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COVID-19 Updates: May 8, 2020
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This update includes:
- Summary of CMS Reporting Requirements, NHSN Reporting Delays, Upcoming NHSN Webinars
- DHS: COVID Testing Available for Some AL Settings
- DHHS Releases Updated FAQs For CARES Stimulus Funding
- IRS Announces Instructions for Stimulus Repayment of Deceased Individuals
- Wisconsin Misses Out on $25 Million in Funding Due to COVID-19 Relief Bill Delays in Legislature
- PPE Supplier List
- Webinar on PPE Use Next Week
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As of today, there are 9,590 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the state of Wisconsin and 384 deaths caused by the virus. Click
HERE
to view the latest outbreak information from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services. Click
HERE
to view COVID-19 projections for Wisconsin and the United States.
The Department of Health Services
released
a searchable map Wednesday to connect Wisconsinites with testing site locations, contact information hours of operation and how to schedule appointments.
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Summary of CMS Reporting Requirements, NHSN Reporting Delays, Upcoming NHSN Webinars
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- Requirements for notifying residents, representatives, and families of COVID cases,
- NHSN reporting requirements, and
- Survey and enforcement of these new requirements.
Although CMS has provided clarification on some aspects of these new requirements in the memo, we continue to communicate with CMS and CDC on several outstanding issues and to advocate for needed flexibility including an extended grace period for NHSN reporting enforcement due to the current delays and backlogs in NHSN enrollment.
It is taking longer than anticipated for nursing homes to enroll in
CDC’s National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) due to high demand from the new CMS reporting requirements. The NHSN have recruited additional staff to reduce the processing time of enrollment requests.
IMPORTANT NOTE: For the best experience and quicker access to the system, please be sure you are replying to a registration/enrollment email. Emailing the NHSN user support helpdesk will result in longer wait times for a reply.
Additionally, NHSN is providing two live Zoom sessions to address enrollment specific questions. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
LTCFs COVID-19 Live Q&A Session for Module and Enrollment Specific Questions
Tuesday, May 12, 2020
12:00 p.m. CST
Thursday, May 14, 2020
1:00 p.m. CST
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DHS: COVID Testing Available for Some AL Settings
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DHS officials have indicated that if an assisted living facility employs or contracts with a nurse, and can obtain a prescribing order from a physician, the assisted living facility can request testing from the state at no charge (utilizing the same website and process nursing homes are currently doing,
available here). This is voluntary and residents/staff can decline to be tested. All testing would go through Exact Sciences, just as it has for the nursing home testing.
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DHHS Releases Updated FAQs For CARES Stimulus Funding
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As reported yesterday, the U.S Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) announced that the attestation window and related acceptance of Terms and Conditions has been extended to 45 days, formerly 30 days, from the date a provider received a payment to attest to and accept the Terms and Conditions or return the funds.
Shortly after announcing the extension of the provider-specific attestation period, DHHS released an updated set of
FAQs. Members should review the FAQs in detail and compare these with the
Terms and Conditions. Below are preliminary highlights. Additional AHCA/NCAL assessment will be provided tomorrow.
- Additional Funding is Available to Targeted and General Allocations. This point has been a notable point of confusion. DHHS now states, “Any provider who has already received a payment from the Provider Relief Fund … should apply for additional funding.”
- General Fund Allocation Updates. Skilled Nursing Facilities (SNFs) are eligible for general fund awards. Below is a list of new or updated:
- Higher Payment Than Expected. DHHS describes what a provider should do if they believe payment is greater than expected or received in error;
- Description of Recoupment. DHHS notes that in general the Department “does not intend to recoup funds as long as a provider’s lost revenue and increased expenses exceed the amount of Provider Relief funding a provider has received. Additionally, in the General Allocation portion of the website, DHHS has added text bolstering this point and noting “there will be significant anti-fraud and auditing work done by HHS, including the work of the Office of the Inspector General.”
- Expenditure of Funds on Individuals with Possible, Presumptive, and Actual Cases of COVID-19. DHHS notes that Provider Relief Funds may be used for possible, presumptive, and actual COVID-positive patients and discusses each term.
- Terms and Conditions Updates. DHHS offers additional details on how it will monitor adherence to the Terms and Conditions and offers detail on certain provisions. The majority of the updates focus on the Targeted Allocations such as High Impact and Rural Allocations.
- Rejecting Funds. DHHS notes that “providers may return their General Distribution payment by going into the attestation portal indicate they are rejecting the funds. The CARES Act Provider Relief Fund Payment Attestation Portal will guide providers through the attestation process to reject the funds.” AHCA/NCAL assumes DHHS’ intent is within 45 days but will seek clarification.
- Reporting Requirements. The Department notes it will be posting specific reporting requirements in the coming weeks.
AHCA/NCAL will continue to submit questions and examples of challenging fund scenarios to DHHS including Change in Ownership (CHOW), Tax Identification Number (TIN) aggregation, disaggregation, or lack of TIN arrangements, additional questions about financial terminology and use of tax filing data for validation.
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IRS Announces Instructions for Stimulus Repayment of Deceased Individuals
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Earlier this week, the IRS announced that stimulus checks issued to deceased individuals should be returned if the person died before they received their stimulus check.
Per the IRS website: A Payment made to someone who died before receipt of the Payment should be returned to the IRS by following the
instructions in the Q&A about repayments. Return the entire Payment unless the Payment was made to joint filers and one spouse had not died before receipt of the Payment, in which case, you only need to return the portion of the Payment made on account of the decedent. This amount will be $1,200 unless adjusted gross income exceeded $150,000.
Payments should be returned as follows:
If the payment was a paper check:
Write "Void" in the endorsement section on the back of the check.
Mail the voided Treasury check immediately to the appropriate IRS location listed below.
Don't staple, bend, or paper clip the check.
Include a note stating the reason for returning the check.
If the payment was a paper check and you have cashed it, or if the payment was a direct deposit:
Submit a personal check, money order, etc., immediately to the appropriate IRS location listed below.
Write on the check/money order made payable to “U.S. Treasury” and write 2020EIP, and the taxpayer identification number (social security number, or individual taxpayer identification number) of the recipient of the check.
Include a brief explanation of the reason for returning the EIP.
For your paper check, here are the IRS mailing addresses to use based on the state:
Wisconsin: Fresno Refund Inquiry Unit
5045 E Butler Avenue
Mail Stop B2007
Fresno, CA 93888
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Wisconsin Misses Out on $25 Million in Funding Due to COVID-19 Relief Bill Delays in Legislature
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As reported yesterday, Wisconsin's unemployment trust fund could run out as soon as October according to the Department of Workforce Development (DWD).
According to DWD, Wisconsin lost out on $25 million in federal funding to help pay for unemployment benefits during the COVID-19 pandemic because the Legislature was not able to act quickly enough.
The CARES Act, federal relief legislation passed in late March, included provisions that would reimburse states for unemployment benefits as long as the state did not require the jobless to wait one week before they could receive aid.
Wisconsin lawmakers passed a state relief package in mid-April that suspended the state's one-week waiting period and attempted to take advantage of the federal reimbursements by including a provision that covered benefits retroactively to early March.
It was initially unclear whether the federal legislation would honor a retroactive provision in state legislation and provide reimbursement for benefits paid before lawmakers acted, but GOP legislative leaders were warned of the possibility it wouldn't be by Democratic members in the state's federal delegation
in a letter dated April 3.
Governor Tony Evers proposed a $700 million package to GOP legislative leaders on March 21, which included suspension of the one-week waiting period.
But GOP legislative leaders didn't schedule floor sessions to pass the legislation until the week of April 13, three weeks after the federal CARES Act was passed.
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Knowing whether a Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) supplier is reliable is challenging these days with all the pop-up PPE suppliers and
PPE scams. To assist members, AHCA/NCAL has developed a list of
PPE suppliers that have recently served long term care providers. The list is not an endorsement or seal of approval of any particular PPE supplier, but can be used as a resource when PPE is not available through their ordinary supply chains.
Members should keep in mind that PPE demand currently far exceeds PPE supply. Suppliers are facing unprecedented challenges obtaining PPE, so the suppliers on this list may not have PPE at the time they are contacted. These PPE suppliers are doing their best to fill orders as PPE shipments arrive or their PPE is manufactured. If a supplier is out of stock, ask when to check back.
This
list will be updated as more PPE suppliers are identified that have successfully delivered PPE supplies to AHCA/NCAL members during the pandemic.
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Webinar on PPE Use Next Week
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The National Emerging Special Pathogens Training and Education Center (NETEC) is hosting a town hall forum next week to answer frequently asked questions surrounding the use of Personal Protective Equipment in the care of COVID-19 patients. See how to register online below.
NETEC Webinar: PPE! You've Got Questions. We've Got Answers.
Wednesday, May 13, 2020
11:00 a.m. CST
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Pat Boyer, MSM, RN, NHA
| Director of Quality Advancement and Education |
pat@whcawical.org
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