AAHomecare Asks CMS for Post-PHE Guidance

Association met with officials to ensure that patients impacted by the Covid-19 PHE waivers will continue to have access to their DME items after the emergency is lifted. 

• By David Kopf
• Mar 09, 2023

The American Association for Homecare reported that it met with two groups of CMS leaders regarding patient care access and provider reimbursement after the end of the Covid-19 public health emergency.

The PHE is expected to end on May 11, per a statement of policy released by the Biden Administration.

In the first meeting, AAHomecare met with officials from CMS’s Center for Program Integrity about the need for clear and detailed guidance on policy waivers that were implemented during the PHE. AAHomecare underscored the need to ensure that patients that were impacted by the PHE waivers will continue to have access to their DME items after the end of the PHE.

CMS indicated to AAHomecare that it would release two FAQ documents in April, with one specific to continuous glucose monitors and the other providing more general directions for suppliers on the ending of the PHE waivers.

“CMS understood the issue with date of service after the PHE, where the records will still not be whole, and the challenges with patient setup prior to the PHE, where the patient missed a recert F2F or repeat test/study during the PHE,” AAHomecare noted in a public statement.

In the second meeting, AAHomecare communicated with leaders at CMS’s Technology, Coding, and Pricing Group regarding payment relief in non-rural and former competitive bidding areas (CBAs). AAHomecare requested that CMS consider making 75/25 blended rates permanent in non-rural areas and applying 90/10 blended rates in former CBAs. 

The association added it also advocated for the adoption of e-prescribing for the DMEPOS industry in this meeting.