Hospitals risk losing CMS payment for not reporting COVID-19 data to HHS under new rule

Becker's Hospital Review ^ | August 26 2020 | Laura Dydra

[buckalfa]

CMS issued an interim final rule on Aug. 25 that requires hospitals to report COVID-19 data to HHS in order to participate in Medicare and Medicaid programs.

Five things to know:

1. The emergency regulations require hospitals and critical access hospitals to report daily COVID-19 data through the HHS portal, powered by TeleTracking and Palantir, to receive payment from CMS.

2. Hospitals are required to report several data points, including the number of patients testing positive for COVID-19, ICU bed occupation and availability of ventilators and personal protective equipment. This information is essential for emergency planning and resource allocation during the pandemic, according to a CMS statement about the new rule.

3. The new rule also requires all hospitals to report results of in-house COVID-19 tests.

4. CMS may terminate Medicare and Medicaid payment to hospitals that don't correct reporting deficiencies as well.

5. Around 94 percent of hospitals are reporting COVID-19 information to HHS, according to a statement from American Hospital Association President Rick Pollack. He also said AHA has been working with HHS to help hospitals understand data collection requirements and worked with the agency to update contact information for hospitals, remove closed hospitals from their list and identify instances where hospitals submitted data that didn't make it through to HHS.

"While hospitals and health systems remain focused on patient care, they're also committed to providing our government with the public health data it needs," said Mr. Pollack. "However, a new heavy-handed regulatory approach put forward by the Administration threatens to expel hospitals from the Medicare program. This disturbing move, announced in final form without consultation, or the opportunity to provide feedback through appropriate administrative procedures prior to it becoming effective, could jeopardize access to care and leave patients and communities without vital health services from their local hospital during a pandemic."

[buckalfa]

Is a covid-19 being baked into being a permanent feature of our healthcare future?

Is the Trump administration trying to better control the statistical narrative of covid-19 by forcing hospitals to abide by reporting rules to the HHS rather than the CDC?

Another example of an holdover bureaucrats in an agency going rouge against the President's policies?

Thoughts?

[mewzilla]

I can’t think of a good reason for refusing to report.

But I can think of a lot of bad ones.

And I wouldn’t set foot in any hospital refusing to send the data.

[LoveMyFreedom]

Is the Trump administration trying to better control the statistical narrative of covid-19 by forcing hospitals to abide by reporting rules to the HHS rather than the CDC?

---

I do not doubt they are trying to get better control. The hospitals and state governments are calling as many deaths as possible COVID-19 to get more money plain and simple.

[DoughtyOne]

Why this if they are already incentivized?

[Buckeye McFrog]

Sounds like something Mike Pence should have thought of at the very outset of the task force.

He fumbled the ball all over the field on this.

[LoveMyFreedom]

I don’t think it was fumbling the ball. Feel it is more deep state undermining the Trump Administration. Faucia to name one!

[Engedi]

I’m retired, but this was my line of work, Sr Hospital Reimbursement analyst. I keep in contact with my boss and coworkers. In April CMS advanced my hospital where I worked (major huge hospital) $200 Million for COVID.

So they advance the payments, however, the hospital will have to settle up at end when they do their Medicare Cost report. Any differences will have to be paid back to CMS or paid to the hospital. So glad I’m retired. The audit and tracking is going to be nightmare with huge amount of hospital notes, documentation for payments, etc.

[Engedi]

By reporting to HHS, any hospital who over-stated COVID or can’t document receiving payment for COVID related patients will have to return the money when the audit is done in a year. I have 20 yrs experience dealing with Medicaid and Medicare auditors and it’s not a cake walk. There will be some hospitals with fraudulent billing and they will have to pay back HHS.

[A strike]

‘If you die we will report it as a civid-19 death unless you prove otherwise.’

[buckalfa]

"I’m retired, but this was my line of work, Sr Hospital Reimbursement analyst."

Wow! Someone who knows the intricacies and nuances of Medicare cost reporting, APC's, DRG's, outliers and Disportionate Share! I am blessed that I got out five years ago. The thought of trying to set up a workable ACO or global payment system and health problems drove me to the sidelines.

[hinckley buzzard]

CMS has been abusive and punitive ever since Obama care passed. The bureaucrats have taken control of a majority of Our healthcare system and are more than willing to strangle hospitals and doctors who dare to stray from the posture of submissive compliance.

This is how the advocates of the police state are seeking to use “healthcare” regulations as a fig leaf to cover their real intentions. Same as calling “gun Violence” a “public health problem.“ If so then it comes under regulatory control; and the likes of Anthony Fauci will be telling you to turn in your gun in the interest of protecting others..