In response to the declaration of the COVID-19 national public health emergency (PHE), the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued a nationwide blanket waiver of the 3-Day Prior Hospitalization and 60-day break in Benefit Period requirements to qualify for SNF Part A benefits effective March 1, 2020. When a blanket waiver is issued, providers don't have to apply for an individual waiver for the duration of the PHE. The PHE was recently renewed and will apply till at least January 20, 2021.
This AHCA/NCAL
webinar and accompanying
fact sheet provide a brief overview of the background of these important waivers, and also provides specific details about when and how it would be appropriate for SNFs to apply the waivers to assure that Medicare beneficiaries are able to access skilled SNF Part A benefits in a manner that also minimizes risks for unnecessary exposure or transmission of the COVID-19 virus. Examples of how the 3-Day Stay and Benefit Period waivers can or cannot apply in common situations are be discussed. Additionally, details related to documentation, MDS assessment scheduling, and claims coding and sequencing requirements specific to these waivers are reviewed.
While providing a general overview of these waivers, the target audience for this webinar includes SNF personnel responsible for making coverage eligibility decisions, as well as MDS scheduling personnel and billing office personnel responsible for assuring compliance with the modified requirements necessary for claims applying these waivers to be properly processed by CMS.