Summary: Telehealth Expansion in Response to COVID-19 from Cline Williams In an unprecedented move to respond to the public health emergency caused by the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has expanded access to Medicare telehealth services and agreed to pay for professional telehealth services in all areas of the country and settings of care.

 American Medical Association (AMA) has designed a quick guide to support physicians and practices in expediting the implementation of telemedicine, so care can continue to be provided to those who need it most:

      AMA Quick Guide                           

Access the CMS General Provider Telehealth and Telemedicine Toolkit:  

 CMS Telehealth Toolkit    

Information for Physicians:
COVID-19: Frequently asked questions includes Patient-physician relationship questions, clinical questions, infection prevention & control questions, practice management questions, ethical questions, essential tools & resources
Get the AMA Physician's Guide to COVID-19
Changing the COVID Conversation - Communications Cheat Sheet

Information for Patient Distribution:
7 things doctors wish patients knew about holiday gatherings this year
6 things doctors wish patients knew about masks
5 reasons why religious services pose high risk of COVID-19 spread
6 things doctors wish patients knew about flying during the pandemic
What doctors wish patients knew about physical distancing
Questions and Answers about the COVID-19 Vaccine for PALTC Staff, Patients, Residents and Family Members

Social Media Assets for Your Clinic:

Do Right, Right Now COVID campaign

Campaign information: https://dorightrightnow.org/ 
Downloadable assets: https://www.launchne.com/toolkit/ and https://bit.ly/DRRNStatewide

We’re in This Together, Nebraska campaign

Campaign information: https://inthistogetherne.com/ 
Downloadable assets: https://inthistogetherne.com/campaign-assets/ 

#MaskUp campaign

Campaign information and assets: https://www.ama-assn.org/delivering-care/coronavirus/mask-stop-spread-covid-19

CDC Digital Media Toolkit: 2020-21 Flu Season https://www.ama-assn.org/delivering-care/coronavirus/mask-stop-spread-covid-19

Campaign information and assets: https://www.cdc.gov/flu/resource-center/toolkit/index.htm

Handouts:
CDC Print Resources: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/communication/print-resources.html?Sort=Date%3A%3Adesc

CPT reporting for COVID-19 testing:a quick-reference flowchart.

CARES Act Provider Relief Fund Payment Attestation Portal

CMS issues new guidance to state and local governments, as well as nursing home, to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in nursing homes.

Medicare Advance Payments for COVID-19 Emergency - In order to help physicians and other providers, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has expanded its Accelerated and Advance Payment Program for the duration of the public health emergency. CMS is authorized to provide accelerated or advance payments during the period of the public health emergency to any Medicare physician, provider or supplier who submits a request to the appropriate Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC) and meets the required qualifications. This is also included in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act.

CMS Announces Relief for Clinicians, Providers, Hospitals and Facilities Participating in Quality Reporting Programs in Response to COVID-19

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced a number of new policies to help physicians and hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic:
CMS Fact Sheet: Physicians and Other Clinicians: CMS Flexibilities to Fight COVID-19 
CMS Press Release 3-30-2020: Trump Administration Makes Sweeping Regulatory Changes to Help U.S. Healthcare System Address COVID-19 Patient Surge
CMS payment policies and regulatory flexibilities related to COVID-19. 

Medicare Telemedicine Healthcare Provider Fact Sheet
Medicaid COVID-19 Provider Bulletin
Medicaid Coverage of Testing
Medicaid & Long-Term Care Coronavirus – COVID-19 Frequently Asked Questions (with telehealth info)

Updates BCBS Telehealth Policy  BCBS NE has updated their telehealth policy to include new telehealth codes. We will allow synchronous and asynchronous telehealth with reimbursement for time-based codes. For the pandemic situation and until further notice BCBS will allow MD, NP and PA to provide telehealth services from the office or home to patients at home. No video component will be required during this pandemic urgency period. Please use a 95 modifier and POS 02 for all telehealth charges during this pandemic timeframe. 
Notification of Enforcement Discretion for Telehealth Remote Communications During the COVID-19 Nationwide Public Health Emergency: OCR will exercise its enforcement discretion and will not impose penalties for noncompliance with the regulatory requirements under the HIPAA Rules against covered health care providers in connection with the good faith provision of telehealth during the COVID-19 nationwide public health emergency.  This notification is effective immediately.

BCBS COVID-19 Latest information (with teleheath)

MEDICA Telehealth Information
MEDICA Code List
Emergency Telemedicine Policy

UHC COVID-19 telehealth services
Telehealth and Telemedicine Policy Update

Coding Scenarios: helps health care professionals apply best coding practices for telehealth services for all patients. Includes coding for when a patient: comes to the office for E/M visit and is tested for COVID-19 during the visit; receives a telehealth visit re: COVID-19 and is directed to come to physician office or physician’s group practice site for testing; receives a virtual check-in/online visit re: COVID-19 (not related to E/M visit), and is directed to come to physician office for testing.

Backline Telehealth by Dr.First Offers Discounted Rates When Signing Up with NMA Promo Code



Backline makes telehealth and care collaboration easy.  A simple text from the provider using Backline goes straight to the patient’s mobile phone to initiate a secure, HIPAA-compliant virtual visit.  There’s no patient registration process or app for patients to download. There are no limits on usage or per-session fees. Plus, Backline gives you communication features you won’t find in other telemedicine offerings. Please join us in combatting the spread of the coronavirus.  Connect with patients in virtual visits and share information between your staff, family members, caretakers, and outside providers in real-time—all in a convenient, HIPAA-compliant solution.

• More about Backline for Telehealth
• Backline Telehealth Quick User Guide
• Sign Up Link (be sure to use association code NMA to receive the NMA rate!) If you are a clinic with more than 10 physicians and would like to sign up, contact Curt Hess directly to receive an additional discount.  You can reach him at chess@drfirst.com or 717-309-4771. 

H.R. 748, the “Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act” (CARES Act)
Health Care Highlights 
AMA COVID-19 (2019 novel coronavirus) resource center for physicians
A Physicians Guide to COVID-19
What doctors need to do if exposed

CDC Official COVID-19 site
CDC Information Line 800-CDC-INFO (800-232-4636) TTY 888-232-6348 Hours: Monday–Friday, 7:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. CT (English and Spanish) Extended hours for coronavirus disease 2019 questions only:  Saturday – Sunday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. CT (English) You can also submit a question to CDC Info via email - https://wwwn.cdc.gov/dcs/ContactUs/Form
Steps Facilities can Take to Prepare for Coronavirus Disease 2019
Interim Guidance for Healthcare Facilities
Strategies to Prevent the Spread of COVID-19 in Long-Term Care Facilities
Strategies for Optimizing the Supply of N95 Respirators

DHHS COVID-19 site
DHHS COVID 19 Updated Recommendations (3-19-2020)  Included:

Who should have a COVID-19 lab test—testing capacity is still limited
Use of clinical diagnosis instead of laboratory confirmation
STRICT self-isolation for anyone with symptoms of COVID-19 infection (broader case definition)
Send COVID tests to commercial labs; for high-priority cases, use NE Public Health Lab
Advice for travelers: need to self-isolate and practice social distancing
How long to stay in self-isolation

Health Care Providers, Clinics, and Facilities Testing InformatioN from DHHS (updated 3/16/2020)

Nebraska Rheumatology Society-Letter to Governor Ricketts re:Hydroxychloroquine

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) issued guidance to DEA-registered physicians providing new flexibility for physicians managing patients with opioid use disorder.  The new guidance permits physicians and other health professionals with a waiver allowing them to prescribe buprenorphine for the treatment of opioid use disorder to issue these prescriptions to new and existing patients based on an evaluation via telephone. The new policy is effective from March 31 for the duration of the COVID-19 emergency.

WHO Official Site