CMS releases additional waivers for COVID-19

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services yesterday released additional new waivers related to COVID-19. The waivers, which apply nationwide and are retroactive to March 1, 2020, reduce supervision and other requirements to allow practitioners to work to the fullest extent of their licenses. 

Among other areas, CMS is waiving:

• the requirement that critical access hospitals have a physician physically present to provide medical direction, consultation and supervision;
• the requirement that a nurse practitioner, physician assistant or certified nurse-midwife be available to furnish patient care services at least 50% of the time a rural health clinic or federally qualified health center operates; and
• regulations that prevent a physician at a long-term care facility from delegating a task when the regulations specify that the physician must perform it personally.

For more details, see the AHA Advisory.