March 16, 2020
As part of the White House Coronavirus Task Force’s ongoing efforts to respond to and contain the spread of the 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19), on March 10, 2020, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a memorandum to all Medicare and Medicaid participating home health agencies (HHAs) that addresses frequently asked questions regarding the COVID-19 outbreak. The March 10 memorandum is intended to enhance CMS’ pre-existing health and safety requirements and the recommendations set forth by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Among other things, this guidance provides HHAs with information regarding screening measures, considerations for in-home care versus hospital transfers and recommendations for family member exposure when evaluating and caring for patients with known or suspected COVID-19.
Here are seven key points from CMS’ March 10 guidance for HHAs.
As the COVID-19 situation continues to evolve, CMS encourages all HHAs and other healthcare providers to monitor the CDC’s website for up-to-date information and resources and to contact local health departments when needed. Please contact the authors for additional guidance on how other COVID-19 considerations may impact healthcare providers. McGuireWoods has published additional thought leadership related to how companies across various industries can address crucial coronavirus-related business and legal issues.