CMS Medicare-Medicaid Coordination Office (MMCO) October Announcements

Updates The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicare-Medicaid Coordination Office (MMCO) is pleased to share the following updates: Webinar: Leveraging Partnerships to Promote Flu Vaccinations Among Dually Eligible Beneficiaries During COVID-19 Updated Social Security Administration Instructions when State Payment of Medicare Premiums Ends for Certain Low Income Individuals Webinar: Leveraging Partnerships to Promote Flu Vaccinations Among Dually Eligible Beneficiaries During COVID-19 Date/Time: Tuesday, November 2, 2021 – 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm ET Register here. Older adults and adults with chronic conditions, including many people dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid, face increased risk of adverse outcomes related to the flu, including hospitalization and death [1, 2]. Dually eligible individuals are also at greater risk for severe outcomes due to COVID-19 [3]. With a greater risk of infection from COVID-19 or flu this season, flu vaccinations for dually eligible individuals are particularly important. Evidence shows that flu vaccinations decrease flu severity and flu-related hospitalizations [4]. Additionally, flu vaccination uptake may reduce health care system burden during the COVID-19 pandemic [5]. In the 2020-2021 flu season, a record number of adults received the flu vaccine [6]. Researchers believe that the increased number of flu vaccinations along with COVID-19 mitigation measures such as social distancing and masking could explain the noticeably low numbers of influenza in the 2020-2021 season [7]. However, dually eligible individuals, particularly those from racial and ethnic minority groups, are less likely to receive the flu vaccine [8]. Health plans and community partners can play a key role in educating members on the importance of annual flu vaccinations, as well as in facilitating access to them. The CDC is working with national, state, and local partners to reduce the disparities in vaccination access and uptake experienced by racial and ethnic minority groups. In this event, representatives from the CDC will discuss their efforts to promote equitable access to flu and COVID-19 vaccines and share promising practices for health plans and providers to engage key partners to promote vaccinations among dually eligible beneficiaries. The event will also feature health plan representatives, who will share their partnerships with community organizations to promote flu vaccinations. By the end of this webinar, attendees should be able to: Understand how CDC is working with partners and supporting states to reach and engage hard to reach and disproportionately affected communities Identify effective strategies for messaging and promoting flu vaccinations in the context of COVID-19 Describe ways to build vaccine confidence among beneficiaries Featured Speakers: Richard Quartarone, Liaison to COVID-19 Vaccine Task Force, Immunization Services Division, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Samra Ashenafi, Public Health Advisor, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Bob Frantz, Senior Director, Medicaid/MMP Member Engagement & Analytics, Aetna Better Health Premier Plan Jamie Galbreath, Quality Improvement Associate Director, UCare Monica Gossett, Community Outreach Manager, UCare Register at: https://event.on24.com/wcc/r/3474845/6E308A474B41A52B8D3DF47E64BA2D4E Updated Social Security Administration Instructions when State Payment of Medicare Premiums Ends for Certain Low Income Individuals On Tuesday, October 12, 2021, the Social Security Administration (SSA) updated instructions for its field offices to describe implications and options for beneficiaries when states stop paying Medicare premiums for certain individuals dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid. Under the state buy-in program, Medicaid agencies pay (or “buy in”) the Medicare Part A and/or Part B premiums for certain Medicaid beneficiaries, including those enrolled in the Medicare Savings Programs. Each year, states pay Medicare Part B premiums for approximately 10 million individuals and Part A premiums for approximately 700,000 individuals who are not otherwise entitled to Part A. When individuals lose state payment of their Medicare premiums and have limited income, the upfront costs of Medicare premiums may leave them insufficient remaining income for life’s necessities, including food and housing. The updated instructions direct SSA field offices to advise beneficiaries who cannot afford to pay the three months of premiums at once to request an installment plan or waiver of premium liability. The revised instructions clarify other information including: The circumstances under which state payment of Medicare Part A and/or Part B premiums can end; and State requirements for Part B buy-in upon a change in circumstances (e.g. after Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments end). These POMS revisions reflect updates and clarifications from the revised State Buy-in Manual, now referred to as the Manual for State Payment of Medicare Premiums, that CMS released in September 2020. The revised manual and POMs updates are available at the following links: State Payment of Medicare Premiums | CMS; SSA - POMS: HI 00815.021 - The End of State Payment of Medicare Premiums Under a Buy-in Agreement - 10/12/2021; SSA - POMS: HI 00815.042 - Implications and Options for Beneficiaries When State Payment of Medicare Premiums (State Buy-in) Ends - 10/12/2021 References: [1] CDC, 2021. Flu & People 65 Years and Older. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/flu/highrisk/65over.htm [2] National Foundation for Infectious Diseases. Flu and Adults with Chronic Health Conditions. Retrieved from  https://www.nfid.org/infectious-diseases/flu-and-adults-with-chronic-health-conditions/ [3] CDC, 2020. Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) – People with Certain Medical Conditions. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/need-extra-precautions/people-with-medical-conditions.html [4] Infectious Disease Society of America, 2019. Studies Show Flu Vaccine Reduces Rise of Hospitalization in Children and Death in Adults: National Flu Surveillance Research. Retrieved from https://www.idsociety.org/news--publications-new/articles/2019/studies-show-flu-vaccine-reduces-risk-of-hospitalization-in-children-and-death-in-adults/ [5] Jaklevic, M., 2020. Flu Vaccination Urged During COVID-19 Pandemic. Retrieved from https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2769836 [6] Rubin, R., 2021. Influenza’s Unprecedented Low Profile During COVID-19 Pandemic Leaves Experts Wondering What This Flu Season Has in Store. Retrieved from https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/2783644 [7] Ibid. [8] Better Medicare Alliance. (2020). Medicare Beneficiaries Who Are Most Unlikely to Get a Flu Shot. Retrieved from https://atiadvisory.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Medicare-Beneficiaries-Who-Are-Most-Unlikely-to-Get-a-Flu-Shot.pdf