CMS NEWS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 7, 2017
Contact: CMS Media Relations
CMS
Continues Helping Texas and Louisiana with Hurricane Harvey Recovery
Agency helps impacted beneficiaries with
replacement of medical equipment and supplies
Centers for Medicare and
Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Seema Verma today announced new
guidance to support people who are impacted by the loss of their durable
medical equipment and supplies due to Hurricane Harvey. The ongoing
response from CMS is focused on helping Medicare and Medicaid
beneficiaries, providers, facilities and the general public with their
immediate needs and ensuring access to healthcare services and resources are
not interrupted throughout the recovery.
Today, the agency finalized new guidance for Fee for
Service (FFS) Medicare beneficiaries who have lost or realized damage to
their durable medical equipment, prosthetics,
orthotics, and supplies (DMEPOS) as a result of Hurricane Harvey. Health
and Human Services Secretary Tom Price, M.D., established a waiver
under section 1135 of the Social Security Act that allows CMS to
temporarily suspend the face-to-face requirement, a new physician’s order,
and new medical necessity documentation for replacement due to loss or
damage from the hurricane. This action will help to make sure that
beneficiaries can continue to access the needed medical equipment and
supplies they rely on each day.
Suppliers are still required to include a narrative
description on the claim explaining why the equipment must be replaced. In
addition, suppliers should keep documentation that indicates whether the
DMEPOS was lost, destroyed, irreparably damaged or otherwise rendered
unusable as a result of the hurricane.
Beneficiaries can contact 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227)
for assistance.
CMS will continue to work with
Texas and Louisiana in their recovery. The agency continues to update its emergency
page ( www.cms.gov/emergency)
with important information for state and local officials, providers,
healthcare facilities and the public.
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