HHS Updates COVID-19 Data Reporting Guidance

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) yesterday updated its guidance to hospitals on the reporting of COVID-19-related data. The guidance includes two key changes stemming from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) Dec. 2 interim final rule expanding the requirement for hospitals to report COVID-19 data:

• Influenza data. Hospitals will be required to report the previously optional influenza data fields on a daily basis starting Friday, Dec. 18. These data include confirmed cases, admissions, and ICU utilization of influenza patients, as well as confirmed cases and deaths of patients with both influenza and COVID-19.
• COVID-19 therapeutic data. Hospitals will be required to report on their inventory and utilization of two COVID-19 therapeutics – Bamlanimivab and Casirivimab/Imdevimab (also known as Regeneron) once per week. Specifically, HHS asks hospitals to report on their on-hand treatment courses, and treatment courses used in the past week. The data fields are available now, but will be required beginning with the reporting week that commences Friday, Jan. 8. Consistent with the other data fields that are reported on a weekly basis, HHS asks that hospitals submit the data on Wednesdays. In other words, the first reporting date for the therapeutic data fields will be Jan. 13.
  HHS notes that it may require hospitals to report on the inventory and utilization of additional therapeutics in the future, and intends to give hospitals two weeks of notice prior to requiring their reporting.

For information on how CMS is enforcing the condition of participation for hospitals to report the COVID-19 data, see the AHA’s Oct. 6 Special Bulletin.

Further Questions
If you have questions, please contact AHA at 800-424-4301.