An Update from the Center for Medicare Advocacy

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An Update from the Center for Medicare Advocacy

Dear Friends,

In these very unpredictable times, it’s hard to be certain of things – but one thing to count on is the Center for Medicare Advocacy.

We remain open and fully operational – although most of our staff will soon be working remotely. Our phones, email, and online contact forms are available. Our website remains a robust source of information and updates. Our webinars will continue – and remote programs may increase.

We, like others around the world, are certainly focused on the effects of COVID-19. We are particularly focused on the needs of older and disabled Medicare beneficiaries and their families The Center for Medicare Advocacy provided information about COVID-19 as it relates to Medicare in a recent CMA Alert. We will continue to provide updates as they develop.

Medicare Part B will cover coronavirus testing if the individual’s doctor or other health care provider orders it and the test was performed on or after February 4, 2020. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Service (CMS) has also released several documents related to the COVID-19 emergency, which may be of interest to Medicare beneficiaries:

• Fact Sheet on expanded telehealth for Medicare beneficiaries: https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-sheets/medicare-telemedicine-health-care-provider-fact-sheet
• Memorandum for MA and Part D plans: https://www.cms.gov/files/document/hpms-memo-covid-information-plans.pdf
• Guidance for home health providers: https://www.cms.gov/medicareprovider-enrollment-and-certificationsurveycertificationgeninfopolicy-and/guidance-infection-control-and-prevention-concerning-coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19-home-health
• Guidance for Infection Control and Prevention of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Nursing Homes (Revised March 13, 2020): https://www.cms.gov/files/document/qso-20-14-nh-revised.pdf
• Guidance for dialysis facilities providers: https://www.cms.gov/medicareprovider-enrollment-and-certificationsurveycertificationgeninfopolicy-and/guidance-infection-control-and-prevention-coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19-dialysis-facilities

We hope you will stay safe, and follow the guidance of these resources and those made available by the Centers for Disease Control (https://www.cdc.gov/) – including this handy infographic: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/downloads/workplace-school-and-home-guidance.pdf.

As we continue fighting for fair access to Medicare and health care for older people and people with disabilities, we send our best regards to the millions of families, and all the other organizations, facing these difficult times.

Be safe, be well –

Judith Stein, Esq. Executive Director Center for Medicare Advocacy, Inc.