The AHA today urged CMS to use its authority to extend to LTCHs the 20% hospital add-on payment for Medicare beneficiaries diagnosed with COVID-19, which was authorized by the CARES Act.

“LTCHs are playing a critical role in supporting the growing number of general acute-care hospitals that, because they have hit their maximum capacity, must transfer COVID-19 patients to other settings,” AHA wrote. “LTCHs are one of the few other settings that are able to accept these patients because they uniquely possess both ventilators and the clinicians needed to treat the virus, including pulmonologists, critical care nurses and respiratory therapists. In fact, some LTCHs are now operating as COVID-19-designated sites. Extending the 20% DRG add-on to LTCHs would help support their increasing role in fighting the pandemic.”

Related News Articles

Headline
The Food and Drug Administration recently granted emergency use authorization for the first over-the-counter home antigen test to detect both flu and COVID-19…
Headline
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Mandy Cohen, M.D., Feb. 28 endorsed a recommendation by its Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices…
Headline
Paxlovid may no longer be distributed with an emergency use label after March 8, the Food and Drug Administration announced. Providers may dispense unexpired…
Headline
A CDC study  released Dec. 21 found low COVID-19 and flu vaccination coverage for most adults, and low RSV vaccination coverage for adults aged 60 and…
Headline
The Home Test to Treat program now offers free testing, telehealth and treatment for both COVID-19 and flu to eligible adults nationwide, the National…
Headline
The Food and Drug Administration Nov. 9 cleared for marketing the Flowflex COVID-19 Antigen Home Test, the first COVID-19 antigen test and second COVID-19 at-…