Coronavirus Update #139
CMS Call Today at 5:30
Medicaid Provider Partnership to Support Testing
This Week's Lessons from the Front Lines
Reminders: Provider Relief Portal for Assisted Living, New MDS Effective October 1
TODAY AT 5:30 PM EDT: CMS Call for Nursing Homes

CMS Administrator Verma has scheduled a call for all nursing homes today (Wednesday, July 15) at 5:30 pm Eastern. She has some announcements and updates she wants to provide directly to nursing homes regarding their recent announcement on COVID-19 testing in nursing homes in hotspot geographic areas.
The call information is:
Phone: 1-833-614-0820 
Conference ID: 9391146 

Call lines are limited, so CMS encourages you to join the  audio webcast .  
Medicaid Provider Partnership Required to Support COVID-19 Testing Goals

Earlier today the Maryland Department of Health (MDH) shared this memorandum regarding Governor Hogan's established goal of testing 10 percent of the Maryland population. Per the memo, MDH requires the support of Medicaid providers in contacting Medicaid participants and encouraging them to seek a COVID-19 test.
CMS COVID-19 Lessons from the Front Lines Call – Friday, July 17

Lessons from the Front Lines calls are a joint effort between CMS Administrator Seema Verma, FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn, MD, and the White House Coronavirus Task Force. Physicians and other clinicians are invited to share their experience, ideas, strategies, and insights with one another related to their COVID-19 response. There is an opportunity to ask questions of presenters.

This Week’s Lessons from the Front Lines:
Friday, July 17th at 12:30 – 2:00 PM Eastern
Toll Free Attendee Dial-In: 833-614-0820; 
Access Code: 3096434
**ATTENTION ASSISTED LIVING PROVIDERS**

CARES Act Provider Relief Fund Portal

ACTION:  If you are serving Marylanders on Medicaid, we strongly encourage you to go to the Federal CARES Act Portal before this Friday, July 17 to seek federal emergency grant payment of relief. The Congress enacted and the President set aside those limited dollars for the benefit of Medicaid providers, even on assisted living campuses.

Here is a link to the portal: https://cares.linkhealth.com/#/

BACKGROUND:  As we shared in our 114th and 115th sector wide coronavirus email updates, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) launched a web application portal for Medicaid providers other than SNF Medicaid providers. The new Provider Relief Fund Payment Portal will initially be used for new submissions from Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) providers seeking payments under the Provider Relief Fund including assisted living communities, ICFs/ID-DD, and home and community-based providers.

In the meantime, if you do provide Medicaid funded care, take action
and go online to apply for CARES Act relief by this Friday.
Patient Driven Payment Model/New Minimum Data Set (MDS)

The Maryland Department of Health (MDH) has released a memorandum to nursing facilities administrators regarding CMS Minimum Data Set (MDS) version 1.17.2, which will be effective October 1, 2020. Please click here to view the full memo.

If you have any questions, please contact Mary Tarenyika at [email protected].
Did you miss HFAM's previous alerts?

Visit our website to view all previous HFAM alerts, as well as guidance
from our federal and state partners.
Thank you.

We cannot thank you enough for the dedication and diligence in doing all that you can for the residents in your communities. HFAM continues to monitor the COVID-19 pandemic with our state and national partners and will do all we can to support you during this time.