from a related 
assessment and management service provided within the previous 7 days 
nor leading to an assessment and management service or procedure within 
the next 24 hours or soonest available appointment; 5-10 minutes of 
medical discussion.)
     98967 (Telephone assessment and management service 
provided by a qualified nonphysician health care professional to an 
established patient, parent, or guardian not originating from a related 
assessment and management service provided within the previous 7 days 
nor leading to an assessment and management service or procedure within 
the next 24 hours or soonest available appointment; 11-20 minutes of 
medical discussion.)
     98968 (Telephone assessment and management service 
provided by a qualified nonphysician health care professional to an 
established patient, parent, or guardian not originating from a related 
assessment and management service provided within the previous 7 days 
nor leading to an assessment and management service or procedure within 
the next 24 hours or soonest available appointment; 21-30 minutes of 
medical discussion.)
    Several codes, detailed below, that are included on the ``Covered 
Telehealth Services for PHE for the COVID-19 pandemic, effective March 
1, 2020'' list available at https://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Medicare-General-Information/Telehealth/Telehealth-Codes, are already included 
in the definition of primary care services used in the Shared Savings 
Program assignment methodology:
     99304 (Initial nursing facility care, per day, for the 
evaluation and management of a patient, which requires these 3 key 
components: A detailed or comprehensive history; A detailed or 
comprehensive examination; and Medical decision making that is 
straightforward or of low complexity. Counseling and/or coordination of 
care with other physicians, other qualified health care professionals, 
or agencies are provided consistent with the nature of the problem(s) 
and the patient's and/or family's needs. Usually, the problem(s) 
requiring admission are of low severity. Typically, 25 minutes are 
spent at the bedside and on the patient's facility floor or unit.)
     99305 (Initial nursing facility care, per day, for the 
evaluation and management of a patient, which requires these 3 key 
components: A comprehensive history; A comprehensive examination; and

[[Page 27585]]

Medical decision making of moderate complexity. Counseling and/or 
coordination of care with other physicians, other qualified health care 
professionals, or agencies are provided consistent with the nature of 
the problem(s) and the patient's and/or family's needs. Usually, the 
problem(s) requiring admission are of moderate severity. Typically, 35 
minutes are spent at the bedside and on the patient's facility floor or 
unit.)
     99306 (Initial nursing facility care, per day, for the 
evaluation and management of a patient, which requires these 3 key 
components: A comprehensive history; A comprehensive examination; and 
Medical decision making of high complexity. Counseling and/or 
coordination of care with other physicians, other qualified health care 
professionals, or agencies are provided consistent with the nature of 
the problem(s) and the patient's and/or family's needs. Usually, the 
problem(s) requiring admission are of high severity. Typically, 45 
minutes are spent at the bedside and on the patient's facility floor or 
unit.)
     99315 (Nursing facility discharge day 
management; 30 minutes or less.)
     99316 (Nursing facility discharge day 
management; more than 30 minutes.)
     99327 (Domiciliary or rest home visit for the 
evaluation and management of a new patient, which requires these 3 key 
components: A comprehensive history; A comprehensive examination; and 
Medical decision making of moderate complexity. Counseling and/or 
coordination of care with other physicians, other qualified health care 
professionals, or agencies are provided consistent with the nature of 
the problem(s) and the patient's and/or family's needs. Usually, the 
presenting problem(s) are of high severity. Typically, 60 minutes are 
spent with the patient and/or family or caregiver.)
     99328 (Domiciliary or rest home visit for the 
evaluation and management of a new patient, which requires these 3 key 
components: A comprehensive history; A comprehensive examination; and 
Medical decision making of high complexity. Counseling and/or 
coordination of care with other physicians, other qualified health care 
professionals, or agencies are provided consistent with the nature of 
the problem(s) and the patient's and/or family's needs. Usually, the 
patient is unstable or has developed a significant new problem 
requiring immediate physician attention. Typically, 75 minutes are 
spent with the patient and/or family or caregiver.)
     99334 (Domiciliary or rest home visit for the 
evaluation and management of an established patient, which requires at 
least 2 of these 3 key components: A problem focused interval history; 
A problem focused examination; Straightforward medical decision making. 
Counseling and/or coordination of care with other physicians, other 
qualified health care professionals, or agencies are provided 
consistent with the nature of the problem(s) and the patient's and/or 
family's needs. Usually, the presenting problem(s) are self-limited or 
minor. Typically, 15 minutes are spent with the patient and/or family 
or caregiver.)
     99335 (Domiciliary or rest home visit for the 
evaluation and management of an established patient, which requires at 
least 2 of these 3 key components: An expanded problem focused interval 
history; An expanded problem focused examination; Medical decision 
making of low complexity. Counseling and/or coordination of care with 
other physicians, other qualified health care professionals, or 
agencies are provided consistent with the nature of the problem(s) and 
the patient's and/or family's needs. Usually, the presenting problem(s) 
are of low to moderate severity. Typically, 25 minutes are spent with 
the patient and/or family or caregiver.)
     99336 (Domiciliary or rest home visit for the 
evaluation and management of an established patient, which requires at 
least 2 of these 3 key components: A detailed interval history; A 
detailed examination; Medical decision making of moderate complexity. 
Counseling and/or coordination of care with other physicians, other 
qualified health care professionals, or agencies are provided 
consistent with the nature of the problem(s) and the patient's and/or 
family's needs. Usually, the presenting problem(s) are of moderate to 
high severity. Typically, 40 minutes are spent with the patient and/or 
family or caregiver.)
     99337 (Domiciliary or rest home visit for the 
evaluation and management of an established patient, which requires at 
least 2 of these 3 key components: A comprehensive interval history; A 
comprehensive examination; Medical decision making of moderate to high 
complexity. Counseling and/or coordination of care with other 
physicians, other qualified health care professionals, or agencies are 
provided consistent with the nature of the problem(s) and the patient's 
and/or family's needs. Usually, the presenting problem(s) are of 
moderate to high severity. The patient may be unstable or may have 
developed a significant new problem requiring immediate physician 
attention. Typically, 60 minutes are spent with the patient and/or 
family or caregiver.)
     99341 (Home visit for the evaluation and management of a 
new patient, which requires these 3 key components: A problem focused 
history; A problem focused examination; and Straightforward medical 
decision making. Counseling and/or coordination of care with other 
physicians, other qualified health care professionals, or agencies are 
provided consistent with the nature of the problem(s) and the patient's 
and/or family's needs. Usually, the presenting problem(s) are of low 
severity. Typically, 20 minutes are spent face-to-face with the patient 
and/or family.)
     99342 (Home visit for the evaluation and management of a 
new patient, which requires these 3 key components: An expanded problem 
focused history; An expanded problem focused examination; and Medical 
decision making of low complexity. Counseling and/or coordination of 
care with other physicians, other qualified health care professionals, 
or agencies are provided consistent with the nature of the problem(s) 
and the patient's and/or family's needs. Usually, the presenting 
problem(s) are of moderate severity. Typically, 30 minutes are spent 
face-to-face with the patient and/or family.)
     99343 (Home visit for the evaluation and management of a 
new patient, which requires these 3 key components: A detailed history; 
A detailed examination; and Medical decision making of moderate 
complexity. Counseling and/or coordination of care with other 
physicians, other qualified health care professionals, or agencies are 
provided consistent with the nature of the problem(s) and the patient's 
and/or family's needs. Usually, the presenting problem(s) are of 
moderate to high severity. Typically, 45 minutes are spent face-to-face 
with the patient and/or family.)
     99344 (Home visit for the evaluation and management of a 
new patient, which requires these 3 key components: A comprehensive 
history; A comprehensive examination; and Medical decision making of 
moderate complexity. Counseling and/or coordination of care with other 
physicians, other qualified health care professionals, or agencies are 
provided consistent with the nature of the problem(s) and the patient's 
and/or family's needs. Usually, the presenting problem(s) are of high 
severity.

[[Page 27586]]

Typically, 60 minutes are spent face-to-face with the patient and/or 
family.)
     99345 (Home visit for the evaluation and management of a 
new patient, which requires these 3 key components: A comprehensive 
history; A comprehensive examination; and Medical decision making of 
high complexity. Counseling and/or coordination of care with other 
physicians, other qualified health care professionals, or agencies are 
provided consistent with the nature of the problem(s) and the patient's 
and/or family's needs. Usually, the patient is unstable or has 
developed a significant new problem requiring immediate physician 
attention. Typically, 75 minutes are spent face-to-face with the 
patient and/or family.)
     99347 (Home visit for the evaluation and management of an 
established patient, which requires at least 2 of these 3 key 
components: A problem focused interval history; A problem focused 
examination; Straightforward medical decision making. Counseling and/or 
coordination of care with other physicians, other qualified health care 
professionals, or agencies are provided consistent with the nature of 
the problem(s) and the patient's and/or family's needs. Usually, the 
presenting problem(s) are self limited or minor. Typically, 15 minutes 
are spent face-to-face with the patient and/or family.)
     99348 (Home visit for the evaluation and management of an 
established patient, which requires at least 2 of these 3 key 
components: An expanded problem focused interval history; An expanded 
problem focused examination; Medical decision making of low complexity. 
Counseling and/or coordination of care with other physicians, other 
qualified health care professionals, or agencies are provided 
consistent with the nature of the problem(s) and the patient's and/or 
family's needs. Usually, the presenting problem(s) are of low to 
moderate severity. Typically, 25 minutes are spent face-to-face with 
the patient and/or family.)
     99349 (Home visit for the evaluation and management of an 
established patient, which requires at least 2 of these 3 key 
components: A detailed interval history; A detailed examination; 
Medical decision making of moderate complexity. Counseling and/or 
coordination of care with other physicians, other qualified health care 
professionals, or agencies are provided consistent with the nature of 
the problem(s) and the patient's and/or family's needs. Usually, the 
presenting problem(s) are moderate to high severity. Typically, 40 
minutes are spent face-to-face with the patient and/or family.)
     99350 (Home visit for the evaluation and management of an 
established patient, which requires at least 2 of these 3 key 
components: A comprehensive interval history; A comprehensive 
examination; Medical decision making of moderate to high complexity. 
Counseling and/or coordination of care with other physicians, other 
qualified health care professionals, or agencies are provided 
consistent with the nature of the problem(s) and the patient's and/or 
family's needs. Usually, the presenting problem(s) are of moderate to 
high severity. The patient may be unstable or may have developed a 
significant new problem requiring immediate physician attention. 
Typically, 60 minutes are spent face-to-face with the patient and/or 
family.)
    Because these CPT codes are already included in the definition of 
primary care services used in the Shared Savings Program assignment 
methodology, we are clarifying that these CPT codes will continue to be 
included in the definition of primary care services used for 
assignment, including when they are furnished via telehealth during the 
PHE for the COVID-19 pandemic, beginning March 1, 2020. We believe it 
is important to include these services in our assignment methodology, 
regardless of whether they are furnished in-person or via telehealth, 
because we determine assignment based upon where beneficiaries receive 
the plurality of their primary care services or whether they have 
designated an ACO professional as their primary clinician, responsible 
for their overall care, and hold ACOs accountable for the resulting 
assigned beneficiary population. Include these codes in the definition 
of primary care services used in assignment during the PHE for the 
COVID-19 pandemic, even when services are furnished via telehealth, 
will result in a more accurate identification of where beneficiaries 
have received the plurality of their primary care services.
    Accordingly, we are adding a paragraph (c)(2) to our regulation at 
Sec.  425.400, in which we specify additional primary care service 
codes that will be considered for purposes of beneficiary assignment 
for the performance year starting on January 1, 2020, and for any 
subsequent performance year that starts during the PHE for the COVID-19 
pandemic, as defined in Sec.  400.200. Under this provision the 
existing CPT codes and HCPCS codes included in the definition of 
primary care services at Sec.  425.400(c)(1) will continue to apply for 
purposes of determining beneficiary assignment under Sec.  
[thinsp]425.402.
    We seek comment on the revisions to the definition of primary care 
services that we are adopting in this IFC including the alternatives 
considered with regard to adding codes used by non-ACO professionals.
6. Applicability of Policies to Track 1+ Model ACOs
    The Track 1+ Model was established under the Innovation Center's 
authority at section 1115A of the Act, to test innovative payment and 
service delivery models to reduce program expenditures while preserving 
or enhancing the quality of care for Medicare, Medicaid, and Children's 
Health Insurance Program beneficiaries. The Track 1+ Model, which is a 
time-limited model that began on January 1, 2018, is based on Shared 
Savings Program Track 1, but tests a payment design that incorporates 
more limited downside risk, as compared to Track 2 and the ENHANCED 
track. We discontinued all future application cycles for the Track 1+ 
Model, as explained in earlier rulemaking (83 FR 68032 and 68033). As 
of January 1, 2020, there are 20 Track 1+ Model ACOs participating in 
performance year 3 of a 3-year agreement under the model.
    ACOs approved to participate in the Track 1+ Model are required to 
agree to the terms and conditions of the model by executing a Track 1+ 
Model Participation Agreement. See https://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Medicare-Fee-for-Service-Payment/sharedsavingsprogram/Downloads/track-1plus-model-par-agreement.pdf. Track 1+ Model ACOs are also required to 
have been approved to participate in the Shared Savings Program (Track 
1) and to have executed a Shared Savings Program Participation 
Agreement. As indicated in the Track 1+ Model Participation Agreement, 
in accordance with our authority under section 1115A(d)(1) of the Act, 
we have waived certain requirements of the Shared Savings Program that 
otherwise would be applicable to ACOs participating in Track 1 of the 
Shared Savings Program, as necessary for purposes of testing the Track 
1+ Model, and established alternative requirements for the ACOs 
participating in the Track 1+ Model. Unless stated otherwise in the 
Track 1+ Model Participation Agreement, the requirements of the Shared 
Savings Program under part 425 continue to apply. Consistent with Sec.  
425.212, Track 1+ Model ACOs generally are subject to all applicable 
regulatory changes,

[[Page 27587]]

including but not limited to, changes to the regulatory provisions 
referenced within the Track 1+ Model Participation Agreement that 
become effective during the term of the ACO's Shared Savings Program 
Participation Agreement and Track 1+ Model Participation Agreement, 
unless otherwise specified through rulemaking or amendment to the Track 
1+ Model Participation Agreement. We note that the terms of the Track 
1+ Model Participation Agreement also permit the parties (CMS and the 
ACO) to amend the agreement at any time by mutual written agreement.
    Therefore, unless specified otherwise, the changes to the Shared 
Savings Program regulations established in this IFC that are applicable 
to ACOs within a current agreement period will apply to ACOs in the 
Track 1+ Model in the same way that they apply to ACOs in Track 1, so 
long as the applicable regulation has not been waived under the Track 
1+ Model. Similarly, to the extent that certain requirements of the 
regulations that apply to ACOs under Track 2 or the ENHANCED track have 
been incorporated for ACOs in the Track 1+ Model under the terms of the 
Track 1+ Model Participation Agreement, changes to those regulations as 
adopted in this IFC will also apply to ACOs in the Track 1+ Model in 
the same way that they apply to ACOs in Track 2 or the ENHANCED track. 
For example, the following policies apply to Track 1+ Model ACOs:
     Revisions to the definition of primary care services used 
in beneficiary assignment (section II.L.5. of this IFC), to include 
telehealth codes for virtual check-ins, e-visits, and telephonic 
communication. These codes are applicable beginning with beneficiary 
assignment for the performance year starting on January 1, 2020, and 
for any subsequent performance year that starts during the PHE for the 
COVID-19 pandemic, as defined in Sec.  400.200.
     Clarification that the total months affected by an extreme 
and uncontrollable circumstance for the COVID-19 pandemic will begin 
with January 2020 and continue through the end of the COVID-19 PHE, for 
purposes of mitigating shared losses for PY 2020 (section II.L.3. of 
this IFC).
     Adjustments to expenditure calculations to remove 
expenditures for episodes of care for treatment of COVID-19 (section 
II.L.4. of this IFC).
    We will also apply the following policies established in this IFC 
to Track 1+ Model ACOs through an amendment to the Track 1+ Model 
Participation Agreement executed by CMS and the ACO:
     Adjustments to revenue calculations to remove expenditures 
for episodes of care for treatment of COVID-19 (section II.L.4. of this 
IFC).

M. Additional Flexibility Under the Teaching Physician Regulations

    In the March 31st COVID-19 IFC (85 FR 19258 through 19261), we 
introduced flexibilities in our regulations governing PFS payment for 
teaching physicians and residents. Since we published the March 31st 
COVID-19 IFC, stakeholders have asked us to relax additional 
requirements related to the provision of services furnished by a 
resident without the presence of a teaching physician under the so-
called primary care exception specified in our regulation at 42 CFR 
415.174.
    For teaching physicians, section 1842(b) of the Act specifies that 
in the case of physicians' services furnished to a patient in a 
hospital with a teaching program, the Secretary shall not provide 
payment for such services unless the physician renders sufficient 
personal and identifiable physicians' services to the patient to 
exercise full, personal control over the management of the portion of 
the case for which payment is sought. Regulations regarding PFS payment 
for teaching physician services are codified in part 415. Under Sec.  
415.174, Medicare makes PFS payment in primary care settings for 
certain services of lower and mid-level complexity furnished by a 
resident without the physical presence of a teaching physician, 
referred to as the primary care exception. Our regulation at Sec.  
415.174(a)(3) requires that the teaching physician must not direct the 
care of more than four residents at a time, and must direct the care 
from such proximity as to constitute immediate availability (that is, 
provide direct supervision) and must review with each resident during 
or immediately after each visit, the beneficiary's medical history, 
physical examination, diagnosis, and record of tests and therapies. 
Section 415.174(a)(3) also requires that the teaching physician must 
have no other responsibilities at the time, assume management 
responsibility for the beneficiaries seen by the residents, ensure that 
the services furnished are appropriate, and review with each resident 
during or immediately after each visit the beneficiary's medical 
history, physical examination, diagnosis, and record of tests and 
therapies.
    As provided in the regulation at Sec.  415.174(a), the E/M codes of 
lower and mid-level complexity that can be furnished under the primary 
care exception are specified in Section 100 of Chapter 12 of the 
Medicare Claims Processing Manual (https://www.cms.gov/Regulations-and-Guidance/Guidance/Manuals/Downloads/clm104c12.pdf). They are the 
following:
     CPT code 99201 (Office or other outpatient visit for the 
evaluation and management of a new patient, which requires these 3 key 
components: A problem focused history; A problem focused examination; 
Straightforward medical decision making. Counseling and/or coordination 
of care with other physicians, other qualified health care 
professionals, or agencies are provided consistent with the nature of 
the problem(s) and the patient's and/or family's needs. Usually, the 
presenting problem(s) are self limited or minor. Typically, 10 minutes 
are spent face-to-face with the patient and/or family);
     CPT code 99202 (Office or other outpatient visit for the 
evaluation and management of a new patient, which requires these 3 key 
components: An expanded problem focused history; An expanded problem 
focused examination; Straightforward medical decision making. 
Counseling and/or coordination of care with other physicians, other 
qualified health care professionals, or agencies are provided 
consistent with the nature of the problem(s) and the patient's and/or 
family's needs. Usually, the presenting problem(s) are of low to 
moderate severity. Typically, 20 minutes are spent face-to-face with 
the patient and/or family);
     CPT code 99203 (Office or other outpatient visit for the 
evaluation and management of a new patient, which requires these 3 key 
components: A detailed history; A detailed examination; Medical 
decision making of low complexity. Counseling and/or coordination of 
care with other physicians, other qualified health care professionals, 
or agencies are provided consistent with the nature of the problem(s) 
and the patient's and/or family's needs. Usually, the presenting 
problem(s) are of moderate severity. Typically, 30 minutes are spent 
face-to-face with the patient and/or family);
     CPT code 99211 (Office or other outpatient visit for the 
evaluation and management of an established patient, that may not 
require the presence of a physician or other qualified health care 
professional. Usually, the presenting problem(s) are minimal. 
Typically, 5 minutes are spent performing or supervising these 
services);
     CPT code 99212 (Office or other outpatient visit for the 
evaluation and

[[Page 27588]]

management of an established patient, which requires at least 2 of 
these 3 key components: A problem focused history; A problem focused 
examination; Straightforward medical decision making. Counseling and/or 
coordination of care with other physicians, other qualified health care 
professionals, or agencies are provided consistent with the nature of 
the problem(s) and the patient's and/or family's needs. Usually, the 
presenting problem(s) are self limited or minor. Typically, 10 minutes 
are spent face-to-face with the patient and/or family);
     CPT code 99213 (Office or other outpatient visit for the 
evaluation and management of an established patient, which requires at 
least 2 of these 3 key components: An expanded problem focused history; 
An expanded problem focused examination; Medical decision making of low 
complexity. Counseling and coordination of care with other physicians, 
other qualified health care professionals, or agencies are provided 
consistent with the nature of the problem(s) and the patient's and/or 
family's needs. Usually, the presenting problem(s) are of low to 
moderate severity. Typically, 15 minutes are spent face-to-face with 
the patient and/or family);
     HCPCS code G0402 (Initial preventive physical examination; 
face-to-face visit, services limited to new beneficiary during the 
first 12 months of Medicare enrollment);
     HCPCS code G0438 (Annual wellness visit; includes a 
personalized prevention plan of service (PPS), initial visit); and
     HCPCS code G0439 (Annual wellness visit, includes a 
personalized prevention plan of service (PPS), subsequent visit).
    In the context of the PHE for the COVID-19 pandemic, teaching 
hospitals have expressed a need to increase their capacity to respond 
to the increased demand for physicians to meet patient needs. 
Additionally, there are often circumstances where the teaching 
physician may be under quarantine or otherwise at home, or the physical 
proximity of the teaching physician might present additional exposure 
risks. In section II.E. the March 31st COVID-19 IFC (85 FR 19245 
through 19246), we stated that as a general rule under Sec.  415.172, 
the requirement for the presence of a teaching physician can be met, at 
a minimum, through direct supervision by audio/video real-time 
communications technology. We also revised the scope of E/M codes that 
can be furnished under the primary care exception and amended Sec.  
415.174 of our regulations to allow all levels of office/outpatient E/M 
services furnished in primary care centers under the primary care 
exception to be furnished under direct supervision of the teaching 
physician by interactive telecommunications technology. We are making 
clarifying technical edits to the regulation text at Sec. Sec.  
415.172, 415.174, 415.180, and 415.184 to reflect the audio/video real-
time requirement for communications technology.
    Since we published the March 31st COVID-19 IFC, stakeholders have 
requested that we also revise our regulations to allow the teaching 
physician to meet the requirement to review the service with the 
resident, during or immediately after the visit, through virtual or 
remote means via interactive audio/video real-time communications 
technology. Given the circumstances of the COVID-19 PHE, the teaching 
physician may be under quarantine or otherwise not physically available 
to review the service with the resident. We note that in the March 31st 
COVID-19 IFC, we inadvertently deleted the former Sec.  415.174(b) 
which stated that, nothing in paragraph (a) of the section may be 
construed as providing a basis for the coverage of services not 
determined to be covered under Medicare, such as routine physical 
check-ups. We are reinstating the former paragraph (b) and adding a new 
paragraph (c) to allow that, on an interim basis for the duration of 
the PHE for the COVID-19 pandemic, the teaching physician may not only 
direct the care furnished by residents, but also review the services 
provided with the resident, during or immediately after the visit, 
remotely through virtual means via audio/video real time communications 
technology.
    We believe that permitting the teaching physician to interact with 
the resident remotely through virtual means would still allow the 
teaching physician to direct, manage, and review the care furnished by 
residents as specified in Sec.  415.174(a). For example, this means 
that Medicare may make payment under the PFS for teaching physician 
services when a resident furnishes services permitted under the primary 
care exception, including via telehealth, and the teaching physician 
can provide the necessary direction, management and review of the 
resident's services using interactive audio/video real-time 
communications technology. The remainder of the policies at Sec.  
415.174(a)(3) continue to apply in that the teaching physician must 
have no other responsibilities at the time, assume management 
responsibility for the beneficiaries seen by the residents, ensure that 
the services furnished are appropriate, and review with each resident 
during or immediately after each visit the beneficiary's medical 
history, physical examination, diagnosis, and record of tests and 
therapies.
    Since we published the March 31st COVID-19 IFC, stakeholders have 
requested that additional services be added to the primary care 
exception, such as the telephone E/M services we added for separate 
payment in the March 31st COVID-19 IFC, as well as transitional care 
management, and communication technology-based services. Adding 
services to the primary care exception would permit the resident to 
provide a more expansive array of services to patients who may be 
quarantined at home or who may need to be isolated for purposes of 
minimizing exposure risk based on presumed or confirmed COVID-19 
infection. Consequently, on an interim basis for the duration of the 
COVID-19 PHE, Medicare may make PFS payment to the teaching physician 
for the following additional services when furnished by a resident 
under the primary care exception:
     CPT code 99441 (Telephone evaluation and management 
service by a physician or other qualified health care professional who 
may report evaluation and management services provided to an 
established patient, parent, or guardian not originating from a related 
E/M service provided within the previous 7 days nor leading to an E/M 
service or procedure within the next 24 hours or soonest available 
appointment; 5-10 minutes of medical discussion);
     CPT code 99442 (Telephone evaluation and management 
service by a physician or other qualified health care professional who 
may report evaluation and management services provided to an 
established patient, parent, or guardian not originating from a related 
E/M service provided within the previous 7 days nor leading to an E/M 
service or procedure within the next 24 hours or soonest available 
appointment; 11-20 minutes of medical discussion);
     CPT code 99443 (Telephone evaluation and management 
service by a physician or other qualified health care professional who 
may report evaluation and management services provided to an 
established patient, parent, or guardian not originating from a related 
E/M service provided within the previous 7 days nor leading to an E/M 
service or procedure within the next 24 hours or soonest available 
appointment; 21-30 minutes of medical discussion);

[[Page 27589]]

     CPT code 99495 (Transitional Care Management services with 
the following required elements: Communication (direct contact, 
telephone, electronic) with the patient and/or caregiver within two 
business days of discharge; medical decision making of at least 
moderate complexity during the service period; face-to-face visit 
within 14 calendar days of discharge);
     CPT code 99496 (Transitional Care Management services with 
the following required elements: Communication (direct contact, 
telephone, electronic) with the patient and/or caregiver within two 
business days of discharge; medical decision making of at least high 
complexity during the service period; face-to-face visit within 7 
calendar days of discharge);
     CPT code 99421 (Online digital evaluation and management 
service, for an established patient, for up to 7 days, cumulative time 
during the 7 days; 5-10 minutes);
     CPT code 99422 (Online digital evaluation and management 
service, for an established patient, for up to 7 days, cumulative time 
during the 7 days; 11-20 minutes);
     CPT code 99423 (Online digital evaluation and management 
service, for an established patient, for up to 7 days, cumulative time 
during the 7 days; 21 or more minutes);
     CPT code 99452 (Interprofessional telephone/internet/
electronic health record referral service(s) provided by a treating/
requesting physician or qualified health care professional, 30 
minutes);
     HCPCS code G2012 (Brief communication technology-based 
service, e.g., virtual check-in, by a physician or other qualified 
health care professional who can report evaluation and management 
services, provided to an established patient, not originating from a 
related E/M service provided within the previous 7 days nor leading to 
an E/M service or procedure within the next 24 hours or soonest 
available appointment; 5-10 minutes of medical discussion); and
     HCPCS code G2010 (Remote evaluation of recorded video and/
or images submitted by an established patient (e.g., store and 
forward), including interpretation with follow-up with the patient 
within 24 business hours, not originating from a related E/M service 
provided within the previous 7 days nor leading to an E/M service or 
procedure within the next 24 hours or soonest available appointment).
    Finally, consistent with policy that we established in the March 
31st COVID-19 IFC for selecting the level of Office/Outpatient E/M 
visits when furnished as Medicare Telehealth services, (85 FR 19268 
through 19269), we are clarifying that the office/outpatient E/M level 
selection for services under the primary care exception when furnished 
via telehealth can be based on MDM or time, with time defined as all of 
the time associated with the E/M on the day of the encounter; and the 
requirements regarding documentation of history and/or physical exam in 
the medical record do not apply. As described in section II.Z. of this 
IFC, the typical times for purposes of level selection for an office/
outpatient E/M are the times listed in the CPT code descriptor. This 
policy is similar to the policy that will apply to all office/
outpatient E/M services beginning in 2021 under policies finalized in 
the CY 2020 PFS final rule. Taken together, these policies mean that, 
on an interim basis for the duration of the PHE for the COVID-19 
pandemic, Medicare may make PFS payment for teaching physician services 
when a resident furnishes a service included in this expanded list of 
services in primary care centers, including via telehealth, and the 
teaching physician can provide the necessary direction, management and 
review for the resident's services using audio/video real-time 
communications technology. We believe that these policies will increase 
the capacity of teaching settings to respond to the PHE for the COVID-
19 pandemic as more practitioners are being asked to assist with the 
response.

N. Payment for Audio-Only Telephone Evaluation and Management Services

    In the March 31st COVID-19 IFC, we established separate payment for 
audio-only telephone evaluation and management services. The telephone 
evaluation and management (E/M) services are CPT codes:
     99441 (Telephone evaluation and management service by a 
physician or other qualified health care professional who may report 
evaluation and management services provided to an established patient, 
parent, or guardian not originating from a related E/M service provided 
within the previous 7 days nor leading to an E/M service or procedure 
within the next 24 hours or soonest available appointment; 5-10 minutes 
of medical discussion);
     99442 (Telephone evaluation and management service by a 
physician or other qualified health care professional who may report 
evaluation and management services provided to an established patient, 
parent, or guardian not originating from a related E/M service provided 
within the previous 7 days nor leading to an E/M service or procedure 
within the next 24 hours or soonest available appointment; 11-20 
minutes of medical discussion); and
     99443 (Telephone evaluation and management service by a 
physician or other qualified health care professional who may report 
evaluation and management services provided to an established patient, 
parent, or guardian not originating from a related E/M service provided 
within the previous 7 days nor leading to an E/M service or procedure 
within the next 24 hours or soonest available appointment; 21-30 
minutes of medical discussion).
    We noted that, although these services were previously considered 
non-covered under the PFS, in the context of PHE and with the goal of 
reducing exposure risks associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, 
especially in the case that two-way, audio and video technology 
required to furnish a Medicare telehealth service might not be 
available, we believed there are circumstances where prolonged, audio-
only communication between the practitioner and the patient could be 
clinically appropriate, yet not fully replace a face-to-face visit. For 
example, an established patient who was experiencing an exacerbation of 
their condition could have a 25-minute phone conversation with their 
physician during which the physician determines that an adjustment to 
the patient's medication would alleviate their symptoms. The use of CPT 
code 99443 in this situation prevents a similar in-person service. We 
stated we believed that these telephone E/M codes, with their 
established description and valuation, were the best way to recognize 
the relative resource costs of these kinds of services and make payment 
for them under the PFS.
    For these codes, we finalized on an interim basis during the PHE 
for the COVID-19 pandemic, work relative value units (RVUs) as 
recommended by the American Medical Association (AMA) Relative Value 
Scale Update Committee (RUC) as discussed in the CY 2008 PFS final rule 
(72 CFR 66371) of 0.25 for CPT code 99441, 0.50 for CPT code 99442, and 
0.75 for CPT code 99443. We also finalized the RUC-recommended direct 
practice expense (PE) inputs which consist of 3 minutes of post-service 
Registered Nurse/Licensed Practical Nurse/Medical Technical Assistant 
clinical labor time for each code.
    In the time since we established these payment amounts, 
stakeholders have informed us that use of audio-only services is more 
prevalent than we had previously considered, especially because many 
beneficiaries are not

[[Page 27590]]

utilizing video-enabled communication technology from their homes. In 
other words, there are many cases where practitioners would under 
ordinary circumstances utilize telehealth or in-person visits to 
evaluate and manage patients' medical concerns, but are instead using 
audio-only interactions to manage more complex care. While we 
previously acknowledged the likelihood that, under the circumstances of 
the PHE, more time would be spent interacting with the patient via 
audio-only technology, we are now recognizing that the intensity of 
furnishing an audio-only visit to a beneficiary during the unique 
circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic is not accurately captured by 
the valuation of these services we established in the March 31st COVID-
19 IFC. This is particularly true to the extent that these audio-only 
services are actually serving as a substitute for office/outpatient 
Medicare telehealth visits for beneficiaries not using video-enabled 
telecommunications technology contrary to the situation we anticipated 
when establishing payment for them in the March 31st COVID-19 IFC. 
Given our new understanding that these audio-only services are being 
furnished primarily as a replacement for care that would otherwise be 
reported as an in-person or telehealth visit using the office/
outpatient E/M codes, we are establishing new RVUs for the telephone E/
M services based on crosswalks to the most analogous office/outpatient 
E/M codes, based on the time requirements for the telephone codes and 
the times assumed for valuation for purposes of the office/outpatient 
E/M codes. Specifically, we are crosswalking CPT codes 99212, 99213, 
and 99214 to 99441, 99442, and 99443 respectively. We are finalizing, 
on an interim basis and for the duration of the COVID-19 PHE the 
following work RVUs: 0.48 for CPT code 99441; 0.97 for CPT code 99442; 
and 1.50 for CPT code 99443. We are also finalizing the direct PE 
inputs associated with CPT code 99212 for CPT code 99441, the direct PE 
inputs associated with CPT code 99213 for CPT code 99442, and the 
direct PE inputs associated with CPT code 99214 for CPT code 99443. We 
are not finalizing increased payment rates for CPT codes 98966-98968 as 
these codes describe services furnished by practitioners who cannot 
independently bill for E/Ms and so these telephone assessment and 
management services, by definition, are not furnished in lieu of an 
office/outpatient E/M service.
    We note that to the extent that these extended phone services are 
taking place instead of office/outpatient E/M visits (either in-person 
or via telehealth), the direct crosswalk of RVUs also better maintains 
overall budget neutrality and relativity under the PFS. We believe that 
the resources required to furnish these services during the PHE for the 
COVID-19 pandemic are better captured by the RVUS associated with the 
level 2-4 established patient office/outpatient E/M visits. 
Additionally, given our understanding that these audio-only services 
are being furnished as substitutes for office/outpatient E/M services, 
we recognize that they should be considered as telehealth services, and 
are adding them to the list of Medicare telehealth services for the 
duration of the PHE. We also note that, for these audio-only E/M 
services, we will be separately issuing a waiver under section 
1135(b)(8) of the Act, as amended by section 3703 of the CARES Act, of 
the requirements under section 1834(m) of the Act and our regulation at 
Sec.  410.78 that Medicare telehealth services must be furnished using 
video technology. The full list of Medicare telehealth services, 
including those added during the PHE, is available here https://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Medicare-General-Information/Telehealth/Telehealth-Codes. We note that these codes describe medical discussion, 
and should not be used for administrative or other non-medical 
discussion with the patient. Although practitioners have been provided 
flexibility around cost-sharing for the duration of the PHE, 
beneficiaries are still liable for cost-sharing for these services in 
instances where the practitioner does not waive cost-sharing. 
Practitioners should educate beneficiaries on any applicable cost-
sharing. We are seeking comment on how best to minimize unexpected cost 
sharing for beneficiaries. We plan to monitor utilization of these 
services and will consider making refinements to billing rules, 
documentation requirements or claims edits through future rulemaking.

O. Flexibility for Medicaid Laboratory Services

    Section 6004(a) of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act 
added a new mandatory benefit in the Medicaid statute at section 
1905(a)(3)(B) of the Act, and this provision was amended by section 
3717 of the CARES Act. Section 1905(a)(3)(B) of the Act provides that, 
for any portion of the COVID-19 emergency period defined in section 
1135(g)(1)(B) of the Act that begins on or after March 18, 2020, 
Medicaid coverage must include in vitro diagnostic products (as defined 
in Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations at 21 CFR 809.3(a)) 
for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 or diagnosis of the virus that causes 
COVID-19, and the administration of such in vitro diagnostic products. 
As discussed in CMS guidance issued on April 13, 2020,\38\ FDA has 
advised that serological tests for COVID-19 meet the definition in 21 
CFR 809.3(a) of an in vitro diagnostic product for the detection of 
SARS-CoV-2 or the diagnosis of COVID-19. Therefore, coverage under 
section 1905(a)(3)(B) of the Act must include those serological tests. 
Section 1905(a)(3)(B) was an addition to the existing mandatory benefit 
for laboratory and X-ray services that was formerly at section 
1905(a)(3) of the Act, and that is now at section 1905(a)(3)(A) of the 
Act.
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    \38\ Families First Coronavirus Response Act, Public Law 116-
127; Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, 
Public Law 116-136; Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) (April 13, 
2020) 5-6, at https://www.medicaid.gov/state-resource-center/downloads/covid-19-section-6008-CARES-faqs.pdf.
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    The regulation currently implementing section 1905(a)(3) of the 
Act, at 42 CFR 440.30, includes certain limitations and conditions on 
Medicaid coverage of laboratory tests and X-rays, and describes who may 
provide laboratory tests and where laboratory tests may be 
administered. Specifically, Sec.  440.30(a) requires that Medicaid-
covered laboratory and X-ray services be ordered and provided by or 
under the direction of a physician or other licensed practitioner of 
the healing arts within the scope of his or her practice as defined by 
state law or ordered by a physician but provided by a referral 
laboratory. Section 440.30(b) specifies that Medicaid will cover 
laboratory and X-ray services only if provided in an office or similar 
facility other than a HOPD or clinic, and Sec.  440.30(c) specifies 
that Medicaid will cover these services only if they are furnished by a 
laboratory that meets the requirements of 42 CFR part 493.
    As the CDC noted when issuing advice on how to protect against 
COVID-19 infection, some recent studies have suggested that COVID-19 
may be spread by people who are not showing symptoms.\39\ We believe it 
is vital for Medicaid beneficiaries to have broad access to tests to 
detect the SARS-CoV-2 virus, antibodies to the SARS-CoV-2 virus, or 
COVID-19, so that they can properly monitor their symptoms, make 
decisions about seeking further care, and take appropriate precautions

[[Page 27591]]

to prevent further spread of disease. The requirements at Sec.  
440.30(a) and (b) could present an obstacle to Medicaid coverage for 
administering and processing COVID-19 laboratory and diagnostic tests 
in certain non-office settings, such as parking lots or other temporary 
outdoor locations, where the setting is intended to maximize physical 
distancing and thereby minimize transmission of COVID-19. Given the 
nature and scope of the COVID-19 pandemic, the critical importance of 
expanding COVID-19 testing to combat the pandemic, and the heightened 
risk the disease presents to Medicaid beneficiaries, we also would like 
to accommodate evolving COVID-19 diagnostic mechanisms, such as FDA-
authorized tests that allow for patients to self-collect a specimen in 
alternative locations (such as at home) to send to a laboratory, to 
detect the SARS-CoV-2 virus, antibodies to the SARS-CoV-2 virus, or 
COVID-19 (sometimes referred to as ``self-collection''). Self-
collection of tests at home is likely to minimize transmission of 
COVID-19, and the need for a Medicaid beneficiary to obtain an order 
for coverage of a self-collected COVID-19 test could present a 
significant barrier to beneficiaries who might otherwise seek a test 
that FDA authorizes as not requiring a prescription. We are using the 
term self-collection to encompass evolving mechanisms for testing that 
would be processed by a laboratory that can receive Medicaid payment.
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    \39\ https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6913e2.htm; 
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/prevention.html.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Accordingly, we are amending Sec.  440.30 to permit flexibility for 
coverage of COVID-19 tests, including coverage for tests administered 
in non-office settings, and coverage for laboratory processing of self-
collected COVID-19 tests that are FDA-authorized for self-collection. 
The flexibility would apply not only during the current COVID-19 PHE, 
but also during any subsequent periods of active surveillance, to allow 
for continued surveillance as part of strategies to detect recurrence 
of the virus in individuals and populations to prevent further spread 
of the disease. State officials may continue to need the flexibility 
offered under this amendment during such periods of active surveillance 
after the COVID-19 PHE ends. We define a period of active surveillance 
as an outbreak of communicable disease during which no approved 
treatment or vaccine is widely available. A period of active 
surveillance ends on the date the Secretary terminates it, or the date 
that is two incubation periods after the last known case of the 
communicable disease, whichever is sooner. We seek comments on this 
definition of the period of active surveillance.
    To allow similar flexibilities in future emergencies with similar 
circumstances, these amendments would not be limited to the COVID-19 
PHE and any subsequent period of active surveillance (as defined 
above), but would also apply to future PHEs resulting from outbreaks of 
communicable disease (and subsequent periods of active surveillance, as 
defined above), during which measures are necessary to avoid 
transmission of the communicable disease, and when such measures might 
result in difficulty meeting the requirements of Sec.  440.30(a) or 
(b). The flexibilities available under this amendment would be 
applicable as described below for the COVID-19 PHE, and with respect to 
future PHEs, would be applicable only upon formal declaration of a PHE 
that CMS determines meets these criteria, and would last for the 
duration of that future PHE and any subsequent period of active 
surveillance.
    We are therefore adding a new Sec.  440.30(d) that specifies that, 
during the COVID-19 PHE or any future PHE resulting from an outbreak of 
communicable disease, and during any subsequent period of active 
surveillance (as defined above), Medicaid coverage is available for 
laboratory tests and X-ray services that do not meet conditions 
specified in Sec.  440.30(a) or (b) so long as the purpose of the 
laboratory or X-ray service is to diagnose or detect SARS-CoV-2, 
antibodies to SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19, or the communicable disease named 
in the PHE or its causes, and so long as the deviation from the 
conditions specified in Sec.  440.30(a) or (b) is intended to avoid 
transmission of the communicable disease. We further specify that under 
these same circumstances and subject to these same conditions, Medicaid 
coverage is available for laboratory processing of self-collected 
laboratory test systems that the FDA has authorized for home use, if 
available to diagnose or detect SARS-CoV-2, antibodies to SARS-CoV-2, 
COVID-19, or the communicable disease named in the PHE or its causes, 
even if those self-collected tests would not otherwise meet the 
requirements in Sec.  440.30(a) or (b). Among other flexibilities, 
these amendments would permit states to cover laboratory processing of 
self-collected test systems that the FDA has authorized for home use, 
without the order of a treating physician or other licensed non-
physician practitioner (NPP). Laboratories that process such test 
systems without an order, as permitted under this new Sec.  440.30(d), 
must notify the patient and the patient's physician or NPP, if known by 
the laboratory, of the results. Again, in order to protect the public, 
the flexibilities that would permit self-collection of testing will 
apply only for test systems authorized by the FDA for home use. We are 
soliciting comment on the implications of applying this provision to 
future public health emergencies, and the specifications that should be 
included in doing so.
    These changes to Sec.  440.30 apply not only to the benefit 
described at section 1905(a)(3)(B) of the Act, but also apply to the 
longstanding laboratory and X-ray services benefit that was formerly at 
section 1905(a)(3) of the Act, and is now at section 1905(a)(3)(A) of 
the Act. In light of the urgent need to provide these flexibilities 
during the COVID-19 PHE, and because this provision will ease 
restrictions under existing law and make Medicaid coverage of testing 
more available, new paragraph (d) in Sec.  440.30 will be effective 
retroactive to March 1, 2020.
    Lastly, while Sec.  440.30(d) does not provide flexibility 
regarding Sec.  440.30(c), which provides that services under Sec.  
440.30 must be furnished by a laboratory that meets the requirements of 
part 493, we are soliciting comment on whether continuing to apply the 
requirements of Sec.  440.30(c) would present any obstacle to providing 
Medicaid coverage for COVID-19 testing.

P. Improving Care Planning for Medicaid Home Health Services

1. Background
a. General Information
    Title XIX of the Act requires that to receive federal Medicaid 
matching funds, a state must offer certain services to the 
categorically needy populations specified in the statute. Home health 
services for Medicaid-eligible individuals who are entitled to NF 
services is one of these mandatory services. Individuals entitled to NF 
services include the basic categorically needy populations that receive 
the standard Medicaid benefit package, and can include medically needy 
populations if NF services are offered to the medically needy within a 
state. Home health services include part-time or intermittent nursing, 
home health aide services, medical supplies, equipment, and appliances, 
and may include therapy services (physical therapy, occupational 
therapy, speech pathology and audiology services). Prior to 1997, 
Medicaid regulations required an individual's physician to order home

[[Page 27592]]

health services as part of a written plan of care, and review the plan 
of care every 60 days. In 1997, Medicaid regulations (62 FR 47902), 
were amended to allow the plan of care for medical supplies, equipment 
and appliances to be reviewed by a physician annually.
    Title XIX was amended in 2010, when section 6407 of the Patient 
Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 \40\ added the requirement 
that physicians document the occurrence of a face-to-face encounter 
(including through the use of telehealth) with the Medicaid beneficiary 
within reasonable timeframes when ordering home health services. 
Section 504 of the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 
(MACRA) (Pub. L. 114-10, enacted on April 16, 2015) amended Medicare 
requirements at section 1834(a)(11)(B)(ii) of the Act to allow certain 
authorized NPPs to document the face-to-face encounter and applied such 
changes to the Medicaid program. CMS finalized the implementing 
provisions on February 2, 2016, in the Medicaid Program; Face-to-Face 
Requirements for Home Health Services; Policy Changes and Clarification 
Related to Home Health final rule (81 FR 5529) became effective July 1, 
2016.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \40\ The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Pub. L. 
111-148) was enacted on March 23, 2010. The Health Care and 
Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 (Pub. L. 111-152), which 
amended and revised several provisions of the Patient Protection and 
Affordable Care Act, was enacted on March 30, 2010. In this IFC, we 
refer to the two statutes collectively as the ``Patient Protection 
and Affordable Care Act''.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    In the March 31st COVID-19 IFC, we amended the Medicaid home health 
regulations to allow other licensed practitioners to order all 
components of home health services in accordance with state scope of 
practice laws, for the period of this COVID-19 PHE.
b. Changes To Modernize Requirements for Ordering Medicaid Home Health 
Nursing, Aide and Therapy Services; and Modernize Face-to-Face 
Encounter Requirements
    When the Medicaid program was signed into law in 1965, most skilled 
medical professional services in the United States were provided by 
physicians, with the assistance of nurses. Over the decades, the 
medical professional field has diversified and allowed for a wider 
range of certifications and specialties, including the establishment of 
mid-level practitioners such as NPs and PAs that are also known as 
NPPs. Both Medicare and Medicaid policies and regulations have been 
updated over recent years to make changes to allow NPPs to provide 
certain services within the extent of their scope of practice as 
defined by state law.
    The recognition of the advanced training and qualifications of 
these practitioners continues with the enactment of the CARES Act. 
Section 3708 of the CARES Act amended Medicare requirements at sections 
1814(a) and 1835(a) of the Act to expand the list of practitioners who 
can order home health services. Specifically, sections 1814(a)(2)(C) of 
the Act under Part A and section 1835(a)(2)(A) of the Act under Part B 
of the Medicare program were amended to allow an NP, CNS or PA to order 
home health services in addition to physicians so long as these NPPs 
are permitted to provide such services under the scope of practice laws 
in the state. Section 3708(e) of the CARES Act also provides that the 
requirements for ordering home health services shall apply under title 
XIX in the same manner and to the same extent as such requirements 
apply under title XVIII of such Act. In accordance with this language 
on applying these requirements ``in the same manner'' as Medicare is, 
in light of the urgent need to provide these flexibilities during the 
COVID-19 PHE, and because this provision will increase flexibility in 
the delivery of benefits and make Medicaid coverage of home health 
services more available, the Medicaid regulations discussed in this 
section will take effect on the same date as the Medicare regulations 
implementing section 3708 discussed in section II.J. of this IFC, 
``Care Planning for Medicare Home Health Services.'' Further, the 
language in section 3708 of the CARES Act is not time limited to the 
period of the COVID-19 PHE; the revisions to the Medicaid home health 
program will be permanently in effect.
    The purpose of this regulation is to implement this statutory 
directive in the CARES Act within the Medicaid program. In implementing 
the CARES Act home health provisions, it is important to note the 
structural differences between the Medicare home health benefit and the 
Medicaid home health benefit that require some adaptation for the 
requirement to apply the new Medicare rules in section 3708 of the 
CARES Act to Medicaid ``in the same manner and to the same extent as 
such requirements apply'' under Medicare. Under the Medicare program, 
the home health benefit includes skilled part-time or intermittent 
nursing, home health aide service, therapies and medical social 
services. DME is a separate benefit under Medicare, and could already 
be ordered, prior to the enactment of section 3708 of the CARES Act, by 
a more extensive list of NPPs than the practitioners identified in 
section 3708 of the CARES Act for Medicare home health services. 
Comparatively, as noted previously in this section of the IFC, the 
Medicaid home health benefit includes part-time or intermittent 
nursing, home health aide services, and medical supplies, equipment and 
appliances, also known as DME. Therapy services can be included at the 
state's option.
    Based on the statutory directive to apply section 3708 of the CARES 
Act changes to Medicaid in the same manner as Medicare, we had to 
determine whether to interpret this directive as applying the rules for 
who can order services under the more limited Medicare home health 
services benefit only to the subset of Medicaid home health services 
that align with Medicare, or to apply the Medicare rules on who can 
order services to the full range of Medicaid home health services. As 
discussed earlier in this section, Medicare allows a more extensive 
list of NPPs to order DME, than the practitioners identified for 
Medicaid or the practitioners identified in the CARES Act. Because DME 
(``medical supplies, equipment and appliances'') is covered under the 
Medicaid home health benefit, this would mean applying the current 
Medicare rules on who can order DME under that Medicare benefit to that 
component of the Medicaid home health benefit. We believe that aligning 
the Medicaid program with Medicare regarding who can order medical 
supplies, equipment and appliances promotes access to services for 
Medicaid beneficiaries, including those who are dually eligible, and 
will eliminate burden to states and providers on dealing with 
inconsistencies between the Medicare and Medicaid programs. 
Specifically, we are amending the home health regulation at Sec.  
440.70(a)(3) to allow other licensed practitioners, to order medical 
equipment, supplies and appliances in addition to physicians, when 
practicing in accordance with state laws.
    For other services covered under the Medicaid home health benefit, 
we are applying the new list of practitioners set forth in section 3708 
of the CARES Act to who can order those services, specifically, part-
time or intermittent nursing services, home health aide services, and 
if included in the state's home health benefit, therapy services. 
Specifically, Sec.  440.70(a)(2) is amended to allow a NP, CNS and PA 
to order home health services described in Sec.  440.70(b)(1), (2) and 
(4).

[[Page 27593]]

    Through this IFC, we are also amending the current regulation to 
remove the requirement that the NPPs described in Sec.  440.70(a)(2) 
have to communicate the clinical finding of the face-to-face encounter 
to the ordering physician. With expanding authority to order home 
health services, the CARES Act also provides that such practitioners 
are now capable of independently performing the face-to-face encounter 
for the patient for whom they are the ordering practitioner, in 
accordance with state law. If state law does not allow such 
flexibility, the NPP is required to work in collaboration with a 
physician.
    Finally, we note that the flexibility allowed in this IFC to NPs, 
CNSs and PAs to order home health services must be done in accordance 
with state law. Individual states have varying requirements for 
conditions of practice, which determine whether a practitioner may work 
independently, without a written collaborative agreement or supervision 
from a physician, or whether general or direct supervision and 
collaboration is required. State Medicaid Agencies can consult the 
specific practitioner association or relevant state agency website to 
ensure that practitioners are working within their scope of practice 
and prescriptive authority.

Q. Basic Health Program Blueprint Revisions

1. Background
    Section 1331 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act \41\ 
provides states with a coverage option, the Basic Health Program (BHP), 
for specified individuals who do not qualify for Medicaid but whose 
income does not exceed 200 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL). 
More information about the BHP is available in the ``Basic Health 
Program'' final rule \42\ which was published in the March 12, 2014 
Federal Register (79 FR 14112). The BHP regulations are codified at 
part 600. As of April 2020, Minnesota and New York are the only states 
operating a BHP.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \41\ The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Pub. L. 
111-148) was enacted on March 23, 2010. The Health Care and 
Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 (Pub. L. 111-152), which 
amended and revised several provisions of the Patient Protection and 
Affordable Care Act, was enacted on March 30, 2010. In this IFC, we 
refer to the two statutes collectively as the ``Patient Protection 
and Affordable Care Act''.
    \42\ Basic Health Program: State Administration of Basic Health 
Programs; Eligibility and Enrollment in Standard Health Plans; 
Essential Health Benefits in Standard Health Plans; Performance 
Standards for Basic Health Programs; Premium and Cost Sharing for 
Basic Health Programs; Federal Funding Process; Trust Fund and 
Financial Integrity; Final Rule (79 FR 14111 through 14151, March 
12, 2014).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

2. Changes to Requirements for Revisions of a Certified Blueprint
    As we explain in Sec.  600.110, the BHP Blueprint is a 
comprehensive written document submitted by the State to the Secretary 
for certification of a BHP. Section 600.110(a) specifies what content 
needs to be included in the BHP Blueprint that must be certified by 
HHS. Section 600.125(a) currently requires that a state that seeks to 
make significant changes to its BHP must submit a revised BHP Blueprint 
to the Secretary for review and certification.\43\ We previously 
explained in the September 25, 2013 BHP proposed rule \44\ (78 FR 
59125) that, while not an exhaustive list, the types of changes that 
would be considered ``significant'' for purposes of this provision 
include changes that have a direct impact on the enrollee experience in 
BHP or the program financing. Section 600.125(b) currently requires 
that a state is responsible for continuing to operate under the terms 
of the existing Blueprint until and unless a revised Blueprint is 
certified. Taken together, these regulations require that states 
wishing to make significant changes to a certified Blueprint must do so 
on a prospective basis and such changes cannot be implemented until a 
revised Blueprint is certified by HHS.
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    \43\ This provision states that ``in the event that a State 
seeks to make significant change(s) that alter program operations 
the BHP benefit package, enrollment, disenrollment and verification 
policies described in the certified BHP Blueprint, the State must 
submit a revised Blueprint to the Secretary for review and 
certification.''
    \44\ Basic Health Program: State Administration of Basic Health 
Programs; Eligibility and Enrollment in Standard Health Plans; 
Essential Health Benefits in Standard Health Plans; Performance 
Standards for Basic Health Programs; Premium and Cost Sharing for 
Basic Health Programs; Federal Funding Process; Trust Fund and 
Financial Integrity; Proposed Rule, 78 FR 59121 at 59125 (September 
25, 2013).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    We believe that during the PHE for the COVID-19 pandemic, it is not 
feasible for a state to receive certification by HHS prior to 
implementing certain necessary significant changes to their BHP. 
Specifically, during the PHE for the COVID-19 pandemic, states may need 
to immediately revise certain provisions of or add certain provisions 
to their BHP Blueprints that would be considered significant changes to 
ensure BHP enrollees can access necessary services without delay or 
access these services without cost sharing. For example, based on our 
experience with the PHE for the COVID-19 pandemic, we recognize that 
states operating a BHP may need to temporarily waive limitations on 
certain benefits covered under its BHP or temporarily waive enrollee 
premiums and cost sharing.
    Therefore, at Sec.  600.125, we are revising paragraph (b) and 
adding a new paragraph (c) to allow a state to submit to the Secretary 
for review and certification a revised Blueprint that makes temporary 
significant changes to respond to the PHE for the COVID-19 pandemic 
with the option for the states to make such changes effective 
retroactive to the start of the PHE for the COVID-19 pandemic as 
defined in Sec.  400.200. While we would generally expect that 
revisions submitted under Sec.  600.125(c) would no longer be in effect 
as of the end of the PHE for the COVID-19 pandemic as defined in Sec.  
400.200, there may be instances in which policies will need to 
temporarily be in effect for a longer period of time. For example, 
following the end of the PHE for the COVID-19 pandemic, a state may 
need additional time to process all of the renewals or changes in 
circumstance that were not completed during the PHE. A state may need 
an additional, temporary period of time (for example, 90 days), before 
resuming its usual processing standards. We will work with states to 
determine a reasonable amount of time after the PHE for returning to 
normal course of business.
    Specifically, the flexibility in the new Sec.  600.125(c) only 
applies to Blueprint revisions that make temporary significant changes 
that are directly tied to the PHE for the COVID-19 pandemic and would 
increase enrollee access to coverage.\45\ States may not submit under 
Sec.  600.125(c), and we will not certify, retroactive Blueprint 
revisions under this provision that are not directly tied to the PHE 
for the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, states may not submit under 
Sec.  600.125(c), and we will not certify, retroactive Blueprint 
revisions under this provision that are restrictive in nature, such as 
Blueprint revisions that increase enrollee cost sharing, reduce BHP 
benefits, or limit or reduce eligibility for BHP coverage. Revised 
Blueprints submitted under Sec.  600.125(c) can only implement 
temporary revisions to increase access to coverage that would remain in 
effect only through the

[[Page 27594]]

duration of the PHE for the COVID-19 pandemic, or a reasonable 
additional amount of time as discussed above. To submit and receive 
certification for a revised Blueprint under Sec.  600.125(c), a state 
will need to submit a cover letter to CMS that lists each change for 
which it is seeking certification alongside an explanation for how each 
change is directly related to the PHE for the COVID-19 pandemic and how 
each change is not restrictive in nature. The state should also specify 
the requested duration of each of the changes. If the state is seeking 
certification to implement temporary changes beyond the end of the 
COVID-19 pandemic, the state should specify why the later end date is 
needed. The state should also submit a revised Blueprint that 
incorporates the temporary changes. In addition, as noted above, the 
process outlined in the new section Sec.  600.125(c) does not apply to 
Blueprint revisions that do not make significant changes.
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    \45\ These flexibilities are similar to those that are currently 
available in the Medicaid State Plan Amendment (SPA) template and 
instructions that CMS created in March 2020 to assist states in 
responding to the PHE for the COVID-19 pandemic and CHIP SPAs that 
allow for temporary adjustments to enrollment and redetermination 
policies during disaster events. More information about these 
Medicaid and CHIP flexibilities is available at https://www.medicaid.gov/resources-for-states/disaster-response-toolkit/state-plan-flexibilities/index.html.
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    Revised Blueprints submitted under Sec.  600.125(c) will not be 
subject to the public comment requirements under Sec.  600.115(c), as 
we have determined that the existence of unforeseen circumstances 
resulting from the PHE for the COVID-19 pandemic warrants an exception 
to the normal public notice procedures to expedite the certification of 
a revised Blueprint that implements temporary changes to expand access 
to coverage. We have determined that it would not be practical to 
solicit public comment during the PHE for the COVID-19 pandemic, and we 
recognize that there is a need to ensure consumers have access to the 
care they need as expeditiously as possible. Nonetheless, we encourage 
states to seek public input, when appropriate, consistent with 
applicable state requirements.
    If a state seeks to make a permanent, significant change to its 
BHP, such as permanently altering verification, enrollment, or 
disenrollment policies, the state must follow the usual process for 
submission of a revised Blueprint with a prospective effective date in 
accordance with Sec.  600.125(a). In addition, when seeking to make 
permanent, significant changes to its BHP, the state must continue to 
operate under the terms of the existing certified Blueprint until HHS 
certifies the revision.

R. Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) Qualified Clinical Data 
Registry (QCDR) Measure Approval Criteria

    We have heard from third party intermediaries, specifically QCDRs, 
that due to the COVID-19 pandemic they anticipate being unable to 
complete QCDR measure testing or collect data on QCDR measures for the 
2021 MIPS performance period as specified at Sec.  414.1400(b)(3)(v)(C) 
and (D). Both QCDR measure approval criteria necessitate QCDRs 
collecting data from clinicians in order to assess the measure. Over 50 
percent of the QCDRs approved for the 2020 performance period are 
supported by specialty societies that represent and support clinicians 
on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic, or are hospitals that are 
directly impacted by the pandemic. We also anticipate that there will 
be a lack of available data for some QCDR measures because clinicians 
who work in specialties that are not primarily caring for COVID-19 
patients may have their cases or elective procedures canceled or 
delayed so that resources can be redistributed. As a result, we 
anticipate that QCDRs may be unable to collect, and clinicians unable 
to submit, data on QCDR measures due to prioritizing the care of COVID-
19 patients.
    We believe that clinicians who are on the frontlines taking care of 
COVID-19 cases should not be burdened with having to submit data to a 
QCDR for purposes of QCDR measure assessment (testing and data 
collection). In consideration of clinicians' limited resources and in 
an effort to reduce burden on clinicians and health care organizations 
that are responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are amending the QCDR 
measure approval criteria previously finalized in the CY 2020 PFS final 
rule (84 FR 63065 through 63068), specifically: (1) Completion of QCDR 
measure testing at Sec.  414.1400(b)(3)(v)(C) as discussed in section 
II.R.1. of this IFC; and (2) collection of data on QCDR measures at 
Sec.  414.1400(b)(3)(v)(D) as discussed in section II.R.2. of this IFC.
1. Completion of QCDR Measure Testing
    In the CY 2020 PFS final rule (84 FR 63065 through 63067), we 
finalized at Sec.  414.1400(b)(3)(v)(C) that beginning with the 2021 
performance period, all QCDR measures must be fully developed and 
tested, with complete testing results at the clinician level, prior to 
submitting the QCDR measure at the time of self-nomination. For the 
reasons discussed in section II.R. of this IFC, we are delaying the 
implementation of this policy by 1 year. Specifically, we are amending 
Sec.  414.1400(b)(3)(v)(C) to state that beginning with the 2022 
performance period, all QCDR measures must be fully developed and 
tested, with complete testing results at the clinician level, prior to 
submitting the QCDR measure at the time of self-nomination.
    During this 1 year delay, we will continue to review QDCR measures 
as in past years to ensure they are valid, reliable, and align with the 
goals of the Meaningful Measure initiative.\46\ This process includes 
review by quality measure experts; QCDR policy subject matter experts; 
clinicians, including physicians, nurses, and PTs/OTs, who work on our 
support contractor team; and CMS Medical Officers. We will continue to 
review QCDR measures for potential risk of patient harm (for example, 
QCDR measures that promote clinical practices related to overuse). We 
also will continue to review QCDR measures for feasibility and accuracy 
and reliability of results. For more information, we refer readers to 
the 2020 QCDR Measure Development Handbook.\47\
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    \46\ See https://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Quality-Initiatives-Patient-Assessment-Instruments/QualityInitiativesGenInfo/CMS-Quality-Strategy.
    \47\ Available at https://qpp-cm-prod-content.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/580/2020%20Self-Nomination%20Toolkit%20for%20QCDRs%20%26%20Qualified%20Registries.zip
.
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2. Collection of Data on QCDR Measures
    In the CY 2020 PFS final rule (84 FR 63067 through 63068), we 
finalized at Sec.  414.1400(b)(3)(v)(D) that beginning with the 2021 
performance period, QCDRs are required to collect data on a QCDR 
measure, appropriate to the measure type, prior to submitting the QCDR 
measure for CMS consideration during the self-nomination period. For 
the reasons discussed in section II.R. of this IFC, we are delaying the 
implementation of this policy by 1 year. Specifically, we are amending 
Sec.  414.1400(b)(3)(v)(D) to state that beginning with the 2022 
performance period, QCDRs are required to collect data on a QCDR 
measure, appropriate to the measure type, prior to submitting the QCDR 
measure for CMS consideration during the self-nomination period.
    During this 1-year delay, we will continue to review QDCR measures 
as in past years to ensure they are valid and identify performance gaps 
in the area of measurement. As described in the 2020 QCDR Measure 
Development Handbook,\48\ this process includes vetting the measures to 
ensure they are implementable and collectible, which includes an 
evaluation of the measure and coding constructs (for example, whether 
the measure is constructed as a ratio, proportional, or inverse 
measure). Additionally, we will review the

[[Page 27595]]

evidence provided by the QCDR (for example, clinical studies and/or 
scientific journals) that would support the need for measurement in 
lieu of insufficient data collection to demonstrate that there is a 
measurement gap.
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    \48\ Available at https://qpp-cm-prod-content.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/580/2020%20Self-Nomination%20Toolkit%20for%20QCDRs%20%26%20Qualified%20Registries.zip
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S. Application of Certain National Coverage Determination and Local 
Coverage Determination Requirements During the PHE for the COVID-19 
Pandemic

    National Coverage Determinations (NCDs) are determinations by the 
Secretary with respect to whether or not a particular item or service 
is covered nationally under Title XVIII. Local Coverage Determinations 
(LCDs) are determinations by a Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC) 
with respect to whether or not a particular item or service is covered 
under section 1862(a)(1)(A) of the Act in the particular MAC's 
geographical areas. Articles are often published alongside LCDs and 
contain coding or other guidelines that complement an LCD. NCDs and 
LCDs contain clinical conditions a patient must meet to qualify for 
coverage of the item or service.
    In section II.U. of the March 31st COVID-19 IFC, we finalized on an 
interim basis that to the extent an NCD or LCD (including articles) 
would otherwise require a face-to-face or in-person encounter or other 
implied face-to-face services, those requirements would not apply 
during the PHE for the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, we finalized on 
an interim basis that we will not enforce the clinical indications for 
coverage across respiratory, home anticoagulation management and 
infusion pump NCDs and LCDs (including articles) allowing for 
flexibility for practitioners to care for their patients. This section 
provides clarification and expands upon section II.U. of the March 31st 
COVID-19 IFC.
1. Applicability of Reasonable and Necessary Requirement for Covered 
Items and Services
    Some external stakeholders appear to be misinterpreting statements 
that CMS made in the March 31st COVID-19 IFC as waiving medical 
necessity requirements; there are now questions as to whether items and 
services can be furnished or ordered without reason during the PHE for 
the COVID-19 pandemic. We note there is nothing in guidance or the 
March 31st COVID-19 IFC, that could be interpreted to permanently or 
temporarily waive the reasonable and necessary statutory requirement, 
which is expressed in section 1862(a)(1)(A) of the Act and cannot be 
waived under the section 1135 PHE waiver authority. Except as expressly 
permitted by statute, we remind physicians, practitioners and suppliers 
that most items and services must be reasonable and necessary for the 
diagnosis or treatment of an illness or injury or to improve the 
functioning of a malformed body member to be paid under Part A or Part 
B of Title XVIII. Physicians, practitioners, and suppliers are required 
to continue documenting the medical necessity for all services. 
Accordingly, the medical record must be sufficient to support payment 
for the services billed (that is, the services were actually provided, 
were provided at the level billed, and were medically necessary).
2. Enforcement Discretion of Clinical Indications for Additional LCDs
    In the March 31st COVID-19 IFC, we finalized on an interim basis 
that we will not enforce the clinical indications for coverage across 
respiratory, home anticoagulation management and infusion pump NCDs and 
LCDs (including articles) allowing for more flexibility for 
practitioners to care for their patients. This enforcement discretion 
will only apply during the PHE for the COVID-19 pandemic.
    In this IFC, we are finalizing on an interim basis that we will not 
enforce the clinical indications for therapeutic continuous glucose 
monitors in LCDs. For example, we will not enforce the current clinical 
indications restricting the type of diabetes that a beneficiary must 
have or relating to the demonstrated need for frequent blood glucose 
testing in order to permit COVID-19 infected patients with diabetes to 
receive a Medicare covered therapeutic continuous glucose monitor. This 
discretion is intended to permit COVID-19 patients to more closely 
monitor their glucose levels given that they are at risk for 
unpredictable impacts of the infection on their glucose levels and 
health. The use of therapeutic continuous glucose monitors may allow 
patients to proactively treat their diabetes and prevent the need for 
hospital-based diabetic care. Practitioners will also have greater 
flexibility to allow more of their diabetic patients to better monitor 
their glucose and adjust insulin doses from home by using a therapeutic 
continuous glucose monitor. This enforcement discretion will only apply 
during the PHE for the COVID-19 pandemic.

T. Delay in the Compliance Date of Certain Reporting Requirements 
Adopted for IRFs, LTCHs, HHAs and SNFs

1. Delay of the Compliance Date of the Transfer of Health (TOH) 
Information Quality Measures and Certain Standardized Patient 
Assessment Data Elements (SPADEs) Adopted for the IRF QRP, LTCH QRP, 
and HH QRP
    In the FY 2020 IRF PPS final rule (84 FR 39100 through 39161), we 
adopted the TOH Information to Provider-Post-Acute Care and TOH 
Information to Patient-Post-Acute Care quality measures (collectively, 
the TOH Information Measures) beginning with the FY 2022 IRF QRP and 
finalized that IRFs would be required to collect data on both measures 
beginning with patients discharged on or after October 1, 2020. We also 
adopted standardized patient assessment data elements (SPADEs) for six 
categories that IRFs must report for patients beginning with the FY 
2022 IRF QRP, with data collection beginning with admissions and 
discharges (except for the hearing, vision, race and ethnicity SPADEs, 
which would be collected for admissions only) on October 1, 2020 (84 FR 
39114 through 84 FR 39149). In the FY 2020 Inpatient Prospective 
Payment System (IPPS)/Long-Term Care Hospital (LTCH) PPS final rule (84 
FR 42526 through 84 FR 84534), we adopted the same two measures and 
SPADEs for reporting by LTCHs beginning with FY 2022 LTCH QRP with data 
collection beginning with patients discharged on October 1, 2020 and 
data collection on the SPADEs beginning with admissions and discharges 
(except for the hearing, vision, race, and ethnicity SPADEs, which 
would be collected for admissions only) on October 1, 2020.
    In the CY 2020 HH PPS final rule (84 FR 60557 through 60610), we 
also adopted these measures for reporting by HHAs in the CY 2022 HH QRP 
beginning with patients discharged or transferred January 1, 2021 and 
data collection on the SPADEs beginning with the start of care, 
resumption of care, and discharges (except for the hearing, vision, 
race, and ethnicity SPADEs, which would be collected at the start of 
care only) on January 1, 2021.
    The current assessment instruments that IRFs, LTCHs, and HHAs use 
to submit data to meet the requirements of their respective QRPs do not 
include the data elements that these providers need to report the TOH 
Information Measures or the SPADEs that we previously finalized for 
data collection beginning either October 1, 2020 for IRFs and

[[Page 27596]]

LTCHs or January 1, 2021 for HHAs. We have developed updated assessment 
instruments that include these new data elements, and under our current 
implementation timeline, we would be in the process of training 
providers on how to operationalize them. Each of these providers would 
also be in the process of training their staffs on how to use the 
updated versions, as well as working with their vendors to make 
programming changes necessary to implement them timely. However, we 
want to provide maximum flexibilities for these providers to respond to 
the public health threats posed by the COVID-19 PHE, and to reduce the 
burden in administrative efforts associated with attending training, 
training their staffs and working with their vendors to incorporate the 
updated assessment instruments into their operations. Accordingly, we 
are delaying the release of updated versions of the IRF Patient 
Assessment Instrument (IRF-PAI), LTCH Continuity Assessment Record and 
Evaluation Data Set (LTCH CARE Data Set), and HHA's Outcome and 
Assessment Information Set (OASIS) Instrument to reduce the burden that 
these providers would otherwise incur as a result of being required to 
incorporate the updated versions into their operations before October 
1, 2020 (for IRFs and LTCHs) or January 1, 2021 (for HHAs). This delay 
will enable these providers to continue using the current versions of 
their assessment instruments, with which they are already familiar. The 
current version of the IRF-PAI has been in use since October 1, 2019 
(IRF-PAI v. 3.0). The current version of the LTCH CARE Data Set has 
also been in use since October 1, 2019 (LTCH CARE Data Set v. 4.00). 
The current version of the OASIS Instrument has been in use since 
January 1, 2019 (OASIS-D).
    This delay of the updated assessment instruments will impact the 
ability of IRFs, LTCHs and HHAs to collect and report data on the two 
TOH Information Measures and SPADEs under their respective QRPs. 
Accordingly, in this IFC, we are delaying the compliance dates for the 
collection and reporting of these TOH Information Measures and SPADEs. 
Specifically, we will require IRFs to use IRF-PAI V4.0 and LTCHs to use 
LTCH CARE Data Set V5.0 to begin collecting data on the two TOH 
Information Measures beginning with discharges on October 1st of the 
year that is at least 1 full fiscal year after the end of the COVID-19 
PHE. For example, if the COVID-19 PHE ends on September 20, 2020, IRFs 
and LTCHs will be required to begin collecting data on these measures 
beginning with patients discharged on October 1, 2021. We will also 
require IRFs and LTCHs to begin collecting data on the SPADEs for 
admissions and discharges (except for the hearing, vision, race, and 
ethnicity SPADEs, which would be collected for admissions only) on 
October 1st of the year that is at least 1 full fiscal year after the 
end of the COVID-19 PHE. HHAs will be required to use OASIS-E to begin 
collecting data on the two TOH Information Measures beginning with 
discharges and transfers on January 1st of the year that is at least 1 
full calendar year after the end of the COVID-19 PHE. For example, if 
the COVID-19 PHE ends on September 20, 2020, HHAs will be required to 
begin collecting data on those measures beginning with patients 
discharged or transferred on January 1, 2022. We will also require HHAs 
to begin collecting data on the SPADEs beginning with the start of 
care, resumption of care, and discharges (except for the hearing, 
vision, race, and ethnicity SPADEs, which would be collected at the 
start of care only) on January 1st of the year that is at least 1 full 
calendar year after the end of the COVID-19 PHE.
    We believe that these delays will give IRFs, LTCHs, and HHAs enough 
time to operationalize the updated versions of their respective 
assessment instruments, including taking any necessary training and 
ensuring that their vendors can make appropriate programming updates. 
We plan to release the drafts of the new instruments again for these 
programs shortly after the COVID-19 PHE ends to provide ample time for 
training and any vendor programming.
2. Delay in the Compliance Date of the Transfer of Health Information 
Measures and Certain SPADEs Adopted for the SNF QRP
    In the FY 2020 SNF PPS final rule (84 FR 38755 through 84 FR 
38764), we adopted the TOH quality measures beginning with the FY 2022 
SNF QRP and finalized that SNFs would be required to collect data on 
both measures beginning with patients discharged on October 1, 2020. We 
also adopted SPADEs for six categories that SNFs must report for 
patients beginning with the FY 2022 SNF QRP, with data collection for 
patients discharged October 1, 2020 for admissions and discharges 
(except for the hearing, vision, race, and ethnicity SPADEs, which 
would be collected for admissions only).
    The current version of the Minimum Data Set (MDS), MDS 3.0 v1.17.1, 
that SNFs use to submit data in order to meet the requirements of the 
SNF QRP does not include the data elements that are needed to report 
the TOH Information Measures and the SPADEs that we previously 
finalized for data collection beginning October 1, 2020. We previously 
released a draft version of the updated MDS 3.0 v1.18.1 that includes 
these new data elements, and under our current implementation timeline, 
we would be in the process of training providers on how to 
operationalize them. Each of these providers would also be in the 
process of training their staffs on how to use the updated versions, as 
well as working with their vendors to make programming changes 
necessary to timely implement them. However, as we previously noted in 
a March 19, 2020 notice posted on our website \49\ stakeholders have 
expressed concerns that the length of our planned implementation period 
is too short for SNFs to properly educate their staffs on how to 
operationalize the updated MDS given that the updated version did not 
adequately address the needs of states that use the instrument for 
payment and to report data. For these reasons, we stated that we were 
delaying the release of the updated version of the MDS. This delay will 
enable SNFs to continue using the current version of the MDS, with 
which they are already familiar.
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    \49\ https://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Quality-Initiatives-Patient-Assessment-Instruments/NursingHomeQualityInits/Skilled-Nursing-Facility-Quality-Reporting-Program/SNF-Quality-Reporting-Program-Spotlights-and-Announcements.
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    Our delay of the release of the updated version of the MDS 3.0 
v1.18.1 will impact the ability of SNFs to collect and report data on 
the two TOH Information Measures and SPADEs. Accordingly, in this IFC, 
we are delaying the compliance dates for the collection and reporting 
of these measures and SPADEs. Although we did not originally delay the 
release of the updated version of the MDS because of the COVID-19 PHE, 
we believe that this PHE is appropriate to take into consideration when 
determining when it will be feasible to release the updated version, 
and when it will likewise be feasible to require SNFs to begin to 
report the new quality measure and SPADEs data.
    Therefore, we will require SNFs to begin collecting data on the two 
TOH Information Measures beginning with discharges on October 1st of 
the year that is at least 2 full fiscal years after the end of the 
COVID-19 PHE. For example, if the COVID-19 PHE ends on September, 20, 
2020, SNFs will be required to begin collecting data on these measures 
beginning with patients discharged on October 1, 2022. We will

[[Page 27597]]

also require SNFs to begin collecting data on the SPADEs beginning with 
admissions and discharges (except for the hearing, vision, race, and 
ethnicity SPADEs, which would be collected for admissions only) on 
October 1st of the year that is at least 2 full fiscal years after the 
end of the COVID-19 PHE. Although this delay is longer than the delay 
we are adopting for IRFs, LTCHs and HHAs, we believe that the 
additional delay for SNFs is appropriate because it will give us enough 
time to work with stakeholders to ensure that their concerns are 
addressed while also allowing SNFs a reasonable amount of time to 
complete required training, train their staffs, and work with their 
vendors to make necessary programming updates. Shortly after the COVID-
19 PHE ends, we plan to work with stakeholders to develop a mutually 
agreeable timeline for releasing the updated MDS 3.0 v1.18.1 that 
provides sufficient time for SNFs to incorporate the updated version 
into their operations.

U. Update to the Hospital Value-Based Purchasing (VBP) Program 
Extraordinary Circumstance Exception (ECE) Policy

    In the FY 2014 IPPS/LTCH final rule (78 FR 50704 through 50707), we 
finalized a disaster/extraordinary circumstance exception (ECE) policy 
for the Hospital VBP Program. The intent of the Hospital VBP ECE policy 
is to mitigate any adverse impact on quality performance as a direct 
result of unforeseen extraordinary circumstances outside of the 
hospital's control and the resulting impact on their value-based 
incentive payment amounts.
    Under the current policy and upon a hospital's request, we will 
consider providing an exception from the Hospital VBP Program 
requirements to hospitals affected by natural disasters or other 
extraordinary circumstances (78 FR 50704 through 50706). Specifically, 
in the FY 2014 IPPS/LTCH final rule, we stated that we interpreted the 
minimum number of cases and measures requirement in sections 
1886(o)(1)(C)(ii)(III) and (IV) of the Act to not include any measures 
or cases for which a hospital has submitted data during a performance 
period for which the hospital has been granted a Hospital VBP Program 
ECE. We also stated that, if after the applicable quality measure data 
from a performance period has been excepted due to the granting of an 
ECE, the hospital still reports the minimum number of cases and 
measures required for the program year, the hospital will still receive 
a Total Performance Score (TPS) that has been calculated without use of 
the excepted quality data.
    Based on our previously finalized policy, a hospital must submit 
the Hospital VBP Program ECE request form (OMB control #0938-1022), 
including any available evidence of the impact of the extraordinary 
circumstances on the hospital's quality measure performance, within 90 
calendar days of the date on which the natural disaster or other 
extraordinary circumstance occurred (78 FR 50706).
    We continue to recognize that unforeseen extraordinary 
circumstances, such as the current PHE for COVID-19, could 
substantially affect the ability of hospitals to perform under the 
Hospital VBP Program at the same level at which they might otherwise 
have performed if the natural disaster or extraordinary circumstance 
had not occurred. We also continue to acknowledge that using quality 
measure data from these periods to generate the Hospital VBP Program 
TPS might substantially impact the value-based incentive payment amount 
that the hospital would otherwise receive. Further, we believe that 
during an extraordinary circumstance that affects an entire geographic 
region or locale, which could include the entire United States (such as 
the COVID-19 PHE), the requirement for hospitals to submit individual 
ECE request forms along with supporting evidence to CMS within 90 days 
of the date the extraordinary circumstance occurred could be overly 
burdensome for hospitals by requiring additional administrative actions 
from hospital personnel, who may need to focus on care delivery and 
related priorities during and subsequent to the extraordinary 
circumstance.
    Therefore, we believe it is necessary to update the Hospital VBP 
Program's ECE policy to include the ability for us to grant exceptions 
to hospitals located in entire regions or locales, which could include 
the entire United States, without a request where we determine that the 
extraordinary circumstance has affected the entire region or locale. 
Accordingly, in this IFC, we are modifying the Hospital VBP Program's 
ECE policy to allow us to grant ECE exceptions to hospitals which have 
not requested them when we determine that an extraordinary circumstance 
that is out of their control, such as an act of nature (for example, a 
hurricane) or PHE (for example, the COVID-19 pandemic), affects an 
entire region or locale, in addition to retaining the individual ECE 
request policy. We are codifying this updated ECE policy at Sec.  
412.165(c) of our regulations. When we make the determination to grant 
an exception to all hospitals in a region or locale, we will 
communicate this decision through routine communication channels to 
hospitals, vendors, and Quality Improvement Organizations (QIOs), 
including but not limited to issuing memos, emails, and notices on the 
public QualityNet website (see https://www.qualitynet.org). This policy 
will more closely align the Hospital VBP Program ECE policy with the 
ECE policy adopted for other quality reporting and VBP programs, 
including the Hospital Inpatient Quality Reporting, Hospital Outpatient 
Quality Reporting, Inpatient Psychiatric Facility Quality Reporting, 
Ambulatory Surgical Center Quality Reporting, PPS-Exempt Cancer 
Hospital Quality Reporting, Hospital-Acquired Condition Reduction, and 
Hospital Readmissions Reduction Programs. If we grant an ECE to 
hospitals located in an entire region or locale under this revised 
policy and, as a result of granting that ECE, one or more hospitals 
located in that region or locale does not report the minimum number of 
cases and measures required to enable us to calculate a TPS for that 
hospital for the applicable program year, the hospital will be excluded 
from the Hospital VBP Program for the applicable program year. We refer 
readers to the FY 2020 IPPS/LTCH PPS final rule (84 FR 42399 through 
42400) for the minimum number of measures and cases that we currently 
require hospitals to report to receive a TPS for a program year under 
the Hospital VBP Program.
    A hospital that does not report the minimum number of cases or 
measures for a program year will not receive a 2 percent reduction to 
its base operating DRG payment amount for each discharge in the 
applicable program year, and will also not be eligible to receive any 
value-based incentive payments for the applicable program year.
    In accordance with this updated policy and consistent with the ECE 
guidance we issued on March 22, 2020 and March 27, 2020,\50\ we are 
granting an ECE with respect to the COVID-19 PHE to all hospitals 
participating in the Hospital VBP Program for the following reporting 
requirements:
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    \50\ https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cms-announces-relief-clinicians-providers-hospitals-and-facilities-participating-quality-reporting, and https://www.cms.gov/files/document/guidance-memo-exceptions-and-extensions-quality-reporting-and-value-based-purchasing-programs.pdf%20.
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     Hospitals will not be required to report National 
Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) HAI measures and HCAHPS survey data 
for the following quarters: October 1, 2019-December 31,

[[Page 27598]]

2019 (Q4 2019), January 1, 2020-March 31, 2020 (Q1 2020), and April 1, 
2020-June 30, 2020 (Q2 2020). However, hospitals can optionally submit 
part or all of these data by the posted submission deadlines on the 
HVBP QualityNet site (available at https://www.qualitynet.org/inpatient/iqr/participation). We refer readers to the March 27 guidance 
memo for more information on the HAI and HCAHPS measures in that are 
included in the Hospital-Acquired Condition Reduction Program.
     We will exclude qualifying claims data from the mortality, 
complications, and Medicare Spending per Beneficiary measures for the 
following quarters: January 1, 2020-March 31, 2020 (Q1 2020) and April 
1, 2020--June 30, 2020 (Q2 2020).
    We are granting these exceptions to assist hospitals while they 
direct their resources during the PHE related to COVID-19 toward caring 
for their patients and ensuring the health and safety of patients and 
staff. We believe it is appropriate to except hospitals from the 
requirement to report HAI measure data, HCAHPS survey data, and claims-
based data for Q1 and Q2 2020 discharges because the data collected 
during that period may be greatly impacted by the hospital's response 
to COVID-19. While hospitals will continue to submit claims for 
reimbursement, we will not use discharge data from these quarters for 
measure calculations because we are concerned that these claims data 
may not be fully reflective of their quality or cost of care. For the 
Q4 2019 HAI and HCAHPS data, the exception is being granted because the 
April and May 2020 data submission deadlines for those data fall during 
the COVID-19 PHE, and we believe it is important to reduce the data 
collection and reporting burden so that hospitals can direct their 
resources toward responding to the COVID-19 PHE. We continue to closely 
monitor and analyze the impact that the COVID-19 PHE has on the HVBP 
program, and if necessary, will communicate any other exceptions and/or 
extensions that we believe are appropriate for the Hospital VBP Program 
through routine communication channels to hospitals, vendors, and QIOs, 
including but not limited to issuing memos, emails, and notices on the 
public QualityNet website (see https://www.qualitynet.org).

V. COVID-19 Serology Testing

    A blood-based serology test can be used to detect whether a patient 
may have previously been infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 
by identifying whether the patient has antibodies specific to the SARS-
CoV-2 virus. Patients who have these antibodies may have developed an 
immune response to SARS-CoV-2 indicating recent or prior infection, and 
therefore, potentially may not be at immediate risk for re-infection. 
It is expected that patients have been infected with COVID-19 who 
either had characteristic symptoms and were not tested or had minor or 
non-specific symptoms and did not seek testing. An FDA-authorized 
serology test that detects antibodies to SARS-CoV-2, the virus that 
causes COVID-19, may potentially aid in identifying patients who have 
had an immune response to current or prior SARS-CoV-2 infection.
    Based on this information, we are finalizing on an interim basis 
that these FDA-authorized COVID-19 serology tests fall under the 
Medicare benefit category of diagnostic laboratory test (section 
1861(s)(3) of the Act). Therefore, these tests are coverable by the 
Medicare program because they fall under at least one Medicare benefit 
category. This may not be an exhaustive list of benefit categories as 
CMS did not evaluate information about the test to identify additional 
benefit categories.
    Having COVID-19 serology test results is useful to individual 
patients, their practitioners, and their communities because it could 
change the decisions Medicare beneficiaries make for themselves and 
influences practitioner management of the beneficiaries' medical 
treatment.
    If it can be determined that they are immune, these patients would 
possibly not be at risk for contracting COVID-19 and not be risking the 
health of their communities if they travel outside of their home as 
they would not spread COVID-19. Among the biggest risks to the 
community are patients with COVID-19 infection who have not developed 
symptoms or had minor non-specific symptoms, yet are infectious.\51\
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    \51\ Wei WE, Li Z, Chiew CJ, Yong SE, Toh MP, Lee VJ. 
Presymptomatic Transmission of SARS-CoV-2--Singapore, January 23-
March 16, 2020. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2020;69:411-415. DOI: 
http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm6914e1.
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    Beneficiaries who are negative for COVID-19 antibodies through 
serology testing may need to take more preventive measures to reduce 
their personal risk of infection as some persons, based on age and 
other factors, are at higher risk of serious illness or death from the 
disease. Further, a practitioner should discuss the results of the 
serology test with the beneficiary to ensure that the beneficiary 
understands the results of the test and the results are considered in 
the overall management of the patient.
    In circumstances outside of the COVID-19 PHE, we would ordinarily 
use the NCD process to establish a benefit category and establish that 
an item or service is reasonable and necessary under section 
1862(a)(1)(A) of the Act. The NCD process is established in section 
1862(l) of the Act and requires the Secretary to make a proposed 
decision available to the public for 30 days of public comment followed 
by issuing a final decision not later than 60 days after the close of 
the comment period. Given the need to establish timely and uniform 
national coverage that is relevant during the PHE for the COVID-19 
pandemic, we have determined that coverage for FDA-authorized COVID-19 
serology tests should be established in an interim final manner through 
this IFC. Since we are not aware of any professional society 
recommendations for confirmatory or repeat testing on the same sample, 
CMS would expect to be billed once per sample. Further, we would not 
expect such tests to be performed and billed unless clinically 
indicated.
    We are finalizing on an interim basis, that during the PHE for the 
COVID-19 pandemic, Medicare will cover FDA-authorized COVID-19 serology 
tests as they are reasonable and necessary under section 1862(a)(1)(A) 
of the Act for beneficiaries with known current or known prior COVID-19 
infection or suspected current or suspected past COVID-19 infection. We 
are amending Sec.  410.32 to reflect this determination of coverage.

W. Modification to Medicare Provider Enrollment Provision Concerning 
Certification of Home Health Services

1. Background--Provider Enrollment
    Section 1866(j)(1)(A) of the Act requires the Secretary to 
establish a process for the enrollment of providers and suppliers in 
the Medicare program. The overarching purpose of the enrollment process 
is to help ensure that providers and suppliers that seek to bill the 
Medicare program for services or items furnished to Medicare 
beneficiaries are qualified to do so under federal and state laws.
    The applicable provider enrollment regulations are largely, though 
not exclusively, contained in part 424, subpart P (currently Sec. Sec.  
424.500 through 424.570). Several of our previous provider enrollment 
rulemaking efforts have focused on strengthening existing enrollment 
procedures and eliminating existing vulnerabilities; in other words, 
the objectives have been to enhance our

[[Page 27599]]

ability to: (1) Conduct strict screening activities; (2) take prompt 
action against problematic providers and suppliers; and (3) implement 
important safeguards against improper Medicare payments. Yet we believe 
that the current COVID-19 PHE requires us to undertake provider 
enrollment rulemaking for a different reason; specifically, the need to 
help providers and suppliers concentrate their resources on treating 
those beneficiaries affected by COVID-19. Therefore, as discussed in 
section III. of this IFC, ``Waiver of Proposed Rulemaking,'' we believe 
the urgency of this COVID-19 PHE constitutes good cause to waive the 
normal notice-and-comment process under the Administrative Procedure 
Act and statute. Accordingly, this IFC contains an important revision 
to part 424, subpart P that will give providers and suppliers certain 
flexibilities in their activities during the existing COVID-19 PHE.
2. Certification of Home Health Services--Revision to Sec.  424.507
    Currently, Sec.  424.507(b)(1) contains certain payment 
requirements for covered Part A or Part B home health services. 
Specifically, and consistent with section 6405(b) of the Patient 
Protection and Affordable Care Act (which amended sections 1814(a)(2) 
and 1835(a)(2) of the Act), to receive payment for such services, the 
provider's claim must meet all of the following requirements:
     The ordering/certifying physician must be identified by 
his or her legal name and National Provider Identifier (NPI) on the 
claim.
     The ordering/certifying physician must be enrolled in 
Medicare in an approved status or have validly opted-out of the 
Medicare program.
    However, and as previously mentioned in this IFC, section 3708 of 
the CARES Act made several important amendments to sections 1814(a)(2) 
and 1835(a)(2) of the Act (as well as other related sections of the 
statute). One amendment was that NPs, CNSs, and PAs (as those terms are 
defined in section 1861(aa)(5) of the Act) working in accordance with 
state law may also certify the need for home health services. Section 
3708(f) of the CARES Act authorizes us to promulgate an interim final 
rule, if necessary, to implement the provisions in section 3708 by the 
statutory deadline. Further, given the need for flexibility in the 
provision of health care services in the COVID-19 PHE, we believe it is 
appropriate to implement these statutory changes in this IFC, rather 
than through notice-and-comment rulemaking. Consequently, we are 
revising Sec.  424.507(b)(1) to include ordering/certifying physicians, 
PAs, NPs, and CNSs as individuals who can certify the need for home 
health services. We note that, for reasons similar to those related to 
our other modifications to Medicare rules concerning the certification 
and provision of home health services, this change to Sec.  424.507 is 
final and applicable to services provided on or after March 1, 2020. We 
will review and respond to any comments thereon in the CY 2021 HH PPS 
final rule or in another future rule.

X. Health Insurance Issuer Standards Under the Affordable Care Act, 
Including Standards Related to Exchanges: Separate Billing and 
Segregation of Funds for Abortion Services

    In light of these extraordinary circumstances and the immediate 
need for qualified health plan (QHP) issuers to devote resources to 
respond to the COVID-19 PHE, we are revising 45 CFR 156.280(e)(2)(ii) 
to delay implementation of the separate billing policy for 60 days from 
the effective date we finalized in the ``Patient Protection and 
Affordable Care Act; Exchange Program Integrity'' final rule (84 FR 
71674) (``2019 Program Integrity Rule'').\52\ Under this 60-day 
extension, QHP issuers must comply with the separate billing policy 
finalized at Sec.  156.280(e)(2)(ii) beginning on or before the QHP 
issuer's first billing cycle following August 26, 2020.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \52\ A typographical error in the date in the regulation text 
promulgated in the 2019 Program Integrity Rule was corrected on 
January 17, 2020. 85 FR 2888.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    To better align QHP issuer billing for coverage of non-Hyde 
abortion services with the separate payment requirement in section 1303 
of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act,\53\ we finalized a 
policy in the 2019 Program Integrity Rule requiring issuers of 
individual market QHPs offering coverage of non-Hyde abortion services 
to separately bill policy holders for the portion of their premium 
attributable to coverage of non-Hyde abortion services. We explained in 
the 2019 Program Integrity Rule that separately billing policy holders 
in this manner for coverage of non-Hyde abortion services is a 
necessary change to better align issuer billing with the statutory 
requirements specified in section 1303 of the Patient Protection and 
Affordable Care Act, which requires non-Hyde abortion services be 
treated differently from other covered services. Specifically, 
requiring separate billing for coverage of non-Hyde abortion services 
better aligns with Congress's intent for QHP issuers to collect two 
distinct premium payments for coverage of these services, one for the 
coverage of non-Hyde abortion services, and one for coverage of all 
other services covered under a QHP.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \53\ The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Pub. L. 
111-148) was enacted on March 23, 2010. The Health Care and 
Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 (Pub. L. 111-152), which 
amended and revised several provisions of the Patient Protection and 
Affordable Care Act, was enacted on March 30, 2010. In this IFC, we 
refer to the two statutes collectively as the ``Patient Protection 
and Affordable Care Act''.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Under the separate billing policy finalized in the 2019 Program 
Integrity Rule at Sec.  156.280(e)(2)(ii), issuers of individual market 
QHPs are required to begin separately billing policy holders for the 
portion of the policy holder's premium attributable to non-Hyde 
abortion services, as specified by the regulation, on or before the QHP 
issuer's first billing cycle following June 27, 2020.
    To address the risk of coverage terminations related to failure on 
the part of policy holders to pay the separately billed amount for 
coverage of non-Hyde abortion services, we determined that HHS would 
exercise enforcement discretion in two scenarios related to policy 
holder nonpayment of the separate bill for coverage of non-Hyde 
abortion services. Under the first scenario, we explained that HHS will 
not take enforcement action against a QHP issuer that adopts and 
implements a policy, applied uniformly to all its QHP enrollees, under 
which an issuer does not place an enrollee into a grace period and does 
not terminate QHP coverage based solely on the policy holder's failure 
to pay the separate payment for coverage of non-Hyde abortion services. 
We further explained that the QHP issuer would: (1) Be prohibited from 
using any federal funds for coverage of non-Hyde abortion services; (2) 
be required to collect the premium for the non-Hyde abortion coverage; 
and (3) not be able to relieve the policy holder of the duty to pay the 
amount of premium attributable to coverage for non-Hyde abortion 
services. We explained that this enforcement posture would take effect 
upon the effective date of the separate billing requirements on June 
27, 2020.
    Under the second scenario, we explained that HHS will not take 
enforcement action against QHP issuers that, on or after the effective 
date of the final rule (February 25, 2020), modify the benefits of a 
plan either at the time of enrollment or during a plan year to 
effectively allow enrollees to opt out of

[[Page 27600]]

coverage of non-Hyde abortion services by not paying the separate bill 
for such services, resulting in an enrollee effectively having a 
modified plan that does not cover non-Hyde abortion services.
    We also stated in the 2019 Program Integrity rule that, for those 
State Exchanges and QHP issuers that may face uncommon or unexpected 
impediments to timely compliance, HHS would consider extending 
enforcement discretion to an Exchange or QHP issuer that fails to 
timely comply with the separate billing policy as required under the 
final rule, if we find that the Exchange or QHP issuer attempted in 
good faith to timely meet the requirements. However, we noted that HHS 
would be unlikely to exercise such discretion for an Exchange or QHP 
issuer that fails to meet the separate billing requirements after more 
than 1 year following publication of the 2019 Program Integrity Rule.
    We have received a number of requests from QHP issuers requesting 
that HHS exercise its enforcement discretion for delayed implementation 
in light of the heightened burden QHP issuers are experiencing related 
to addressing the COVID-19 PHE. QHP issuers explained in their requests 
to HHS that the dedication of numerous cross-functional resources in 
response to the COVID-19 PHE has led to an overall reduction in 
resources available for other initiatives, such as preparatory 
arrangements to timely implement the separate billing policy. QHP 
issuers further explained how the already existing challenges to timely 
compliance with the separate billing policy pose an even greater 
obstacle when considered in conjunction with the mounting demands on 
QHP issuers in responding to the COVID-19 PHE. We are also aware that 
for many QHP issuers, some, if not all, of their daily work is being 
accomplished while staff is working remotely, adding yet another 
barrier to timely compliance.
    We believe that despite timely QHP initiation of planning for 
compliance with the separate billing policy, there are circumstances 
outside of the control of QHP issuers, due to the COVID-19 PHE, that 
make timely compliance with the separate billing policy impractical by 
the deadline, on or before the first billing cycle following June 27, 
2020. Moreover, we believe it is imprudent to require QHP issuers to 
devote resources to timely compliance with the separate billing policy 
when these resources can instead be directed towards addressing the 
immediate needs associated with the COVID-19 PHE. Therefore, in light 
of these extraordinary circumstances and the immediate need for QHP 
issuers to divert resources to responding to the COVID-19 PHE, we are 
revising Sec.  156.280(e)(2)(ii) to delay implementation of the 
separate billing policy for 60 days. Under this 60-day delay, QHP 
issuers must comply with the separate billing policy finalized at Sec.  
156.280(e)(2)(ii) beginning on or before the QHP issuer's first billing 
cycle following August 26, 2020.
    We acknowledge that a particular QHP issuer's or Exchange's ability 
to comply with the separate billing policy by the extended deadline of 
August 26, 2020, may depend on the particular impact the COVID-19 PHE 
has on the resources, systems, and operations of that QHP issuer or 
Exchange. We also acknowledge that the timeline for how long the COVID-
19 PHE continues to impact QHP issuers and Exchanges is uncertain, and 
therefore, QHP issuers and Exchanges may be confronted with additional 
unexpected impediments to timely compliance past the 60-day delay we 
are finalizing in this IFC. HHS will still consider exercising its 
enforcement discretion in connection with an Exchange or QHP issuer 
that fails to timely comply with the separate billing policy on or 
before the first billing cycle following August 26, 2020, if HHS finds 
that the Exchange or QHP issuer attempted in good faith to timely meet 
the requirements. We do not anticipate that HHS would exercise such 
discretion for an Exchange or QHP issuer that fails to meet the 
separate billing requirements after more than 1 year following 
publication of the 2019 Program Integrity Rule or more than 6 months 
after the end of the COVID-19 PHE, whichever comes later. However, we 
emphasize that QHP issuers and Exchanges should make good faith efforts 
to fully comply by the extended deadline of the first billing cycle 
following August 26, 2020. We believe the 60-day delay will 
sufficiently alleviate burden on resources in the short-term, as well 
as provide sufficient time for QHP issuers and Exchanges, such that 
responding to the COVID-19 PHE and timely compliance with the separate 
billing policy are both practical. As a consequence, we do not 
anticipate formally extending the compliance deadline again.
    As QHP issuers and Exchanges work to respond to the COVID-19 PHE, 
and implement and establish policies to ensure access to COVID-19-
related care for enrollees, HHS is working to assess and extend 
regulatory flexibility to QHP issuers, Exchanges, and other health 
industry stakeholders, where doing so may enable these stakeholders to 
divert existing resources to the COVID-19 PHE response. We believe 
extending the deadline 60 days for QHP issuers and Exchanges to comply 
with the separate billing policy is appropriate, so that they may 
adequately respond to the COVID-19 PHE and divert resources to address 
the COVID-19 PHE that may otherwise have been used for timely 
compliance with the separate billing policy.
    Although the 2019 Program Integrity Rule provides an existing 
framework for HHS to exercise its enforcement discretion in connection 
with QHP issuers and Exchanges unable to timely comply with the 
separate billing policy based on the circumstances of the particular 
Exchange or QHP issuer, based on reports from a number of QHP issuers 
and Exchanges, we have concluded that handling requests for additional 
time to come into compliance on a case-by-case basis is not an 
efficient mechanism to address these requests and does not adequately 
acknowledge the shared burden that the COVID-19 PHE is placing on QHP 
issuers and Exchanges. We believe that the COVID-19 PHE is an 
unexpected impediment to timely compliance with the separate billing 
policy for all QHP issuers and Exchanges alike. As a consequence, we 
have determined that it is appropriate to extend the deadline for 
compliance 60 days through this IFC, and to codify this change in the 
Federal Register.\54\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \54\ In light of the ongoing litigation challenging the separate 
billing policy and the delayed briefing schedule for this 
litigation, delaying implementation of the separate billing policy 
by 60 days would also be justified, as the 60-day delay provides the 
court additional time to resolve the issues before compliance with 
the separate billing provision is required and offers regulated 
parties more certainty before dedicating limited resources to the 
necessary changes during this PHE. This extension is also consistent 
with the representations made by the federal government to the 
federal court in lawsuits challenging the separate billing policy in 
response to requests that HHS delay implementation of the separate 
billing policy in light of COVID-19.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    As previously noted, we finalized in the 2019 Program Integrity 
Rule that HHS would exercise enforcement discretion in two scenarios 
related to policy holder nonpayment of the separate bill. We note that 
the extension for compliance we are finalizing here only impacts the 
first of those scenarios, by delaying when this enforcement posture 
becomes available by 60 days. As previously stated, HHS will not take 
enforcement action against a QHP issuer that adopts and implements a 
policy, applied uniformly to all its QHP enrollees, under which an 
issuer does not place an enrollee into a grace period and does not 
terminate QHP coverage based solely on the policy holder's

[[Page 27601]]

failure to pay the separate payment for coverage of non-Hyde abortion 
services. This enforcement posture will now take effect on the earliest 
date on which QHP issuers will need to begin complying with the 
separate billing requirements, August 26, 2020. We are not making any 
additional revisions to the separate billing provisions finalized in 
the 2019 Program Integrity Rule other than extending the date for 
compliance with the separate billing policy by 60 days.
    When explaining our rationale for the implementation deadline of 
the first billing cycle following June 27, 2020 in the 2019 Program 
Integrity Rule, we expressed the importance of QHP issuers implementing 
the separate billing policy changes at the earliest date feasible to 
better align QHP issuer billing of non-Hyde abortion services with the 
separate payment requirement in section 1303 of the Patient Protection 
and Affordable Care Act. Although expeditious implementation of this 
policy continues to be important, we believe the impact of the COVID-19 
PHE on QHP issuer and Exchange operations has shifted the date by which 
it is operationally and administratively feasible to require QHP 
issuers to timely comply with the separate billing policy. We 
acknowledge that extending the date for compliance by 60 days also 
delays the added transparency the separate billing policy would provide 
for policy holders related to whether QHPs cover non-Hyde abortion 
services. However, we believe the delay in increasing transparency and 
better aligning QHP issuer billing with the separate payment 
requirement in section 1303 of the Patient Protection and Affordable 
Care Act is outweighed by the immediate need for QHP issuers and 
Exchanges to divert resources to respond to the current COVID-19 PHE.

Y. Requirement for Facilities To Report Nursing Home Residents and 
Staff Infections, Potential Infections, and Deaths Related to COVID-19

    Under sections 1866 and 1902 of the Act, providers of services 
seeking to participate in the Medicare or Medicaid program, or both, 
must enter into an agreement with the Secretary or the state Medicaid 
agency, as appropriate. Long-term care (LTC) facilities seeking to be 
Medicare and Medicaid providers of services must be certified as 
meeting federal participation requirements. LTC facilities include SNFs 
for Medicare and NFs for Medicaid. The federal participation 
requirements for SNFs, NFs, and dually certified facilities, are set 
forth in sections 1819 and 1919 of the Act and codified in the 
implementing regulations at 42 CFR part 483, subpart B.
    Sections 1819(d)(3) and 1919(d)(3) of the Act explicitly require 
that LTC facilities develop and maintain an infection control program 
that is designed, constructed, equipped, and maintained in a manner to 
protect the health and safety of residents, personnel, and the general 
public. In addition, sections 1819(d)(4)(B) and 1919(d)(4)(B) of the 
Act explicitly authorize the Secretary to issue any regulations he 
deems necessary to protect the health and safety of residents. 
Infection prevention and control is a primary goal of initiatives 
taking place in LTC facilities during the COVID-19 PHE. Under the 
explicit instructions of Congress, existing regulations at Sec.  483.80 
require facilities to, among other things, establish and maintain an 
infection prevention and control program (IPCP) designed to provide a 
safe, sanitary, and comfortable environment and to help prevent the 
development and transmission of communicable diseases and infections. 
Furthermore, current Sec.  483.80(a)(2) requires facilities to have 
written standards, policies, and procedures for the program, which 
among other things, must include a system of surveillance designed to 
identify possible communicable diseases or infections before they can 
spread to other persons in the facility and when and to whom possible 
incidents of communicable disease or infections should be reported. In 
an effort to support surveillance of COVID-19 cases, we are revising 
the requirements to establish explicit reporting requirements for 
confirmed or suspected cases. Specifically, we are revising our 
requirements by adding a new provision at Sec.  483.80(g)(1), to 
require facilities to electronically report information about COVID-19 
in a standardized format specified by the Secretary. The report 
includes, but is not limited to, information on: Suspected and 
confirmed COVID-19 infections among residents and staff, including 
residents previously treated for COVID-19; total deaths and COVID-19 
deaths among residents and staff; personal protective equipment and 
hand hygiene supplies in the facility; ventilator capacity and supplies 
available in the facility; resident beds and census; access to COVID-19 
testing while the resident is in the facility; staffing shortages; and 
other information specified by the Secretary. This information will be 
used to monitor trends in infection rates, and inform public health 
policies.
    In addition, at Sec.  483.80(g)(2), facilities are required to 
provide the information specified above at a frequency specified by the 
Secretary, but no less than weekly to the Center for Disease Control 
and Prevention's (CDC) National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) (OMB 
Control Number 0920-1290). Furthermore, we note that the information 
reported will be shared with CMS and we will retain and publicly report 
this information to support protecting the health and safety of 
residents, personnel, and the general public, in accordance with 
sections 1819(d)(3)(B) and 1919(d)(3) of the Act. The Freedom of 
Information Act (FOIA) (found in Title 5 of the United States Code, 
section 552) provides that, upon request from any person, a Federal 
agency must release any agency record unless that record falls within 
one of the nine statutory exemptions and three exclusions (see https://www.foia.gov/faq.html for detailed information). Further, FOIA requires 
that agencies make available for public inspection copies of records, 
that because of the nature of their subject matter, the agency 
determines the records have become or are likely to become the subject 
of subsequent requests for substantially the same information. We have 
received, and expect to continue to receive, COVID-19 related FOIA 
requests. These requirements will support our efforts to proactively 
inform interested parties and ensure that the most complete information 
on COVID-19 cases is available. The new reporting requirements at Sec.  
483.80(g)(1) and (2) do not relieve LTC facilities of the obligation to 
continue to comply with Sec.  483.80(a)(2)(ii), which requires 
facilities to report possible incidents of communicable disease and 
infections. This includes complying with state and local reporting 
requirements for COVID-19.
    At Sec.  483.80(g)(3), we are adding a new provision to require 
facilities to inform residents, their representatives, and families of 
those residing in facilities of confirmed or suspected COVID-19 cases 
in the facility among residents and staff. This reporting requirement 
supports the overall health and safety of residents by ensuring they 
are informed participants in the care that they receive as well as 
providing assurances of the mitigating steps the facility is taking to 
prevent and control the spread of COVID-19. Facilities must inform 
residents, their representatives, and families by 5 p.m. the next 
calendar day following the occurrence of either: A single confirmed 
infection of COVID-19; or three or more residents or staff with new-
onset of respiratory symptoms that occur within 72 hours of each other. 
Also, cumulative

[[Page 27602]]

updates to residents, their representatives, and families must be 
provided at least weekly by 5 p.m. the next calendar day following the 
subsequent occurrence of either: Each time a confirmed infection of 
COVID-19 is identified; or whenever three or more residents or staff 
with new onset of respiratory symptoms occur within 72 hours of each 
other. This information must be reported in accordance with existing 
privacy regulations and statute, and must not include Personally 
Identifiable Information (PII). Facilities must include information on 
mitigating actions implemented to prevent or reduce the risk of 
transmission, including if normal operations in the nursing home will 
be altered such as restrictions or limitations to visitation or group 
activities. For purposes of this reporting requirement, facilities are 
not expected to make individual telephone calls. Instead, facilities 
can utilize communication mechanisms that make this information easily 
available to all residents, their representatives, and families, such 
as paper notification, listservs, website postings, and/or recorded 
telephone messages.
    These reporting requirements along with public reporting of the 
data support our responsibility to protect and ensure the health and 
safety of residents by enforcing the standards required to help each 
resident attain or maintain their highest level of well-being. As 
noted, sections 1819(d)(3)(B) and 1919(d)(3) of the Act requires that a 
facility must establish an infection control program that is designed, 
constructed, equipped, and maintained in a manner to protect the health 
and safety of residents, personnel, and the general public. We believe 
that these reporting requirements are necessary for CMS to monitor 
whether individual nursing homes are appropriately tracking, 
responding, and mitigating the spread and impact of COVID-19 on our 
most vulnerable citizens, personnel who care for them, and the general 
public. The information provided may be used to inform residents, 
families, and communities of the status of COVID-19 infections in their 
area. We believe that this action strengthens CMS' response to the PHE 
for the COVID-19 pandemic, and reaffirms our commitment to transparency 
and protecting the health and safety of nursing home residents.
    As discussed in section III. of this IFC, ``Waiver of Proposed 
Rulemaking'', we believe the urgency of this COVID-19 PHE constitutes 
good cause to waive the normal notice-and-comment process under the 
Administrative Procedure Act and section 1871(b)(2)(C) of the Act. 
Waiving notice and comment is in the public interest, because time is 
of the essence in informing residents, their families, and the general 
public of the incidence of COVID-19; such information will assist 
public health officials in detecting outbreaks and saving lives.
    The applicability date for Sec.  483.80(g)(1) through (3)(iii) is 
the date of the publication of this rule (that is, the effective date 
as noted in the DATES section of this notice).

Z. Time Used for Level Selection for Office/Outpatient Evaluation and 
Management Services Furnished Via Medicare Telehealth

    In the March 31st COVID-19 IFC (85 FR 19268 through 19269), for the 
duration of the PHE for the COVID-19 pandemic, we revised our policy to 
specify that the office/outpatient E/M level selection for office/
outpatient E/M services when furnished via telehealth can be based on 
MDM or time, with time defined as all of the time associated with the 
E/M on the day of the encounter. We stated that currently there are 
typical times associated with the office/outpatient E/M visits, and 
that those times are what should be met for purposes of level 
selection. We stated that typical times associated with the office/
outpatient E/M visits were available as a public use file at https://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Medicare-Fee-for-Service-Payment/PhysicianFeeSched/PFS-Federal-Regulation-Notices-Items/CMS-1715-F.
    Members of the physician community have brought to our attention 
that the policy announced in the March 31st COVID-19 IFC relies on 
typical times listed in our public use file even when those times do 
not align with the typical times included in the office/outpatient E/M 
code descriptors. We agree that discrepancies between times can be 
confusing. We believe that, because the times are being used for the 
purpose of choosing which level of office/outpatient E/M CPT code to 
bill, the times listed in the codes themselves would be most 
appropriate for the purpose. Therefore, we are finalizing on an interim 
basis, for the duration of the PHE for the COVID-19 pandemic, that the 
typical times for purposes of level selection for an office/outpatient 
E/M are the times listed in the CPT code descriptor.

AA. Updating the Medicare Telehealth List

    In the CY 2002 PFS final rule with comment period (64 FR 80041) we 
amended regulations at Sec.  410.78(f) to state that PFS annual 
rulemaking would serve as the process for adding and deleting services 
from the telehealth list as is required under section 1834(m)(4)(F)(ii) 
of the Act.
    In the March 31st COVID-19 IFC (85 FR 19232-19253), we added a 
number of services to the Medicare telehealth list on an interim final 
basis for the duration of the PHE for the COVID-19 pandemic. While we 
believe that we have already added the vast majority of services that 
it would appropriate to add to the Medicare telehealth list for 
purposes of the PHE for the COVID-19 pandemic, it is possible that we 
might identify other services that would be appropriate additions to 
the telehealth list, taking into consideration infection control, 
patient safety, and other public health concerns resulting from the 
COVID-19 PHE. Due to the urgency of minimizing unnecessary contact 
between beneficiaries and practitioners, we believe that, for purposes 
of the PHE for the COVID-19 pandemic, we should modify the process we 
established for adding or deleting services from the Medicare 
telehealth services list under our regulation at Sec.  410.78(f) to 
allow for an expedited process during the PHE that does not involve 
notice and comment rulemaking. Therefore, for the duration of the PHE 
for the COVID-19 pandemic, we are revising our regulation at Sec.  
410.78(f) to specify that, during a PHE, as defined in Sec.  400.200 of 
this chapter, we will use a subregulatory process to modify the 
services included on the Medicare telehealth list.
    While we are not codifying a specific process to be in effect 
during the PHE for the COVID-19 pandemic, we note that we could add 
services to the Medicare telehealth list on a subregulatory basis by 
posting new services to the web listing of telehealth services when the 
agency receives a request to add (or identifies through internal 
review) a service that can be furnished in full, as described by the 
relevant code, by a distant site practitioner to a beneficiary in a 
manner that is similar to the in-person service. We also note that any 
additional services added using the revised process would remain on the 
list only during the PHE for the COVID-19 pandemic.

BB. Payment for COVID-19 Specimen Collection to Physicians, 
Nonphysician Practitioners and Hospitals

    In the March 31st COVID-19 IFC (85 FR 19256 through 19258), we 
changed Medicare payment policies for independent laboratories for 
specimen collection related to COVID-19 testing under certain 
circumstances. Specifically, under sections 1833(h)(3) and 1834A(b)(5) 
of the Act, we established a policy for the duration of

[[Page 27603]]

the PHE for the COVID-19 pandemic to pay a nominal specimen collection 
fee and associated travel allowance to independent laboratories for 
collection of specimens for COVID-19 clinical diagnostic laboratory 
testing from beneficiaries who are homebound or inpatients not in a 
hospital. In that IFC, we stated that Medicare-enrolled independent 
laboratories can bill Medicare for the specimen collection fee using 
one of the two new HCPCS codes effective March 1, 2020, HCPCS code 
G2023 (specimen collection for severe acute respiratory syndrome 
coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) (Coronavirus disease [COVID-19]), any 
specimen source) and HCPCS code G2024 (specimen collection for severe 
acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) (Coronavirus 
disease [COVID-19]), from an individual in a SNF or by a laboratory on 
behalf of a HHA, any specimen source).
    To establish a payment amount for HCPCS code G2023 for the Clinical 
Laboratory Fee Schedule (CLFS) policy, we looked to similar services in 
other settings of care as a potential benchmark. In looking at other 
Medicare payment systems, we concluded that the PFS was the best source 
for assigning a payment amount since physicians and other practitioners 
often bill for services that involve specimen collection by trained, 
non-institutional staff. Additionally, we stated that under the PFS, a 
Level 1 established patient office visit (CPT code 99211) typically 
does not require the presence of a physician or other qualified health 
care professional and the usual presenting problem(s) are minimal and 
is typically reported by physician practices when the patient only sees 
clinical office staff for services like acquiring a routine specimen 
sample. We also explained that we considered establishing a higher 
payment amount that considered the Level 1 E/M visit plus the payment 
amount for CPT code 89220, Sputum obtaining specimen aerosol induced 
technique. However, as noted in the March 31st COVID-19 IFC (85 FR 
19257), we believe there are likely overlapping costs in staff time for 
these two services and the Level 1 office visit payment rate is 
adequate for HCPCS code G2023. The difference in payment for HCPCS code 
G2024 in comparison to HCPCS code G2023 represents the statutory 
payment increase under section 1834A(b)(5) of the Act for specimen 
collection when a sample is collected from an individual in a SNF or by 
a laboratory on behalf of an HHA. Under current CLFS policies, when an 
independent laboratory sends skilled laboratory staff to collect 
specimens from homebound individuals or non-hospital inpatients, the 
laboratory can bill Medicare for mileage in addition to specimen 
collection. The travel codes allow for payment either on a per mileage 
basis (P9603) or on a flat rate per trip basis (P9604). Payment of the 
travel allowance is made only if a specimen collection fee is also 
payable. The travel allowance is intended to cover the estimated travel 
costs of collecting a specimen including the laboratory technician's 
salary and travel expenses.
    Unchecked spread of the coronavirus COVID-19 threatens to overwhelm 
healthcare resources in many areas of the country. The coronavirus is 
very contagious, spreading easily between people through communities 
largely through droplet transmission. The CDC considers it more 
contagious than influenza.\55\ Widespread diagnostic testing for COVID-
19 is a critical component of a public pandemic response to support 
infection control and proper treatment. Testing ensures individuals 
with positive diagnoses can be aware of their own condition and 
treatment they may need, and can isolate themselves to contain 
spreading. Testing on the scale that will be required to contain COVID-
19 entails a tremendous commitment of labor, equipment, and capital 
resources. Assessment and specimen collection to support widespread 
COVID-19 testing will require extraordinary and resource-intensive 
measures for infection control, such as providing masks and protective 
equipment to staff and, setting up significant physical space to avoid 
additional spread when specimens are collected, among many other unique 
requirements. Recognizing the critical importance of expanding COVID-19 
testing, in this IFC, we are providing additional payment for 
assessment and COVID-19 specimen collection to support testing by 
HOPDs, and physicians and other practitioners, to recognize the 
significant resources involved in safely collecting specimens from many 
beneficiaries during a pandemic. The majority of ambulatory care in any 
community is furnished by physicians and other practitioners in offices 
and HOPDs, and these are natural locations for COVID-19 testing in 
addition to laboratories.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \55\ https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/how-covid-spreads.html.
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    When physicians and other practitioners collect specimens as part 
of their professional services Medicare generally makes payment for the 
services under the PFS, though often that payment is bundled into the 
payment rate for other services, including office and outpatient 
visits. Typically, collection of a specimen via nasal swab or other 
method during the provision of a service might be reported as part of 
(bundled with) an office/outpatient E/M visit (CPT codes 99201-99205, 
99211-99215). In visits where a patient has face-to-face interaction 
with a billing professional with whom they have an established 
relationship, these services are generally reported with a level 2 
through a level 5 visit (CPT codes 99212-99215). In cases where the 
specimen is collected during a visit where the face-to-face interaction 
only involves clinical staff of the billing professional with whom the 
patient has an established relationship, these services are generally 
reported using CPT code 99211. As noted previously, we referred to the 
PFS payment rate for CPT code 99211 in establishing a payment amount 
under section 1833(h)(3) of the Act for specimen collection for the 
COVID-19 tests described by G2023 (specimen collection for severe acute 
respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) (Coronavirus disease 
[COVID-19]), any specimen source)).
    During this PHE, we understand that some professional practices are 
collecting specimens for COVID-19 tests. In many cases, we expect that 
these services are appropriately paid as part of the visit codes 
described above. Given the critical need for widespread testing as part 
of the pandemic response, we also expect that COVID-19 specimen 
collection may occur in circumstances other than the typical 
interaction between the patients and the professionals or staff of 
these practices. In our review of available HCPCS codes, we did not 
identify a code that would specifically describe the services that 
would be furnished in the context of large-scale dedicated testing 
operations involving a physician or NPP, specifically, assessment of 
COVID-19 symptoms and exposure, and specimen collection for new 
patients. In circumstances outside of the PHE, such a code would not be 
needed. We would ordinarily expect physicians and NPPs to establish a 
relationship with a patient before their clinical staff could 
effectively assist in managing care incident to their services. 
However, in the context of the widespread testing that is necessary 
during this COVID-19 PHE, we believe it is important to recognize such 
a service for new patients in addition to established patients. In 
considering possible codes for this purpose, we believe that CPT

[[Page 27604]]

code 99211 for a level 1 E/M visit, appropriately describes the 
required clinical staff and patient interaction. However, billing for 
CPT code 99211is currently limited to patients with whom the billing 
practitioner has an established relationship. As discussed above, CPT 
code 99211 typically does not involve interaction with physician or 
other qualified health care professional and the usual presenting 
problem(s) are minimal. Thus, this CPT code typically is reported by a 
physician or practitioner when the patient only sees clinical office 
staff for services like acquiring a routine specimen sample. 
Additionally, as previously noted, we based our valuation of HCPCS code 
G2023 for specimen collection by independent laboratories on CPT code 
99211. Therefore, for the duration of the PHE, we will recognize 
physician and NPP use of CPT code 99211 for all patients, not just 
patients with whom they have an established relationship, to bill for a 
COVID-19 symptom and exposure assessment and specimen collection 
provided by clinical staff incident to their services.
    For the duration of the COVID-19 PHE, we are therefore finalizing 
on an interim basis that when the services described by CPT code 99211 
for a level 1 E/M visit are furnished for the purpose of a COVID-19 
assessment and specimen collection, the code can be billed for both new 
and established patients. We believe this policy will support expanded 
access to COVID-19 testing, and provide appropriate payment for COVID-
19 testing-related services furnished by physician and other 
practitioners. This policy will allow physicians and practitioners to 
bill for services provided by clinical staff to assess symptoms and 
take specimens for COVID-19 laboratory testing for all patients, not 
just established patients. We note that a physician or practitioner 
cannot bill for services provided by auxiliary clinical staff unless 
those staff meet all the requirements to furnish services ``incident 
to'' services, as described in 42 CFR 410.26 and further described in 
section 60 of Chapter 15 Covered Medical and other Health Services in 
the Medicare Benefit Policy Manual 100-02. We further note that we 
adopted an interim final policy to permit the direct supervision 
requirement to be met through virtual presence of the supervising 
physician or practitioner using interactive audio and video technology 
for the duration of the PHE (85 FR 19245).
    During this COVID-19 PHE, we understand HOPDs also are engaging in 
significant additional specimen collection and testing for COVID-19 
both at temporary expansion locations, as well as original locations of 
the hospital. As with the physician office clinical staff, hospital 
clinical staff are reviewing symptoms for patients relative to CDC 
guidelines and obtaining specimen samples for laboratory testing. As 
noted above, in our review of available HCPCS and CPT codes, we did not 
identify a code that explicitly describes the exact services that 
widespread testing efforts would require, assessment of symptoms and 
specimen collection. Such a uniquely auxiliary service would not 
normally be needed. Typically, clinical staff services such as specimen 
collection are included in a clinic or emergency room visit or in other 
primary services furnished in the HOPD, such as observation services or 
critical are services. However, during this COVID-19 PHE, facilitating 
widespread testing requires recognizing such a service for the 
standalone work hospitals are undertaking to assess symptoms and 
collect specimens form a significant number of patients. In light of 
the tremendous need for testing created by this PHE and the resource 
needs to provide extensive symptom assessment for specimen collection, 
we are creating a new E/M code solely to support COVID-19 testing for 
the PHE, HCPCS code C9803 (Hospital outpatient clinic visit specimen 
collection for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (sars-
cov-2) (coronavirus disease [covid-19]), any specimen source). We 
believe this code is necessary to address the resource requirements 
hospitals face in establishing broad community diagnostic testing for 
COVID-19, including the significant specimen collection necessary to 
conduct that testing.
    We will assign HCPCS code C9803 to APC 5731 Level 1 Minor 
Procedures. In assigning a service to an APC grouping, section 
1833(t)(2)(B) of the Act requires that the groupings within the OPPS be 
comparable clinically and with respect to the use of resources. APC 
5731 Level 1 Minor Procedures already contains many similar services to 
new HCPCS code C9803, including HCPCS code Q0091 (Obtaining screening 
pap smear) and G0117 (Glaucoma Screening for high risk patients 
furnished by an optometrist or an ophthalmologist). Earlier in this 
section, we established that clinical staff symptoms review and 
specimen collection is similar to the services described by, a Level 1 
established patient office visit (CPT code 99211), which typically does 
not require the presence of a physician or other qualified health care 
professional, for which the usual presenting problem(s) are minimal and 
which is typically reported by physician practices when the patient 
only sees clinical office staff. We further established the payment for 
HCPCS code G2023 for specimen collection based on the resources 
required for CPT code 99211. Currently the PFS pays a national 
unadjusted rate of $23.46 for CPT code 99211. APC 5731 Level 1 Minor 
Procedures pays a national unadjusted rate of $22.98. Because these 
payment amounts for APC 5731 Level 1 Minor Procedures approximates our 
best estimate of the resource cost for this service, and because HCPCS 
code C9803 for a clinic visit dedicated to specimen collection is 
similar to other services in APC 5731, we will assign HCPCS code C9803 
to APC 5731 for the duration of the PHE. We established HCPCS code 
C9803 only to meet the need of the PHE, and we expect to retire this 
code once the PHE concludes.
    Under the OPPS, we pay for HOPD services through separate payment 
or through packaged payment when the service is integral, ancillary, 
supportive, dependent, or adjunctive to the primary service or services 
provided in the hospital outpatient setting during the same outpatient 
encounter and billed on the same claim to the OPPS. The clinical staff 
services described by HCPCS code C9803 are services that are integral 
and ancillary to other primary services, such as emergency room or 
clinic visits, or even observation or critical care services. We would 
not expect to make separate payment for a clinic visit dedicated to 
specimen collection (HCPCS code C9803) when the hospital furnished 
other more significant services in the same encounter. We are assigning 
a status indicator of ``Q1'' to HCPCS code C9803 indicating that this 
services will be conditionally packaged under the OPPS when billed with 
a separately payable primary service in the same encounter. The OPPS 
will only make separate payment to a hospital when HCPCS code C9803 is 
billed without another primary covered hospital outpatient service. The 
OPPS also will make separate payment for CPT code C9803 when it is 
billed with a clinical diagnostic laboratory test with a status 
indicator of ``A'' on Addendum B of the OPPS.
    Finally, section 6002(a) of the Families First Coronavirus Response 
Act (Pub. L. 116-127) amended section 1833 of the Act by adding a new 
paragraph (DD) to section (a)(1) and a new paragraph (11) to section 
(b) to provide, respectively, that the payment

[[Page 27605]]

amount for a specified COVID-19 testing-related service for which 
payment may be made under certain outpatient payment provisions will be 
100 percent of the payment amount otherwise recognized and that the 
deductible for such a service will not apply. These amendments mean 
that there is no beneficiary cost-sharing (coinsurance and deductible 
amounts) for COVID-19 testing-related services, which is defined in new 
section 1833(cc) of the Act as, among other requirements, are medical 
visits in any of several categories of HCPCS E/M service codes, 
including office and other outpatient services, that results in an 
order for or administration of a COVID-19 clinical diagnostic 
laboratory test described in section 1852(a)(1)(B)(iv)(IV) of the Act 
and relates to the furnishing or administration of such test or to the 
evaluation of such individual for purposes of determining the need of 
such individual for such test. Because physicians and other 
practitioners will be using the level 1 E/M code for established 
patients, CPT code 99211, to conduct testing related visits, there will 
not be beneficiary cost sharing when the practitioner's office bills 
for this service, provided it results in an order for or administration 
of a COVID-19 test. Similarly, because HOPDs will use HCPCS code C9803 
to bill for a clinic visit for specimen collection, which we consider 
an E/M code in the office and other outpatient services category of 
HCPCS codes, beneficiary cost sharing will not apply for this service, 
provided it results in an order for or administration of a COVID-19 
test and meets other requirements of the law. We anticipate that a 
COVID-19 test will always be ordered or administered with HCPCS code 
C9803 because the descriptor for this code includes specimen collection 
for COVID-19.
    In summary, in the March 31st COVID-19 IFC, which created 
regulatory flexibilities to address the COVID-19 PHE, we finalized two 
codes to recognize the unique resource costs of specimen collection in 
a way that retains the integrity of infection control during a 
pandemic: CPT codes G2023 and G2024 for specimen collection for COVID-
19 laboratory tests (85 FR 19257). In this IFC, to further support 
widespread community testing for COVID-19, we are finalizing on an 
interim basis that physicians and NPPs' may use CPT code 99211 to bill 
for services furnished incident to their professional services, for 
both new and established patients, when clinical staff assess symptoms 
and collect specimens for purposes of COVID-19 testing. Cost-sharing 
for this service will be waived when all other requirements under 
section 6002(a) of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act are met. 
We are further creating a new code, CPT code C9803 under the OPPS for 
HOPDs to bill for a clinic visit dedicated to specimen collection and 
adopting a policy to conditionally package payment for this code. The 
OPPS will make separate payment for HCPCS code C9803 under the OPPS 
when no other primary service is furnished in the same encounter. Cost-
sharing for this service will be waived when all other requirements 
under section 6002(a) of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act 
are met.

CC. Payment for Remote Physiologic Monitoring (RPM) Services Furnished 
During the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency

    In the March 31st COVID-19 IFC, we changed several policies related 
to payment for Remote Physiologic Monitoring services under the PFS 
during the COVID-19 PHE. We had previously finalized payment in the CY 
2018 PFS final rule for CPT code 99091 (Collection and interpretation 
of physiologic data digitally stored and/or transmitted by the patient 
and/or caregiver to the physician or other qualified health care 
professional, qualified by education, training, licensure/regulation 
requiring a minimum of 30 minutes of time). In the CY 2019 PFS final 
rule the following year, we finalized payment for CPT codes 99453 
(Remote monitoring of physiologic parameter(s) (e.g., weight, blood 
pressure, pulse oximetry, respiratory flow rate), initial; set-up and 
patient education on use of equipment), 99454 (Remote monitoring of 
physiologic parameter(s) (e.g., weight, blood pressure, pulse oximetry, 
respiratory flow rate), initial; device(s) supply with daily 
recording(s) or programmed alert(s) transmission, each 30 days), and 
99457 (Remote physiologic monitoring treatment management services, 
clinical staff/physician/other qualified health care professional time 
in a calendar month requiring interactive communication with the 
patient/caregiver during the month; first 20 minutes). Most recently, 
in the CY 2020 PFS final rule (84 FR 62645 and 62646), we finalized a 
treatment management add-on code, CPT code 99458 (Remote physiologic 
monitoring treatment management services, clinical staff/physician/
other qualified health care professional time in a calendar month 
requiring interactive communication with the patient/caregiver during 
the month; each additional 20 minutes) and two self-measured blood 
pressure monitoring codes, CPT code 99473 (Self-measured blood pressure 
using a device validated for clinical accuracy; patient education/
training and device calibration) and CPT code 99474 (Separate self-
measurements of two readings one minute apart, twice daily over a 30-
day period (minimum of 12 readings), collection of data reported by the 
patient and/or caregiver to the physician or other qualified health 
care professional, with report of average systolic and diastolic 
pressures and subsequent communication of a treatment plan to the 
patient).
    As we stated in the March 31st COVID-19 IFC, we believe that RPM 
services support the CDC's goal of reducing human exposure to the novel 
coronavirus while also increasing access to care and improving patient 
outcomes. RPM services could allow a patient with an acute respiratory 
virus to monitor pulse and oxygen saturation levels using pulse 
oximetry. Nurses or other auxiliary personnel, working with physicians, 
can check-in with the patient and then using patient data, determine 
whether home treatment is safe, all the while reducing exposure risk 
and eliminating potentially unnecessary emergency department and 
hospital visits. Based on these considerations, we established interim 
policies to eliminate as many unnecessary obstacles as possible to 
delivering these services as part of the response to the pandemic. To 
that end, a combination of our permanent and interim policies for the 
duration of the COVID-19 PHE allow RPM services to be furnished to new 
patients in addition to established patients; with beneficiary consent 
to be obtained at the time services are furnished and by auxiliary 
personnel for physiologic monitoring of patients with acute and/or 
chronic conditions; and under general supervision.
    In recent weeks, we have been notified by stakeholders that CPT 
coding guidance states that the RPM service described by CPT code 99454 
cannot be reported for monitoring of fewer than 16 days during a 30-day 
period. In reviewing other RPM codes, we also observed that CPT codes 
99091, 99453, 99457, and 99458, also have 30-day reporting periods. 
Stakeholders have alerted CMS that while it is possible that remote 
physiologic monitoring would be used to monitor a patient with COVID-19 
for 16 or more days, many patients with COVID-19 who need monitoring do 
not need to be monitored for as many as 16 days.

[[Page 27606]]

Consequently, and for all of the same reasons we articulated for 
establishing the other policies supporting use of RPM services as part 
of the pandemic response, for purposes of treating suspected COVID-19 
infections, we are establishing a policy on an interim final basis for 
the duration of the COVID-19 PHE to allow RPM monitoring services to be 
reported to Medicare for periods of time that are fewer than 16 days of 
30 days, but no less than 2 days, as long as the other requirements for 
billing the code are met. We are not proposing to alter the payment for 
CPT codes 99454, 99453, 99091, 99457, and 99458 because the overall 
resource costs for long-term monitoring for chronic conditions assumed 
under the current valuation would appropriately reflect those for 
short-term monitoring for acute conditions in the context of COVID-19 
disease and exposure risks. Payment for CPT codes 99454, 99453, 99091, 
99457, and 99458 when monitoring lasts for fewer than 16 days of 30 
days, but no less than 2 days, is limited to patients who have a 
suspected or confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19.

III. Waiver of Proposed Rulemaking

    We ordinarily publish a notice of proposed rulemaking in the 
Federal Register and invite public comment on the proposed rule before 
the provisions of the rule take effect, in accordance with the 
Administrative Procedure Act (APA), 5 U.S.C. 553, and section 1871 of 
the Act. Specifically, section 553(b) of the APA requires the agency to 
publish a notice of the proposed rule in the Federal Register that 
includes a reference to the legal authority under which the rule is 
proposed, and the terms and substance of the proposed rule or a 
description of the subjects and issues involved. Section 553(c) further 
requires the agency to give interested parties the opportunity to 
participate in the rulemaking through public comment before the 
provisions of the rule take effect. Similarly, section 1871(b)(1) of 
the Act requires the Secretary to provide for notice of the proposed 
rule in the Federal Register and a period of not less than 60 days for 
public comment. Section 553(b)(B) and section 1871(b)(2)(C) of the Act 
authorize the agency to waive these procedures, however, if the agency 
finds good cause that notice and comment procedures are impracticable, 
unnecessary, or contrary to the public interest and incorporates a 
statement of the finding and its reasons in the rule issued.
    Section 553(d) ordinarily requires a 30-day delay in the effective 
date of a final rule from the date of its publication in the Federal 
Register. This 30-day delay in effective date can be waived, however, 
if an agency finds good cause to support an earlier effective date. 
Section 1871(e)(1)(B)(i) of the Act also prohibits a substantive rule 
from taking effect before the end of the 30-day period beginning on the 
date the rule is issued or published. However, section 
1871(e)(1)(B)(ii) of the Act permits a substantive rule to take effect 
before 30 days if the Secretary finds that a waiver of the 30-day 
period is necessary to comply with statutory requirements or that the 
30-day delay would be contrary to the public interest. Furthermore, 
section 1871(e)(1)(A)(ii) of the Act permits a substantive change in 
regulations, manual instructions, interpretive rules, statements of 
policy, or guidelines of general applicability under Title XVIII of the 
Act to be applied retroactively to items and services furnished before 
the effective date of the change if the failure to apply the change 
retroactively would be contrary to the public interest. Finally, the 
Congressional Review Act (CRA) requires a delay in the effective date 
for major rules unless an agency finds good cause that notice and 
public procedure are impracticable, unnecessary, or contrary to the 
public interest, in which case the rule shall take effect at such time 
as the agency determines. 5 U.S.C. 801(a)(3), 808(2).
    On January 30, 2020, the International Health Regulations Emergency 
Committee of the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the outbreak 
of the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) to be a Public Health 
Emergency of International Concern.\56\ On January 31, 2020, Health and 
Human Services Secretary Alex M. Azar II determined that a PHE exists 
retroactive to January 27, 2020 \57\ under section 319 of the Public 
Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 247d), in response to COVID-19), and on 
April 21, 2020, Secretary Azar renewed, effective April 26, 2020, the 
determination that a PHE exists.\58\ On March 11, 2020, the WHO 
publicly declared COVID-19 to be a pandemic.\59\ On March 13, 2020, the 
President declared that the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States 
constitutes a national emergency,\60\ beginning March 1, 2020. This 
declaration, along with the Secretary's January 30, 2020 declaration of 
a PHE, conferred on the Secretary certain waiver authorities under 
section 1135 of the Act. On March 13, 2020, the Secretary authorized 
waivers under section 1135 of the Act, effective March 1, 2020.\61\ 
Ensuring the health and safety of Medicare beneficiaries, Medicaid 
recipients, BHP enrollees, CHIP enrollees, and healthcare workers is of 
primary importance. As this IFC directly supports that goal by offering 
healthcare professionals flexibilities in furnishing services while 
combatting the COVID-19 pandemic and ensuring that sufficient health 
care items and services are available to meet the needs of individuals 
enrolled in the Medicare, Medicaid, CHIP and BHP programs, it is 
critically important that we implement this IFC as quickly as possible 
and for certain provisions, retroactive to either the start of the 
national emergency for the COVID-19 pandemic, beginning on March 1, 
2020, or the start of the PHE for the COVID-19 pandemic on January 27, 
2020. Not applying these revisions retroactive to either the start of 
the national emergency for the COVID-19 pandemic, beginning on March 1, 
2020, or the start of the PHE for the COVID-19 pandemic on January 27, 
2020 would be contrary to the public interest of supporting necessary 
flexibilities during the entire PHE. As we are in the midst of a PHE, 
we find good cause to waive notice and comment rulemaking as we believe 
it would be impracticable and contrary to the public interest for us to 
undertake normal notice and comment rulemaking procedures, as that 
would delay giving healthcare providers the flexibilities to provide 
critical care. For the same reasons, because we cannot afford any delay 
in effectuating this IFC, we find good cause to waive the 30-day delay 
in the effective date and, moreover, to make certain policies in this 
IFC applicable as of March 1, 2020--the date the President of the 
United States declared to be the beginning of the national emergency 
concerning the COVID-19 pandemic, or, if applicable, January 27, 2020, 
the date on which the PHE for the COVID-19 pandemic started.
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    \56\ https://www.who.int/news-room/detail/30-01-2020-statement-on-the-second-meeting-of-the-international-health-regulations-
(2005)-emergency-committee-regarding-the-outbreak-of-novel-
coronavirus-(2019-ncov).
    \57\ https://www.phe.gov/emergency/news/healthactions/phe/Pages/2019-nCoV.aspx.
    \58\ https://www.phe.gov/emergency/news/healthactions/phe/Pages/covid19-21apr2020.aspx.
    \59\ https://www.who.int/dg/speeches/detail/who-director-general-s-opening-remarks-at-the-media-briefing-on-covid-19-11-march-2020.
    \60\ https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/proclamation-declaring-national-emergency-concerning-novel-coronavirus-disease-covid-19-outbreak/.
    \61\ https://www.phe.gov/emergency/news/healthactions/section1135/Pages/covid19-13March20.aspx.
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    In support of the imperative to contain and combat the virus in the 
United States, this IFC will give health care workers and hospitals 
additional

[[Page 27607]]

flexibility to respond to the virus and continue caring for patients 
while minimizing exposure to COVID-19. CDC guidelines are clear that 
public exposure greatly increases the overall risk to public health and 
they stress the importance of containment and mitigation strategies to 
minimize public exposure and the spread of COVID-19. As of April 26th 
2020, the CDC reports 957,875 cases of COVID-19 in the United States 
and 53,922 deaths.\62\ Individuals such as healthcare workers who come 
in close contact with those infected with COVID-19 are at an elevated 
risk of contracting the disease. To minimize these risks, the CDC has 
urged healthcare professionals to make every effort to distance 
themselves from those who are potentially sick with COVID-19 by using 
modalities such as telephonic interviews, text monitoring systems, or 
video conference.\63\ As the healthcare community works to establish 
and implement infection prevention and control practices, we are also 
working to revise and implement regulations that function in concert 
with those healthcare community infection prevention and treatment 
practices.
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    \62\ https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/cases-updates/cases-in-us.html.
    \63\ https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/php/guidance-evaluating-pui.html.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    This IFC offers flexibilities in certain Medicare, Medicaid, and 
BHP regulations that support measures to combat the COVID-19 pandemic 
and safeguard all interests by protecting healthcare providers and 
vulnerable beneficiaries. The provisions of this IFC better enable and 
facilitate physicians and other clinicians, to focus on caring for 
these beneficiaries during this PHE for the COVID-19 pandemic and 
minimize their own risks to COVID-19 exposure.
    Furthermore, we are also adopting an extraordinary circumstances 
relocation exception policy for on-campus and excepted off-campus PBDs 
of hospitals that relocate in response to the PHE, as well as 
describing the hospital outpatient services and CMHC that can to be 
furnished in temporary expansion locations of a hospital (including the 
patient's home).
    We are also establishing a national coverage policy under Medicare 
Part B for COVID-19 antibody diagnostic tests in order to ensure 
patients and practitioners have clinically relevant information to 
allow for ongoing health monitoring and isolation, as appropriate.
    We are allowing Opioid Treatment Programs (OTPs) to furnish 
periodic assessments via communication technology.
    In addition, we are allowing states that operate a BHP to seek 
certification of temporary BHP Blueprint revisions to make significant 
changes directly tied to the PHE for the COVID-19 pandemic and that 
increase access to necessary services without delay or other barriers 
(such as cost sharing) during the duration of the PHE for the COVID-19 
pandemic.
    We are modifying the methodology to determine IME payments teaching 
hospitals so that temporary increases in available beds or bed capacity 
during the PHE for the COVID-19 pandemic will not lower teaching 
hospitals' IME payments or impact provider-based RHC payments for those 
RHCs who are not currently subject to the national payment limit. We 
are also implementing temporary policies to allow teaching hospitals to 
claim, in their resident FTE counts, residents that teaching hospitals 
send to other hospitals to respond to the PHE associated with COVID, 
which will allow teaching hospitals to maintain GME payments and will 
not trigger establishment of FTE counts or PRA caps at non-teaching 
receiving hospitals. Likewise, we are adopting a policy to hold, for 
the duration of the COVID-19 PHE, IRF and IPF average daily census 
numbers at their values prior to the COVID-19 PHE, so that IRF and IPF 
teaching status adjustment payments do not decrease during the 
pandemic. We are implementing various flexibilities for IRFs in this 
IFC so that IRFs may utilize their excess bed capacity to care for 
patients to alleviate capacity issues in acute care hospitals during 
the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, IRFs will still be required to 
meet requirements for IRF payment for patients who receive regular IRF 
care. However, for those patients who are cared for in an IRF solely to 
alleviate acute care hospital bed capacity, IRFs will not have to 
comply with some regulations governing documentation, therapy 
requirements, and other policies to maximize time spent on patient care 
during this pandemic.
    We are also making changes to the Medicare regulations to revise 
payment rates for certain DME and enteral nutrients, supplies, and 
equipment as part of implementation of section 3712 of the CARES Act. 
We are also increasing flexibilities for hospitals participating in the 
Hospital VBP Program by expanding the Extraordinary Circumstances 
Exceptions (ECE) policy so that we can grant an ECE to hospitals within 
an entire region or locale, including the entire United States, that 
have been affected by an extraordinary circumstance, including the 
COVID-19 PHE, without requiring that each affected hospital 
individually submit an ECE request form.
    Additionally, immediate implementation of section 3712 of the CARES 
Act is necessary to provide prompt relief, as intended by the CARES 
Act, in the form of higher Medicare payments to suppliers of DME in 
certain areas to ensure beneficiary access to necessary medical 
equipment and supplies during the PHE.
    The COVID-19 pandemic PHE has created a lack of predictability for 
many ACOs participating in the Shared Savings Program regarding the 
impact of expenditure and utilization changes on financial benchmarks 
and performance year expenditures, and for those under performance-
based risk, the potential liability for shared losses, as well as 
disrupting population health activities as clinicians, care 
coordinators and financial and other resources are diverted to address 
immediate acute care needs. ACOs and other program stakeholders have 
advocated that there is an urgent need to address these concerns 
because ACOs need to make participation decisions for PY 2020 and PY 
2021 soon and may choose to terminate their participation in the Shared 
Savings Program on or before the June 30, 2020 deadline, rather than 
face the potential of pro-rated shared losses for PY 2020 if the PHE 
does not extend for the entire year and if the existing policies under 
the Shared Savings Program do not adequately mitigate liability for 
shared losses. We believe it is vital to the stability of the Shared 
Savings Program to encourage continued participation by ACOs by 
adjusting program policies as necessary to address the impact of the 
COVID-19 pandemic, including by offering certain flexibilities in 
program participation options to currently participating ACOs and 
addressing potential distortions in expenditures resulting from the 
COVID-19 pandemic. The changes included in this IFC will help to ensure 
a more equitable comparison between ACOs' expenditures for PY 2020 and 
their updated historical benchmarks and that ACOs are not rewarded or 
penalized for having higher/lower COVID-19 spread in their assigned 
beneficiary populations which, in turn, will help to protect ACOs from 
owing excessive shared losses and the Medicare Trust Funds from paying 
out windfall shared savings. For these reasons and the reasons set 
forth in section II.L. of this IFC, we find good cause to waive notice 
and comment procedures for the

[[Page 27608]]

regulatory changes being made to the Shared Savings Program in this 
IFC.
    Furthermore, changes effectuated in this rule to broaden the scope 
of practitioners who may order home health services and expand the 
availability of Medicaid coverage for certain laboratory testing during 
a PHE and subsequent periods of active surveillance are being made to 
maximize beneficiary access to needed services and minimize the 
transmission of the disease, which is of critical importance in the 
current PHE. Additionally, during the PHE for the COVID-19 pandemic, we 
are adding flexibility for teaching physicians, NPPs, PTs, OTs, SLPs, 
and others in supervision, documentation, and other requirements of the 
Medicare program that could impact the availability and efficiency of 
care to ensure an adequate number of clinicians are able to furnish 
critical services and tests.
    Section 3708 of the CARES Act is applicable to Medicare and 
Medicaid and allows a home health patient to be under the care of a NP 
or CNS or a PA and allows such practitioner to: (1) Order home health 
services; (2) establish and periodically review a plan of care for home 
health services; and (3) certify and re-certify that the patient is 
eligible for home health services. Currently, these functions can only 
be paid for by Medicare when performed by physicians. However, these 
changes are not effective until CMS implements the changes in 
regulation, and pursuant to section 3708(f) of the CARES Act, may be 
implemented by an IFC. Implementing all of the conforming regulations 
changes in this IFC are needed to implement section 3708 of the CARES 
Act, and will allow us to meet the statutorily-required 6-month 
timeframe for implementation, but also allows us to act as expediently 
as possible to implement this new flexibility during the current PHE 
for the COVID-19 pandemic.
    We are also permitting flexibility with respect to the 
administration of COVID-19 tests for purposes of Medicaid coverage, 
both during the COVID-19 PHE and any subsequent periods of active 
surveillance, to allow for continued surveillance as part of strategies 
to detect recurrence of the virus in individuals and populations to 
prevent further spread of the disease. These flexibilities related to 
Medicaid laboratory coverage, which are urgently needed during the 
COVID-19 PHE, will also apply during future PHEs resulting from 
outbreaks of communicable disease and any subsequent period of active 
surveillance. We are amending Medicare regulations to remove the 
Medicare requirement for a physician or other practitioner's order for 
COVID-19 testing and certain related testing, as well as allowing 
increased flexibilities regarding documentation requirements for such 
tests, during the COVID-19 PHE.
    We are also allowing flexibilities to HHAs in the HHVBP Model by 
aligning HHVBP Model data submission requirements with any exceptions 
or extensions granted for purposes of the HH QRP during the PHE for the 
COVID-19 pandemic, as well as a policy for granting exceptions to the 
New Measures data reporting requirements under the HHVBP Model during 
the PHE for the COVID-19 pandemic.
    In addition, we are delaying the compliance dates for collecting 
and reporting the TOH Information to Provider-Post-Acute Care and TOH 
Information to Patient-Post-Acute Care quality measures and certain 
standardized patient assessment data with respect to six categories by 
IRFs, LTCHs, and HHAs under, respectively, the IRF QRP, LTCH QRP, and 
HH QRP.
    Additionally, in regard to the Quality Payment Program, due to the 
PHE, we are amending Sec.  414.1400(b)(3)(v)(C) and (D) to delay the 
implementation of these policies by 1 year. Both QCDR measure approval 
criteria necessitate QCDRs collecting data from clinicians in order to 
assess the measure, and we anticipate that QCDRs may be unable to 
collect, and clinicians unable to submit, data on QCDR measures due to 
prioritizing the care of COVID-19 patients.
    We are also revising Sec.  156.280(e)(2)(ii) to delay 
implementation of the separate billing policy for 60 days from the date 
finalized in the 2019 Program Integrity Rule (84 FR 71674). Under this 
60-day extension, QHP issuers must comply with the separate billing 
policy finalized at Sec.  156.280(e)(2)(ii) beginning on or before the 
QHP issuer's first billing cycle following August 26, 2020. We believe 
extending the deadline 60 days for QHP issuers and Exchanges to comply 
with the separate billing policy is appropriate so that they may 
adequately respond to the current national PHE and divert resources to 
address COVID-19 that may otherwise have been used for timely 
compliance with the separate billing policy. Therefore, the 60-day 
delayed implementation for QHP issuers subject to the separate billing 
policy is effective immediately, such that QHP issuers are required to 
begin complying with the separate billing policy finalized at Sec.  
156.280(e)(2)(ii) beginning on or before the first billing cycle 
following August 26, 2020.
    Finally, we are adding a new paragraph (g) to Sec.  483.80, to 
require facilities to report information on COVID-19 incidence among 
residents and staff in LTC facilities to the CDC, without a previous 
opportunity for public comment. We believe we have good cause to waive 
the normal notice-and-comment process under the Administrative 
Procedure Act and section 1871(b)(2)(C) of the Act, because acting 
immediately to provide information to the CDC and the public can help 
control the spread of the virus. Waiving notice and comment is in the 
public interest, because time is of the essence in informing residents, 
their families, and the general public of the incidence of COVID-19 in 
the LTC facility population; such information will assist public health 
officials in detecting outbreaks and saving lives.
    As noted in this IFC, it is critical in emergencies and disaster 
situations to respond as efficiently and effectively as possible to 
address immediate public health needs; as such, we may extend 
flexibilities in this IFC for future national emergencies, public 
health emergencies, or disasters. We welcome comments on whether some 
of these flexibilities should be extended to future situations.
    We believe it would be impracticable and contrary to the public 
interest for us to undertake normal notice and comment procedures and 
to thereby delay the effective date of this IFC. We find good cause to 
waive notice of proposed rulemaking under the APA, 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B), 
and section 1871(b)(2)(C) of the Act. For those same reasons, as 
authorized by section 808(2) of the CRA, we find it is impracticable 
and contrary to the public interest not to waive the delay in effective 
date of this IFC under section 801 of the CRA. We therefore find there 
is good cause to waive the CRA's delay in effective date pursuant to 
section 808(2) of the CRA. Furthermore, as noted above, the President 
declared that the COVID-19 outbreak in the United States constituted a 
national emergency beginning March 1, 2020. In addition, the 
Secretary's declaration of a PHE for the COVID-19 pandemic took effect 
on January 27, 2020. To ensure the availability of the measures we are 
taking to address the COVID-19 pandemic, we believe it is vital that 
many of the Medicare policies in this IFC apply starting either with 
the first day of the national emergency or the start of the PHE for the 
COVID-19 pandemic, as applicable. It is also important to ensure that 
health care providers that acted expeditiously to implement appropriate 
physical and

[[Page 27609]]

operational changes to their practices to adapt to emergency 
conditions, even in the absence of changes in our policies to address 
them, are not disadvantaged relative to other health care providers, 
and will not be discouraged from taking similar appropriate actions in 
the future. Specifically, in this IFC we have concentrated on 
increasing providers' ability to furnish services at temporary 
expansion locations, including the patient's home, that is a PBD of the 
hospital or an expanded CMHC to limit the need for patients to receive 
care in the hospital itself, which could unnecessarily expose the 
patients or providers to the pandemic contagion. For example, hospital 
staff can now remotely furnish psychotherapy to the beneficiary in 
their home, as long as the beneficiary is a registered outpatient of 
the hospital and the patient's home is made provider-based to the 
hospital. It is critical this provision be retroactive to the first day 
of the national emergency in order to ensure providers' have the 
necessary flexibilities to provide services at temporary expansion 
locations and to ensure beneficiaries continue to receive critical 
services, while limiting their exposure to the pandemic contagion. Both 
March 1, 2020, and January 27, 2020, precede the date of publication of 
this IFC in the Federal Register, which means that certain Medicare 
provisions of this rule have a retroactive effect. However, section 
1871(e)(1)(A)(ii) of the Act permits the Secretary to issue a rule for 
the Medicare program with retroactive effect if the failure to do so 
would be contrary to the public interest. As we have explained above, 
we believe it would be contrary to the public interest not to implement 
certain Medicare provisions of this IFC as soon as we are authorized to 
do so under the authority of section 1871(e)(1)(A)(ii) of the Act, that 
is, retroactively to either the start of the national emergency or the 
PHE for the COVID-19 pandemic, as applicable. Accordingly, the 
provisions in this IFC have retroactive applicability to March 1, 2020, 
or January 27, 2020, unless otherwise noted.
    Separately, in light of the urgent need to provide the 
flexibilities under new paragraph (d) in Sec.  440.30 during the COVID-
19 PHE, and because this provision will ease restrictions under 
existing law and make Medicaid coverage of testing more available, this 
provision will also be effective on March 1, 2020. Similarly, in light 
of the urgent need to provide the flexibilities in the amendments to 
Sec.  440.70 during the COVID-19 PHE, and because they will increase 
flexibility in the delivery of benefits and make Medicaid coverage of 
home health services more available, the amendments to Sec.  440.70 
will take effect on the same date as the Medicare regulations 
implementing section 3708 of the CARES Act, March 1, 2020. We are 
providing a 60-day public comment period for this IFC as specified in 
the DATES section of this document.
    In this IFC, we are also delaying the date by which SNFs must start 
collecting and reporting data on the TOH Information to Provider-Post-
Acute Care and TOH Information to Patient-Post-Acute Care quality 
measures and standardized patient assessment data elements (SPADEs) 
with respect to six categories for the SNF QRP. We are delaying these 
requirements because in response to stakeholder concerns, we have 
delayed the release of an updated version of the Minimum Data Set (MDS) 
that would have included the data elements that SNFs need to report 
these two quality measures and SPADEs. In the absence of a vehicle to 
report these data, SNFs cannot report them beginning with October 1, 
2020 admissions and discharges. We have taken the COVID-19 PHE into 
consideration in selecting a new compliance date, which will be on 
October 1st of the year that is at least two fiscal years after the PHE 
ends.
    We find the notice-and-comment procedure impracticable because SNFs 
cannot comply with the reporting requirements for the two quality 
measures and SPADEs until CMS releases the updated MDS and SNFs have 
had an opportunity to become familiar with the updated version. Also, 
this IFC does not impose any additional requirements, but rather delays 
the compliance date for collecting and reporting the two quality 
measures and SPADEs. Therefore, we find good cause to waive notice-and-
comment procedures and to issue this IFC without a delay of effective 
date.

IV. Collection of Information Requirements

    Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we are required to 
provide 30-day notice in the Federal Register and solicit public 
comment before a collection of information requirement is submitted to 
the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval. In 
order to fairly evaluate whether an information collection should be 
approved by OMB, section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork Reduction Act 
of 1995 (PRA) requires that we solicit comment on the following issues:
     The need for the information collection and its usefulness 
in carrying out the proper functions of our agency.
     The accuracy of our estimate of the information collection 
burden.
     The quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be 
collected.
     Recommendations to minimize the information collection 
burden on the affected public, including automated collection 
techniques.
    We are soliciting public comment for the following sections of this 
document that contain information collection requirements (ICRs):

A. ICRs Regarding Rules Relating to Separate Billing and Segregation of 
Funds for Abortion Services (Sec.  156.280)

    This IFC does not impose any additional information collection 
burden under the PRA, and does not contain any information collection 
activities beyond the information collection currently awaiting 
approval by OMB under the control number: 0938-1358 (Billing and 
Collection of the Separate Payment for Certain Abortion Services (CMS-
10681)).
    Based on 2020 QHP certification data in the Federally-facilitated 
Exchanges (FFEs) and State-based Exchanges on the Federal Platform 
(SBE-FPs), in the 2019 Program Integrity Rule (84 FR 71674), we 
estimated that 23 QHP issuers will offer a total of 338 plans with 
coverage of non-Hyde abortion services in 9 FFE and SBE-FP states. We 
also estimated that in the 12 State Exchanges that will operate their 
own technology platforms in 2020, 71 QHP issuers will offer a total of 
approximately 1,129 plans that include coverage for non-Hyde abortions 
services. Three of those State Exchanges perform premium billing and 
payment processing, while the other 9 have their issuers perform 
premium billing and payment processing. In total, we estimated that 
there will be 94 QHP issuers offering a total of 1,467 plans 
(representing approximately 32 percent of individual market, on-
Exchange plans) covering non-Hyde abortion services across 21 states in 
plan year 2020. With the 60-day delay, we continue to believe the one-
time burden QHP issuers will incur to complete the necessary technical 
build to implement the changes for the separate billing policy will be 
incurred primarily in 2020. Therefore, we are unable to quantify any 
additional cost or savings related to the one-time technical build that 
would be attributable to this rule.
    In the 2019 Program Integrity Rule, we estimated that each issuer 
and State Exchange performing premium billing and payment processing 
will incur

[[Page 27610]]

ongoing annual costs, such as those related to identifying impacted 
enrollees, ensuring billing accuracy, reconciliation, quality 
assurance, printing, recordkeeping, and document retention. The total 
burden for each issuer and State Exchange performing premium billing 
and payment processing was estimated to be 24,120 hours with an 
equivalent cost of $1.07 million. Delaying the implementation of the 
deadline for the separate billing policies by 60 days will result in a 
reduction in this burden. We estimate that the burden for each issuer 
and State Exchange performing premium billing and payment processing 
will be reduced by 4,020 hours with an equivalent cost reduction of 
approximately $177,629 in 2020. For all 97 issuers and State Exchanges 
performing premium billing and payment processing, the total reduction 
in burden in 2020 will be 389,940 hours with an equivalent cost 
reduction of approximately $17.4 million.
    In addition, we estimated that issuers and State Exchanges 
performing premium billing and payment processing will need to print 
and send approximately 1.82 million separate paper bills per month in 
2020, incurring monthly costs of approximately $91,200. Delaying the 
implementation of the deadline for the separate billing policies by 60 
days will reduce the cost of printing separate bills in 2020 by 
approximately $182,400.
    The revised burden estimates will be included in the next 
submission of the information collection to OMB.

B. ICRs Regarding Temporary Extraordinary Circumstances Policy for 
Relocating Excepted Provider-Based Departments During the COVID-19 PHE

    In section II.E. of this IFC, for purposes of enabling greater 
hospital flexibility, and, in particular, enabling hospitals to rapidly 
develop temporary expansion sites for patient care, we are temporarily 
adopting an expanded version of the extraordinary circumstances 
relocation policy during the COVID-19 PHE to include on-campus PBDs 
that relocate off-campus during the COVID-19 PHE for the purposes of 
addressing the COVID-19 pandemic. We note that this temporary 
extraordinary circumstances policy is time-limited to the PHE for 
COVID-19 to enable short-term hospital relocation of excepted off-
campus and on-campus departments to improve access to care for patients 
during this time. The temporary extraordinary circumstances relocation 
policy established here will end following the end of the PHE for the 
COVID-19 pandemic, and we anticipate that most, if not all, PBDs that 
relocate during the COVID-19 PHE will relocate back to their original 
location prior to, or soon after, the COVID-19 PHE concludes.
    In place of the process adopted in the CY 2017 OPPS/ASC final rule 
with comment period (81 FR 79704 through 79705) and included in the 
existing subregulatory guidance under which off-campus PBDs can apply 
for an extraordinary circumstance relocation exception, all hospitals 
that relocate excepted on- or off-campus PBDs to off-campus locations 
in response to the COVID-19 PHE should notify their CMS Regional Office 
by email of their hospital's CCN; the address of the current PBD; the 
address(es) of the relocated PBD(s); the date which they began 
furnishing services at the new PBD(s); a brief justification for the 
relocation and the role of the relocation in the hospital's response to 
COVID-19; and an attestation that the relocation is not inconsistent 
with their state's emergency preparedness or pandemic plan. We expect 
hospitals to include in their justification for the relocation why the 
new PBD location (including instances where the relocation is to the 
patient's home) is appropriate for furnishing covered outpatient items 
and services. To the extent that a hospital may relocate to an off-
campus PBD that otherwise is the patient's home, only one relocation 
request during the COVID-19 PHE is necessary.
    We estimate that 450 hospitals will request the temporary 
extraordinary circumstances exception for one or more excepted PBDs 
during the PHE. There are roughly 500 hospitals as identified by a 
unique CMS Certification Number (CCN) in the states of New York, New 
Jersey, Michigan, Washington, Massachusetts, and Louisiana. These 
states have some of the counties with the highest per-capita incidence 
of COVID-19, and we estimate that roughly 50 percent of the hospitals 
in those states will apply for an exception (roughly 250 hospitals) due 
to their need to relocate an on-campus or excepted off-campus PBD in 
response to the PHE. In the remaining states, we believe a smaller 
percent of hospitals in each state may also apply for the exception--
resulting in a total of 450 hospitals.
    We estimate that it will take each hospital 15 minutes to complete 
and submit the request to the CMS Regional Office. We believe that all 
hospitals will submit a maximum of one relocation request email (even 
though the request may include more than one location) and this request 
can include some of the same information (for example, the same CCN, 
original PBD address, and justification) for multiple sites as deemed 
appropriate by the hospital. We believe a Medical and Health Services 
Manager will develop and submit the relocation request to the CMS 
Regional Office. These employees have an average hourly wage rate of 
$55.35 based on the May 2019 Bureau of Labor and Statistics' Occupation 
Employment Statistics. (Citation: BLS code 11-9111, website for May 
2019 data here: >https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes119111.htm<).
    We estimate 450 total submissions (one per hospital) x 0.25 hours 
per submission = 113 total burden hours associated with this 
requirement and a total labor cost of $6,257 (113 hours x $55.37/hr).
    The information collection requirements in this section associated 
with Sec.  419.48 have been submitted to OMB for emergency review and 
approval in accordance with the implementing regulations of the PRA at 
5 CFR 1320.13.

C. ICRs Regarding Changes to Sec.  424.507

    As previously explained, under section 3708 of the CARES Act, we 
are revising Sec.  424.507(b)(1) to allow NPs, CNSs, and PAs to certify 
the need for home health services. This, in turn, would require these 
three NPP types to be enrolled in or opted-out of Medicare to certify 
such services. The following discusses our burden estimates for this 
requirement.
    Based on internal data from our Provider Enrollment, Chain, and 
Ownership System (PECOS), we generally estimate that approximately:
     5,000 currently unenrolled or non-opted out NPs, CNSs, and 
PAs will elect to enroll in or opt-out of Medicare solely for the 
purpose of certifying home health services. We believe they will do so 
in the first year following the effective date of this IFC.
     1,000 new NPs, CNSs, and PAs each year will enroll in or 
opt-out of Medicare for the same purpose.
    Physicians and practitioners complete the Form CMS-855O (Medicare 
Enrollment Application--Registration for Eligible Ordering and 
Referring Physicians and Non-Physician Practitioners) if they are 
enrolling in Medicare not to obtain Medicare billing privileges but 
strictly to order, refer, or certify certain Medicare items and 
services. The information collection for Form CMS-855O is currently 
approved under OMB control number 0938-1135 with an expiration date of 
December 31, 2021.
    According to the most recent wage data provided by the Bureau of 
Labor

[[Page 27611]]

Statistics (BLS) for May 2019 (see http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_nat.htm#43-0000), the mean hourly wage for the general category of 
``Health Diagnosing and Treating Practitioners, All Others'' is $49.26. 
With fringe benefits and overhead, the per hour rate are $98.52. We 
also project that, on average, it takes individuals approximately .5 
hours to complete and submit the Form CMS-855O or an opt-out affidavit.
    Given the foregoing, we estimate a first-year burden of 3,000 hours 
(0.5 hr x (5,000 + 1,000)) at a cost of $295,560. The annual burden in 
Year 2 and in Year 3 is 500 hours (0.5 hr x 1,000) at a cost of 
$49,260. This results in a total burden of 4,000 hours (3,000 hr + 500 
hr + 500 hr) at a cost of $394,080. When averaged over the typical 3-
year OMB approval period, we estimate an annual burden of 1,333 hours 
(4,000 hr/3) at a cost of $131,360 ($394,080/3).
    The information collection requirements in this section associated 
with Sec.  424.507 have been submitted to OMB for emergency review and 
approval in accordance with the implementing regulations of the PRA at 
5 CFR 1320.13.

D. ICRs for Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) Qualified 
Clinical Data Registry (QCDR) Measure Approval Criteria Sec.  414.1400

    In section II.R. of this IFC, we are amending Sec.  
414.1400(b)(3)(v)(C) and (D) to delay the implementation of these 
policies by 1 year. Both QCDR measure approval criteria necessitate 
QCDRs collecting data from clinicians in order to assess the measure, 
and we anticipate that QCDRs may be unable to collect, and clinicians 
unable to submit, data on QCDR measures due to prioritizing the care of 
COVID-19 patients. Because these policies are not modifying the 
approval criteria for QCDR measures but are instead amending the 
timeline for implementation of previously finalized policies, we are 
not making any changes to our previously approved burden estimates.

E. ICRs for the Hospital Value-Based Purchasing (VBP) Program

    In section II.U. of this IFC, we are updating the Extraordinary 
Circumstance Exception (ECE) policy for the Hospital VBP Program to 
allow us to grant exceptions to hospitals which have not requested them 
when we determine that an extraordinary circumstance, such as PHE, 
including the current PHE for COVID-19, affects an entire region or 
locale. In a situation where we are granting such an exception for an 
entire region or locale, hospitals are not required to complete any 
forms or submit any additional information, therefore the program does 
not anticipate any change in burden associated with this IFC.

F. ICRs for COVID-19 Reporting in Nursing Homes

    We are revising the regulations by adding a provision at Sec.  
483.80(g) to require LTC facilities to electronically report 
information related to confirmed or suspected COVID-19 cases in a 
standardized format and frequency specified by the Secretary, but no 
less frequent than weekly. This information will be reported to the 
CDC's National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN). As of April 14, 2020, 
there are approximately 15,446 LTC facilities listed in the CMS Nursing 
Home Compare database. As CMS will require these facilities to 
participate in data collection and reporting, we estimate that 95% of 
these facilities will report COVID-19 case data.
    We have estimated that the COVID-19 LTC facility forms will take an 
average of 55 minutes to complete weekly, knowing that the reporting 
burden includes surveillance and data entry. We further estimate that 
LTC facility users will report these data on a weekly basis. The Module 
allows retrospective data collected from previous dates to be entered. 
Because OMB PRA approval is requested for 180 days, the total number of 
responses per respondent is 26. This burden will be submitted under the 
ICR titled National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) Patient Impact 
Module for Coronavirus (COVID-19) Surveillance in Healthcare Facilities 
(OMB Control Number 0920-1290). Details of this burden can be found in 
Table 1.

                                                              Table 1--Burden and Responses
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                              Number      Average burden                                       Total
       Type of respondent               Form name            Number of     responses per   per response    Total burden     Hourly wage     respondent
                                                            respondents     respondent       (in hrs.)       (in hrs.)         rate            costs
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LTCF personnel.................  COVID-19 Module, Long-            9,782              26           15/60          63,583          $50.91      $3,237,011
                                  Term Care Facility:
                                  Staff and Personnel
                                  Impact form.
Business and financial           COVID-19 Module, Long-            2,446              26           15/60          15,899           37.56         597,166
 operations occupations.          Term Care Facility:
                                  Staff and Personnel
                                  Impact form.
State and local health           COVID-19 Module, Long-            2,446              26           15/60          15,899           40.21         639,299
 department occupations.          Term Care Facility:
                                  Staff and Personnel
                                  Impact form.
LTCF personnel.................  COVID-19 Module, Long-            9,782              26           20/60          84,777           50.91       4,315,997
                                  Term Care Facility:
                                  Resident Impact and
                                  Facility Capacity form.
Business and financial           COVID-19 Module, Long-            2,446              26           20/60          21,199           37.56         796,234
 operations occupations.          Term Care Facility:
                                  Resident Impact and
                                  Facility Capacity form.
State and local health           COVID-19 Module, Long-            2,446              26           20/60          21,199           40.21         852,412
 department occupations.          Term Care Facility:
                                  Resident Impact and
                                  Facility Capacity form.
LTCF personnel.................  COVID-19 Module, Long-            9,782              26            5/60          21,194           50.91       1,078,987
                                  Term Care Facility:
                                  Ventilator Capacity &
                                  Supplies form.
Business and financial           COVID-19 Module, Long-            2,446              26            5/60           5,300           37.56         199,068
 operations occupations.          Term Care Facility:
                                  Ventilator Capacity &
                                  Supplies form.
State and local health           COVID-19 Module, Long-            2,446              26            5/60           5,300           40.21         213,113
 department occupations.          Term Care Facility:
                                  Ventilator Capacity &
                                  Supplies form.

[[Page 27612]]

 
LTCF personnel.................  COVID-19 Module, Long-            9,782              26           15/60          63,583           50.91       3,237,011
                                  Term Care Facility:
                                  Supplies & Personal
                                  Protective Equipment
                                  form.
Business and financial           COVID-19 Module, Long-            2,446              26           15/60          15,899           37.56         597,166
 operations occupations.          Term Care Facility:
                                  Supplies & Personal
                                  Protective Equipment
                                  form.
State and local health           COVID-19 Module, Long-            2,446              26           15/60          15,899           40.21         639,299
 department occupations.          Term Care Facility:
                                  Supplies & Personal
                                  Protective Equipment
                                  form.
                                                         -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Total......................  .......................  ..............  ..............  ..............         349,731  ..............      16,402,763
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

V. Response to Comments

    Because of the large number of public comments we normally receive 
on Federal Register documents, we are not able to acknowledge or 
respond to them individually. We will consider all comments we receive 
by the date and time specified in the DATES section of this preamble, 
and, when we proceed with a subsequent document, we will respond to the 
comments in the preamble to that document.

VI. Regulatory Impact Analysis

A. Statement of Need

    Throughout this IFC, we discuss several changes to payment and 
coverage policies intended to allow health care providers maximum 
flexibility to minimize the spread of COVID-19 among Medicare and 
Medicaid beneficiaries, health care personnel, and the community at 
large, and increase capacity to address the needs of their patients. 
The flexibilities and changes contained within this IFC are responsive 
to this developing pandemic emergency and to recent legislation that 
gives us additional authority. Given the potentially catastrophic 
impact to public health, it is difficult to estimate the economic 
impact of the spread of COVID-19 under current payment rules compared 
to the rules issued in this IFC.
    We believe that the needs of Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries 
suffering from COVID-19 will likely test the capacity of the health 
care system over the coming months. Our policies implemented in this 
IFC will provide flexibilities, during the PHE for COVID-19, to 
physicians and other practitioners, home health and hospice providers, 
FQHCs, RHCs, hospitals, critical access hospitals, CMHCs, IRFs, IPFs 
LTCHs, skilled clinical laboratories, providers of the laboratory 
testing benefit in Medicaid, Opioid Treatment Programs (OTPs), Shared 
Savings Program ACOs, and DMEPOS suppliers. These policies will likely 
minimize exposure risks to patients, clinicians and the general public.
    The flexibilities available to hospitals and CMHCs to furnish 
certain outpatient services remotely will allow more of these services 
to be furnished in a manner that reduces the exposure risk to patients, 
hospital staff, and physicians. To the extent that hospitals use these 
flexibilities to care for patients who would have otherwise received 
care in more traditional hospital settings, they likely would not 
result in any significant change in aggregate Medicare payments for 
hospital services.
    The policy to exclude temporarily added surge capacity beds when 
determining a teaching hospital's IME payments, may increase costs 
relative to those that would otherwise been incurred under current 
policies during the PHE for COVID-19; however, we estimate that there 
will not be a significant change in aggregate Medicare IME payments 
relative to current policies absent the PHE for COVID-19. A similar 
policy will also allow RHCs that are provider-based to a hospital to 
maintain their payment amounts levels if the hospital temporarily adds 
additional beds, which would otherwise disqualify them. Likewise, we 
are adopting a policy to maintain IRF and IPF average daily census 
numbers so that IRF and IPF teaching status adjustment payments do not 
decrease during the pandemic.
    The changes to Medicare and Medicaid regulations to expand the 
scope of the practitioners who may order home health services are 
anticipated to eliminate some burdens on practitioners and 
beneficiaries. Similarly, the changes to Medicaid's regulations to 
expand the circumstances under which certain laboratory tests can be 
covered during a PHE and subsequent periods of active surveillance are 
anticipated to eliminate some burdens on providers and beneficiaries. 
The changes to the BHP regulations to allow states to submit a revised 
Blueprint retroactive to the start of the PHE for the COVID-19 pandemic 
will eliminate some burdens on states and will help ensure enrollees' 
increased access to coverage during the PHE for the COVID-19 pandemic.
    The temporary increase to certain DME payment rates, as required by 
section 3712 of the CARES Act, will increase Medicare expenditures as 
well as beneficiary cost-sharing. Moreover, it is possible that the 
other flexibilities and changes contained within this IFC would 
increase aggregate Medicare or Medicaid services. Improvements in both 
provider and/or patient health are intended benefits of this IFC. For 
example, if the protections against exposure risk, such as teaching 
physicians remotely reviewing visits furnished by residents, are 
effective, providers may maintain their own health and thus be 
available to furnish more services overall.

B. Overall Impact

    We have examined the impacts of this rule as required by Executive 
Order 12866 on Regulatory Planning and Review (September 30, 1993), 
Executive Order 13563 on Improving Regulation and Regulatory Review 
(January 18, 2011), the Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA) (September 19, 
1980, Pub. L. 96-354), section 1102(b) of the Act, section 202 of the 
Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995 (March 22, 1995; Pub. L. 104-4), 
Executive Order 13132 on Federalism (August 4, 1999), the Congressional 
Review Act (5 U.S.C. 804(2)), and Executive Order 13771 on Reducing 
Regulation and Controlling Regulatory Costs (January 30, 2017).
    Executive Orders 12866 and 13563 direct agencies to assess all 
costs and benefits of available regulatory alternatives and, if 
regulation is necessary, to select regulatory approaches that maximize 
net benefits (including potential economic,

[[Page 27613]]

environmental, public health and safety effects, distributive impacts, 
and equity). Section 3(f) of Executive Order 12866 defines a 
``significant regulatory action'' as an action that is likely to result 
in a rule: (1) Having an annual effect on the economy of $100 million 
or more in any 1 year, or adversely and materially affecting a sector 
of the economy, productivity, competition, jobs, the environment, 
public health or safety, or state, local or tribal governments or 
communities (also referred to as ``economically significant''); (2) 
creating a serious inconsistency or otherwise interfering with an 
action taken or planned by another agency; (3) materially altering the 
budgetary impacts of entitlement grants, user fees, or loan programs or 
the rights and obligations of recipients thereof; or (4) raising novel 
legal or policy issues arising out of legal mandates, the President's 
priorities, or the principles set forth in the Executive Order.
    Executive Order 12866 and other laws and Executive Orders require 
economic analysis of the effects of proposed and final (including 
interim final) rules.\64\ The Office of Management and Budget has 
designated this rulemaking as ``economically significant'' under E.O. 
12866 and also major under the Congressional Review Act.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \64\ Section 202 of the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995 
(UMRA) (Pub. L. 104-04, enacted on March 22, 1995) also requires 
that agencies assess anticipated costs and benefits before issuing 
any rule whose mandates require spending in any 1 year of $100 
million in 1995 dollars, updated annually for inflation. In 2020, 
that amount is approximately $156 million. This IFC does not 
mandate, on an unfunded basis, any requirements for State, local, or 
tribal governments, or for the private sector.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    This IFC's designation under Executive Order 13771, titled Reducing 
Regulation and Controlling Regulatory Costs (82 FR 9339), which was 
issued on January 30, 2017, will be informed by public comments 
received.
    The RFA requires agencies to analyze options for regulatory relief 
of small entities, if a rule has a significant impact on a substantial 
number of small entities. The great majority of hospitals and most 
other health care providers and suppliers are small entities, either by 
being nonprofit organizations or by meeting the SBA definition of a 
small business (having revenues of less than $8.0 million to $41.5 
million in any 1 year). Individuals and states are not included in the 
definition of a small entity. As its measure of significant economic 
impact on a substantial number of small entities, HHS uses an adverse 
change in revenue of more than 3 to 5 percent. We do not believe that 
this threshold will be reached by the provisions in this IFC.
    In addition, section 1102(b) of the Act requires us to prepare a 
regulatory impact analysis if a rule may have a significant impact on 
the operations of a substantial number of small rural hospitals. This 
analysis must conform to the provisions of section 604 of the RFA. For 
purposes of section 1102(b) of the Act, we define a small rural 
hospital as a hospital that is located outside of a metropolitan 
statistical area and has fewer than 100 beds. This IFC will not have a 
significant impact on the operations of a substantial number of small 
rural hospitals.
    Executive Order 13132 establishes certain requirements that an 
agency must meet when it issues a proposed rule that imposes 
substantial direct requirement costs on state and local governments, 
preempts state law, or otherwise has Federalism implications. This IFC 
does not have a substantial direct cost impact on state or local 
governments, preempt state law, or otherwise have federalism 
implications.

C. Detailed Economic Analysis of the Provisions of the IFC

1. Reporting Under the Home Health Value-Based Purchasing Model for CY 
2020 During the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency
    Section II.A. of this IFC implements a policy to align HHVBP Model 
data submission requirements with any exceptions or extensions granted 
for purposes of the HH QRP during the PHE for the COVID-19 pandemic, as 
well as a policy for granting exceptions to the New Measures data 
reporting requirements under the HHVBP Model during the PHE for the 
COVID-19 pandemic. We do not anticipate a change to Medicare 
expenditures as a result of this policy. However, we expect reduced 
burden on providers.
2. Scope of Practice
    Section II.B. of this IFC implements several policies to 
temporarily add flexibility for certain nonphysician healthcare 
professionals in supervision, documentation and other requirements of 
the Medicare program that could impact the availability and efficiency 
of care. As discussed in section II.B. of this IFC, several states have 
sought to increase pharmacist capacity by relaxing supervision 
requirements during the PHE for COVID-19. We expect that, especially 
when coupled with policies adopted by states, the temporary flexibility 
and clarification we provide in this IFC will increase capacity for 
pharmacists and other healthcare practitioners. We anticipate that 
these changes could possibly result in higher Medicare expenditures 
because, although the changes primarily modify supervision 
requirements, without a corresponding change in payment rate, the added 
flexibility could result in a higher volume of services. We anticipate 
that the changes will allow the same services that were occurring 
before the PHE to continue during the PHE; however, expenditures could 
increase if additional services are furnished. To the extent that 
expenditures increased due to increases in service volume, this would 
represent a cost to the Federal Government.
3. Modified Requirements for Ordering COVID-19 Diagnostic Laboratory 
Tests
    Section II.C. of this IFC implements a policy to allow Medicare 
beneficiaries to get COVID-19 and other related testing during the 
COVID-19 PHE without requiring the order of the treating physician or 
practitioner, and instead allowing the testing to be ordered by any 
healthcare professional who is authorized to do so under applicable 
state law. We do not anticipate that this change will affect overall 
Medicare expenditures over time because we expect that the change would 
accelerate the timing of COVID-19 testing that would otherwise have 
occurred over a longer timeframe.
4. Opioid Treatment Programs--Furnishing Periodic Assessments via 
Communication Technology
    Section II.D. of this IFC implements a change to allow periodic 
assessments furnished by OTPs to be furnished via two-way interactive 
audio-video communication technology, and in cases where beneficiaries 
do not have access to two-way audio/video communications technology, to 
allow periodic assessments to be furnished using audio-only telephone 
calls rather than via two-way interactive audio-video communication 
technology, provided all other applicable requirements are met. This 
change will not result in an increase in Medicare expenditures because 
the add-on payment for these services was available prior to the PHE 
for COVID-19 and because this change only provides OTPs additional 
flexibilities regarding the manner in which they furnish these services 
during the pandemic.
5. Treatment of Certain Relocating Provider-Based Departments During 
the PHE
    Section II.E. of this IFC adopts a temporary extraordinary 
circumstances relocation exception policy for on-

[[Page 27614]]

campus and excepted off-campus PBDs that relocate off-campus in 
response to the PHE that permits the PBDs that relocate to continue to 
be paid under the OPPS. This policy could drive slightly higher 
spending during the PHE than would otherwise occur, but generally it 
would maintain current payment rates to on-campus and excepted off-
campus PBDs in the event of a temporary relocation due to the PHE for 
COVID-19. These policies would be time limited and we do not believe 
they would result in higher use of services; rather they would allow 
services furnished by these relocated departments to continue to be 
paid at the higher rate under the OPPS, rather than at the lower PFS-
equivalent rate if these excepted PBDs relocated off-campus outside of 
the PHE and were not granted an extraordinary circumstances relocation 
exception.
    Overall there would be minimal change in the types of patients 
treated under these policies compared to the absence of these policy 
changes. To the extent that Medicare expenditures increased, it would 
represent a transfer from the Federal Government to hospitals paid 
under the OPPS.
6. Furnishing Hospital Outpatient Services Remotely
    Section II.F. of this IFC discusses flexibilities under which 
certain outpatient services, including PHP services furnished by a 
hospital or CMHC in the beneficiary's home, can be furnished remotely 
during the PHE for COVID-19. These changes will not result in higher 
costs because they only provide flexibility for providers to continue 
to furnish these services during the pandemic.
7. Medical Education
    Section II.G. of this IFC implements a policy that excludes 
temporarily added surge capacity beds when determining a teaching 
hospital's IME payments. This policy could increase costs relative to 
the baseline IME payments that would be established under current 
payment rules if teaching hospitals temporarily add beds given the 
COVID-19 PHE, but will mitigate changes in IME payments relative to 
their levels before the COVID-19 PHE. To the extent that IME payments 
do change, the changes in payments would represent a transfer between 
teaching hospitals and the Federal Government (that is, an increase in 
payments would be a transfer from the Federal Government to teaching 
hospitals, and vice versa).
    This section also implements a policy to hold, for the duration of 
the COVID-19 PHE, IRF and IPF teaching status adjustment payments at 
their values prior to the COVID-19 PHE. This will mitigate changes in 
teaching adjustment payments relative to their levels before the COVID-
19 PHE. To the extent that teaching adjustment payments did change, the 
changes would represent a transfer between IPFs or IRFs and the Federal 
Government (with an increase in payments being a transfer from the 
Federal Government to IPFs or IRFs, and vice versa).
    This section also implements a policy to allow, for the duration of 
the COVID-19 PHE, teaching hospitals to claim, towards their resident 
FTE counts, residents that teaching hospitals send to other hospitals 
to respond to the PHE associated with COVID. To the extent that 
hospitals are not sending or accepting residents because of our current 
regulations, and those residents continue to train at the home teaching 
hospitals, allowing the residents to train elsewhere is budget neutral. 
The hospitals would continue to get paid the same GME payments that 
they would have received if the residents had continued to train at the 
home hospitals. No other hospitals would receive additional GME 
payments for that resident training.
8. Rural Health Clinics
    Section II.H. of this IFC implements a policy that excludes 
temporarily added surge capacity beds from a hospital's bed count for 
the purposes of determining whether a RHC that is provider-based to 
that hospital is subject to a per-visit national payment limit. We do 
not anticipate that this policy would increase the number of RHCs that 
would not be subject to the payment limit; rather, it would ensure 
those RHCs who were not subject to the limit prior to the PHE maintain 
that status. This policy could increase costs relative to the baseline 
of current payment rules and the PHE, but will mitigate changes in 
costs relative to their levels before the COVID-19 PHE. To the extent 
payments to RHCs increased, it would represent a transfer from the 
Federal Government to RHCs.
9. DME Interim Pricing in the CARES Act
    Section II.I. of this IFC implements the temporary increase to 
certain DME payment rates, as required by section 3712 of the CARES 
Act. Section 3712 of the CARES Act increases Medicare expenditures, as 
well as beneficiary cost-sharing by increasing Medicare payment rates 
for certain DMEPOS items furnished in non-rural and contiguous non-
competitively bid areas.
     The increase is a result of paying a blend of 75 percent of the 
fully adjusted payment rates and 25 percent of the unadjusted payment 
rates and is estimated to increase affected rates on average 33%. 
However, the estimated Medicare gross benefit cost against the FY 2021 
President's Budget baseline is $140 million dollars. It would represent 
a transfer from the Federal Government to DMEPOS suppliers and a 
transfer from beneficiaries to the Federal Government. This change may 
also affect the federal financial participation limit for DMEPOS items 
and services furnished to Medicaid beneficiaries, but we are unable to 
quantify the effect.
10. Care Planning for Medicare Home Health Services
    Section II.J. of this IFC implements conforming regulations text 
changes required by section 3708 of the CARES Act. We believe that 
section 3708 of the CARES Act will have a negligible impact on Medicare 
expenditures. NPPs generally work in collaboration with or under the 
supervision of a physician; therefore, utilization is unlikely to 
change substantially as a result of the CARES Act. In areas where NPPs 
are able to act independently under their state scopes of practice and 
where physicians are scarce, there may be a slight increase in 
utilization; however, we are unable to quantify the impact. Although 
the majority of states require physician collaboration for these NPPs, 
we note that even in states that allow independent practice authority, 
many of these practitioners continue to work in a practice environment 
(inpatient facility or outpatient or physician's office) that includes 
a physician.
11. CARES Act Waiver of the ``3-Hour Rule'' and Modification of IRF 
Coverage and Classification Requirements for Freestanding IRF Hospitals 
for the PHE During the COVID-19 Pandemic
    Section II.K. of this IFC amends section Sec.  412.622(a)(3)(ii) 
(commonly referred to as the ``3-hour rule'') to address the waiver 
required by section 3711(a) of the CARES Act during the emergency 
period described in section 1135(g)(1)(B) of the Act and amends Sec.  
412.29(d), (e), (h), and (i) and Sec.  412.622(a)(3), (4), and (5) to 
add an exception for patients admitted solely for care furnished to 
patients in an IRF solely to relieve acute care hospital capacity in a 
state (or region, as applicable) that is experiencing a surge during 
the PHE. We expect that the waiver required by the CARES Act will 
increase Medicare expenditures because it will increase the volume of 
patients admitted to IRFs and paid for under the

[[Page 27615]]

IRF PPS. However, we do not expect that the other changes to Sec.  
412.29(d), (e), (h), and (i) and Sec.  412.622(a)(3), (4), and (5) for 
freestanding IRF hospitals will increase the IRF volume of cases beyond 
the increases that will already be expected to occur as a result of the 
CARES Act. Moreover, these changes are likely to minimize exposure 
risks to patients, clinicians, and the general public. To the extent 
that Medicare expenditures increase, it would represent a transfer from 
the Federal Government to IRFs.
12. Shared Savings Program
    Changes to the Shared Savings Program as described in section II.L. 
of this IFC are estimated to reduce program spending relative to a 
status quo baseline by preventing COVID-19-related treatment costs from 
causing highly variable and uncertain distortions in the calculation of 
shared savings and shared losses for individual ACOs and by offering 
flexibilities that are expected to help retain ACO participation in the 
face of broader uncertainties from the historic disruption caused by 
the COVID-19 pandemic. In modeling the impacts of these changes, we 
used ACO performance data from performance year 2018 to simulate 2020 
performance, and included assumptions for variation in COVID-19 
spending and a decline in elective services and the deferral of other 
services. In modeling the impact of these changes, we considered the 
following:
     Based on a typical year, we assumed up to a 20 percent 
reduction in expenditures for 2020 because of a decline in elective 
services and the deferral of other services, and we assumed increases 
in expenditures due to COVID-19 inpatient treatment and related 
spending. We estimate that this variation in COVID-19 related spending 
would roughly double the standard deviation in gross measured savings 
and losses (expressed as a percentage of benchmark) that would have 
been determined across all ACOs participating in PY 2020.
     Absent flexibilities to encourage continued participation 
(by allowing a voluntary 1-year extension for ACOs whose agreement 
periods expire on December 31, 2020, and allowing ACOs to maintain 
participation at the same level of the BASIC track's glide path for 
performance year 2021) and an adjustment to certain program 
calculations to remove payment amounts for episodes of care for 
treatment of COVID-19, we project that up to 30 percent of all ACOs 
would elect to discontinue their participation. This would represent a 
significant increase in the program's attrition rate, which was 16 
percent in 2019 and has been 11 percent on average.\65\ Further, based 
on a recent National Association of ACOs (NAACOS) survey, 56 percent of 
risk-based ACOs may leave the program due to concerns about having to 
pay shared losses in 2020 because of costs incurred in treating COVID-
19.\66\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \65\ Verma S. Number of ACOs Taking Downside Risk Doubles Under 
`Pathways To Success'. Health Affairs. January 10, 2020. Available 
at https://www.healthaffairs.org/do/10.1377/hblog20200110.9101/full/
.
    \66\ NAACOS, Survey Shows ACOs' Concerns About the Effect of 
COVID-19. Available at https://www.naacos.com/assets/docs/pdf/2020/SurveyReportACO-EffectsCOVID19-04132020.pdf.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    A key new flexibility is the allowance for ACOs in the last 
performance year of their current agreement period (mainly Track 1 ACOs 
and Track 1+ Model ACOs) to elect to extend their agreement period by 
an additional performance year in 2021. The anticipated resulting 
increase in retention of existing ACOs that would have otherwise been 
unlikely to renew in the face of pandemic uncertainty is estimated to 
lower net program spending (that is, increase federal savings) by $100 
million (ranging from $90 to $120 million) despite potential increases 
in shared savings payments to certain ACOs that will benefit from the 
additional year under their existing agreement period for which the 
ACO's historical benchmark is established, adjusted, updated, and reset 
(as applicable) according to the methodologies specified in Sec. Sec.  
425.602 and 425.603.
    Another important new flexibility allows certain ACOs to 
temporarily freeze their position along the BASIC track's glide path, 
which will allow some ACOs to avoid transitioning to a higher level of 
performance-based risk for performance year 2021. This flexibility is 
also estimated to decrease program spending (increase federal savings) 
mainly by reducing the chance that risk-averse ACOs would drop out of 
the Shared Savings Program rather than transition to a higher level of 
performance-based risk for performance year 2021. For example, ACOs 
opting to remain in Level B instead of transitioning to Level C or 
higher risk and reward (such as Level E, which qualifies as an Advanced 
APM) for performance year 2021 would in effect accept a lower savings 
sharing rate (and their participating ACO providers/suppliers would 
forgo potential incentive payments from qualifying as participating in 
an Advanced APM) in exchange for elimination of performance-based risk 
in the face of elevated uncertainty. The net effect of offering this 
flexibility is estimated to be a $60 million reduction in federal 
spending, with the reduction ranging from $0 to $170 million.
    In modeling the impact of forgoing the application cycle for a 
January 1, 2021 agreement start date, we considered a combination of 
factors. Not offering an application cycle for a 2021 start date helps 
to mitigate any complexity arising from the use of 2020 as a benchmark 
year, when expenditures for 2020 could be extremely unusual given the 
COVID-19 pandemic and the related disruption to normal health care 
utilization. In particular, forgoing a January 1, 2021 agreement start 
date prevents 2020 serving as benchmark year 3, which is most heavily 
weighted in the case of ACOs entering a first agreement period (Sec.  
425.601(a)(7)).
    In addition, maintaining an application cycle for a January 1, 2021 
start date could result in a scenario where only a small number of 
organizations are able to devote resources to applying to participate 
(or renew their participation) in the Shared Savings Program given the 
impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on their operations and the challenges 
facing providers and suppliers. There is a particular risk that the 
unusual circumstances surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic could result in 
selective participation by only those ACOs that find their historical 
benchmark, for whatever reason, would provide for large windfall shared 
savings payments over a 5-year agreement period. Therefore, forgoing 
the application cycle for a January 1, 2021 start date is estimated to 
mitigate such selective participation and therefore reduce program 
spending by $150 million (with the reduction estimate ranging from $0 
to $410 million).
    The most significant impact is estimated to result from the new 
policy to adjust certain Shared Savings Program calculations to remove 
Parts A and B expenditures for episodes of care for treatment of COVID-
19. Failing to remove this spending would likely create highly variable 
shared savings and shared losses results for individual ACOs that 
happen to have over-representation or under-representation of COVID-19-
related hospitalizations in their assigned beneficiary population. At 
baseline, such variability would likely produce windfall payments to 
certain ACOs while causing other ACOs with significant exposure to 
COVID-19 in their assigned beneficiary populations to potentially leave 
the Shared Savings Program. Excluding

[[Page 27616]]

expenditures for these episodes of care for treatment of COVID-19 from 
the specified financial calculations under the Shared Savings Program 
is anticipated to reduce program spending by $1,110 million (reduction 
estimate ranging from $560 to $1,710 million) mainly by preventing 
windfall payments of shared savings to ACOs favored by such extreme 
variation.
    By reducing program spending (even at the low-magnitude end of the 
range of uncertainty), this change to exclude payment amounts for 
episodes of care for treatment of COVID-19 necessarily satisfies the 
requirement under section 1899(i)(3)(B) of the Act that program 
spending not exceed spending that would have occurred under a 
hypothetical version of the program that would not have utilized 
flexibilities allowed under section 1899(i)(3) of the Act. The 
adjustments to expenditure and revenue calculations to mitigate the 
impact of COVID-19 that require the use of our authority under section 
1899(i)(3) of the Act will only lower anticipated program spending 
further below the hypothetical baseline compared to what we have 
determined in previous rulemaking to meet the requirements of section 
1899(i)(3)(B) of the Act.\67\ Therefore, we believe that the 
adjustments to remove payment amounts for episodes of care for 
treatment of COVID-19 from the calculation of performance year 
expenditures, updates to the historical benchmark, and ACO 
participants' Medicare FFS revenue used to determine the loss sharing 
limit in the two-sided models of the BASIC track, meet the requirements 
for use of our authority under section 1899(i)(3) of the Act.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \67\ See for example, 81 FR 38011 and 38012, and 83 FR 68060.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    In total, the changes to the Shared Savings Program described in 
this IFC are estimated to reduce program spending by $1.43 billion over 
the 2020 to 2025 period (ranging from a reduction of $790 million to 
$2.12 billion), with most of the reduction ($1.11 billion) attributable 
to performance year 2020.
    Table 2 provides our best estimate, net of shared savings payments 
to ACOs, of the change in resource use and transfers between the 
Federal Government and ACOs and ACO providers/suppliers as a result of 
the changes to the Shared Savings Program included in this IFC. The 
change in expenditures is classified as a net change in expenditures 
because it is a mix of transfers between the Federal Government and 
ACOs and other Medicare-enrolled providers, suppliers, and 
practitioners as well as real changes in resource use. At this time, we 
are unable to separately estimate transfers and real changes in 
resource use.
    As shown Table 2, the net change in expenditures to the Federal 
Government associated with the Shared Savings Program policies in this 
IFC is estimated at -$1.1 billion for performance year 2020, -$0.13 
billion for performance year 2021, -$0.05 billion for performance years 
2022 and 2023, and -$0.04 billion for performance years 2024 and 2025. 
We present the estimates as undiscounted streams over 6 performance 
years rather than annualized streams because we estimate that more than 
75 percent of the total change will accrue to performance year 2020.

 Table 2--Estimated Net Savings to Medicare Program From Shared Savings
                            Program Policies
------------------------------------------------------------------------
             Performance year                Net change in expenditures
------------------------------------------------------------------------
2020......................................  -$1.11 billion.
2021......................................  -$0.13 billion.
2022......................................  -$0.05 billion.
2023......................................  -$0.05 billion.
2024......................................  -$0.04 billion.
2025......................................  -$0.04 billion.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note: Performance years co-occur with calendar years. Negative values
  reflect a reduction in federal net cost. Net change in expenditures
  includes both changes in real resource use and transfers between the
  Federal Government and ACOs and Medicare-enrolled suppliers,
  providers, and practitioners.

13. Additional Flexibility Under the Teaching Physician Regulations
    Section II.M. of this IFC discusses changes to allow teaching 
physicians to review the services furnished by residents, as required 
under the primary care exception rules, remotely through virtual means 
via interactive telecommunications technology during the PHE for COVID-
19. This change will give teaching physicians additional flexibilities 
to direct the care furnished by residents remotely to minimize exposure 
risks to patients, clinicians, and the general public; and there would 
be no change in Medicare payment rates or change in the types of 
patients treated under this policy compared to the absence of this 
policy change. Aggregate Medicare expenditures could increase if the 
changes allow residents to furnish more services with remote 
supervision from teaching physicians. To the extent that Medicare 
expenditures increase because residents furnish more services, this 
change will represent a cost to the Federal Government.
14. Payment for Audio-Only Telephone Evaluation and Management Services
    Section II.N. of this IFC increases payment rates, for the duration 
of the PHE for COVID-19, for telephone E/M visits to match payment 
rates under the PFS for office/outpatient visits with established 
patients. We expect that these increases in payment rates will not 
result in higher aggregate Medicare expenditures as long as these 
telephone E/M visits fully substitute during the pandemic for in-person 
or telehealth E/M visits that otherwise would have occurred. Absent the 
increase in payment rates, it is unlikely that telephone E/M visits 
would have served as an alternative for in-person or telehealth E/M 
visits to the same extent as could occur with the increase in payment 
rates. However, it is also possible that this provision would increase 
aggregate Medicare payments. For example, if the protections against 
exposure risk are effective, physicians may maintain their own health 
and thus be available to furnish more services overall. Improvements in 
the health of patients and physicians are intended benefits of this 
provision. If additional services are furnished, Medicare expenditures 
will increase, resulting in a cost to the Federal Government.
15. Flexibility for Medicaid Laboratory Services
    Section II.O. of this IFC implements revisions to the Medicaid 
laboratory benefit at Sec.  440.30 to provide states with flexibility 
to provide Medicaid coverage for laboratory tests and X-ray services 
that may not meet certain requirements in Sec.  440.30(a) or (b) (such 
as the requirement that tests be furnished in an office or similar 
facility) during periods of a PHE resulting from an outbreak of 
communicable disease and during any subsequent periods of active 
surveillance. The purpose of such laboratory and X-ray services must be 
to diagnose or detect SARS-CoV-2, antibodies to SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19, 
or the communicable disease named in the PHE or its causes, and the 
deviation from the requirements in Sec.  440.30 (a) or (b) must be 
intended to avoid transmission of the communicable disease. This change 
is not estimated to have a significant impact on federal expenditures 
for the Medicaid program.
16. Improving Care Planning for Medicaid Home Health Services
    Section II.P. of this IFC implements revisions to the Medicaid home 
health benefit at Sec.  440.70 to expand the scope of practitioners who 
may order home health services. This change is not

[[Page 27617]]

estimated to have a significant impact on federal expenditures for the 
Medicaid program.
17. Basic Health Program (BHP) Blueprint Revisions
    Section II.Q. of this IFC provides flexibility to states that 
operate a BHP to seek certification of temporary revisions that make 
significant changes to their respective Blueprint that are directly 
tied to the PHE for the COVID-19 pandemic and increase access to 
coverage. A state operating a BHP can seek to apply these revisions 
retroactively to the start of the PHE for the COVID-19 pandemic. Such 
revisions would expire at the end of the PHE, or a reasonable later 
date as certified by HHS. This change is not estimated to have a 
significant impact on federal expenditures for the BHP.
18. Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) Qualified Clinical Data 
Registry (QCDR) Measure Approval Criteria
    Section II.R. of this IFC amends Sec.  414.1400(b)(3)(v)(C) and (D) 
to delay the implementation of these policies by 1 year. Both QCDR 
measure approval criteria necessitate QCDRs collecting data from 
clinicians in order to assess the measure, and we anticipate that QCDRs 
may be unable to collect, and clinicians unable to submit, data on QCDR 
measures due to prioritizing the care of COVID-19 patients. This delay 
will not affect reporting burden for QDCRs or clinicians; therefore, 
there is no expected impact.
19. Application of Certain National Coverage Determination and Local 
Coverage Determination Requirements During the PHE for the COVID-19 
Pandemic
    Section II.S.2. of this IFC exercises enforcement discretion for 
LCDs related to clinical indications for therapeutic continuous glucose 
monitors. This policy may temporarily allow additional beneficiaries to 
be covered by Medicare for home use of therapeutic continuous glucose 
monitors during the PHE for the COVID-19 pandemic including diabetic 
patients with COVID-19 infections. While this should be a small and 
temporary increase in the use of therapeutic continuous glucose 
monitors it is possible that this increase will be offset by a 
reduction in hospitalizations. Additionally, patients using therapeutic 
continuous glucose monitors may be able to reduce their use of other 
diabetic testing supplies which could also contribute to offsetting 
costs.
20. Delay in the Compliance Date of Policies Adopted for the IRF QRP, 
LTCH QRP, HH QRP and SNF QRP
    Section II.T. of this IFC delays certain reporting requirements for 
policies adopted for the IRF QRP, LTCH QRP, HH QRP, and SNF QRP. We do 
not anticipate any economic impact as a result of the delay.
21. Update to the Hospital Value-Based Purchasing (VBP) Program 
Extraordinary Circumstance Exception Policy
    Section II.U. of this IFC updates the Hospital VBP Program's ECE 
policy to more closely align that policy with the ECE policies of CMS' 
other hospital QRP and VBP program, and to also provide more 
flexibility to hospitals confronted with unforeseen extraordinary 
circumstances beyond their control. Under the current policy, a 
hospital must submit the Hospital VBP Program ECE request form, 
including any available evidence of the impact of the extraordinary 
circumstances on the hospital's quality measure performance, within 90 
calendar days of the date on which the natural disaster or other 
extraordinary circumstance occurred (78 FR 50706). We are retaining 
this policy as well as introducing a new policy that allows us to grant 
an ECE to hospitals affected by an extraordinary circumstance, such as 
the COVID-19 PHE, within an entire region or locale without requiring 
that each affected hospital individually submit an ECE request form.
    The existing individual ECE request form policy is accounted for in 
the currently approved Hospital Inpatient Reporting PRA package, OMB 
control #0938-1022. There are no changes to the individual ECE request 
form policy and therefore no changes to the burden associated with the 
HVBP program.
    The updated policy that allows CMS to grant exceptions for entire 
regions, including the entire United States, during an extraordinary 
circumstance, does not require hospitals to submit any documentation: 
Therefore, we do not anticipate any change in burden or costs for the 
Hospital VBP Program based on the changes to the ECE policy set forth 
in this IFC.
22. COVID-19 Serology Testing
    Section II.V. of this IFC provides for national coverage of COVID-
19 FDA-authorized serology tests for certain Medicare beneficiaries 
during the PHE for the COVID-19 pandemic. It is unclear to what extent 
this test will increase Medicare expenditures. The cost to Medicare 
will be primarily dependent on the availability of testing, the price 
of the test and the length of the PHE. While the tests are new and have 
not previously been covered by Medicare it is possible that some of the 
cost of furnishing the test will be offset. As a result of serology 
testing there may be patients identified as not having had an immune 
response to COVID-19. If these patients take preventive measures to 
reduce their risk of infection as a result of this information then 
they may avoid COVID-19 infections, related hospitalizations and 
additional costs to Medicare.
23. Certification of Home Health Services--Revision to Sec.  424.507
    In section II.W. of this IFC, we discuss the provision to allow 
certain NPPs the ability to certify a patient's need for home health 
services. Previously only physicians were eligible to certify the need 
for home health under Medicare. The majority of NPPs are likely already 
enrolled in the Medicare program and will not need to take any 
additional enrollment actions. However, we estimate that approximately 
5,000 currently unenrolled or non-opted out NPs, CNSs, and PAs will 
elect to enroll in or opt-out of Medicare solely for the purpose of 
certifying home health services. We believe they will do so in the 
first year following the effective date of this IFC; moreover, 1,000 
new NPs, CNSs, and PAs each year will enroll in or opt-out of Medicare 
for the same purpose.
24. Separate Billing and Segregation of Funds for Abortion Services
    In light of the immediate need for QHP issuers and Exchanges to 
divert resources to responding to COVID-19, we are delaying 
implementation of the separate billing policy for 60 days as discussed 
in section II.X. of this IFC. Under this 60-day extension, QHP issuers 
must comply with the separate billing policies finalized at Sec.  
156.280(e)(2)(ii) beginning on or before their first billing cycle 
following August 26, 2020. We estimate that delaying the implementation 
deadline for the separate billing policies by 60 days will not result 
in substantial changes to the one-time implementation costs as 
estimated in the 2019 Program Integrity final rule. Some issuers and 
State Exchanges may have already sent notices to enrollees informing 
them of the separate billing and payment requirements and may now have 
to send additional notices to inform them of the change. In such cases, 
the reduction in ongoing costs will be lower. We request comment that 
would allow for refinement of the upfront and ongoing

[[Page 27618]]

cost savings estimates. Reduction in costs directly related to printing 
and sending of separate bills for issuers and State Exchanges that 
perform premium billing and payment processing have been discussed 
previously in the ``Collection of Requirements'' section of this IFC.
    In the 2019 Program Integrity final rule, we estimated that issuers 
and State Exchanges that perform premium billing and payment processing 
will each incur ongoing annual costs of approximately $1 million 
associated with activities such as processing and reconciling separate 
payments, support for enrollees who enter grace period for non-
payments, customer service, outreach and compliance. Delaying the 
implementation by 60 days will reduce these ongoing costs by 
approximately $16.2 million for all 94 issuers and 3 State Exchanges 
that perform premium billing and payment processing. We also estimated 
that each of the 12 State Exchanges will incur ongoing annual costs 
associated with increased customer service, outreach, and compliance, 
estimated to be approximately $200,000 for the 6 months in 2020. The 
60-day delay in implementation will reduce these ongoing costs in 2020 
by approximately $0.8 million for all 12 Exchanges. In addition, we 
estimated that the FFEs will incur ongoing costs of approximately 
$400,000 for the 6 months in 2020. The delay in implementation will 
reduce the ongoing costs in 2020 by approximately $133,333.
    Consumers will also experience a reduction in burden. In the 2019 
Program Integrity final rule, we estimated that issuers and State 
Exchanges performing premium billing and payment processing will be 
required to send a separate bill to approximately 2 million policy 
holders and that consumers will incur a burden of 5 minutes per month 
after the initial month to read and understand the separate bill. 
Delaying the implementation by 60 days will result in a burden 
reduction of 10 minutes (at a cost of $12.37 per hour) in 2020 for each 
consumer. For approximately 2 million policyholders, the total 
reduction in burden in 2020 will be approximately 337,793 hours with an 
equivalent cost savings of approximately $4.2 million.
25. Requirement for Facilities To Report Nursing Home Residents and 
Staff Infections, Potential Infections, and Deaths Related to COVID-19
    Section II.Y. of this IFC revises the infection prevention and 
control requirements for LTC facilities to more effectively respond to 
the specific challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, 
we are adding provisions to require facilities to electronically report 
information related to confirmed or suspected COVID-19 cases in a 
standardized format and frequency specified by the Secretary and 
requiring facilities to inform residents and their representatives of 
confirmed or suspected COVID-19 cases in the facility among residents 
and staff. As discussed in the Collection of Information section, we 
expect a burden increase of $16,402,763 attributed to the CDC's NHSN 
collection (OMB Control #0920-1290).
26. Time Used for Level Selection for Office/Outpatient Evaluation and 
Management Services Furnished Via Medicare Telehealth
    Section II.Z. of this IFC implements a policy that for the duration 
of the PHE for the COVID-19 pandemic, the typical times for purposes of 
level selection for an office/outpatient E/M service furnished via 
telehealth are the times listed in the CPT code descriptor. We do not 
anticipate a change to Medicare expenditures as a result of this 
policy.
27. Updating the Medicare Telehealth List
    Section II.AA. of this IFC revises the process during the PHE for 
COVID-19 by which CMS could add services to the Medicare telehealth 
list and that services added through the process would remain on the 
Medicare telehealth list during the PHE for COVID-19. This section does 
not add any services to the Medicare telehealth list. Therefore, we do 
not anticipate a change to Medicare expenditures.
28. Payment for COVID-19 Specimen Collection to Physicians, 
Nonphysician Practitioners and Hospitals
    Section II.BB. of this IFC describes a policy to make assessment 
and specimen collection for COVID-19 testing payable under the Medicare 
PFS and conditionally packaged under the OPPS for the duration of the 
PHE for COVID-19. Because these services were not previously payable 
under the Medicare PFS or conditionally packaged under the OPPS, 
Medicare expenditures will increase, representing a cost to the Federal 
Government. However, on net we estimate that greater testing combined 
with proper public health practices of physical distancing and 
isolation for exposed or infected individuals would result in fewer 
COVID-19 infections and consequently, this policy would reduce 
expenditures for the treatment of Medicare beneficiaries with COVID-19, 
which would be a benefit to the Federal Government.
29. Payment for Remote Physiologic Monitoring (RPM) Services Furnished 
During the COVID-19 PHE
    Section II.CC. of this IFC describes a policy, for the duration of 
the PHE for COVID-19, to allow the RPM monitoring service to be 
reported to Medicare for periods of time that are fewer than 16 days of 
30 days, as long as the other requirements for billing the code are 
met. To the extent that this increases volume of the RPM monitoring 
service, this policy would increase Medicare expenditures, resulting in 
a cost to the Federal Government.

D. Accounting Statement

1. Medicare Program
    As required by OMB Circular A-4 (available at https://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/whitehouse.gov/files/omb/circulars/A4/a-4.pdf), in the following Table 3, we have prepared an accounting 
statement showing the classification of the expenditures associated 
with the provisions of this IFC as they relate to the Medicare program.

                      Table 3--Accounting Statement: Classification of Estimated Transfers
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                    Units
                                                           -----------------------------------------------------
                Category                      Estimates                         Discount rate    Period covered
                                                               Year dollar           (%)              (CY)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Transfers:
    Annualized Monetized ($million/year)            -269.6              2019                 7         2020-2025
                                                    -250.8              2019                 3         2020-2025
                                         -----------------------------------------------------------------------

[[Page 27619]]

 
    From Whom to Whom...................  Reduced transfer from Federal Government to ACOs and Medicare-enrolled
                                                         suppliers, providers, and practitioners.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

List of Subjects

42 CFR Part 409

    Health facilities, Medicare.

42 CFR Part 410

    Diseases, Health facilities, Health professions, Laboratories, 
Medicare, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements, Rural areas, X-
rays.

42 CFR Part 412

    Administrative practice and procedure, Health facilities, Medicare, 
Puerto Rico, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.

42 CFR Part 413

    Diseases, Health facilities, Medicare, Puerto Rico, Reporting and 
recordkeeping requirements.

42 CFR Part 414

    Administrative practice and procedure, Biologics, Diseases, Drugs, 
Health facilities, Health professions, Medicare, Reporting and 
recordkeeping requirements.

42 CFR Part 415

    Health facilities, Health professions, Medicare, Reporting and 
recordkeeping requirements.

42 CFR Part 424

    Emergency medical services, Health facilities, Health professions, 
Medicare.

42 CFR Part 425

    Administrative practice and procedure, Health facilities, Health 
professions, Medicare, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.

42 CFR Part 440

    Grant programs--health, Medicaid.

42 CFR Part 483

    Grant programs--health, Health facilities, Health professions, 
Health records, Medicaid, Medicare, Nursing homes, Nutrition, Reporting 
and recordkeeping requirements, Safety.

42 CFR Part 484

    Health facilities, Health professions, Medicare, Reporting and 
recordkeeping requirements.

42 CFR Part 600

    Administration practice and procedure, Health care, Health 
insurance, Intergovernmental relations, Penalties, Reporting and 
recordkeeping requirements.

45 CFR Part 156

    Administrative practice and procedure, Advertising, Advisory 
committees, Brokers, Conflict of interests, Consumer protection, Grant 
programs--health, Grants administration, Health care, Health insurance, 
Health maintenance organization (HMO), Health records, Hospitals, 
Indians, Individuals with disabilities, Intergovernmental relations, 
Loan programs--health, Medicaid, Organization and functions (Government 
agencies), Prescription drugs, Public assistance programs, Reporting 
and recordkeeping requirements, Sunshine Act, Technical assistance, 
Women, Youth.

    For the reasons set forth in the preamble, the Centers for Medicare 
& Medicaid Services amends 42 CFR chapter IV, and the Department of 
Health and Human Services amends 45 CFR part 156, as set forth below:

Title 42

PART 409--HOSPITAL INSURANCE BENEFITS

0
1. The authority citation for part 409 continues to read as follows:

    Authority:  42 U.S.C. 1302 and 1395hh.


Sec.  409.41  [Amended]

0
2. Section 409.41 is amended in paragraph (b) by removing the phrase 
``The physician certification'' and adding in its place the phrase 
``The certification''.


Sec.  409.42  [Amended]

0
3. Section 409.42 is amended--
0
a. In the paragraph (b), subject heading and text, and in paragraph (c) 
introductory text by removing the phrase ``a physician'' and adding in 
its place the phrase ``a physician or allowed practitioner, as defined 
at Sec.  484.2 of this chapter''.
0
b. In paragraph (c) introductory text by removing the phrase ``the 
physician certification'' and adding in its place the phrase ``the 
certification''.

0
4. Section 409.43 is amended--
0
a. By revising paragraphs (a) introductory text and (a)(1);
0
b. In paragraph (b), by removing the phrases ``physician's orders'' and 
``physician order'' and adding in its place the phrases ``physician or 
allowed practitioner's orders'' and ``physician or allowed practitioner 
order'', respectively;
0
c. In the paragraph (c) subject heading by removing the word 
``Physician'' and in paragraph (c)(1) introductory text by removing the 
term ``physician'' and adding in its place the phrase ``Physician or 
allowed practitioner'' and ``physician or allowed practitioner'', 
respectively;
0
d. In paragraph (c)(1)(i) introductory text by removing the phrase 
``physician's verbal order'' and adding in its place the phrase 
``physician or allowed practitioner's orders''; and
0
e. In paragraphs (d), (e)(1) introductory text, (e)(2), and (f) by 
removing the term ``physician'' and adding in its place the phrase 
``physician or allowed practitioner''.
    The revisions read as follows:


Sec.  409.43   Plan of care requirements.

    (a) Contents. An individualized plan of care must be established 
and periodically reviewed by the certifying physician or allowed 
practitioner, as defined at Sec.  484.2 of this chapter.
    (1) The HHA must be acting upon a plan of care that meets the 
requirements of this section for HHA services to be covered.
* * * * *

0
5. Section 409.44 is amended--
0
a. By revising paragraph (c)(1) introductory text;
0
b. In paragraphs (c)(1)(i), (c)(2)(i)(D)(1), and (c)(2)(i)(F)(3) by 
removing the term ``physician'' and adding in its place the term 
``physician or allowed practitioner'';
0
c. In paragraphs (c)(2)(iii)(A), by removing the term ``physician's'' 
and adding in its place the term ``physician's or allowed 
practitioner's''; and
0
d. In paragraph (c)(2)(iv) introductory text by removing the term 
``physician'' and adding in its place the term ``physician or allowed 
practitioner''.

[[Page 27620]]

    The revision reads as follows:


Sec.  409.44   Skilled services requirements.

* * * * *
    (c) * * *
    (1) Speech-language pathology services and physical or occupational 
therapy services must relate directly and specifically to a treatment 
regimen (established by the physician or allowed practitioner) after 
any needed consultation with the qualified therapist, that is designed 
to treat the beneficiary's illness or injury. Services related to 
activities for the general physical welfare of beneficiaries (for 
example, exercises to promote overall fitness) do not constitute 
physical therapy, occupational therapy, or speech-language pathology 
services for Medicare purposes. To be covered by Medicare, all of the 
requirements apply as follows:
* * * * *


Sec.  409.45  [Amended]

0
6. Section 409.45 is amended--
0
a. In paragraph (a) by removing the term ``physician'' and adding in 
its place the phrase ``physician or allowed practitioner''.
0
b. In paragraph (b)(1) introductory text by removing the phrase 
``physician's order'' and adding in its place the phrases ``physician 
or allowed practitioner's orders''; and
0
c. In paragraphs (b)(2)(i), (c)(1), and (g) by removing the term 
``physician'' and add in its place the phrase ``physician or allowed 
practitioner''.


Sec.  409.46  [Amended]

0
7. Section 409.46 is amended in paragraph (a) by removing the term 
``physician'' and adding in its place the phrase ``physician or allowed 
practitioner''.


Sec.  409.48  [Amended]

0
8. Section 409.48 is amended in paragraph (c)(1) by removing the term 
``physician'' and adding in its place the phrase ``physician or allowed 
practitioner''.

PART 410--SUPPLEMENTARY MEDICAL INSURANCE (SMI) BENEFITS

0
9. The authority citation for part 410 continues to read as follows:

    Authority:  42 U.S.C. 1302, 1395m, 1395hh, 1395rr, and 1395ddd.

0
10. Section 410.32 is amended--
0
a. In paragraph (a) introductory text by removing the phrase ``All 
diagnostic x-ray tests, diagnostic laboratory tests'' and adding in its 
place the phrase ``Except as otherwise provided in this section, all 
diagnostic x-ray tests, diagnostic laboratory tests'';
0
b. By adding paragraph (a)(3);
0
c. By revising paragraphs (b)(1) and (b)(2)(iii)(B);
0
d. By adding paragraph (b)(2)(viii);
0
e. By revising paragraph (b)(3) introductory text;
0
f. By revising paragraph (d)(2)(i) and paragraph(d)(2)(ii) introductory 
text; and
0
g. By revising paragraph (d)(3)(i) introductory text.
    The revisions and additions read as follows:


Sec.  410.32  Diagnostic x-ray tests, diagnostic laboratory tests, and 
other diagnostic tests: Conditions.

    (a) * * *
    (3) Public Health Emergency exception. During the Public Health 
Emergency, as defined in Sec.  400.200 of this chapter, for the COVID-
19 pandemic, the order of a physician or NPP is not required for 
otherwise covered diagnostic laboratory tests for COVID-19 and for 
otherwise covered diagnostic laboratory tests for influenza virus or 
similar respiratory condition needed to obtain a final COVID-19 
diagnosis when performed in conjunction with COVID-19 diagnostic 
laboratory test in order to discount influenza virus or related 
diagnosis. FDA-authorized COVID-19 serology tests are included as 
covered tests during the Public Health Emergency, as defined in Sec.  
400.20 of this chapter, for the COVID-19 pandemic, as they are 
reasonable and necessary under section 1862(a)(1)(A) of the Act for 
beneficiaries with known current or known prior COVID-19 infection or 
suspected current or suspected prior COVID-19 infection.
    (b) * * *
    (1) Basic rule. Except as indicated in paragraph (b)(2) of this 
section, all diagnostic x-ray and other diagnostic tests covered under 
section 1861(s)(3) of the Act and payable under the physician fee 
schedule must be furnished under the appropriate level of supervision 
by a physician as defined in section 1861(r) of the Act or, during the 
Public Health Emergency as defined in Sec.  400.200 of this chapter, 
for the COVID-19 pandemic, by a nurse practitioner, clinical nurse 
specialist, physician assistant or a certified nurse-midwife to the 
extent that they are authorized to do so under applicable state law. 
Services furnished without the required level of supervision are not 
reasonable and necessary (see Sec.  411.15(k)(1) of this chapter).
    (2) * * *
    (iii) * * *
    (B) Furnished under the general supervision of a physician, 
clinical psychologist, or during the Public Health Emergency, as 
defined in Sec.  400.200 of this chapter, for the COVID-19 pandemic, by 
a nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist, physician assistant or 
a certified nurse-midwife, to the extent that they are authorized to 
perform the tests under applicable State law.
* * * * *
    (viii) During the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency as defined in 
Sec.  400.200 of this chapter, diagnostic tests performed by a 
physician assistant authorized to perform the tests under applicable 
State law.
* * * * *
    (3) Levels of supervision. Except where otherwise indicated, all 
diagnostic x-ray and other diagnostic tests subject to this provision 
and payable under the physician fee schedule must be furnished under at 
least a general level of supervision as defined in paragraph (b)(3)(i) 
of this section. In addition, some of these tests also require either 
direct or personal supervision as defined in paragraph (b)(3)(ii) or 
(iii) of this section, respectively. When direct or personal 
supervision is required, supervision at the specified level is required 
throughout the performance of the test.
* * * * *
    (d) * * *
    (2) * * *
    (i) Ordering the service. Except for tests described in paragraph 
(a)(3) of this section, the physician (or qualified nonphysician 
practitioner, as defined in paragraph (a)(2) of this section), who 
orders the service must maintain documentation of medical necessity in 
the beneficiary's medical record.
    (ii) Submitting the claim. Except for tests described in paragraph 
(a)(3) of this section, the entity submitting the claim must maintain 
the following documentation:
* * * * *
    (3) * * *
    (i) Documentation requirements. Except for tests described in 
paragraph (a)(3) introductory text, upon request by CMS, the entity 
submitting the claim must provide the following information:
* * * * *

0
11. Section 410.67 is amended in paragraph (b)(7) by adding two 
sentences at the end to read as follows:


Sec.  410.67  Medicare coverage and payment of Opioid use disorder 
treatment services furnished by Opioid treatment programs.

* * * * *
    (b) * * *

[[Page 27621]]

    (7) * * * During the Public Health Emergency for the COVID-19 
pandemic, as defined in Sec.  400.200 of this chapter, these periodic 
assessments can be furnished via two-way interactive audio-video 
communication technology, as clinically appropriate, and in compliance 
with all other applicable requirements. In cases where a beneficiary 
does not have access to two-way audio-video communications technology, 
periodic assessments can be furnished using audio-only telephone calls 
rather than via two-way interactive audio-video communication 
technology if all other applicable requirements are met.
* * * * *

0
12. Section 410.78 is amended by revising paragraph (f) to read as 
follows:


Sec.  410.78  Telehealth services.

* * * * *
    (f) Process for adding or deleting services. Except as otherwise 
provided in this paragraph, changes to the list of Medicare telehealth 
services are made through the annual physician fee schedule rulemaking 
process. During the Public Health Emergency for the COVID-19 pandemic, 
as defined in Sec.  400.200 of this chapter, we will use a 
subregulatory process to modify the services included on the Medicare 
telehealth list during the Public Health Emergency taking into 
consideration infection control, patient safety, and other public 
health concerns resulting from the emergency. A list of the services 
covered as telehealth services under this section is available on the 
CMS website.

PART 412--PROSPECTIVE PAYMENT SYSTEMS FOR INPATIENT HOSPITAL 
SERVICES

0
13. The authority citation for part 412 continues to read as follows:

    Authority:  42 U.S.C. 1302 and 1395hh.


0
14. Section 412.29 is amended by revising paragraphs (d), (e), (h), and 
(i) to read as follows:


Sec.  412.29  Classification criteria for payment under the inpatient 
rehabilitation facility prospective payment system.

* * * * *
    (d) Except for care furnished to patients in a freestanding IRF 
hospital solely to relieve acute care hospital capacity in a state (or 
region, as applicable) that is experiencing a surge, as defined in 
Sec.  412.622 of this chapter, during the Public Health Emergency, as 
defined in Sec.  400.200 of this chapter, have in effect a preadmission 
screening procedure under which each prospective patient's condition 
and medical history are reviewed to determine whether the patient is 
likely to benefit significantly from an intensive inpatient hospital 
program. This procedure must ensure that the preadmission screening for 
each Medicare Part A fee-for-Service patient is reviewed and approved 
by a rehabilitation physician prior to the patient's admission to the 
IRF.
    (e) Except for care furnished to patients in a freestanding IRF 
hospital solely to relieve acute care hospital capacity in a state (or 
region, as applicable) that is experiencing a surge, as defined in 
Sec.  412.622 of this chapter, during the Public Health Emergency, as 
defined in Sec.  400.200 of this chapter, have in effect a procedure to 
ensure that patients receive close medical supervision, as evidenced by 
at least 3 face-to-face visits per week by a licensed physician with 
specialized training and experience in inpatient rehabilitation to 
assess the patient both medically and functionally, as well as to 
modify the course of treatment as needed to maximize the patient's 
capacity to benefit from the rehabilitation process except that during 
the Public Health Emergency, as defined in Sec.  400.200 of this 
chapter, for the COVID-19 pandemic such visits may be conducted using 
telehealth services (as defined in section 1834(m)(4)(F) of the Act).
* * * * *
    (h) Except for care furnished to patients in a freestanding IRF 
hospital solely to relieve acute care hospital capacity in a state (or 
region, as applicable) that is experiencing a surge, as defined in 
Sec.  412.622 of this chapter, during the Public Health Emergency, as 
defined in Sec.  400.200 of this chapter, have a plan of treatment for 
each inpatient that is established, reviewed, and revised as needed by 
a physician in consultation with other professional personnel who 
provide services to the patient.
    (i) Except for care furnished to patients in a freestanding IRF 
hospital solely to relieve acute care hospital capacity in a state (or 
region, as applicable) that is experiencing a surge, as defined in 
Sec.  412.622 of this chapter, during the Public Health Emergency, as 
defined in Sec.  400.200 of this chapter, use a coordinated 
interdisciplinary team approach in the rehabilitation of each 
inpatient, as documented by the periodic clinical entries made in the 
patient's medical record to note the patient's status in relationship 
to goal attainment and discharge plans, and that team conferences are 
held at least once per week to determine the appropriateness of 
treatment.
* * * * *

0
15. Section 412.105 is amended by revising paragraphs (d)(1) and 
(f)(1)(iii)(A) to read as follows:


Sec.  412.105  Special treatment: Hospitals that incur indirect costs 
for graduate medical education programs.

* * * * *
    (d) * * *
    (1) Step one. A factor representing the sum of 1.00 plus the 
hospital's ratio of full-time equivalent residents to beds, as 
determined under paragraph (a)(1) of this section, excluding beds 
temporarily added during the time frame that the Public Health 
Emergency as defined in Sec.  400.200 of this chapter is in effect, is 
raised to an exponential power equal to the factor set forth in 
paragraph (c) of this section.
* * * * *
    (f) * * *
    (1) * * *
    (iii)(A) Full-time equivalent status is based on the total time 
necessary to fill a residency slot. No individual may be counted as 
more than one full-time equivalent. If a resident is assigned to more 
than one hospital, the resident counts as a partial full-time 
equivalent based on the proportion of time worked in any areas of the 
hospital listed in paragraph (f)(1)(ii) of this section to the total 
time worked by the resident. A hospital cannot claim the time spent by 
residents training at another hospital, unless the exception provided 
at Sec.  413.78(i) of this chapter applies. A part-time resident or one 
working in an area of the hospital other than those listed under 
paragraph (f)(1)(ii) of this section (such as a freestanding family 
practice center or an excluded hospital unit) would be counted as a 
partial full-time equivalent based on the proportion of time assigned 
to an area of the hospital listed in paragraph (f)(1)(ii) of this 
section, compared to the total time necessary to fill a full-time 
residency slot.
* * * * *

0
16. Section 412.165 is amended by adding paragraph (c) to read as 
follows:


Sec.  412.165  Performance scoring under the Hospital Value-Based 
Purchasing (VBP) Program.

* * * * *
    (c) Extraordinary circumstances exception. (1) A hospital may 
request and CMS may grant exceptions to the Hospital VBP Program's 
requirements under this section when there are certain extraordinary 
circumstances beyond the control of the hospital.

[[Page 27622]]

    (2) A hospital may request an exception within 90 calendar days of 
the date that the extraordinary circumstances occurred by submitting a 
completed Extraordinary Circumstances Request Form (available on the 
Hospital Value-Based Purchasing (HVBP) Program section of the 
QualityNet website (QualityNet.org)), and any available evidence of the 
impact of the extraordinary circumstances on the hospital's quality 
measure performance. The form must be sent via secure file transfer via 
the QualityNet Secure portal, secure fax, email, or conventional mail.
    (3) Following receipt of the request form, CMS will provide a 
written acknowledgement using the contact information provided in the 
request, to the CEO and any additional designated personnel, notifying 
them that the hospital's request has been received, and provide a 
written response to the CEO and any additional designated personnel 
using the contact information provided in the request.
    (4) CMS may grant an exception to one or more hospitals that have 
not requested an exception if CMS determines that an extraordinary 
circumstance has affected an entire region or locale, which may include 
the entire United States. CMS will notify hospitals that it has granted 
an exception under this paragraph via multiple methods, which may 
include memos, emails, and notices posted on the public QualityNet 
website (see https://www.qualitynet.org).

0
17. Section 412.622 is amended--
0
a. By revising paragraphs (a)(3)(i) through (iv), (a)(4) introductory 
text, and (a)(5) introductory text; and
0
b. In paragraph (c) by adding a definition for ``State (or region, as 
applicable) that is experiencing a surge'' in alphabetical order.
    The revisions and addition read as follows:


Sec.  412.622  Basis of payment.

    (a) * * *
    (3) * * *
    (i) Except for care furnished to patients in a freestanding IRF 
hospital solely to relieve acute care hospital capacity in a state (or 
region, as applicable) that is experiencing a surge during the Public 
Health Emergency, as defined in Sec.  400.200 of this chapter, requires 
the active and ongoing therapeutic intervention of multiple therapy 
disciplines (physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech-language 
pathology, or prosthetics/orthotics therapy), one of which must be 
physical or occupational therapy.
    (ii) Except during the emergency period described in section 
1135(g)(1)(B) of the Act, generally requires and can reasonably be 
expected to actively participate in, and benefit from, an intensive 
rehabilitation therapy program. Under current industry standards, this 
intensive rehabilitation therapy program generally consists of at least 
3 hours of therapy (physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech-
language pathology, or prosthetics/orthotics therapy) per day at least 
5 days per week. In certain well-documented cases, this intensive 
rehabilitation therapy program might instead consist of at least 15 
hours of intensive rehabilitation therapy within a 7-consecutive-day 
period, beginning with the date of admission to the IRF. Benefit from 
this intensive rehabilitation therapy program is demonstrated by 
measurable improvement that will be of practical value to the patient 
in improving the patient patient's functional capacity or adaptation to 
impairments. The required therapy treatments must begin within 36 hours 
from midnight of the day of admission to the IRF.
    (iii) Except for care furnished to patients in a freestanding IRF 
hospital solely to relieve acute care hospital capacity in a state (or 
region, as applicable) that is experiencing a surge during the Public 
Health Emergency, as defined in Sec.  400.200 of this chapter, is 
sufficiently stable at the time of admission to the IRF to be able to 
actively participate in the intensive rehabilitation therapy program 
that is described in paragraph (a)(3)(ii) of this section.
    (iv) Except for care furnished to patients in a freestanding IRF 
hospital solely to relieve acute care hospital capacity in a state (or 
region, as applicable) that is experiencing a surge during the Public 
Health Emergency, as defined in Sec.  400.200 of this chapter, requires 
physician supervision by a rehabilitation physician. The requirement 
for medical supervision means that the rehabilitation physician must 
conduct face-to-face visits with the patient at least 3 days per week 
throughout the patient 's stay in the IRF to assess the patient both 
medically and functionally, as well as to modify the course of 
treatment as needed to maximize the patient's capacity to benefit from 
the rehabilitation process except that during the Public Health 
Emergency, as defined in Sec.  400.200 of this chapter, for the COVID-
19 pandemic such visits may be conducted using telehealth services (as 
defined in section 1834(m)(4)(F) of the Act).The post-admission 
physician evaluation described in paragraph (a)(4)(ii) of this section 
may count as one of the face-to-face visits.
    (4) Documentation. Except for care furnished to patients in a 
freestanding IRF hospital solely to relieve acute care hospital 
capacity in a state (or region, as applicable) that is experiencing a 
surge during the Public Health Emergency, as defined in Sec.  400.200 
of this chapter, to document that each patient for whom the IRF seeks 
payment is reasonably expected to meet all of the requirements in 
paragraph (a)(3) of this section at the time of admission, the 
patient's medical record at the IRF must contain the following 
documentation--
* * * * *
    (5) Interdisciplinary team approach to care. Except for care 
furnished to patients in a freestanding IRF hospital solely to relieve 
acute care hospital capacity in a state (or region, as applicable) that 
is experiencing a surge during the Public Health Emergency, as defined 
in Sec.  400.200 of this chapter, in order for an IRF claim to be 
considered reasonable and necessary under section 1862(a)(1) of the 
Act, the patient must require an interdisciplinary team approach to 
care, as evidenced by documentation in the patients' medical record of 
weekly interdisciplinary team meetings that meet all of the following 
requirements--
* * * * *
    (c) * * *
    State (or region, as applicable) that is experiencing a surge means 
a state (or region, as applicable) that is in phase 1 of the 
President's Guidelines for Opening Up America Again (https://www.whitehouse.gov/openingamerica/), specifically, a state (or region, 
as applicable) that satisfies all of the following, as determined by 
applicable state and local officials:
    (i) All vulnerable individuals continue to shelter in place.
    (ii) Individuals continue social distancing.
    (iii) Individuals avoid socializing in groups of more than 10.
    (iv) Non-essential travel is minimized.
    (v) Visits to senior living facilities and hospitals are 
prohibited.
    (vi) Schools and organized youth activities remain closed.

[[Page 27623]]

PART 413--PRINCIPLES OF REASONABLE COST REIMBURSEMENT; PAYMENT FOR 
END-STAGE RENAL DISEASE SERVICES; PROSPECTIVELY DETERMINED PAYMENT 
RATES FOR SKILLED NURSING FACILITIES; PAYMENT FOR ACUTE KIDNEY 
INJURY DIALYSIS

0
18. The authority citation for part 413 continues to read as follows:

    Authority: 42 U.S.C. 1302, 1395d(d), 1395f(b), 1395g, 1395l(a), 
(i), and (n), 1395x(v), 1395hh, 1395rr, 1395tt, and 1395ww.

0
19. Section 413.78 is amended by revising paragraph (b) and adding 
paragraph (i) to read as follows:


Sec.  413.78  Direct GME payments: Determination of the total number of 
FTE residents.

* * * * *
    (b) No individual may be counted as more than one FTE. A hospital 
cannot claim the time spent by residents training at another hospital, 
except as provided in paragraph (i) of this section. Except as provided 
in paragraphs (c), (d), and (e) of this section, if a resident spends 
time in more than one hospital or in a nonprovider setting, the 
resident counts as partial FTE based on the proportion of time worked 
at the hospital to the total time worked. A part-time resident counts 
as a partial FTE based on the proportion of allowable time worked 
compared to the total time necessary to fill a full-time internship or 
residency slot.
* * * * *
    (i) For the time frame that the Public Health Emergency (as defined 
in Sec.  400.200 of this chapter) associated with COVID-19 was in 
effect, a sending hospital can include FTE residents training at 
another hospital in its FTE count if all of the following conditions 
are met.
    (1) The sending hospital sends the resident to the other hospital 
in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
    (2) The time spent by the resident training at the other hospital 
is in lieu of time that would have been spent in approved training at 
the sending hospital.
    (3) The time that the resident spent training immediately prior to 
and/or subsequent to the time frame that the Public Health Emergency 
(as defined in Sec.  400.200 of this chapter) associated with COVID-19 
was in effect is included in the FTE count for the sending hospital.

PART 414--PAYMENT FOR PART B MEDICAL AND OTHER HEALTH SERVICES

0
20. The authority citation for part 414 continues to read as follows:

    Authority:  42 U.S.C. 1302, 1395hh, and 1395rr(b)(l).

0
21. Section 414.210 is amended by revising paragraph (g)(9)(iii) and 
(iv) and adding paragraph (g)(9)(v) to read as follows:


Sec.  414.210   General payment rules.

* * * * *
    (g) * * *
    (9) * * *
    (iii) For items and services furnished in rural areas and non-
contiguous areas (Alaska, Hawaii, and U.S. territories) with dates of 
service from June 1, 2018 through December 31, 2020 or through the 
duration of the emergency period described in section 1135(g)(1)(B) of 
the Act (42 U.S.C. 1320b-5(g)(1)(B)), whichever is later, based on the 
fee schedule amount for the area is equal to 50 percent of the adjusted 
payment amount established under this section and 50 percent of the 
unadjusted fee schedule amount.
    (iv) For items and services furnished in areas other than rural or 
noncontiguous areas with dates of service from June 1, 2018 through 
March 5, 2020, based on the fee schedule amount for the area is equal 
to 100 percent of the adjusted payment amount established under this 
section.
    (v) For items and services furnished in areas other than rural or 
noncontiguous areas with dates of service from March 6, 2020, through 
the remainder of the duration of the emergency period described in 
section 1135(g)(1)(B) of the Act (42 U.S.C. 1320b-5(g)(1)(B)), based on 
the fee schedule amount for the area is equal to 75 percent of the 
adjusted payment amount established under this section and 25 percent 
of the unadjusted fee schedule amount. For items and services furnished 
in areas other than rural or noncontiguous areas with dates of service 
from the expiration date of the emergency period described in section 
1135(g)(1)(B) of the Act (42 U.S.C. 1320b-5(g)(1)(B)), through December 
31, 2020, based on the fee schedule amount for the area is equal to 100 
percent of the adjusted payment amount established under this section.
* * * * *


Sec.  414.1400  [Amended]

0
22. Section 414.1400 is amended in paragraphs (b)(3)(v)(C) and (D) by 
removing the phrase ``Beginning with the 2021 performance period'' and 
adding in its place the phrase ``Beginning with the 2022 performance 
period''.

PART 415--SERVICES FURNISHED BY PHYSICIANS IN PROVIDERS, 
SUPERVISING PHYSICIANS IN TEACHING SETTINGS, AND RESIDENTS IN 
CERTAIN SETTINGS

0
23. The authority citation for part 415 continues to read as follows:

    Authority:  42 U.S.C. 1302 and 1395hh.


0
24. Section 415.172 is amended by revising paragraphs (a) introductory 
text, (a)(2), and (b) to read as follows:


Sec.  415.172   Physician fee schedule payment for services of teaching 
physicians.

    (a) General rule. If a resident participates in a service furnished 
in a teaching setting, physician fee schedule payment is made only if a 
teaching physician is present during the key portion of any service or 
procedure for which payment is sought. During the Public Health 
Emergency, as defined in Sec.  400.200 of this chapter, for the COVID-
19 pandemic, if a resident participates in a service furnished in a 
teaching setting, physician fee schedule payment is made if a teaching 
physician is present during the key portion of the service using audio/
video real-time communications technology for any service or procedure 
for which payment is sought.
* * * * *
    (2) In the case of evaluation and management services, the teaching 
physician must be present during the portion of the service that 
determines the level of service billed. (However, in the case of 
evaluation and management services furnished in hospital outpatient 
departments and certain other ambulatory settings, the requirements of 
Sec.  415.174 apply.) During the Public Health Emergency, as defined in 
Sec.  400.200 of this chapter, for the COVID-19 pandemic, the teaching 
physician may be present during the portion of the service that 
determines the level of service billed using audio/video real-time 
communications technology. (However, in the case of evaluation and 
management services furnished in hospital outpatient departments and 
certain other ambulatory settings, the requirements of Sec.  415.174 
apply.)
    (b) Documentation. Except for services furnished as set forth in 
Sec. Sec.  415.174 (concerning an exception for services furnished in 
hospital outpatient and certain other ambulatory settings), 415.176 
(concerning renal dialysis

[[Page 27624]]

services), and 415.184 (concerning psychiatric services), the medical 
records must document the teaching physician was present at the time 
the service is furnished. The presence of the teaching physician during 
procedures and evaluation and management services may be demonstrated 
by the notes in the medical records made by the physician or as 
provided in Sec.  410.20(e) of this chapter. During the Public Health 
Emergency, as defined in Sec.  400.200 of this chapter, for the COVID-
19 pandemic, except for services furnished as set forth in Sec. Sec.  
415.174 (concerning an exception for services furnished in hospital 
outpatient and certain other ambulatory settings), 415.176 (concerning 
renal dialysis services), and 415.184 (concerning psychiatric 
services), the medical records must document if the teaching physician 
was physically present or if the teaching physician was present through 
audio/video real-time communications technology at the time the service 
is furnished. The presence of the teaching physician during procedures 
and evaluation and management services may be demonstrated by the notes 
in the medical records made by the physician or as provided in Sec.  
410.20(e) of this chapter.
* * * * *

0
25. Section 415.174 is amended by revising paragraph (b) and adding 
paragraph (c) to read as follows:


Sec.  415.174  Exception: Evaluation and management services furnished 
in certain centers.

* * * * *
    (b) Nothing in paragraph (a) of this section may be construed as 
providing a basis for the coverage of services not determined to be 
covered under Medicare, such as routine physical check-ups.
    (c) During the Public Health Emergency, as defined in Sec.  400.200 
of this chapter, for the COVID-19 pandemic, the requirements in 
paragraph (a)(3) of this section for a teaching physician to direct the 
care and then to review the services furnished by each resident during 
or immediately after each visit may be met using audio/video real-time 
communications technology.

0
26. Section 415.180 is revised to read as follows:


Sec.  415.180  Teaching setting requirements for the interpretation of 
diagnostic radiology and other diagnostic tests.

    (a) General rule. Physician fee schedule payment is made for the 
interpretation of diagnostic radiology and other diagnostic tests if 
the interpretation is performed or reviewed by a physician other than a 
resident. During the Public Health Emergency, as defined in Sec.  
400.200 of this chapter, for the COVID-19 pandemic, physician fee 
schedule payment may also be made for the interpretation of diagnostic 
radiology and other diagnostic tests if the interpretation is performed 
by a resident when the teaching physician is present through audio/
video real-time communications technology.
    (b) [Reserved]

0
27. Section 415.184 is revised to read as follows:


Sec.  415.184  Psychiatric services.

    To qualify for physician fee schedule payment for psychiatric 
services furnished under an approved GME program, the physician must 
meet the requirements of Sec. Sec.  415.170 and 415.172, including 
documentation, except that the requirement for the presence of the 
teaching physician during the service in which a resident is involved 
may be met by observation of the service by use of a one-way mirror, 
video equipment, or similar device. During the Public Health Emergency, 
as defined in Sec.  400.200 of this chapter, for the COVID-19 pandemic, 
the requirement for the presence of the teaching physician during the 
service in which a resident is involved may be met by direct 
supervision by audio/video real-time communications technology.

PART 424--CONDITIONS FOR MEDICARE PAYMENT

0
28. The authority citation for part 424 continues to read as follows:

    Authority:  42 U.S.C. 1302 and 1395hh.

0
29. Section 424.22 is amended--
0
a. By revising the introductory text;
0
b. In paragraphs (a)(1) introductory text and (a)(1)(i), by removing 
the term ``physician'' each time it appears and adding in its place the 
phrase ``physician or allowed practitioner'';
0
c. In paragraph (a)(1)(i) by removing the phrase ``physician's 
signature'' each time it appears and adding in its place the phrase 
``physician or allowed practitioner's signature'';
0
d. By revising paragraph (a)(1)(iii) and (iv), (a)(1)(v) introductory 
text, and (a)(1)(v)(A);
0
e. By adding paragraph (a)(1)(v)(C);
0
f. In paragraphs (a)(2), (b)(1) introductory text, (b)(2) introductory 
text, and (b)(2)(ii) introductory text, by removing the term 
``physician'' and adding in its place the phrase ``physician or allowed 
practitioner'';
0
g. In paragraph (b)(2)(ii)(A) by removing the phrase ``physician's 
signature'' and adding in its place the phrase ``physician or allowed 
practitioner's signature'';
0
h. By revising paragraph (b)(2)(ii)(B);
0
i. In paragraphs (c)(1) introductory text by removing the phrase 
``physician's medical records'' and adding in its place the phrase 
``physician or allowed practitioner's medical record'';
0
j. In paragraph (c)(1)(i) by removing the phrase ``physician's medical 
record'' and adding in its place the phrase ``physician or allowed 
practitioner's medical record'';
0
k. In paragraph (c)(1)(ii)(A) by removing the term ``physician'' and 
adding in its place the phrase ``physician or allowed practitioner'';
0
l. In the paragraph (d) subject heading by removing the term 
``physician'' and adding in its place the phrase ``physician or allowed 
practitioner's'';
0
m. In paragraph (d) introductory text by removing the term 
``physician'' and adding in its place the phrase ``physician or allowed 
practitioner''; and by removing the term ``physician's'' adding in its 
place the phrase ``physician or allowed practitioner's''; and
0
n. In paragraph (d)(1) by removing the term ``physician'' each time it 
appears and adding in its place the phrase ``physician or allowed 
practitioner''.
    The revisions and addition read as follows:


Sec.  424.22   Requirements for home health services.

    Medicare Part A or Part B pays for home health services only if a 
physician or allowed practitioner as defined at Sec.  484.2 of this 
chapter certifies and recertifies the content specified in paragraphs 
(a)(1) and (b)(2) of this section, as appropriate.
    (a) * * *
    (1) * * *
    (iii) A plan for furnishing the services has been established and 
will be or was periodically reviewed by a physician or allowed 
practitioner and who is not precluded from performing this function 
under paragraph (d) of this section.
    (iv) The services will be or were furnished while the individual 
was under the care of a physician or allowed practitioner.
    (v) A face-to-face patient encounter, which is related to the 
primary reason the patient requires home health services, occurred no 
more than 90 days prior to the home health start of care date or within 
30 days of the start of the home health care and was performed by 
physician or non-physician practitioner defined in paragraph 
(a)(1)(v)(A) of this section. The certifying physician or

[[Page 27625]]

certifying allowed practitioner must also document the date of the 
encounter as part of the certification.
    (A) The face-to-face encounter must be performed by one of the 
following:
    (1) The certifying physician (as defined at Sec.  484.2 of this 
chapter) or a physician, with privileges, who cared for the patient in 
an acute or post-acute care facility from which the patient was 
directly admitted to home health.
    (2) The certifying nurse practitioner (as defined at Sec.  484.2 of 
this chapter), certifying clinical nurse specialist (as defined at 
Sec.  484.2 of this chapter), or a nurse practitioner or a clinical 
nurse specialist who is working in accordance with State law and in 
collaboration with a physician or in collaboration with an acute or 
post-acute care physician with privileges who cared for the patient in 
the acute or post-acute care facility from which the patient was 
directly admitted to home health.
    (3) A certified nurse midwife (as defined in section 1861(gg) of 
the Act) as authorized by State law, under the supervision of a 
physician or under the supervision of an acute or post-acute care 
physician with privileges who cared for the patient in the acute or 
post-acute care facility from which the patient was directly admitted 
to home health.
    (4) A certifying physician assistant (as defined at Sec.  484.2 of 
this chapter) or a physician assistant under the supervision of a 
physician or under the supervision of an acute or post-acute care 
physician with privileges who cared for the patient in the acute or 
post-acute care facility from which the patient was directly admitted 
to home health.
* * * * *
    (C) The face-to-face patient encounter must be performed by the 
certifying physician or allowed practitioner unless the encounter is 
performed by:
    (1) A certified nurse midwife as described in paragraph 
(a)(1)(v)(A)(4) of this section.
    (2) A physician, physician assistant, nurse practitioner, or 
clinical nurse specialist with privileges who cared for the patient in 
the acute or post-acute facility from which the patient was directly 
admitted to home health and who is different from the certifying 
practitioner.
* * * * *
    (b) * * *
    (2) * * *
    (ii) * * *
    (B) Exists as an addendum to the recertification form, in addition 
to the physician or allowed practitioner's signature on the 
recertification form, the physician or allowed practitioner must sign 
immediately following the narrative in the addendum.
* * * * *

0
30. Section 424.507 is amended by revising paragraph (b)(1) 
introductory text to read as follows:


Sec.  424.507  Ordering covered items and services for Medicare 
beneficiaries.

* * * * *
    (b) * * *
    (1) The ordering/certifying physician, or the ordering/certifying 
physician assistant, nurse practitioner, or clinical nurse specialist 
working in accordance with State law, must meet all of the following 
requirements:
* * * * *

PART 425--MEDICARE SHARED SAVINGS PROGRAM

0
31. The authority citation for part 425 continues to read as follows:

    Authority:  42 U.S.C. 1302, 1306, 1395hh, and 1395jjj.

0
32. Section 425.200 is amended by revising paragraph (b)(3)(ii) to read 
as follows:


Sec.  425.200   Participation agreement with CMS.

* * * * *
    (b) * * *
    (3) * * *
    (ii) The term of the participation agreement is 3 years, except as 
follows:
    (A) For an ACO whose first agreement period in Track 1 began in 
2014 or 2015, in which case the term of the ACO's initial agreement 
period under Track 1 (as described under Sec.  425.604) may be 
extended, at the ACO's option, for an additional year for a total of 4 
performance years if the conditions specified in paragraph (e) of this 
section are met.
    (B) For an ACO whose agreement period started on January 1, 2018, 
the term of the participation agreement is extended by 12 months if 
both of the following conditions are met:
    (1) The ACO elects to extend the participation agreement for a 
fourth performance year until December 31, 2021.
    (2) The ACO's election to extend its agreement period is made in 
the form and manner and by a deadline established by CMS.
* * * * *

0
33. Section 425.400 is amended by adding paragraph (c)(2) to read as 
follows:


Sec.  425.400   General.

* * * * *
    (c) * * *
    (2) For the performance year starting on January 1, 2020, and for 
any subsequent performance year that starts during the COVID-19 Public 
Health Emergency defined in Sec.  400.200, in determining beneficiary 
assignment, we use the primary care service codes identified in 
paragraph (c)(1) of this section, and additional primary care service 
codes as follows:
    (i) CPT codes:
    (A) 99421, 99422, and 99423 (codes for online digital evaluation 
and management services).
    (B) 99441, 99442, and 99443 (codes for telephone evaluation and 
management services).
    (ii) HCPCS codes:
    (A) G2010 (code for remote evaluation of patient video/images).
    (B) G2012 (code for virtual check-in).

0
34. Section 425.600 is amended by redesignating paragraph 
(a)(4)(i)(B)(2)(iii) as paragraph (a)(4)(i)(B)(2)(iv) and adding new 
paragraph (a)(4)(i)(B)(2)(iii) to read as follows:


Sec.  425.600   Selection of risk model.

    (a) * * *
    (4) * * *
    (i) * * *
    (B) * * *
    (2) * * *
    (iii) Exception for ACOs participating in the BASIC track's glide 
path that elect to maintain their participation level for performance 
year 2021. Prior to the automatic advancement for performance year 
2021, an ACO that is participating in the BASIC track's glide path for 
performance year 2020 may elect to remain in the same level of the 
BASIC track's glide path that it entered for the 2020 performance year, 
for performance year 2021. For performance year 2022, the ACO is 
automatically advanced to the level of the BASIC track's glide path to 
which the ACO would have automatically advanced absent the election to 
maintain its participation level for performance year 2021, unless the 
ACO elects to transition to a higher level of risk and potential reward 
within the BASIC track's glide path as provided in Sec.  
425.226(a)(2)(i). A voluntary election by an ACO under this paragraph 
must be made in the form and manner and by a deadline established by 
CMS.
* * * * *

0
35. Section 425.611 is added to read as follows:


Sec.  425.611   Adjustments to Shared Savings Program calculations to 
address the COVID-19 pandemic.

    (a) General. This section describes adjustments CMS makes to Shared

[[Page 27626]]

Savings Program calculations to address the impact of the COVID-19 
pandemic.
    (b) Episodes of care for treatment of COVID-19. (1) CMS identifies 
an episode of care for treatment of COVID-19 based on either of the 
following:
    (i) Discharges for inpatient services eligible for the 20 percent 
adjustment under section 1886(d)(4)(C) of the Act.
    (ii) Discharges for acute care inpatient services for treatment of 
COVID-19 from facilities that are not paid under the inpatient 
prospective payment system, such as CAHs, when the date of admission 
occurs within the Public Health Emergency as defined in Sec.  400.200 
of this chapter.
    (2) CMS defines the episode of care as starting in the month in 
which the inpatient stay begins as identified by the admission date, 
all months during the inpatient stay, and the month following the end 
of the inpatient stay as indicated by the discharge date.
    (c) Applicability of adjustments. Notwithstanding any other 
provision in this part, CMS adjusts the following Shared Savings 
Program calculations to exclude all Parts A and B fee-for-service 
payment amounts for a beneficiary's episode of care for treatment of 
COVID-19 as described in paragraph (b) of this section:
    (1) Calculation of Medicare Parts A and B fee-for-service 
expenditures for an ACO's assigned beneficiaries for all purposes 
including the following: Establishing, adjusting, updating, and 
resetting the ACO's historical benchmark and determining performance 
year expenditures.
    (2) Calculation of fee-for-service expenditures for assignable 
beneficiaries as used in determining county-level fee-for-service 
expenditures and national Medicare fee-for-service expenditures, 
including the following calculations:
    (i) Determining average county fee-for-service expenditures based 
on expenditures for the assignable population of beneficiaries in each 
county in the ACO's regional service area according to Sec. Sec.  
425.601(c) and 425.603(e) for purposes of calculating the ACO's 
regional fee-for-service expenditures.
    (ii) Determining the 99th percentile of national Medicare fee-for-
service expenditures for assignable beneficiaries for purposes of the 
following:
    (A) Truncating assigned beneficiary expenditures used in 
calculating benchmark expenditures under Sec. Sec.  425.601(a)(4), 
425.602(a)(4), and 425.603(c)(4), and performance year expenditures 
under Sec. Sec.  425.604(a)(4), 425.605(a)(3), 425.606(a)(4), and 
425.610(a)(4).
    (B) Truncating expenditures for assignable beneficiaries in each 
county for purposes of determining county fee-for-service expenditures 
according to Sec. Sec.  425.601(c)(3) and 425.603(e)(3).
    (iii) Determining 5 percent of national per capita expenditures for 
Parts A and B services under the original Medicare fee-for-service 
program for assignable beneficiaries for purposes of capping the 
regional adjustment to the ACO's historical benchmark according to 
Sec.  425.601(a)(8)(ii)(C).
    (iv) Determining the flat dollar equivalent of the projected 
absolute amount of growth in national per capita expenditures for Parts 
A and B services under the original Medicare fee-for-service program 
for assignable beneficiaries, for purposes of updating the ACO's 
historical benchmark according to Sec.  425.602(b)(2).
    (v) Determining national growth rates that are used as part of the 
blended growth rates used to trend forward BY1 and BY2 expenditures to 
BY3 according to Sec.  425.601(a)(5)(ii) and as part of the blended 
growth rates used to trend the benchmark and update the benchmark 
according to Sec.  425.601(b)(2).
    (3) Calculation of Medicare Parts A and B fee-for-service revenue 
of ACO participants for purposes of calculating the ACO's loss 
recoupment limit under the BASIC track as specified in Sec.  
425.605(d).
    (4) Calculation of total Medicare Parts A and B fee-for-service 
revenue of ACO participants and total Medicare Parts A and B fee-for-
service expenditures for the ACO's assigned beneficiaries for purposes 
of identifying whether an ACO is a high revenue ACO or low revenue ACO, 
as defined under Sec.  425.20, and determining an ACO's eligibility for 
participation options according to Sec.  425.600(d).
    (5) Calculation or recalculation of the amount of the ACO's 
repayment mechanism arrangement according to Sec.  425.204(f)(4).

PART 440--SERVICES: GENERAL PROVISIONS

0
36. The authority citation for part 440 continues to read as follows:

    Authority: 42 U.S.C. 1302.

0
37. Section 440.30 is amended by adding paragraph (d) to read as 
follows:


Sec.  440.30  Other laboratory and X-ray services.

* * * * *
    (d) During the Public Health Emergency defined in 42 CFR 400.200 or 
any future Public Health Emergency resulting from an outbreak of 
communicable disease, and during any subsequent period of active 
surveillance (as defined in this paragraph), Medicaid coverage is 
available for laboratory tests and X-ray services that do not meet 
conditions specified in paragraph (a) or (b) of this section, if the 
purpose of such laboratory and X-ray services is to diagnose or detect 
SARS-CoV-2, antibodies to SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19, or the communicable 
disease named in the Public Health Emergency or its causes, and if the 
deviation from the conditions specified in paragraph (a) or (b) of this 
section is intended to avoid transmission of the communicable disease. 
For purposes of this paragraph, a period of active surveillance is 
defined as an outbreak of communicable disease during which no approved 
treatment or vaccine is widely available, and it ends on the date the 
Secretary terminates it, or the date that is two incubation periods 
after the last known case of the communicable disease, whichever is 
sooner. Additionally, during the Public Health Emergency defined in 42 
CFR 400.200 or any future Public Health Emergency resulting from an 
outbreak of communicable disease, and during any subsequent period of 
active surveillance (as defined in this paragraph), Medicaid coverage 
is available for laboratory processing of self-collected laboratory 
test systems that are authorized by the FDA for home use, if available 
to diagnose or detect SARS-CoV-2, antibodies to SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19, 
or the communicable disease named in the Public Health Emergency or its 
causes, even if those self-collected tests would not otherwise meet the 
requirements of paragraph (a) or (b) of this section, provided that the 
self-collection of the test is intended to avoid transmission of the 
communicable disease. If, pursuant to this paragraph, a laboratory 
processes a self-collected test system that is authorized by the FDA 
for home use, and the test system does not meet the conditions in 
paragraph (a) of this section, the laboratory must notify the patient 
and the patient's physician or other licensed non-physician 
practitioner (if known by the laboratory), of the results.

0
38. Section 440.70 is amended--
0
a. By revising paragraph (a)(2);
0
b. By adding paragraph (a)(3);
0
c. By revising paragraph (b)(1)(ii);
0
d. In paragraph (b)(3)(iii), by removing the phrase ``for the period of 
the Public Health Emergency,'';
0
e. In paragraph (b)(3)(iv), by removing the phrase ``for the period of 
the Public Health Emergency,'';
0
f. By revising paragraphs (f) introductory text and (f)(3)(i);
0
g. In paragraph (f)(3)(ii) by removing the phrase ``working in 
collaboration

[[Page 27627]]

with the physician referenced in paragraph (a) of this section'' and 
adding in its place the phrase ``in accordance with State law'';
0
h. In paragraph (f)(3)(iv) by removing the phrase ``under the 
supervision of the physician referenced in paragraph (a) of this 
section'' and adding in its place the phrase ``in accordance with State 
law'';
0
i. By adding paragraph (f)(3)(vi);
0
j. By revising paragraphs (f)(4);
0
k. In paragraph (f)(5) introductory text, by removing the phrase ``the 
physician responsible'' and adding in its place the phrase ``the 
practitioner responsible''; and
0
l. By revising paragraph (g)(1).
    The revisions and addition read as follows:


Sec.  440.70  Home health services.

* * * * *
    (a) * * *
    (2) On orders written by a physician, nurse practitioner, clinical 
nurse specialist or physician assistant, working in accordance with 
State law, as part of a written plan of care that the ordering 
practitioner reviews every 60 days for services described in (b)(1), 
(2), and (4) of this section; and
    (3) On his or her physician's orders or orders written by a 
licensed practitioner of the healing arts acting within the scope of 
practice authorized under State law, as part of a written plan of care 
for services described in paragraph (b)(3) of this section. The plan of 
care must be reviewed by the ordering practitioner as specified in 
paragraph (b)(3)(iii) of this section.
    (b) * * *
    (1) * * *
    (ii) Receives written orders from the patient's practitioner as 
defined in (a)(2) of this section;
* * * * *
    (f) No payment may be made for services referenced in paragraphs 
(b)(1) through (4) of this section, unless a practitioner referenced in 
paragraph (a)(2) of this section or for medical equipment, a 
practitioner described in paragraph (a)(3) of this section documents 
that there was a face-to-face encounter with the beneficiary that meets 
the following requirements.
* * * * *
    (3) * * *
    (i) A physician;
* * * * *
    (vi) For medical equipment, supplies, or appliances, a licensed 
practitioner of the healing arts acting within the scope of practice 
authorized under state law.
    (4) If State law does not allow the non-physician practitioner, as 
described in paragraphs (f)(3)(ii) through (vi) of this section, to 
perform the face-to-face encounter independently, the non-physician 
practitioner must communicate the clinical findings of that face-to-
face encounter to the ordering physician. Those clinical findings must 
be incorporated into a written or electronic document included in the 
beneficiary's medical record.
* * * * *
    (g)(1) No payment may be made for medical equipment, supplies, or 
appliances referenced in paragraph (b)(3) of this section to the extent 
that a face-to-face encounter requirement would apply as durable 
medical equipment (DME) under the Medicare program, unless a 
practitioner referenced in paragraph (a)(3) of this section documents a 
face-to-face encounter with the beneficiary consistent with the 
requirements of paragraph (f) of this section except as indicated in 
paragraph (g)(2) of this section.
* * * * *

PART 483--REQUIREMENTS FOR STATES AND LONG TERM CARE FACILITIES

0
39. The authority citation continues to read as follows:

    Authority:  42 U.S.C. 1302, 1320a-7, 1395i, 1395hh and 1396r.

0
40. Section 483.80 is amended by adding paragraph (g) to read as 
follows:


Sec.  483.80  Infection control.

* * * * *
    (g) COVID-19 reporting. The facility must--
    (1) Electronically report information about COVID-19 in a 
standardized format specified by the Secretary. This report must 
include but is not limited to--
    (i) Suspected and confirmed COVID-19 infections among residents and 
staff, including residents previously treated for COVID-19;
    (ii) Total deaths and COVID-19 deaths among residents and staff;
    (iii) Personal protective equipment and hand hygiene supplies in 
the facility;
    (iv) Ventilator capacity and supplies in the facility;
    (v) Resident beds and census;
    (vi) Access to COVID-19 testing while the resident is in the 
facility;
    (vii) Staffing shortages; and
    (viii) Other information specified by the Secretary.
    (2) Provide the information specified in paragraph (g)(1) of this 
section at a frequency specified by the Secretary, but no less than 
weekly to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National 
Healthcare Safety Network. This information will be posted publicly by 
CMS to support protecting the health and safety of residents, 
personnel, and the general public.
    (3) Inform residents, their representatives, and families of those 
residing in facilities by 5 p.m. the next calendar day following the 
occurrence of either a single confirmed infection of COVID-19, or three 
or more residents or staff with new-onset of respiratory symptoms 
occurring within 72 hours of each other. This information must--
    (i) Not include personally identifiable information;
    (ii) Include information on mitigating actions implemented to 
prevent or reduce the risk of transmission, including if normal 
operations of the facility will be altered; and
    (iii) Include any cumulative updates for residents, their 
representatives, and families at least weekly or by 5 p.m. the next 
calendar day following the subsequent occurrence of either: Each time a 
confirmed infection of COVID-19 is identified, or whenever three or 
more residents or staff with new onset of respiratory symptoms occur 
within 72 hours of each other.

PART 484--HOME HEALTH SERVICES

0
41. The authority citation for part 484 is revised to read as follows:

    Authority: 42 U.S.C. 1302 and 1395hh.


0
42. Section 484.2 is amended by--
0
a. Adding definitions for ``Allowed practitioner'', ``Clinical nurse 
specialist'', ``Nurse practitioner'', ``Physician'', and ``Physician 
assistant'' in alphabetical order; and
0
b. Revising the definitions of ``Summary report'' and ``Verbal order''.
    The additions and revisions read as follows:


Sec.  484.2   Definitions.

* * * * *
    Allowed practitioner means a physician assistant, nurse 
practitioner, or clinical nurse specialist as defined at this part.
* * * * *
    Clinical nurse specialist means an individual as defined at Sec.  
410.76(a) and (b) of this chapter, and who is working in collaboration 
with the physician as defined at Sec.  410.76(c)(3) of this chapter.
* * * * *
    Nurse practitioner means an individual as defined at Sec.  
410.75(a) and (b) of this chapter, and who is working in collaboration 
with the physician as defined at Sec.  410.75(c)(3) of this chapter.
* * * * *

[[Page 27628]]

    Physician is a doctor of medicine, osteopathy, or podiatric 
medicine, and who is not precluded from performing this function under 
paragraph (d) of this section. (A doctor of podiatric medicine may 
perform only plan of treatment functions that are consistent with the 
functions he or she is authorized to perform under State law.)
    Physician assistant means an individual as defined at Sec.  
410.74(a) and (c) of this chapter.
* * * * *
    Summary report means the compilation of the pertinent factors of a 
patient's clinical notes that is submitted to the patient's physician, 
physician assistant, nurse practitioner, or clinical nurse specialist.
* * * * *
    Verbal order means a physician, physician assistant, nurse 
practitioner, or clinical nurse specialist order that is spoken to 
appropriate personnel and later put in writing for the purposes of 
documenting as well as establishing or revising the patient's plan of 
care.


Sec.  484.50  [Amended]

0
43. Section 484.50 is amended in paragraphs (d)(1) and (3) by removing 
the term ``physician'' and adding in its place the phrase ``physician 
or allowed practitioner''.


Sec.  484.55  [Amended]

0
44. Section 484.55 is amended in paragraphs (a)(1), (b)(3) and (d)(2) 
by removing the term ``physician'' and add in its place the phrase 
``physician or allowed practitioner''.

0
45. Section 484.60 is amended--
0
a. By revising paragraphs (a)(1), (a)(2)(xvi), (b), and (c)(1); and
0
b. In paragraphs (c)(3)(i) and (ii) and (d)(1) and (2) by removing the 
term ``physicians'' and adding in its place the phrase ``physicians or 
allowed practitioners''.
    The revisions read as follows:


Sec.  484.60   Condition of participation: Care planning, coordination 
of services, and quality of care.

* * * * *
    (a) * * *
    (1) Each patient must receive the home health services that are 
written in an individualized plan of care that identifies patient-
specific measurable outcomes and goals, and which is established, 
periodically reviewed, and signed by a doctor of medicine, osteopathy, 
or podiatry or allowed practitioner acting within the scope of his or 
her state license, certification, or registration. If a physician or 
allowed practitioner refers a patient under a plan of care that cannot 
be completed until after an evaluation visit, the physician or allowed 
practitioner is consulted to approve additions or modifications to the 
original plan.
    (2) * * *
    (xvi) Any additional items the HHA or physician or allowed 
practitioner may choose to include.
    (b) Standard: Conformance with physician or allowed practitioner 
orders. (1) Drugs, services, and treatments are administered only as 
ordered by a physician or allowed practitioner.
    (2) Influenza and pneumococcal vaccines may be administered per 
agency policy developed in consultation with a physician, physician 
assistant, nurse practitioner, or clinical nurse specialist, and after 
an assessment of the patient to determine for contraindications.
    (3) Verbal orders must be accepted only by personnel authorized to 
do so by applicable state laws and regulations and by the HHA's 
internal policies.
    (4) When services are provided on the basis of a physician or 
allowed practitioner's verbal orders, a nurse acting in accordance with 
state licensure requirements, or other qualified practitioner 
responsible for furnishing or supervising the ordered services, in 
accordance with state law and the HHA's policies, must document the 
orders in the patient's clinical record, and sign, date, and time the 
orders. Verbal orders must be authenticated and dated by the physician 
or allowed practitioner in accordance with applicable state laws and 
regulations, as well as the HHA's internal policies.
    (c) * * *
    (1) The individualized plan of care must be reviewed and revised by 
the physician or allowed practitioner who is responsible for the home 
health plan of care and the HHA as frequently as the patient's 
condition or needs require, but no less frequently than once every 60 
days, beginning with the start of care date. The HHA must promptly 
alert the relevant physician(s) or allowed practitioner(s) to any 
changes in the patient's condition or needs that suggest that outcomes 
are not being achieved and/or that the plan of care should be altered.
* * * * *


Sec.  484.75  [Amended]

0
46. Section 484.75 is amended in the introductory text and paragraph 
(b)(3) by removing the term ``physician'' and adding in its place the 
phrase ``physician or allowed practitioner''.


Sec.  484.80  [Amended]

0
47. Section 484.80 is amended in paragraph (g)(2)(i) by removing the 
term ``physician;'' and adding in its place the phrase ``physician or 
allowed practitioner;''.


Sec.  484.205  [Amended]

0
48. Section 484.205 is amended--
0
a. In paragraphs (h)(1)(ii) by removing the term ``physician's'' and 
adding in its place the phrase ``physician or allowed practitioner's'';
0
b. In paragraphs (h)(1)(iii) and (h)(2) introductory text by removing 
the term ``physician'' and adding in its place the phrase ``physician 
or allowed practitioner''; and
0
c. In paragraphs (i)(2)(i) and (j)(2)(i) by removing the term 
``physician's'' and adding in its place the phrase ``physician or 
allowed practitioner's''.


Sec.  484.235  [Amended]

0
49. Section 484.235 is amended--
0
a. In paragraphs (a)(1) and (3) by removing the term ``physician'' and 
adding in its place the phrase ``physician or allowed practitioner'';
0
b. In paragraph (b)(1) by removing the phrase ``assessment and 
physician certification'' and adding in its place the phrase 
``assessment and certification''; and
0
c. In paragraph (b)(3) by removing the term ``physician'' and adding in 
its place the phrase ``physician or allowed practitioner''.

0
50. Section 484.315 is amended by revising paragraph (b) to read as 
follows:


Sec.  484.315  Data reporting for measures and evaluation and the 
public reporting of model data under the Home Health Value-Based 
Purchasing (HHVBP) Model

* * * * *
    (b) Competing home health agencies in selected states will be 
required to report information on New Measures, as determined 
appropriate by the Secretary, to CMS in the form, manner, and at a time 
specified by the Secretary, and subject to any exceptions or extensions 
CMS may grant to home health agencies for the Public Health Emergency 
as defined in Sec.  400.200 of this chapter.
* * * * *

PART 600--ADMINISTRATION, ELIGIBILITY, ESSENTIAL HEALTH BENEFITS, 
PERFORMANCE STANDARDS, SERVICE DELIVERY REQUIREMENTS, PREMIUM AND 
COST SHARING, ALLOTMENTS, AND RECONCILIATION

0
51. The authority citation for part 600 continues to read as follows:


[[Page 27629]]


    Authority: Section 1331 of the Patient Protection and Affordable 
Care Act of 2010 (Pub. L. 111-148, 124 Stat. 119), as amended by the 
Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 (Pub. L. 111--
152, 124 State. 1029).

0
52. Section 600.125 is amended by revising paragraph (b) and adding 
paragraph (c) to read as follows:


Sec.  600.125  Revisions to a certified BHP Blueprint.

* * * * *
    (b) Continued operations. The state is responsible for continuing 
to operate under the terms of the existing certified Blueprint until 
and unless a revised Blueprint that seeks to make significant change(s) 
is certified, except as specified in paragraph (c) of this section.
    (c) Public health emergency. For the Public Health Emergency, as 
defined in Sec.  400.200 of this chapter, the State may submit to the 
Secretary for review and certification a revised Blueprint, in the form 
and manner specified by HHS, that makes temporary significant changes 
to its BHP that are directly related to the Public Health Emergency and 
would increase enrollee access to coverage. Such revised Blueprints may 
have an effective date retroactive to the first day of the Public 
Health Emergency and through the last day of the Public Health 
Emergency, or a later date if requested by the state and certified by 
HHS. Such revised Blueprints are not subject to the public comment 
requirements under Sec.  600.115(c).

Title 45

PART 156--HEALTH INSURANCE ISSUER STANDARDS UNDER THE AFFORDABLE 
CARE ACT, INCLUDING STANDARDS RELATED TO EXCHANGES

0
53. The authority citation for part 156 continues to read as follows:

    Authority:  42 U.S.C. 18021-18024, 18031-18032, 18041-18042, 
18044, 18054, 18061, 18063, 18071, 18082, 26 U.S.C. 36B, and 31 
U.S.C. 9701.

0
54. Section 156.280 is amended by revising paragraph (e)(2)(ii) 
introductory text to read as follows:


Sec.  156.280  Separate billing and segregation of funds for abortion 
services.

* * * * *
    (e) * * *
    (2) * * *
    (ii) Beginning on or before the first billing cycle following 
August 26, 2020, to satisfy the obligation in paragraph (e)(2)(i) of 
this section--
* * * * *

    Dated: April 24, 2020.
Seema Verma,
Administrator, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
    Dated: April 28, 2020.
Alex M. Azar II,
Secretary, Department of Health and Human Services.
[FR Doc. 2020-09608 Filed 5-1-20; 4:15 pm]
 BILLING CODE 4120-01-P